New Jersey State Library Newsletter

The New Jersey State Library is pleased to sponsor a workshop to help libraries
planning for library construction in the future: It’s Easy Being Green.

With all the news about a possible stimulus package which may include library construction, this is a great opportunity to learn about green library construction.

Architects Anthony Iovino and Dennis Kowal, accredited LEEDS architects, will
present basic information on building green libraries, offer tips on going green, and present slides of LEEDS and other environmentally friendly library buildings.

MORE DETAILS AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION

The training staff of ReferenceUSA is offering one-hour webinars to assist reference librarians in helping your customers use ReferenceUSA as an employer database. Other information that will be shared includes locating jobs within certain career fields, and identifying the individual at potential employers for sending their resumes.

Choose the session that is most convenient for you:
Friday, February 6 at 10 a.m.
Tuesday, February 10, at 9:30 a.m. or 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 12 at 3:00 p.m.

To register go to:
https://secure.thriva.com/Reg/Form.aspx?IDTD=1607587&IDRPH=1659115

Sign-on information will be sent to all registrants by February 5.

If you have any questions, please contact Scherelene Schatz, sschatz@njstatelib.org

Libraries from all over New Jersey have joined the Tell Us Your Story statewide marketing campaign, collecting compelling stories from their customers about how the library transformed their lives. South Brunswick set up their display in the lobby where everyone could see it. Send your Tell Us Your Story display photo to gcooper@njstatelib.org.

Public libraries and school library media centers statewide are continuing to join with the State Library in the Pennies for Peace campaign for the Lincoln Bicentennial during the month of February. Why not join in this statewide effort? It’s easy, it’s a worthwhile cause and it’s a great way to celebrate the Lincoln Bicentennial.

Simply register and place a container for collecting pennies in your library. For information on the program and how to register, go to Pennies for Peace. Send us pictures of your display and we will post in our Pennies for Peace set on Flickr.

READ MORE

The following libraries have already joined:

Public Libraries

Belleville Public Library and Information Center
Bernards Township Public Library
Bloomingdale Public Library
Butler Public Library
Camden County Library System (6 branches)
Cedar Grove Library
Collingswood Public Library
Demarest Public Library
Dowdell Library of South Amboy
Dumont, Dixon Homestead Library
Fanwood Public Library
Franklin Lakes Public Library
Glen Ridge Public Library
Jersey City Public Library, Miller Branch
Kearny Public Library
Leonia Public Library
Lambertville Free Public Library
Library for the Blind & Handicapped
Library of the Chathams
Long Branch Public Library
Manasquan Branch, Monmouth County library
Mercer County Library – Twin Rivers Branch
Middletown Township Public Library
Monroe Township Public Library
Neptune Public Library
New Milford Public Library
North Brunswick Public Library
Norwood Public Library
Nutley Free Public Library
Ocean County Library, Brick Branch
Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library System
South River Public Library
Phillipsburg Free Public Library
Raritan Valley Community College Library
Red Bank Public Library
Rockaway Township Library
Roxbury Public Library
Runnemede Free Public Library
Rutherford Library
Sparta Public Library
Union City Public Library
Warren County Library – Catherine Dickson Hofman Branch
West Caldwell Public Library
West Deptford Public Library
Westfield Memorial Library
William Dermody Public Library (Carlstadt)
Woodbridge Free Public Library, Henry Inman Branch, Colonia
Woodbury Public Library

School Library Media Centers

Carusi Middle School – Cherry Hill
Clearview Regional High School
Cliffwood Elementary School Library
Copeland Middle School, Rockaway Township
Forest Avenue School (K-2), Glen Ridge
Leonia Middle School
Linden Avenue School (K-2), Glen Ridge
Lovell J. Honiss School, Dumont
New Providence School District – each school
North Plainfield High School
Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, Hope Memorial Library (7-12), Summit
Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, Lower School Library (K-6), Summit
Passaic Valley Regional H.S., Little Falls
Rancocas Valley Regional High School
Ridgewood Avenue School (grades 3-6), Glen Ridge
Rutgers Preparatory School - Somerset
Taylor Mills School – Manalapan
West Avenue School, Bridgeton
West Essex Senior High School
West Long Branch School District

Special contributors

Institute for Global Understanding, Monmouth University

Because of the possibility of funding for library construction from the stimulus package, the State Library is pleased to present, “It’s Easy Being Green: A Workshop for Libraries Interested in Green Library Construction”. It will be held at the South Brunswick Public Library on March 25, 9 am- 12:00 pm.

Anthony Iovino and Dennis Kowal, accredited LEEDS architects, will do
a program on green library buildings, including a slide show, and will also offer tips to
help your library go green. Registration will be available shortly from Tina Keresztury, Associate State Librarian. If you are planning library construction in the future, this program is strongly recommended!

Questions:
Tina Keresztury, Associate State Librarian
609-278-2640 ext. 134
tkeresztury@njstatelib.org

The Star Ledger reports on how libraries are at risk in this economic downturn in the January 21, 2009 issue:

” Just as libraries are seeing an increase in use by people searching for jobs or simply taking advantage of free services, the state’s weakened economy is forcing some branches to cut hours and programs, or shut down altogether…

In Madison, officials have “begun the difficult process of re-examining all aspects” of the library’s operation. Library closings are being considered in Bridgeton and Bayonne…

Though the full impact of the fiscal downturn won’t be known until cities and towns, which finance public libraries, put together their 2009 municipal budgets, many libraries have already been told they’ll have to continue serving the public with less money and fewer resources. Jay Dharmendra, a regular user of the Parsippany library, urged officials to maintain library services.

‘Libraries are kind of temples or churches for learning, especially for children. And older people benefit, too. I see so many people who have lost their jobs at the computers searching for new jobs. They need the library,’ Dharmendra said.

‘I know times are tough, but let’s not be hasty in cutting library services, let’s not make the mistake to think libraries are less than essential,’ said Roger White, a student from Morristown, who was doing research recently at the Morris County Library…” FULL STORY

Suzanne Applegate, President, Highway Tire Distributors, Inc.

The Burlington County Library System has helped me in business by giving me the online tools to search many different databases. Joan Divor, the Business Services Librarian, spoke at a Greater Mount Holly Business and Professional Association meeting several years ago and has opened a new world for me. Many of the business owners at that meeting had no idea that this web site was available. Since that time I have been able to use many of the features of the Online Burlington County Library Web Site.

From searching the Demographic databases to printing legal forms for certain employees, this web site is the first place I turn to for my business questions. If I am not able to locate what I am looking for it is less overwhelming to know that I can communicate via email with a Librarian with my questions and have an answer in a short time period.

One specific instance, I was able to research demographics to help me with plan some of my direct mail advertising. Years past in order to find much of the information that was needed was expensive and cumbersome. With the use of the BCLS Business Gateway, I was able to research specific target areas, with detailed demographic maps that helped me pick specific streets to mail to. This, I feel, resulted in a higher return rate of the coupons than if I just relied on mailing to general areas.

Using the Business Gateway is only one part of what I use this web site for. I spend a lot of time listening to the Audio Books that I download to my MP3 player and books that I download to my Book reader. I love that fact that I do not need to worry about late fees, the book is automatically returned. This web site has been an invaluable tool for me in my business research as well as the Librarians that are there to answer any questions.

-Suzanne Applegate, President, Highway Tire Distributors, Inc
Vice President, The Greater Mount Holly Business and Professional Association

The New Jersey State Library for the Blind & Handicapped celebrated Louis Braille’s 200th birthday with a special Children’s American Sign Language Story Hour featuring Joy Atin, employment services specialist with the NJ Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, who read “Buddy: The First Seeing Eye Dog” by Eva Moore. Watch the video of WZBN’s coverage. On the left of the screen, select WZBN News, then the Blind Volunteer story.

“My business was motivated by a personal tragedy. My mother at the age of 59 suffered from a debilitating stroke which left the right side of her face paralyzed. The non-surgical skin care product I developed tightened and lifted her facial muscles within one application, significantly lessening the appearance of the effects from her stroke. That’s when I knew my product was a winner and I decided to start my own business.”

“The Business Center at the Burlington County Library has helped me tremendously. I made an individual appointment with the business services librarian who recommended that I reach out to special event coordinators and women’s networking organizations. In addition, I have made wonderful connections for my business through the library’s resources, especially the Small Business Development Center. They helped me create my marketing and business plan. My product was selected by QVC to appear in the shopping network’s regional trade show which was broadcast online from Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles. The library’s business services are outstanding. I would highly recommend them for anyone who is looking to start their own business.”

-Barbara Strampello, Owner of Fabulous Faces LLC

“Jefferson said ‘I cannot live without books.’ As a great mind needs books so a great community needs books. And today we need the whole range of services provided by a fine library – books, computers and well educated helpful staff.

The people of the Morristown & Morris Township community believe that strong libraries make strong communities and recently voted endorsement of our Library by giving $7,200,000. Along with the State Library Construction Grant their gifts created a large and beautiful capital expansion. They have spoken and now we must honor their commitment and speak as well.

Steve Wiley
Chair, The Victory Committee
The Morristown and Morris Township Library

*Note: From the Star Ledger article January 21, 2009
“Anticipating a decline in funding, veteran Madison Library Director Nancy Adamczyk has asked the public to make suggestions regarding library services, hours and programs. She also has asked residents to consider making tax deductible donations to the library.

At the Morris County Library, where book shelvers’ hours have been cut 20 percent, the staff has been cut by attrition and the materials budget for 2009 has been sliced by $100,000, director Kares is asking the public to be understanding.

“We’re still going to be here and do the best we can to provide good library service,” Kares said. “Sure, they may be some longer lines and, yes, maybe we’ll ask people to put books back on the shelves. But we hope to hang in there during these tough economic times. This is when people need us.”

I was never one to reinvent the wheel so when I set out to do my business plan I headed off to the library. I already knew that my library had an excellent reference desk so I wasn’t surprised to find volumes of business plan examples that I could leverage. Sure I could have surfed and sifted the web and maybe have found as many examples, but a business plan has many parts and I wanted the right set of parts; there is no way I could have done the same side-by-side and piece-by-piece comparison as effectively on the web.

Plans are great, but customers are better. Enter my Business Services Librarian. I knew my target market and also knew that there were more potential customers than I was aware of. My librarian scheduled one-on-time to walk me through the profiling databases provided through the library system. These are the same industrial strength tools the big firms use and pay for. I suppose we pay for them too since our tax dollars do support the library system. That’s fine with me, in fact I see it as one of the few cases where - Your tax dollars at work - is not a cliché.

Tom Pantano - Founder
Audieris LLC

Audieris is a professional services consulting firm specializing in training for all aspects of effective business communication. Audieris is Latin for “you will be heard” and it is our mission to help our clients - Communicate effectively everyday with everyone.

The Library Company of Burlington has been a comfort to us Ms. Deb Scott of the City of Burlington. “Normally I would purchase my books, but it’s a financial necessity for us s a family to utilize the resources at the library. This library is especially important to us for the free use of computers. My daughter Sierra comes to the library to research, type and print all her school reports. Sierra also attends the monthly children’s story time and all the special events. The library is a place for us, a place we can identify with.”

On January 14, Emma Shelby, Mental Health Educator, from the Mental Health Association of New Jersey visited the NJ State Library to inform library staff about effective methods for serving patrons with mental illness. In her presentation, she explored facts and myths about mental illness, and described the various signs and symptoms that indicate an individual may have a mental illness. She focused on communication and conflict resolution skills, such as nonverbal behavior and active listening, that library staff can use to facilitate interactions with patrons who suffer from mental illness. The presentation lasted a little over an hour and was a great opportunity to ask questions, share experiences and learn from a representative of the MHANJ. 
Contact MHANJ at info@mhanj.org or 973-571-4100.

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News 12 ran this piece on the Virtual Career Center the Long Branch Free Public Library has launched to help people find jobs.

“John Adams Unbound,” a traveling exhibition, opens at the New Brunswick Free Public Library on Monday, January 26. Through photo-reproductions of many of Adams’s books, as well as personal objects, graphics, maps and portraits, exhibition viewers will witness one of our founding fathers wrestling with intellectual and political ideas at every stage in his long life – as a boy, university student, Boston lawyer, revolutionary, diplomat, president and citizen of the early American republic. The exhibition is an extraordinary case study of the power of reading, which reveals the role of books and libraries in the health and prosperity of a democracy.

The opening reception will be held in the library’s Carl T. Valenti Community Room at 6 p.m. on Monday, January 26. The evening will feature a lecture by Dr. Marc Mappen, executive director of the New Jersey Historical Commission, who will discuss Adams’ ties to New Jersey. Refreshments will be served courtesy of the Friends of the New Brunswick Free Public Library, and a copy of David McCullough’s book John Adams will be raffled off to a lucky audience member.

The library will host two local history experts on Monday, February 2, at 6 p.m. Dr. Paul Clemens, chair of Rutgers University’s Department of History, will talk about John Adams’ visits to New Jersey. Ron Becker, head librarian at Rutgers University’s Special Collections and University Archives, will discuss the importance of archives and library collections such the one belonging to John Adams. Refreshments will be served, and a copy of David McCullough’s John Adams will be raffled during intermission.

On Saturday, February 7, historical re-enactors from the American Historical Theatre will present “John and Abigail Adams: Best Friends” in the library’s Valenti Community Room. There will be two back-to-back performances, the first at 1 p.m., which is recommended for grades K to 4, and the second at 2 p.m., recommended for grades 5 to 8, though all ages are welcome at both performances. Please call ahead to register for this event at 732-745-5108, ext. 16.

Awarded to the New Brunswick Free Public Library by the National Endowment for the Humanities, “John Adams Unbound” was developed by the American Library Association and Boston Public Library. For more information about the “John Adams” exhibition and accompanying events, contact Laura Szalaj at 732-745-5108, ext. 20, or by email at Lszalaj@lmxac.org, or visit the New Brunswick Free Public Library Web site at www.nbfpl.org. “John Adams Unbound” will be on display at the library until March 6, 2009.