New Jersey State Library Newsletter

BY BRENT JOHNSON For the Star-Ledger
When Jackie Hilles lost her publishing job in January, she found solace at Piscataway’s Westergard Library.

She canceled her $50-a-month internet subscription and started using the library’s free Web service. She checked out books on finding jobs.

“I’m not alone,” Hilles said. “I see at least a half-dozen people every day at the library in my situation. And the numbers are growing.”

As the economy continues to droop and people look for ways to save cash, circulation is up 8 percent at libraries across several counties — including most in Middlesex County — according to the Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium.

But libraries are feeling the same pinch as their patrons — and Westergard is a prime example. Rumors have circulated through Piscataway that Westergard — one of the town’s two public libraries — is in danger of closing due to budgetary shortfalls. FULL STORY

BY MERRY FIRSCHEIN/ NorthJersey.com
HASBROUCK HEIGHTS — Librarians usually help patrons find answers, but the recession has raised a new question with increasing frequency: How do they help people access unemployment information?

A special seminar Thursday taught librarians from more than 30 municipal libraries throughout northern and northwestern New Jersey the most important answers for patrons who are applying for unemployment and accessing programs to help them find jobs.

The 90-minute seminar was sponsored by the New Jersey State Library, state and regional library associations and the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

People seeking unemployment information “need someone reliable, dependable that they feel comfortable in confiding their situation,” Hasbrouck Heights Library Director Mimi Hui said. “It’s one more hat that we are now being asked to wear.”

Librarians learned the difference between applying for unemployment insurance on the state’s Web site and applying by telephone, which questions to ask patrons to help them figure out how to apply, how to understand the language used in the application itself and even where to find the information on the Internet. Full story

The Atlantic City Free Public Library received a $40,000 grant to create a special Teen Space, which is expected to open in September 2009. The project was funded by the Atlantic City Free Public Library, the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative and the New Jersey State Library.

The 985-square-foot Teen Space will be located on the second floor of the Main Library. It will be a casual, teen-only area for teens to gather, and will include work stations, modern lounge furniture, space to hold meetings and special programs, computers, a large screen television, video gaming area and CD listening station.

Another section will be designed for teens to read, study, use a computer and do homework or research. The library’s teen collection of books, magazines, movies, games and music will be located there – and parents, teachers and others will have access to this area to utilize those resources.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to expand services for teens in Atlantic City,” said Maureen Sherr Frank, director of the library. “We are looking forward to developing a special area with new technology and educational resources in the Main Library to encourage learning, exploration and creativity.”

Youth Services librarian Jennifer Boyce is the Teen Space project coordinator.

Interior designer Shaina Horton came up with a vibrant, colorful and modern look in her Teen Space design. One of the most visually dramatic aspects of the space will be a large mural designed by graffiti artist Stephen Gibson. Local teens gave their opinions on what Gibson’s mural design should include, and they helped him paint the mural during a series of April workshops.

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Follow the progress of the project by going to http://www.acfpl.org/index.php?option=com_idoblog&view=idoblog&Itemid=893

Pictured from left: Paul Pattwell, Supervisor in Charge, Newark Public Library; Tina Keresztury, Associate State Librarian and Forum Coordinator; David Rible, 11th District Assemblyman; and Creighton Drury, Director of Prevention Strategies, Assistant Attorney General.

Gang Prevention strategies were discussed by experts, concerned officials and community leaders as the New Jersey State Library hosted Safe Teens = Safe Streets: New Jersey’s First Working Forum on Community Collaboration at Mercer County Community College on May 14. Its purpose was to bring together legislators, county prosecutors, youth services commission directors, county social services board directors, educators, gang prevention professionals, librarians, and representatives of other community agencies serving children and their families, to develop strategies and a call to action to prevent New Jersey’s children and teens from joining gangs.

Ron Hampton, DSG, NJ State Police and president of the NJ chapter of the East Coast Gang Investigators Association, noted that a lot of communities are in denial, with gang prevention not a priority. “This has resulted in gangs growing in those areas. There are 794 gangs in New Jersey; 191 can be considered uniquely named,” he said. “The Bloods are the most active in recruiting and are present in 211 municipalities. According to the FBI, gangs are behind 80 percent of crime in the United States.”

Creighton Drury, Director of Prevention Strategies, Assistant Attorney General, NJ Dept. of Law & Public Safety, who was appointed by Governor Jon Corzine to focus on gang prevention and keeping New Jersey safe, said “no other state is trying to address this problem in such a comprehensive way with prevention, re-entry and enforcement.” He said building community relationships, coordinating resources and keeping kids in school were keys to prevention.

The conference wrapped up with the facilitators of each breakout session reporting the recommendations made by participants. “We’ve gotten a lot of good ideas,” said Tina Keresztury, Associate State Librarian, “these will be delivered to Attorney General Drury for his review.”

The State Library sponsored the conference in collaboration with several other agencies and organizations to raise awareness of the role that all can play in helping to fight the problems of gangs in our state. It is hoped that this working forum will present an opportunity for collaboration for the participants and provide a stimulus to the development of new ideas and strategies that can be presented to the Office of the Attorney General’s Prevention Coordinating Council.

Collaborators were the East Coast Gang Investigators Association, the Gang Awareness and Intervention Network, the Juvenile Justice Commission of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Correction, the New Jersey Library Association Urban Libraries Section, the New Jersey State Police, and Robin’s Nest, Inc.

For more information about the conference, contact Tina Keresztury, Associate State Librarian, at 609-278-2640, ext. 134 or tkeresztury@njstatelib.org.

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Michael Casey and Michael Stephens, authors of the “Cheers and Jeers” column in Library Journal (April 15, 2009) gave a hearty “cheer” to the Solving Life’s Problems marketing campaign.

“Cheers to the New Jersey State Library for creating www.solvinglifesproblems.org to gather stories from users about how their libraries transformed their lives. Such true stories of how libraries change people impress funders.”

If you are interested in sharing your story of how the library has transformed your life, please go to: www.tellusyourstory.org

The New Jersey State Library partnered with the NJ Library Association and NJ Library Trustee Association to present the sixth annual 2009 NJLA Trustee Institute on May 11. This year’s theme was, “Libraries from Town Hall to Washington, D.C.: Have Your Message Heard”. NJ State Librarian Norma Blake spoke about the future of libraries. The keynote speaker was Advocacy Guru Stephanie Vance. During the one-day program Trustees had the opportunity to learn about their roles and responsibilities, library law, advocacy, fund raising, strategic planning.

Go to our Flickr page to see more photos from the event.

Rescue worker Linda Cardell (center) read “Emma and the Night Dogs” by Susan B. Aller at the May 12, 2009, American Sign Language Story Hour hosted by the NJ State Library’s Library for the Blind and Handicapped. Students in grades two through five from the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf, home-schooled hearing children, and students with multiple disabilities from classes at the Hunterdon County ESC School in Lambertville attended.

Afterward, Cardell and her guide dog, Kobie, talked about West Jersey K9 Search and Rescue and their Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts. Nine-year-old Kobie began his 2-year training when he was just a puppy.

The award-winning ASL Story Hour was the recipient of the 2006 New Jersey Distinguished Governmental Agency Award.

New Jersey State Librarian Norma Blake, who is a member of the NJ Hall of Fame voting academy, attended the 2009 Induction Ceremony. She is pictured here with Althea Gibson’s brother, Daniel.
See more pictures from the Ceremony on our Flickr page.

George Needham, OCLC Vice President for Member Services and Norma Blake, New Jersey State Librarian at the NJ State Library’s booth at the 2009 New Jersey Library Association Conference. This year’s booth’s theme was, New Jersey Libraries Transform Lives. See all the pictures on our Flickr page.

PSEG received a Library Champion Award at the NJLA Conference for their outstanding support of libraries, especially with Homework Help NJ. PSEG was nominated by the NJ State Library, and the Paterson and New Brunswick public libraries.

Pictured are, from left, Kathleen Moeller-Peiffer, Associate State Librarian for Library Development, John Smith, PSEG director of corporate responsibility, Cynthia Czesak, director of the Paterson Free Public Library, and Robert Belvin, director of the New Brunswick Free Public Library.

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In April 2009, Law Librarians from New Jersey received a tour and an in-depth orientation to the services available to them through the NJ State Library. Deborah Mercer, New Jersey Collections Librarian, gave an introduction to resources in the NJ Reference Section.

It might have been rainy and gloomy outside the Gloucester County Library Branch in Mullica Hill on Sunday, May 3, but inside it was festive and bright as over 150 parents and students came out to make ice cream sundaes and learn all about the free Homework Help NJ program now available to library users.

During Sunday’s Ice Cream Social at the Gloucester County Library Mullica Hill Branch, Julie Weintraub, director of client services for Tutor.com, showed Carrie Stafford of Mickleton, an 8th grade student at Kingsway Middle School, and her sister Grace, who attends the Samuel Mickle school in East Greenwich, how to use the new Homework Help NJ program available through many Gloucester County libraries.

Carrie sees the new service as being a definite help whenever she’s stuck with an algebra problem at home.

Julie Weintraub, director of client services for Tutor.com, showed Nicholas Muringani of Mullica Hill, who attends the Pleasant Valley School, how to use the new Homework Help NJ program.

“This will be such a big help, for both the children and parents,” said Dawn Muringani, Nicholas’ mother. “Our children are learning so much more today, it’s difficult for parents to help with some of their homework assignments, especially in math. It’s good to know there is a place we can go for help.”

Karin Emmitt of Pedricktown, Salem County, and her daughters Shannon (center) and Kailyn check out the new Homework Help NJ program available at Salem and Gloucester county libraries. Shannon attends the Lafayette Pershing School, Kailyn the Field Street School.

Homework Help NJ in Gloucester and Salem counties is supported by the The New Jersey State Library thanks to a $250,000 grant from PSEG. Students in grades kindergarten to 12, and in introductory college courses, will be able to get free help with their math, science, social studies and English assignments via the Internet. This online tutoring program, delivered by Tutor.com, allows students with library cards to chat online with tutors who can help them tackle their homework problems. Spanish-speaking tutors are available for help with math and science assignments.

Homework Help NJ will be available in Salem County through the public libraries in Elmer, Penns Grove, Pennsville, Salem and Woodstown; in Gloucester County through the Gloucester County library, and in Deptford, Franklin Township, Monroe Township, Paulsboro, Pitman,
Washington Township, Wenonah, West Deptford, Westville, Woodbury and Gloucester City (Camden County).

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What is your library doing for MayDay? Cultural Institutions have set aside May 1st, to participate in MayDay, a national effort to prepare for disasters. Any library can participate by taking one step toward protecting your books, records, art & artifacts, and buildings.

Heritage Preservation is collecting examples of creative but practical measures to increase disaster preparedness to share online. This year, any institution submitting a MayDay story will be entered in a drawing for disaster supplies donated by Gaylord Brothers. Four winners will be announced on June 1, the beginning of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. Brief descriptions of 2009 MayDay plans or accomplishments should be submitted to taskforce@heritagepreservation.org by May 22, 2009, to be eligible for prizes.

Preservation Assistance Grant Applications Now Available from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions help small and mid-sized institutions, such as museums, historical societies, archival repositories, libraries, town and county records offices, and colleges and universities, improve their ability to preserve and care for their humanities collections. Awards of up to $6,000 support preservation-related collection assessments, consultations, training and workshops, and institutional and collaborative disaster and emergency planning. Grants cover consultant fees, workshop registration fees, related travel and per diem expenses, and the costs of purchasing and shipping preservation supplies and equipment.

The 2009 guidelines for Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions are available at

http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/pag.htmlYou will also find sample project descriptions, sample narratives, and a list of frequently asked questions. The deadline for applications is May 14, 2009. All applications to the NEH must be submitted through Grants.gov. See the application guidelines for details.