New Jersey State Library Newsletter

The New Jersey State Library and local libraries from across the state have partnered with the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority to encourage readers to “Read Like a Library Champion” during their local library’s Summer Reading Program by giving them the opportunity to win tickets to IZOD Center events by logging in the books they read at at www.njlibrarychampions.org. Discount tickets for select IZOD Center family shows are also available at www.IZODcenter.com, by using the code LIBRARY.

Congratulations to the 25 summer readers who won a family four-pack of tickets to see The Wiggles on Aug. 17 by participating in their local library’s program:
Demetrick Family – Clark Library
Bertinato Family – Clifton Library
Schwartz Family – Clifton Library Allwood
Bartram Family – East Brunswick Library
Fiumaro Family – North Edison Library
Mauer Family – Fanwood Library
Kusznier Family – High Bridge
Quinn Family – Howell Library
Krempasky Family – Hunterdon County Library
Sammet Family – Kenilworth Library
Klesitz Family – Kinnelon Library
Johnson Family – Roxbury Library
Goriscak Family – Sussex County Library
Pennino Family – Jefferson Library
Lincoln Family – Old Bridge Library
Catania Family – Oradell Library
Dharia Family – Princeton Library
Silva Family – West Windsor
Steinfeld Family – South Plainfield Library
Fritton Family – Warren County Library Franklin Branch
Hart Family – Waldwick Library
North Family - Warren County Library Franklin Branch
Siuffe Family – Wayne Library
Hecht Family – Wayne Township Library
Abdelfattah Family - Alfred Baumann Library West Paterson

The contest for free tickets to see Sesame Street Live from Sep. 30 to Oct. 3 started August 1. To enter go to www.njlibrarychampions.org. Contests to win tickets to see Disney Live! On Nov 12-13; and Disney on Ice Nov. 23-28 will start soon.

For the past eight years, The State Library has supported the NJ Library Association’s Summer Reading Program with a $50,000 grant. This worthwhile initiative attracts thousands of children and teens each year. In 2009, over 145,000 children and teens across New Jersey participated, reading over two million books. Since its inception, the Summer Reading Program has inspired and motivated children to read purely for fun, without the pressure of taking tests or writing book reports, keeping their minds sharp, improving their reading skills and expanding their imaginations.

Library Champions is a community based public awareness campaign featuring role models from the sports, entertainment and literary fields designed to encourage reading and educate the public about the important role New Jersey libraries have in transforming the lives of their customers. Celebrity Library Champions include Yankee’s pitcher A.J. Burnett, Devil’s forward Zach Parise, Giant’s defensive end Justin Tuck, Net’s guard Devin Harris and best-selling author and New Jersey native, Judy Blume.

For more information on winning tickets to great shows at the Izod Center, check with your local library and sign up for their Summer Reading Program.

To encourage kids and teens to “Read Like a Library Champion” this summer, the New Jersey State Library is giving them a chance to win a NJ Devils/Modell’s hockey jersey autographed by NJ Devils’ forward and Olympic Silver Medalist Zach Parise. To enter, all young readers have to do is read a book, go to the website www.njlibrarychampions.org, and click on the contest page. The contest runs until September 1, 2010, when a winner will be randomly selected.

Library Champions is a community based public awareness campaign featuring role models from the sports, entertainment and literary fields designed to encourage reading and educate the public about the important role New Jersey libraries have in transforming the lives of their customers. Celebrity Library Champions include Parise, Yankee’s pitcher A.J. Burnett, Giant’s defensive end Justin Tuck, Eagles defensive end Trent Cole, and best-selling author and New Jersey native, Judy Blume.

During the summer, libraries all across New Jersey participate in the Summer Reading Program. As incentives to keep kids reading during the summer, libraries in partnership with the IZOD Center are giving them the opportunity to win tickets to IZOD Center events by logging in the books they read at www.njlibrarychampions.org. Readers may win tickets to see The Wiggles on Aug. 17; Sesame Street Live on Sep. 30 to Oct. 3; Disney Live! On Nov 12-13; and Disney on Ice Nov. 23-28. Discount tickets for select IZOD Center family shows are also available at www.IZODcenter.com, by using the code LIBRARY.

For the past eight years, The State Library has supported the NJ Library Association’s Summer Reading Program with a $50,000 grant. This worthwhile initiative attracts thousands of children and teens each year. In 2009, 110,000 children and teens across New Jersey participated, reading nearly two million books. Since its inception, the Summer Reading Program has inspired and motivated children to read purely for fun, without the pressure of taking tests or writing book reports, keeping their minds sharp, improving their reading skills and expanding their imaginations.

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At its annual conference in Washington, D.C., The American Library Association presented the New Jersey State Library with the 2010 John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award, which recognizes and honors outstanding achievement in library public relations. The award, which is sponsored by H.W. Wilson and the Library Leadership and Management Association, is considered to be the most prestigious of all library awards in the field of public relations.

The State Library received the award for its “Tell Us Your Story” library campaign that motivated and mobilized staff from 240 New Jersey libraries to identify messages and cultivate customer stories. Those stories were used locally and in a statewide multi-media campaign that reached millions of people, including elected officials. The campaign provided a marketing toolkit to participating libraries and established a library communication network linking more than 500 users.

“Our ‘Tell Us Your Story’ campaign came at a critical time,” said Norma Blake, New Jersey State Librarian. “According to a NJ Library Association survey, many librarians felt that marketing was not very important. When the recession hit, that changed. Faced with a combination of funding cuts and huge increases in demand from families in financial crisis, our libraries had to adopt tactics to get support from their customers. This campaign trained librarians in marketing techniques and got their customers involved through story telling.”

The campaign was conceived as a result of the Online Computer Library Center’s study From Awareness to Funding: A Study of Library Support in America, which showed that most people have no idea how libraries are funded. Because of that, they were not aware of the growing financial pressures facing libraries that would result in service/program reductions. New Jersey libraries were facing cuts in state aid and legislation that would reduce funding at the local level, as well. Libraries needed to work with their supporters to stave off funding, service and program cuts at a time when users were demanding more services.

“This campaign received widespread support from library customers of all ages,” said Nancy Dowd, the State Library’s Director of Marketing (pictured with Gary Cooper, public relations & news media contact). “Librarians learned what the business world has known all along, that marketing is important for continued success and growth. They also learned that their customers have compelling stories about the value of libraries that they are very willing to share and have a powerful voice with elected officials.”

The John Cotton Dana (JCD) honor has been awarded continuously since 1946 and is sponsored by the H.W. Wilson Company, the H.W. Wilson Foundation and the Library Leadership and Management Association, a division of the American Library Association. “In these challenging economic times effective marketing techniques are essential to communicate the many valuable services and programs provided by libraries to meet the increasing needs of their customers,” said Linda Holtslander, JCD committee chair. “The committee was impressed by the high quality of [this] public relations campaign.”

The NJ State Library received a 2010 Silver Astra Award in the Out-of-Home Campaign category from the NJ Communications, Advertising abd Marketing Association for its Library Champion Billboard Campaign.

On June 23, 2010, soccer fans gathered at the Piscataway John F. Kennedy Public Library with members of the Women’s Soccer Team Sky Blue FC to watch the United States/Algeria FIFA World Cup match. Rosana (in photo above) was one of the many Sky Blue team members who signed autographs at halftime.

The New Jersey State Library has partnered with Somerset based Sky Blue, the 2009 Women’s Professional Soccer Champions, to encourage readers to “Read Like a Library Champion” this summer by giving them the opportunity to win tickets to home games at Rutgers University’s Yurcak Field by logging in the books they read at www.njlibrarychampions.org.

Library Champions is a community based public awareness campaign featuring role models from the sports, entertainment and literary fields designed to encourage reading and educate the public about the important role New Jersey libraries have in transforming the lives of their customers. Celebrity Library Champions include Yankee’s pitcher A.J. Burnett, Devil’s forward Zach Parise, Giant’s defensive end Justin Tuck, Net’s guard Devin Harris and best-selling author and New Jersey native, Judy Blume.

Established in the fall of 2006, Sky Blue Soccer made its debut on the field with the launch of Jersey Sky Blue in the W-League of the United Soccer Leagues in 2007. Sky Blue Soccer is an internationally respected organization with the goal to be established as a leader for high-level soccer in the United States and around the globe. Sky Blue Soccer’s company concept is based on an integrated program that allows players to progress in soccer from the youth levels to the amateur ranks to professional status. In addition to operating Sky Blue FC on the professional level, Sky Blue Soccer also runs the Sky Blue Soccer School - a youth training program in which players can “Train like the Pros … with the Pros.” The Sky Blue Soccer School provides positive female role models and female trainers who have competed at the highest level both in college and professionally in the United States and abroad.

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NJ Devils player and Library Champion Zach Parise will have a special place in the Roselle Fire House. Library Director Keith McCoy and Friends President Maureen Boyle presented Chief Paul Mucha with a signed poster of Zach. The poster is one of fourteen celebrity posters distributed to libraries around the state. Athletes and authors have teamed together to promote libraries and encourage fans to read.

Learn more about the campaign including opportunities to win free tickets to popular family events at: njlibrarychampions.org/

Two New Jersey State Library partnerships were recognized for public relations excellence at the Public Relations Society of America - New Jersey Chapter’s 2010 Pyramid Awards.

In the Special Events category, the NJ State Library’s 2009 Pennies for Peace Campaign to raise funds to create libraries for schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, received an Honorable Mention award.

In the Community Relations category, the NJ Sports & Exhibition Authority received an Honorable Mention for its program with the State Library and the NJ Library Association to boost reading statewide by offering tickets to events at the IZOD Center to readers registering their books through the Library Champions website.

Ken Hunter, PRSA-NJ president, (right in photos) presented the Pennies for Peace award to Gary Cooper, PRSA-NJ member and NJSL public relations & news media contact, and the NJSEA Reading Program award to Melissa Klein, marketing coordinator for the IZOD Center.

Devils’ Chairman/Managing Partner Jeff Vanderbeek (left) and Devils’ forward Zach Parise presented First Lady Mary Pat Christie with a NJ Devils’ jersey during the trios visit to the New Jersey State library to promote reading and the importance and value of libraries. Parise and the Devils organization have been supportive Library Champions.

During his visit to the NJ State Library on Tuesday, May 25, Parise, NJ Devil forward and Olympic Silver Medalist, read a story to the children from the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf. Parise, a New Jersey Library Champion, also received a letter from New Jersey’s First Lady Mary Pat Christie, showed the children his Silver Medal and posed for pictures with fans under the large Zach Parise banner which hangs from the State Library building. Also on hand for the kids were Devils’ mascot N.J. Devil and Trenton Devils’ mascot Scorch.

above photo courtesy of New Jersey Devils/Getty Images

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The New Jersey State Library was recognized for Public Relations excellence for its Tell Us Your Story public relations campaign by the NJ Library Association at its annual conference in Long Branch. Accepting the award was Nancy Dowd, NJSL director of marketing, and Gary Cooper, NJSL public relations & news media contact.

The campaign was created to collect compelling stories from library users to show how libraries transformed their lives and to show librarians how to effectively use those stories for local advocacy efforts. One element of the campaign trained librarians in the art and process of public relations and storytelling, which resulted in a change of attitude toward marketing and a better understanding of its value. An overwhelming majority of people who participated in the campaign indicated they now viewed marketing as an important service essential to the financial health and viability of their libraries. The stories provided the NJSL marketing department on how libraries were meeting their customers’ needs in the economic downturn resulted in an expansive statewide media campaign that reached millions of people through news media stories, commercials, outreach and the Web.

With over 240 NJ libraries and 800 individuals participating, the campaign established an effective communication network through the NJSL Marketing Blog and listserv, and created a foundation that strengthened the librarians’ ability to convey the transformative role that their libraries play as the needs of their communities evolve. The influence of this campaign continues to grow as libraries in Maryland, Florida, California and Vancouver adopt elements of it for their marketing and advocacy efforts.

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On Wednesday, April 14 at the New Jersey State Library, Trenton, Norma Blake, NJ State Librarian, was joined by librarians and school children from around New Jersey, to present a check for $14,000 to Laura Andersen public relations manager for the Central Asia Institute, and Fozia Naseer, from the Azad Kashmir area of Pakistan.

After the check presentation, the school and public libraries that raised the most money were recognized. The New Providence School District, which raised $3,270.30, was represented by Amy Nagel, media specialist, and Christian Fraehmke, a student, and his family, to accept the award in the school library category. Accepting the public library award for the Rockaway Township Public Library and the Copeland Middle School, which collected $1,169.84, was Barbara Hauck-Mah, reference librarian. Also receiving recognition were Bridgeton’s West Avenue School ($1012.25), Glen Rock’s Academy of Our Lady ($509.12), Medford’s Cranberry Pines Elementary School ($485.58), Woodbridge Public Library ($462), Hamilton Township’s Morgan Early Elementary School Act Club ($411), and Lambertville’s South Hunterdon Regional High School ($401.55), which had a dozen students in attendance.

“We are really pleased to see that so many children and teens are spearheading this campaign in their schools and libraries,” said Blake. “By learning about what their pennies can do for children on the other side of their world and by taking an action to do something, they have become global citizens and library champions.”

After the ceremony, Naseer visited Monroe Township’s Woodland Elementary School, to talk about her life in Pakistan.

Throughout February and March 2010, the New Jersey State Library, the New Jersey Library Association and libraries throughout New Jersey honored the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, as part of the national Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commemoration, by collecting pennies in support of Greg Mortenson’s Central Asia Institute. One hundred public and school libraries joined the State Library and the Talking Book & Braille Center in the campaign.

After failing to reach the summit of K-2, Mortenson, emaciated and exhausted from his experience, staggered into a poor remote village whose residents nursed him back to health. He noted the children had no school or school supplies, using the ground and sticks to practice their multiplication tables. He promised to build them a school, and since then has made it his life’s work to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan to educate students where no schools existed. His mission has been to promote education and literacy, especially for girls, in remote regions of these two countries.

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The New Jersey Devil Mascot checked out the larger than life banner of All Star hockey player and Olympic silver medalist Zach Parise which hangs on the NJ State Library building. Parise is a NJ Library Champion promoting the importance of reading and literacy.

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As a result of their reading accomplishments in New Jersey’s statewide reading program, over one hundred children at the Hasbrouck Heights Library received a special visit from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus clowns, Billy, Anthony & Oscar, and NJ Library Champion, Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson. The clowns entertained the children with their unique brand of circus silliness, and Johnathan talked with them about the importance of reading and how he became Ringmaster for The Greatest Show On Earth!

Rose Heck, Mayor of Hasbrouck Heights, presented Jonathan with the key to the city, and Lisa Traina, president of the library Board of Trustees, presented him with two books.

Photo Above, from left: Lisa Traina, president of the Hasbrouck Heights Library Board of Trustees, Jonathan Lee Iverson, ringmaster, Mayor Rose Heck, and Mimi Hui, library director.

From left, standing: Lisa Traina, president of the Hasbrouck Heights Library Board of Trustees, Jonathan Lee Iverson, ringmaster, Mimi Hui, library director, Oscar, Billy, and Anthony (kneeling).

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority has partnered with the New Jersey State Library to promote reading and reward participation in the State Library’s NJ Library Champion program. The program spans across every library in the State of New Jersey and offers accomplished participants an opportunity to win tickets to upcoming Meadowlands Sports Complex events and special visits from show characters.

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Zach Parise has been called the “best player in the National Hockey League you don’t know.” Sports Illustrated decided to change that by running a feature article in its February 22 issue on the NJ Devil Left Wing and member of the U.S.A. Olympic Team, but in an exciting development for NJ libraries, the article started off with his commitment as a NJ Library Champion and a picture of the billboard (shown above) at mile marker 112.6 of the NJ Turnpike. See the online article.

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The New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority has partnered with the New Jersey State Library to encourage and inspire readers to “Read Like a Library Champion” and reward them by giving them the opportunity to win tickets to upcoming Meadowlands Sports Complex events by logging in their books at www.njlibrarychampions.org.

In the above photo, Harlem Globetrotter Moo Moo Evans visited the Jersey City Public Library on February 9 delighting fans of all ages. Moo Moo ( a nickname his mother gave him because he loved milk) read a story then showed some of the tricks that have made the Harlem Globetrotters famous. Twenty-five families won tickets to the Globetrotters’ shows on Feb. 13 & 14.

Ruth Lufkin of Basking Ridge won tickets to the Monster Jam. She said “we had a blast at the Monster Jam and the snow held off until we were back home. We met several other happy recipients of State Library tickets. Our seats were fantastic - right in the front row with Gravedigger and Spidey almost in our laps! What a terrific view, and a strong sense of being right in the thick of things as the trucks thumped and roared and strutted their stuff. The motocross/BMX/quad and superbike riders put on a thrilling show in their own right. It was our pleasure to be lucky beneficiaries of the Library Champions campaign.”

Library Champions is a community based public awareness campaign featuring role models from the sports, entertainment and literary fields designed to encourage reading and educate the public about the role New Jersey libraries have in transforming the lives of their customers.

Photos of the NJ Champions with a quote encouraging people to use the library are featured on full color posters distributed free to libraries.

AUTHORS
• Judy Blume
• Janet Evanovich
• Michael Connelly
• Chris Andersen

ATHLETES
• A.J. Burnett, NY Yankees
• Justin Tuck New York Giants Football
• Zach Parise, New Jersey Devils
• Devin Harris, NJ Nets
• Cheri Blawet- Parolympic Gold Medalist
• Lauryn Williams- USA Track and Field – Olympian
• Trent Cole- Philadelphia Eagles
• Kofi Kingston, WWE
• Jonathan Lee Iverson, Ringmaster, Barnum’s FUNundrum®
• Jim Dowd, NJ Devils
• Joe Theisman, Super Bowl Champion & NFL Most Valuable Player

Prizes include admission to New Jersey Nets regular season home games, Nuclear Cowboyz, Smucker’s Stars on Ice, Harlem Globetrotters and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. For more information, check with your local library. All participants will be entered in the raffle only once for each show.

The American Library Association announced that the New Jersey State Library is the recipient of the 2010 John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award, which recognizes and honors outstanding achievement in library public relations. It is considered to be the most prestigious of all library awards in the field of public relations.

The State Library received the award for its “Tell Us Your Story” library campaign that motivated and mobilized staff from 240 New Jersey libraries to identify messages and cultivate customer stories. Those stories were used locally and in a statewide multi-media campaign that reached millions of people, including elected officials. The campaign provided a marketing toolkit to participating libraries and established a library communication network linking more than 500 users.

“Our ‘Tell Us Your Story’ campaign came at a critical time,” said Norma Blake, New Jersey State Librarian. “According to a NJ Library Association survey, many librarians felt that marketing was not very important. When the recession hit, that changed. Faced with a combination of funding cuts and huge increases in demand from families in financial crisis, our libraries had to adopt tactics to get support from their customers. This campaign trained librarians in marketing techniques and got their customers involved through story telling.”

The campaign was conceived as a result of the Online Computer Library Center’s study From Awareness to Funding: A Study of Library Support in America, which showed that most people have no idea how libraries are funded. Because of that, they were not aware of the growing financial pressures facing libraries that would result in service/program reductions. New Jersey libraries were facing cuts in state aid and legislation that would reduce funding at the local level, as well. Libraries needed to work with their supporters to stave off funding, service and program cuts at a time when users were demanding more services.

“This campaign received widespread support from library customers of all ages,” said Nancy Dowd, the State Library’s Director of Marketing. “Librarians learned what the business world has known all along, that marketing is important for continued success and growth. They also learned that their customers have compelling stories about the value of libraries that they are very willing to share and have a powerful voice with elected officials.”

The John Cotton Dana (JCD) honor has been awarded continuously since 1946 and is sponsored by the H.W. Wilson Company, the H.W. Wilson Foundation and the Library Leadership and Management Association, a division of the American Library Association. “In these challenging economic times effective marketing techniques are essential to communicate the many valuable services and programs provided by libraries to meet the increasing needs of their customers,” said Linda Holtslander, JCD committee chair. “The committee was impressed by the high quality of [this] public relations campaign.”