New Jersey State Library Newsletter

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.

MORE PHOTOS

Four public libraries in New Jersey will benefit from the expertise of a group of librarians who addressed space challenges at their own libraries and led the transformation to improve the interior areas to better serve their customers. The “SWAT Team of Library Transformers,” Jayne Beline, director of Parsippany - Troy Hills Library; Cheryl McBride, director of North Brunswick Library; Kathy Schalk-Greene, director of the Mount Laurel Library, and Gloria Urban, director of the Vineland Library, will work with the selected libraries as expert consultants regarding their projects.

The SWAT Team was created and is funded by the NJ State Library on the recommendation of the State Librarian’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Future of Libraries. The team is tasked with assisting libraries with their transformation projects. Libraries were selected for the program by submitting an application detailing their needs and transformational goals, and had to commit $5,000 to the transformation. All projects will be completed by Dec. 31, 2010.

The selected libraries are Caldwell, Matawan-Aberdeen, Midland Park and Gloucester County Library’s Glassboro Branch.

The Caldwell Public Library opened in 1917 as a small one-story brick structure funded with the help of a grant from Andrew Carnegie. Expansion had compromised the original charm of this “Carnegie Library,” so the proposed transformation will restore the grandeur of the original library, organize the space to reflect the warm “heart of our town” feeling, improve signage, optimize available space, and establish a new technology center.

The Gloucester County Library Glassboro Branch was once an Acme food store, circa 1950. The proposed transformation will improve lighting, brighten the interior, arrange library materials in a more inviting and easily accessible way, and better utilize the interior space.

The Matawan-Aberdeen Library showed a 257 percent increase in DVD circulation over last year, with demand for new and old movies increasing. Their transformational challenge is finding space for this popular service in their 9,880 square foot library, to include how the DVD’s are arranged and displayed for their customers.

The Midland Park Memorial Library was built in the 1950’s and expanded over the years. The transformation will address the main circulation area so that new materials will stand out, and update and improved the overall ambiance.

“With the guidance of our experts, by the end of the year these libraries will be able to show the dramatic, visible transformations in their floor plans resulting in the same improved customer service that was achieved in the SWAT Team members’ libraries,” said Norma Blake, NJ State Librarian. “This program will serve as a demonstration project for other libraries, both in NJ and nationwide, that library interiors can be transformed without a lot of money.”

Photo above, from left (standing): Michele Stricker, deputy head of Library Development, NJ State Library; Gloria Urban, Vineland Library; Kathy Schalk-Greene, director Mount Laurel Library; Cheryl McBride, director of North Brunswick Library; Jayne Beline, director of Parsippany - Troy Hills Library, with the paint roller.

From left: Anne Wodnick, director of Gloucester County Library; Carol Wolf, branch manager, Glassboro ; Michele Stricker, deputy head of Library Development , NJ State Library; Melissa Hughes, director of Midland Park Library; Karen Kleppe Lembo, director of Caldwell Public Library; Susan Pike, director of Matawan-Aberdeen Library.

Read the article by NJ State Librarian Norma Blake from the New Jersey League of Municipalities Magazine on the efficacy of sharing services.

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.

/> See all pictures here.

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.

They are some of the best at what they do in the world of entertainment and all have joined the NJ State Library team of Library Champions to emphasize how important reading and libraries were in establishing the basis for their successful careers. “These men and women are known all over the world and have many young fans,” said Norma Blake, NJ State Librarian. “They joined us as NJ Library Champions because of their firm commitment to stressing the importance of literacy for everyone and letting their young fans know that reading leads to success.”

The celebrity Library Champions are hard to miss. World Champion Yankee A.J. Burnett, Super Bowl Champion Giant Justin Tuck and All Star Devil Zach Parise are on billboards along the NJ Turnpike; Pro Bowl Defensive End Eagle Trent Cole targets motorists travelling to Atlantic City on Route 40/322. Zach Parise is larger than life adorning the NJ State Library in Trenton. In February, Tuck, Burnett and Parise will be featured in a video montage at the Path Train locations in Hoboken, Journal Square, World Trade Center, Harrison, and 14th and 33rd street stations.

Posters of All Star Net Devin Harris; best-selling authors Michael Connelly, Judy Blume and Janet Evanovich; World Wrestling Entertainment champion Kofi Kingston; gold medalist in the Paralympics & NYC Marathon winner, Cheri Blawet; Olympian Lauryn Williams; former NFL Most Valuable Player Joe Theismann; and the Ringling Bros. Circus Ringmaster Jonathan Lee Iverson are up in 500 public & school libraries across the state, bringing home the message that reading can help everyone reach their goals, and that books, magazines and newspapers are available for free at your local library. All celebrities are involved someway in promoting reading and literacy.

“I believe books and information should be accessible to everyone,” said Justin Tuck, founder of Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy, which encourages children to read, understand, succeed and hope. “Libraries provide a sanctuary where everyone can find knowledge – through a book, a magazine, a newspaper, the internet. With out the books, without the knowledge, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

“By going to the library I was able to read to discover some of the many things the world had to offer,” said Lauryn Williams. “Many of the countries I have since visited, I knew about long before because I saw them in a book first.” Williams and Tuck were named to the Dream Team for Public Service at All Stars Helping Kids’ 3rd Annual Sports, Business & Philanthropy Luncheon December 8, 2009.

The NJ State Library’s community based public awareness campaign demonstrates how libraries have the power to transform people’s lives, especially young people, by offering free and excellent reading and learning opportunities for everyone. “Libraries are much more than just books, they house dreams,” said South River, NJ native and Super Bowl champion Joe Theisman. “The library is where I read about football and a world championship and the MVP award. My 15 year career started because of something I dreamed about in the library.”

Another New Jerseyan, author Judy Blume fell in love with books at the Elizabeth Public Library when she was four. “It was there that I found Madeline, my first favorite book,” she recalled. “I still feel a thrill when I enter a library. I never know what I’m going to find and isn’t that the part that makes libraries so special – the endless possibilities?

The awareness campaign is in support of the New Jersey Library Association’s (NJLA) efforts to register 10,000 Library Champions from all walks of life. Library Champions are people who love their libraries and want to be in the know about issues that may affect them. Those wishing to become Library Champions may get more information by going to the Web site http://njlibrarychampions.org. Viewers are invited to sign up to become a Library Champion with NJLA so that when important library issues arise, they will get notified. They can also enter to win great free prizes, such as tickets to events at the Izod Center, by entering the latest book they read.

“Reading is everything,” said popular, high-flying WWE wrestler Kofi Kingston, who stressed the importance of stimulating the imagination of his young fans. “Without reading, my imagination would not have carried me to the heights I have reached and continue to reach.”

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation committed nearly $3.4 million in grants to bolster Internet connections for libraries in five states, and announced partnerships with 14 additional states, including New Jersey, to help public libraries compete for federal broadband stimulus funds. Nationally, libraries report that patron demand for high-speed Internet access is growing faster than their ability to provide increased bandwidth. A recent American Library Association study reports that 60 percent of all libraries say their current Internet speed is insufficient.

New Jersey will participate in the foundation’s new Opportunity Online broadband grant program, which will help libraries develop proposals for federal broadband stimulus funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) established through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The grant received by the New Jersey State Library will be used to assist in writing a grant proposal for submission to the BTOP for “last mile” connectivity, making public libraries community anchor institutions for broadband. The “last mile” is the final leg of delivering connectivity from a communications provider to a customer. It is typically seen as an expensive challenge because “fanning out” wires and cables is a considerable physical undertaking.

Currently, many NJ libraries are unable to offer adequate broadband connectivity for customers due to last mile limitations. This includes many underserved urban areas, as well as more rural and remote parts of the state.

The Gates Foundation grant provides a consultant who will work out of the State Library for 14 weeks compiling the grant proposal. If BTOP funding is awarded to the NJ State Library, the Gates Foundation will pay the 20 percent matching funding required by the BTOP.

“Improving connectivity to our libraries will allow for better access for the many New Jersey families who do not have computers or access to the Internet at home,” said Norma Blake, NJ State Librarian. “Our libraries have seen a dramatic increase in computer demand due to the recession’s impact on their communities. Their customers need this access for job searching, research, filing government documents and for homework assistance. Bolstering these last mile connections will allow our libraries to keep up with the increased demand for wireless internet connectivity; network applications and services; and offer expanded training programs and services.”

As a national leader in the direct delivery of technology services to public libraries, the NJ State Library is uniquely positioned to deliver enhanced, efficient and successful last mile connectivity to the state’s libraries. Through the JerseyConnect program, New Jersey libraries already benefit from an effective, stable and scalable statewide middle mile network infrastructure. With this network and support structure in place, the NJ State Library will be able to focus solely on the crucial last mile connection from the library to the statewide network.

“Federal, state and local government investments in connecting libraries to broadband are important steps toward realizing the vision of universal broadband access,” said Jill Nishi, deputy director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s U.S. Libraries program. “When libraries have access to broadband, they can effectively deliver critical educational, employment, and government services for residents who lack Internet access elsewhere. As community anchor institutions, libraries can also help drive local broadband adoption.”

Nearly 40 percent of Americans, often those with lower incomes and lower levels of education, still do not have high-speed Internet access at home. In most communities (70 percent), the public library is the only provider of free Internet access available to residents.

The BTOP is expected to award federal stimulus grants to private and public sector applicants starting in early 2010 to expand broadband infrastructure to more communities across the country and to help new Internet users benefit from broadband access.

States participating in the foundation’s Opportunity Online broadband grant program will receive technical and consulting assistance to develop competitive funding proposals for BTOP, and will receive federally-required matching funds from the Gates Foundation, contingent on a successful BTOP award. Participating states will also receive assistance to help secure additional federal E-rate funding to sustain broadband connection costs in the future.

The foundation solicited letters of interest for the Opportunity Online broadband program from state libraries seeking to acquire significant additional broadband access for libraries in their respective states. The foundation chose to support states that articulated the most compelling and feasible projects aligned with the objectives of the BTOP program. The foundation also considered a state’s need for assistance in developing a competitive BTOP proposal.

The foundation has invested $350 million in grants and support to install and sustain computers in libraries and train thousands of library staff in all 50 states and U.S. territories. The foundation continues to support libraries through investments in programs, research, advocacy training, and public awareness efforts that will help libraries sustain high-quality online access for patrons in partnership with their communities. For more information, visit: www.gatesfoundation.org/libraries.

The New Jersey State Library has awarded a grant to the New Jersey Library Association to continue One Book NJ (OBNJ) to New Jersey readers in 2010. OBNJ is an exciting program that libraries and their partners promote across the state to bring people together through their love of books by encouraging them to read the same novel and participate in discussions and other events centered on it.

OBNJ celebrates reading, literacy and all that New Jersey’s libraries do that has made them the community gathering place for people of all ages. The NJSL serves as a leader in the provision, promotion and support of excellent quality library and information services for all people in New Jersey. Their support for One Book New Jersey will help to ensure another successful year of this valuable program.

“The New Jersey State Library is proud to once again partner with the New Jersey Library Association and the Secretary of State to support One Book NJ. This excellent program helps bridge our communities together through reading, discussions and programs at local libraries,” commented Norma Blake, NJ State Librarian.

One Book Projects were initiated by the Washington Center for the Book in 1998 and have spread to communities throughout the United States. The NJSL has partnered with the NJLA to present OBNJ since its initiation in 2003.

This year’s reading selections are:
Adult - The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Young Adult - The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Middle Grade - The Tale Of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
Read to Me - Click Clack Moo : Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

One Book NJ is presented by the New Jersey Library Association’s Public Relations Committee and Children’s Services and Young Adult Sections, in collaboration with the New Jersey State Library and the Secretary of State. Local and statewide events will occur between January and April, with major events planned for National Library Week during the month of April.

Anne H. Redlus (second from left), president of the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs of GFWC, presented a check for $763 to the Cliffside Park Public Library to purchase books. On November 30, 2009, a two-alarm fire damaged books and two offices inside the library.

According to Fire Chief Anthony Lupica, the fire began around 7:15 a.m. after a transformer outside the building exploded and likely sent a surge of electrical current into the building’s electrical panel.

Because of extensive smoke and water damage, the library is currently closed during clean up operations.

Accepting the donation from Redlus were (from left): Pat Tumulty, president of the New Jersey Library Association, Norma Blake, New Jersey State Librarian, and Kathleen Peiffer, director of the Library Development Bureau.

The New Jersey State Library is pleased to announce the appointments of Victoria Rosch (photo left) to the position of Associate State Librarian for Special Projects, Peggy Cadigan (center) to the position of Associate State Librarian for Innovation & Outreach Strategies, and Michele Stricker (right) to the position of Deputy Head of Library Development.

In her new position, Rosch will be responsible for working on pilot and other special projects, advocating for legislative priorities, overseeing construction issues and assuring compliance with various administrative requirements and priorities. She will continue to write regulations and serve as a resource for library law. She began her career with the New Jersey State Library in the Library Development Bureau in 2003, and has served for the last two years as deputy director of the bureau. Her responsibilities included managing the Per Capita State Aid grant program and regulation updating, and serving as the state data coordinator and as a resource for New Jersey library law. For the 12 years prior to joining the staff of the State Library, Rosch held various positions of increasing importance at the Gloucester County Library, including eight years as the library director. She is a graduate of Rutgers University – Camden and received her Masters of Public Librarianship from Rowan University. She is a member of the New Jersey Library Association and the American Library Association.

Cadigan’s duties will include giving presentations on the future of libraries both in and out of state, and addressing varied audiences of library professionals and other interested parties to present information about State Library programs and projects. She will explore ways to enhance the State Library’s services to the libraries and residents of the state by engaging in partnerships and seeking development opportunities. She is also planning a follow-up to the Mid-Atlantic Library Futures Conference which she convened with other partners in 2005. Her most recent successful venture was the creation and implementation of “Snapshot Day,” held in 2009 in partnership with the New Jersey Library Association. The purpose of Snapshot Day was to capture the impact that New Jersey libraries have on their communities on a typical day. A survey captured the daily activities of libraries across the state, and revealed that, in just one day, more than 160,000 people walk through the doors of New Jersey’s libraries. The American Library Association will be promoting Snapshot Day as a national event. Cadigan graduated magna cum laude from Hobart & William Smith College, Geneva, N.Y., and received her Master’s degree in Library Science from Rutgers University.

As Deputy Head of Library Development, Stricker will be responsible for working on library law, trustee education, the Trustee Institute, preservation and disaster preparedness programs & grants, and other grants programs. She had been serving as consultant for Library Trustees, Preservation and Literacy at the State Library, and received certification as a Preservation Management Consultant from the Rutgers School of Communication & Information. She was one of only 70 representatives from libraries and museums nationwide selected by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to attend a national forum last June in Buffalo, New York, entitled “Stewardship of America’s Legacy: Answering the Call to Action.” Stricker holds a bachelor’s degree from Tyler School of Art of Temple University, a master of fine arts in Museum Studies from Syracuse University, a master of arts in Art History from the University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s in Library & Information Science from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. She is a member of the American Library Association Preservation & Reformatting Section, a board member of NJ Library Association History & Preservation Section, and Lyrasis Preservation Group.

Throughout February and March 2010, the New Jersey State Library plans to honor the legacy of Abraham Lincoln as part of the national Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commemoration. Lincoln firmly believed in education, equality, opportunity and peace. To help continue his legacy, the State Library is encouraging all New Jersey libraries to participate in the Lincoln Pennies for Peace Campaign. All funds collected will be donated to Pennies for Peace which collects funds for the Central Asia Institute co-founded by Greg Mortenson, the subject of the bestselling biography, “Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace… One School At A Time.” His newest book, “Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan” is due out Dec. 1, 2009 and continues the story begun in “Three Cups of Tea.” The money collected for the Pennies For Peace Campaign will be used to build school libraries in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The New Jersey State Library encourages New Jersey school and public libraries to join this campaign:
• Register at the Pennies for Peace website. You can receive free postcards and stickers and other materials.
• Let us know too. To receive a free poster for your library and to have your library included in statewide media releases please register with the NJ State Library here.
• Design a creative donation container and send in pictures for posting on the State Library Website. Either post the photos to your Flickr account and send Gary Cooper the link or send us the digital photos and he’ll post them for you. (gcooper@njstatelib.org)
• Get children and the community involved in contributing pennies. Pennies for Peace has lots of suggestions to get you started.
• The libraries collecting the most pennies for New Jersey libraries will receive recognition during National Library Week in April 2010.

To be eligible for this contest, libraries should collect the pennies, make a check made out to “New Jersey State Library” and send the check to the State Library by April 1, 2010. We’ll send all the checks to Pennies for Peace.

Send your check to:
Sheri Shafer, Chief Financial Officer
NJ State Library
PO Box 520
Trenton, NJ 08625-0520
Checks must be received at the State Library by April 1, 2010.

The original Pennies for Peace was conceived by students in a Wisconsin elementary school in 1996. Since then, over 16 million pennies have been raised by over 700 schools in all 50 states, including over 10 million pennies in the past year. The program is designed to educate children about the world beyond their experience and show them that they can make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time. To date, the Central Asia Institute has established 130 schools, educating over 51,000 students, with an emphasis on girls’ education.

Media Inquiries: Gary Cooper email: gcooper@njstatelib.org
Contact for Libraries: Sharon Rawlins email: srawlins@njstatelib.org.

Pilot program focuses on South Jersey Businesses
By Tina Keresztury, Associate State Librarian, NJ State Library

The current economic climate has made it more critical than ever for businesses to operate as efficiently as possible. The New Jersey State Library has recently launched an exciting marketing pilot program in South Jersey to inform businesses about free research and reference services available at local libraries. Business librarians from Atlantic City, Burlington County, Cherry Hill, Gloucester and Ocean County Libraries have been visiting business groups throughout the area to educate them about these invaluable business reference tools.

Pam Boyd, president of Thomas/Boyd Communications, the firm selected to spearhead the communications and marketing outreach for the project stated, “With today’s economic challenges, business professionals are expected to do more with less time. The library’s free business resources are a breath of fresh air for business people who need valuable marketing information but simply don’t have the time, expertise or resources at their disposal.”

Working in partnership with the Southern New Jersey Development Council (SNJDC), the NJ State Library conducted an initial focus group to discuss the most effective ways to inform local businesses about library business services. One of the things we learned is that only two out of 15 participants had ever used their local public library for business services. Why? They simply were not aware of these services. Based on the valuable feedback obtained from the SNJDC, including the importance of saving time and money, we developed the NJ Libraries Biz services logo and positioning line.

According to Marlene Asselta, president, Southern New Jersey Development Council, “The Southern New Jersey Development Council is proud to be a part of this important outreach effort which will greatly benefit the business community in both our region and statewide.”

“We’re finding that business people, in general, have been pleasantly surprised to learn that libraries offer state-of-the-art technology, sophisticated databases and other tools free-of-charge right at their fingertips,” said Norma Blake, State Librarian. “Our business presentations, open to business groups and organizations, provide an overview of library reference services including: database access, sample marketing and business plans, training sessions, Webinars and one-on-one business consulting.”

Local business reference librarians are available for calls, e-mails, live chats and in-person meetings. It is interesting to note that reference librarians in the nation’s public and academic libraries answer nearly 8 million questions each week. In New Jersey alone, the number of reference questions in 2008 was over 8.4 million. They key to obtaining this information is simply a library card.

Top 5 Business Services
The library provides hundreds of business services, but we have identified the top five as outlined below:

1. Access to premium databases that you won’t find on Google or Bing. Search engines search what’s free on the Web, but the most accurate and verified information resides in expensive password-protected databases such as Ref USA or EBSCO. Librarians can search over 10 million businesses in the Ref USA database to find detailed company information. The EBSCO Database offers articles from over 1,000 businesses, management, and trade magazines to help you track trends in your business.

2. Access to marketing and business plan templates readily available at local libraries. Librarians will also meet with businesses to help in developing a business plan.

3. Training sessions on using research tools and databases as well as training on software such as PowerPoint, Excel, Microsoft Office features and social media tools for networking, marketing and blogging. Many libraries bring in U.S. Census trainers for more in depth business research.

4. Many libraries are beginning to offer Webinars as online tutorials for various subjects. Webinars are time-saving because you can watch when you have time, in the convenience of your home or office.

5. One-on-one business consultations are also offered at many libraries. Personal appointments can be made with the business reference librarian for special research or training.

If you would like to schedule a business reference presentation for your business group or company, please contact Alka Bhatnagar at 609-278-2640 ext 133 or abhatnagar@njstatelib.org.

A workshop is planned for the next meeting of the UL Section on November 10, 2009, 9:30 - noon, at Monroe Township Public Library, 4 Municipal Plaza, Monroe.

It is an informal gathering but promises to be highly informative and thought provoking. As much as we may think it not so gangs are a part of the many communities in New Jersey. Understanding the nature, purpose and degree of their presence in our libraries is important so that we may continue to provide a safe environment for all our users and staff. There is no charge for this workshop.

Please RSVP directly to Paul Pattwell at ppattwell@npl.org.

Presenters are:
DSG Ron Hampton a New Jersey State Trooper for 14 years and is a New Jersey Superior Court qualified expert on gangs.

Tina Kerestury, Associate State Librarian for the New Jersey State Library. She served as coordinator for the State Library’s successful day long forum: “Safe Teens = Safe Streets: New Jersey’s First Working Forum on Community Collaboration.” She will discuss the purpose of the forum and share her insights on the long term benefits of this collaborative effort for libraries and other community organizations.

Directions

Bringing together literary lovers of all ages from across the nation, the 2009 National Book Festival will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The New Jersey Center for the Book will play a unique and special role promoting reading in the National Book Festival’s popular Pavilion of the States sponsored for the ninth year by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Alongside representatives from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. trusts and territories, the New Jersey Center for the Book will share information about state reading- and library-promotion programs, and answer questions about New Jersey writers, libraries, book festivals, book awards and reading promotion activities. In addition, several festival authors and illustrators will make scheduled visits to their state’s table to greet fans and sign autographs.

Other featured pavilions are dedicated to book genres ranging from history and biography to mysteries, thrillers, poetry and prose, as well as books for families and young people. Aside from visiting pavilions, festival-goers can meet and hear firsthand from their favorite authors, get books signed, have photos taken with PBS storybook characters and participate in a variety of learning activities.

Families and young people unable to make it to D.C. for the event can experience the festival virtually. The 2009 National Book Festival Young Reader’s Toolkit brings the festival into libraries, schools, homes and communities nationwide. Featuring information on festival authors who write for children and teens as well as podcasts of their readings, teaching tools and activities for kids, this interactive learning resource also shows educators, parents and children how they can host their own book festivals. The toolkit will be available late summer on the National Book Festival website, www.loc.gov/bookfest.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will serve as Honorary Chairs of the ninth annual festival. Free and open to the public, the festival is sponsored by the Library of Congress and will feature some 75 award-winning authors, poets and illustrators celebrating the joys of reading and lifelong literacy.

The NJ Center for the Book, an affiliate of the Library of Congress, works to foster an awareness of the vital role of books, reading, libraries and literacy have in society. Past projects have included conducting workshops for teachers, showcasing NJ libraries at the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. and conducting the Letters about Literature contest for young writers.

NJ Center for the Book Web site

The four state Regional Library Cooperatives have received funding from the New Jersey State Library, given to ensure equity of services while controlling costs statewide, and support delivery of statewide services such as JerseyCat, JerseyClicks and continuing education.

The Highlands RLC received $881,474; the Central Jersey RLC received $528,957; the South Jersey RLC received $704,946; and INFOLINK, the Eastern New Jersey RLC received $861,758.

JerseyCat is a statewide online catalogue for interlibrary loans, while JerseyClicks is a suite of valuable research sources available to anyone with a New Jersey public library card.

“The New Jersey State Library is pleased to continue its ongoing partnership with the Regional Cooperatives,” said Norma Blake, New Jersey State Librarian. “The funding is essential to maintaining libraries as centers for lifelong learning and information. The money provides for public access to valuable Internet resources, sustains a productive workforce and empowers citizens with access to news, information and services vital to them in today’s economy. We rely on the help, expertise and knowledge of the RLC’s about their local communities to deliver these services and resources efficiently and effectively,” Blake added.

The Regional Library Cooperatives and their services are funded by the New Jersey State Library which is responsible for the coordination, promotion and funding of the New Jersey Library Network.