New Jersey State Library

The New Jersey State Library is delighted to announce that State Librarian
Norma Blake has been selected by Library Journal magazine as their 2008
Librarian of the Year! She will be honored at this week’s American Library
Association Conference in Philadelphia, as well as have her picture on the
front cover of their mid-January issue along with an interview Library
Journal editors conducted with her last month.

To read Library Journal’s article go here

Voting ended on December 31 and over 17,000 votes were cast. We will be announcing the winners this month!

The State Library has been working with INFOLINK to sponsor a YouTube/Comic Contest. Young adults up to the age of 18 were able to submit a comic or video.

• Staff members from LBH were on hand at the Trustee Institute to demonstrate assistive technology software and devices to help people who are blind and visually impaired. LBH staff is available to present a variety of informational programs in cooperation with public libraries throughout New Jersey.

• The 5th Annual Trustee Institute was held Sept. 28-20 at Ocean Place in Long Branch. Over 200 trustees attended programs that followed this year’s theme of the Library as the Third Place, or as the keynote speaker referred to it, the “great good place”. As has been the case with our prior year programs, the State Library partnered with the NJ Library Association and the NJ Library Trustee Association on this popular event.

• The first meeting of the State Librarian’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Future of Libraries took place in September. The task force will meet once a month for four months, discussing one topic each month. The Task Force will produce a report to the State Librarian on the possibilities and opportunities it identifies to keep libraries relevant for customers now and in the future.

• NJKI Advocacy took center stage in September as many LDB staff were involved in a variety of activities including: planning a meeting regarding the continued funding of NJKI in FY08; reporting on the status of NJKI to library, business and legislative partners; preparation of advocacy documents for use by NJKI customers; meetings to present the case for NJKI to state legislators and staff; and continued participation in events designed to market and showcase this program.

• LDB’s youth services consultant was a guest on A.M. Connections discussing good books for parents and caregivers to share with their children.

• The New Jersey State Library is partnering with New Jersey Library Association, Monmouth County Library and the Women’s National Book Association to promote National Reading Group Month. Two authors will be appearing at the Monmouth County Library to celebrate the event. The State Library has distributed letters to state librarians throughout the country encouraging them to lend their support next year.

• The New Jersey State Library was a sponsor at the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce Conference and Expo where we continued to gain new NJKI users and advocates. The NJKI marketing consultant presented a workshop.

• Our marketing director presented a workshop entitled, “Six steps to Outreach Success”. NJSL and the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative sponsored the workshop, which was held at the Willingboro Public Library.

• The Marketing Dept. had three different articles published in their entirety in Interface, the newsletter of the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA). The articles highlighted the broad array of the State Library’s work. One featured a Braille literacy arts event staged by LBH at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton Twp. while another focused on the Get a Library on Online program. A third article gave an overview of three NJSL marketing campaigns: Three Reasons, Super Librarian Comic Book and YouTube comic contest.

• The New Jersey Collection will be visited by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts to assess the New Jersey and Rare Book collections. The project is the result of a successful grant application made by SLIC.

• Our health/medical librarian compiled and sent a bibliography of recent health books for posting to the State Dept. of Health and Senior Services intranet. And our business librarian was a roundtable speaker at the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners meeting, where she gave an overview of library resources and how to find marketing and competitor information in business databases.

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I recently had the honor of accepting an Innovation Award from the Council of State Governments for the New Jersey Knowledge Initiative. This national award is intended to bring greater recognition for exemplary programs that show creativity in effectively dealing with problems and issues that are regional in scope. The CSG Innovation Award Program considered hundreds of state programs and projects, and we are so proud to have received this award that recognizes the foresight of State Library and its partners in establishing and operating NJKI as well as the foresight of the State Legislature and the Governor in funding this innovative project. NJKI encourages economic growth and strengthens high-tech projects. It is a model that other states are interested in emulating. Given the success of NJKI, we are pressing forward to secure full funding to continue the initiative.

• We are proud to report that NJLBH scores high in customer satisfaction based on a comprehensive survey. The survey distributed to all NJLBH customers in all NJ counties showed 98 percent rated their overall experience with NJLBH as either excellent or good; 100 percent said they would recommend the library to a friend; and 99 percent reported the library improved the quality of their life. Seventy-five percent of NJLBH’s customers are over the age of 65. A total of 1,115 customers responded and returned their surveys.

• Four Diversity Grants have been awarded by LDB and accepted by East Orange Public Library, Ocean County Library System, West Deptford Free Public Library and Bergen County Cooperative Library System in partnership with the Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium. The grants will help to strengthen or expand programs that serve residents who may encounter difficulty using traditional library services.

• Our Marketing Department continues to promote the services offered by the State Library and public libraries through the NJ Library Network. New projects include developing a promotional campaign with NJLA for the National Reading Group Month; compiling a mailing to libraries this month that will include materials on the YouTube/Comic Drawing contest about why users love their libraries; and designing, producing and printing a variety of collateral material for the different bureaus of the State Library. There are also plans to conduct a workshop to help libraries create effective outreach events.

• Attendance at instructional sessions offered by SLIC continues to grow with 31 state workers at the Division of Motor Vehicles attending two, one-hour lunchtime talks presented by the Genealogy Collection Librarian on how the State Library’s collections support genealogy research. Another 16 people attended two more mid-day sessions presented at the State Library that focused on using U.S. Census records for family history. Similarly, two sessions on navigating legal databases attracted 17 interested individuals. We are glad to serve state government workers and the public with these special programs that we offer on a regular basis.

SPOTLIGHT ON BARBARA DOYLE

Barbara Doyle is a long-standing employee of the New Jersey State Library. She has been a faithful staff member since 1996, and she spoke glowingly about the wonderful people she works with. Barbara’s favorite job is to put books back on the shelves. Her least favorite time at work is when the email is down. I think we can all agree with that! At home in Lawrenceville, Barbara likes to play computer games. Her favorite computer games involve America’s sweetheart detective, Nancy Drew. When not on the computer, Barbara likes to watch cop shows on TV. She also likes to watch scary movies. When I mentioned a few plot details, Barbara was quickly able to tell me that my favorite scary movie was entitled, “When a Stranger Calls.” Barbara’s duties at home include dishwashing and setting the table. As Barbara’s two brothers and three sisters could probably tell you, Barbara loves her chocolate. She counteracts its effects by swimming or using the exercise bike. Barbara’s favorite trip was to Disney World. Another thing we agree on is that we both would really like to go there again–soon!

• At the end of July, LBH hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired Regional Technical Assistance Center located at the Library for the Blind and Handicapped. This state-of-the-art technical center is equipped with the latest in assistive technologies. This joint project of NJLBH and CBVI received additional funding in a technology grant from Comcast Foundation. As a result of the Comcast grant for $20,000, the lab is equipped with an interactive smart board, a handheld CCTV and a new generation Brailler.

• LBH completed a second year in its partnership with the TCNJ Workskills Program. We offered a variety of work opportunities to teens with multiple disabilities. Students reported to work at LBH and under the guidance of job coaches, rewound tapes, checked in books, opened boxes of Braille books and sorted returned books into bins for re-shelving.

Library Laws of New Jersey

Staff members have been working with the New Jersey Library Association and the Department of Community Affairs on recent issues such as excluding municipal libraries from the recently enacted 4% cap on new municipal tax revenue, the need for municipal libraries to receive the full one-third mill from the municipality and various trustee term issues.
The draft amendments to NJAC 15:21.12, the regulation developed to clarify the one-third-mill rules for municipal and joint public libraries, will not move forward until NJSL receives the Deputy Attorney General opinion regarding whether or not trustees may give any funding raised by the 1/3 mill law to the municipality to be used for non-library purposes.

NJKI Marketing/Advocacy

NJKI staff attended the ACT subcommittee working group meeting where the Deputy Chief of the Governor’s Office of Economic Growth Angie Maguire talked about how important NJKI and libraries are to the state’s economic growth strategy. This committee is charged with developing a new program to meet the needs of the state’s entrepreneurs and small businesses in a more comprehensive and productive structure.

The NJKI task force continued to meet and outline the strategy required to fill the gap in NJKI funding for the remainder of FY 08. As part of this strategy, additional legislative visits are being planned for September.

Training and online activities:

Four Reference USA and four JerseyCat Customization Training Sessions were held around the state last month.

As a result of LDB staff efforts, over 160 public libraries are now using Get A Library Card Online.

JerseyCat ISO compliance Preparation and Testing was completed last month and the first request using this system was sent on July 25. This is a huge accomplishment, as it will enable local libraries to update statuses, will reduce the amount of clerical work necessary by JerseyCAT staff and will result in speedier response time for out of state requests.

Four statewide preservation and conservation workshops were planned, scheduled and announced last month.

Planning Activities:

The new LSTA five year plan was completed and submitted to IMLS last month and we are awaiting their notice of approval.

• New projects the department is working on include: developing a promotional campaign with NJLA for National Reading Group Month; compiling a mailing to libraries in September that will include materials on YouTube /Comic Drawing contest; designing and printing an LBH brochure, Deaf and Hard of Hearing brochure, SLIC brochure, SLIC rack card and the Strategic Plan overview; and conducting a workshop to help libraries create more effective outreach events.

• Media releases continue to be submitted on a regular basis and new templates for libraries have been posted to the web that libraries are encouraged to use to promote the services they offer through JerseyCat, JerseyClicks and Get A Library Card Online. The Downloadable Files page has been redesigned.

• Inventory of the Reference Collection moved forward with the help of two summer interns. The Library’s new wireless capability helped making changes to the catalog easier because they can be done directly on a laptop carried into the stacks. The Reference Collection contains more than 16,000 items.

• Usage of State Library collections increased by 6% over last year, totaling 37,690. The Library registered 2,046 new borrowers for a total of 21,809, a 10.4% increase over last year.

I had the wonderful honor and opportunity to attend and speak at the grand opening of the Regional Technology Assistance Center at the New Jersey Library for Blind and Handicapped. The center offers state-of-the-art technology and resources for people with visual impairments. Located at LBH headquarters in Trenton and operated by the NJ Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the center represents a partnership between the State Library and the NJ Department of Human Services that has been enhanced by a generous private sector contribution from the Comcast Foundation, which provided $20,000 to buy a SMART board and additional technology.

LBH staged a great kick-off event for the center, and we were gratified that so many people attended and that the local media covered the event to help get the word out on this new resource that will provide the visually impaired with computer training to help them at work, home and in the general community. My special thanks to all those who helped LBH Director Faith Lundgren to officially open the center and who spoke to the audience at the event including Vito DeSantis as CBVI’s Executive Director, Anne Kohler as NJ Department of Human Services Deputy Commissioner and Kimberly Smith as Regional Director of Community Affairs for Comcast.

• The Mid-Atlantic Futures Conference, which the NJSL helped to organize and participated in a few months past in Atlantic City, was such a success and so vital to libraries, I am convening a Blue Ribbon Futures Panel. The State Library recognizes that it is imperative to have input from the people who are shaping the future of New Jersey’s libraries. Everyone in the Library community is welcome to apply, including NJSL staff, and the deadline to apply is August 15, 2007. Ultimately the panel will make recommendations to me, which will be discussed at the next NJLA conference.

• Despite relentless efforts on the part of the State Library, we have not been able to restore a million dollar cut in NJKI budget by the State. Presently there is enough money to continue the program with access to all the proprietary databases until the end of February 2008. However, our efforts continue. There is a meeting scheduled for July 30 with Executive Director of Higher Education Jane Oates to discuss the next steps for the program. Meanwhile, NJKI continues to garner national and even international recognition. NJKI is one of 11 finalists for an Innovation Award from the Council of State Governments and a presentation will be made at their conference in Quebec City in mid August.

• Our marketing campaigns are going well. The “Three Reasons You Love Your Library” campaign includes billboards, train station posters and bus placards. In fact, a Thomas Edison State College trustee mentioned that he saw the train station poster in Newark for the “Three Reasons” campaign and was drawn to it, only to discover it was a New Jersey library project. He was very complimentary. The next statewide campaign will be “Solving Life’s Little Problems”, something that libraries do very well.

• There is a new phone system at the State Library for the first time since 1986. It goes into operation on August 1, 2007. The directory of new telephone numbers with extensions will be available on our website and the new general number is 609-278-2640 although the existing main numbers will remain in place indefinitely.

• The State Library is contracting with the Northeast Document Conservation Center on preservation workshops and preservation surveys of libraries, with the focus on public libraries due to the funding source. Library Development Bureau Consultant Michele Stricker is receiving further training to provide other in-state workshops on preservation.

SPOTLIGHT ON ROB ZANGARA

Say hello to a real Jersey guy, Rob Zangara, head of New Jersey State Library’s Information Technology Department. He was born in New Brunswick and went to Rutgers to pursue degrees in English and Political Science. After becoming a publishing house editor, Rob was discovered to be the most technologically advanced person on staff. As his technical expertise grew, Rob gravitated to TMP, the parent company of Monster.com. Fortunately for NJSL, Rob got tired of working in Manhattan.

Rob is a real music buff with very eclectic tastes – jazz, alternative rock, international music, etc. Rob use to play golf but finds that he spends most of his leisure time with his first loves, his wife Heidi and his two boys, Dean and Theo.

Rob and his family have seen much of the USA, particularly Oregon, California, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming where he and family visit relatives. He also enjoys the Island of St. John where he was married. Rob’s all time favorite trip was to Italy, where he hopes to take his boys someday, as he found the Italians to be very child friendly.

People sometimes stereotype technologists as techies who only speak to other techies in some kind of language that is foreign to the rest of us. The people who do this have obviously not met Rob Zangara and his wonderful IT team at NJSL!

• On June 29, News12 kicked off its new On the Road series by featuring the New Jersey Library for the Blind and Handicapped. Anchorman Tony Caputo taped three segments at LBH headquarters in Trenton, which aired live and included interviews with LBH Director Faith Lundgren and other staff members. Customers, volunteers, services and the outreach efforts of the library were featured in different segments. Just a few hours after the broadcast, a Readers Services Advisor reported receiving the first call from someone wanting to register who had just heard the program.

• LBH continues to meet and plan with NJN, our broadcast carrier of Audiovision, to address needs and concerns about the transition of television broadcasting to a digital format in 2007. This change will necessitate that new receivers be provided to Audiovision customers so that they may continue to receive the LBH 24 hour radio programming.

• NJLBH sponsored the 4th Annual Disability Law Conference held in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General, New Jersey division on Civil Rights. This year the focus of the conference was “Protecting the Rights of People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired.”

• Norma Blake, State Librarian, has instituted a “Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Future” to continue the groundbreaking work begun by the Mid-Atlantic Library Futures Conference.  The State Library recognizes that it is imperative to have input from the people who are shaping the future of
  New Jersey’s libraries.  To serve on this panel, interested staff  from NJ Libraries need only complete the application found at the New Jersey State Library website: http://www.njstatelib.org/News/news_item.php?item_id=674 and return it by August 15, 2007 to Peggy Cadigan. 

• ·         New Statewide Databases Access:  Access to all statewide databases is available through the Jersey Clicks portal effective July 3, 2007.  In addition, a list of the individual database URLs for libraries to link from their websites is available.  LDB staff is providing a list of the Facts on File databases libraries will need to delete from their websites unless the library is paying to subscribe to them for their customers. For the list of databases see: http://www.njstatelib.org/LDB/databases . 

• ·         Get a Library Card Online allows potential library customers to register for a library card on the web. Get a Library Card Online was conceived by the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative, which implemented a State Library funded pilot project, with 14 QandANJ participating libraries, to create and test this service. The pilot libraries have successfully used this new service for 18 months; more than 120 libraries are currently participating. Our goal is that all
  New Jersey public libraries will make Get a Library Card Online available to their customers in the very near future.  For more information see http://www.njstatelib.org/LDB/GALCO/.   

• ·         $200,000 was awarded by the NJSL to fund literacy programs at 11 public libraries across the state. For details on the literacy leadership grant program and the grantees, see http://www.njstatelib.org/News/news_item.php?item_id=685  

• ·         Update on NJKI Funding: The State of
  New Jersey budget for FY08 will provide $2 million to continue the New Jersey Knowledge Initiative. This is one million dollars less than is needed to continue the program at its current level. The intent of the State Library and the NJKI Task Force is to continue all NJKI databases for as long as the $2 million will last, which we expect to be until February 28, 2008, assuming vendor/publisher agreement.