VIRTUAL GUIDE to NJ LIBRARIES

ORGANIZATIONS

BELS
  • Consortium for School Library Media Centers
  • Consortium Coordinator: Lauren Gormley
  • President: Michelle McGreivey, Hoboken High School Library
  • http://belsnj.org/
  • P.O. Box 450, Lodi, NJ 07644
  • 201-265-4242
Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS)
  • Consortium of Public Libraries
  • Executive Director: Dave Hanson
  • http://www.bccls.org/
  • 21-00 New Jersey 208, Suite 130, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
  • 201-498-7300
  • BCCLS is a consortium of 78 public libraries in northern New Jersey. By county, there are 62 in Bergen, 11 in Essex, 4 in Hudson, and 1 in Passaic. BCCLS libraries have over 600,000 registered cardholders and circulate over 12,000,000 items annually.
BLInC
  • Library Consortium
  • BLInC is a group of libraries in Burlington County that shares resources. Current membership includes branches, members and the library at Rowan College at Burlington County in varying degrees of partnership. The libraries share an automation system, their collections and delivery between locations.
  • Contact the Burlington County Library System
Booklinx
  • BookLinx is a book evaluation program. Our membership consists of public librarians and school library media specialists from Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, and Union counties in New Jersey who review new titles for publishing companies, authors, and illustrators.
  • Website: http://booklinx.org/login.php
Central Jersey Book Evaluation Group
Libraries of Union County Consortium (LUCC)
  • President: Megan Kociolek, Clark Public Library
  • http://www.luccnj.org/
  • Libraries of Union County Consortium (LUCC) is made up of all 20 public libraries in the county along with with Union County Community College.
LibraryLinkNJ, The New Jersey Library Cooperative
  • The New Jersey Library Cooperative
  • Executive Director: Ralph Bingham
  • https://librarylinknj.org
  • 2300 Stuyvesant Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08618
  • 732-752-7720 
  • LibraryLinkNJ – The New Jersey Library Cooperative serves over 2,000 multi-type libraries and library-related agencies located in the twenty-one counties of New Jersey. LibraryLinkNJ and its services are funded by the New Jersey State Library, which is responsible for the coordination, promotion and funding of the New Jersey Library Network. Members join at no charge and pay no dues.
LOGIN Consortium
  • Consortium
  • http://www.login-libraries.org/
  • LOGIN, the Libraries of Gloucester/Salem Information Network, is a consortium of public, academic and school libraries located in Gloucester County, Salem and Cumberland Counties. 24 libraries participating in LOGIN, including every library in Gloucester County, plus selected libraries in Salem and Cumberland Counties.
Main Library Alliance
  • Cooperative & automation consortium
  • Executive Director: Phillip Berg
  • https://mainlib.org/
  • (973) 862-4606
  • 16 Wing Drive, Suite 212, Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927
  • Consists of 40 public libraries across 52 buildings located in Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Union, and Warren Counties
  • Service area of 700,000+ residents who enjoy access to more than 3 million items
  • Main Library Alliance’s mission is to lead and encourage collaboration, resource sharing, staff development and innovation by providing high quality, cost effective shared services to member libraries for their communities. Created in 1979, the network has evolved to offer its members cost-sharing opportunities, library automation services, technical support, and an organizational structure conducive to collaboration and efficient management of tax dollars.
New Jersey Association of Library Assistants (NJALA)
  • http://njala.org/
  • President: Teresa Hess, Ocean County Library System
  • NJALA is a professional organization made up of Library Assistants and other library specialists and para-professionals.
New Jersey Association of School LIbrarians (NJASL)
  • President: Karen Grant
  • http://www.njasl.org/
  • PO Box 1460, Springfield, NJ 07081
  • NJASL offers a wide array of support for New Jersey School Librarians through online resources, workshops, conferences, and meetings.
New Jersey Law Librarians Association (NJLLA)
  • President: Judith Simms, Rutgers Law Library, President
  • http://njlla.org/
  • NJLLA is dedicated to providing networking and professional development opportunities for law librarians throughout the state.
New Jersey Library Association (NJLA)
  • Executive Director: Brett Bonfield
  • President: Carina Gonzalez, Governor Livingston High School
  • http://njla.org/
  • 163 US Hwy 130 N, Bldg. 1, Suite 1C, Bordentown, NJ 08505
  • 609-482-1282
  • Established in 1890, NJLA, the oldest and largest library organization in New Jersey:
    • Advocates for library services for New Jersey residents;
    • Provides education and networking for library staff;
    • Supports intellectual freedom and access to books, music, movies, and information.
  • The NJLA office in Bordentown, NJ, provides services to over 3,000 members.
New Jersey Library Trustee Association (NJLTA)
  • President: Pat Massey, Edison Public Library
  • https://www.njlibrarytrustees.org/
  • 163 US Highway 130 N, Building 1, Suite 1C. Bordentown, NJ 08505
  • The New Jersey Library Trustee Association was founded to afford Library Trustees the opportunity to jointly promote library services in New Jersey. It seeks to stimulate Trusees to become more effective in their functions as formulators of library policies, to strengthen the link between libraries, public officials and the populace, to provide discussion regarding the roles and responsibilities of the Trustee, to encourage cooperation between library organizations and to devote all monies accuring to the Association for these purposes.
New Jersey Special Libraries Association (NJSLA)
New Jersey State Library (NJSL)
  • State Librarian: Jennifer Nelson
  • http://www.njstatelib.org/
  • 185 West State Street, Trenton NJ 08625 (PO Box 520)
  • 609-278-2640
  • The New Jersey State Library, an affiliate of Thomas Edison State College, is led by State Librarian Jennifer Nelson and provides services for NJ libraries, the state legislature and government employees, Thomas Edison State College staff and students, and registered borrowers. With a focus on innovation, future trends, exemplary models and technologies, the State Library provides support for New Jersey’s public, school, academic, and special libraries, and coordination of the New Jersey Library Network.
PALS Plus
  • Consortium
  • Executive Director: Luca Manna
  • https://palsplus.org
  • Clifton Public Library: 292 Piaget Avenue Clifton, NJ 07011
  • 973-340-2877
  • PALS Plus is 22 public and academic libraries located in Passaic, Hudson, and Essex Counties, NJ. Its members share library and computer resources to better serve the information needs of their communities.
Sharing & Technology Enhancing Local Library Access (STELLA)
  • Consortium
  • Executive Director: Eric Lozauskas
  • https://stellanj.org/
  • 27 Mayfield Ave., Edison, NJ 08837
  • 732-750-2525

STELLA is a nonprofit membership organization providing a wide range of services to its member libraries. The Consortium was established in 1986, and currently consists of 42 public libraries in Middlesex, Monmouth, and Union counties and Middlesex County College. The primary purpose of the consortium is to operate a shared automation system for its members and to promote all aspects of cooperative automated projects and resource sharing so that a higher quality of library services will be provided to residents within our service area. STELLA develops, maintains and provides technological expertise; offers affordable, cost effective services to its member libraries; supports additional value-added services in the areas of collection development, continuing education for staff and trustees, marketing, consulting, and state and national library advocacy. STELLA members are actively involved in the organization. They share expertise and are active participants in consortium decision making. Staff in STELLA member libraries is encouraged to join committees and task forces so that all types of libraries and geographic areas are represented.

STELLA offers its member libraries complete online library automation services, including:

  • retrospective conversion of library catalog records
  • circulation control
  • online public access catalog (both the member’s individual catalog and a consortium-wide)
  • connection with other library catalogs throughout the United States
  • connection with numerous commercial online research databases.
LMxAC is now STELLA!
Edison, NJ – LMxAC is going through a rebranding to modernize and better represent its member libraries. Over the past few years the number of members has grown to 43, and the service area has expanded beyond Middlesex county into Union and Monmouth counties. Combined, the group of libraries have over 3.5 million physical items available for their patrons plus digital content in the form of eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines and streaming video services.... [ Read More! ]
Special Library Association - Greater Princeton- Trenton Chapter
  • Membership Chair: Karen McQuillen
  • https://connect.sla.org/newjersey/home
  • Member benefits include: Attending timely programs and learning about the issues concerning the information industr; networking with local colleagues to build a problem-solving network; guiding your career by discovering employment opportunities; keeping informed of Chapter news and events via the Princeton-Trenton Chapter website and listserv – valuable links between members and the chapter; developing leadership and management skills by serving on a chapter committee.
Virtual Academic Library Environment of New Jersey (VALE)
  • Consortium - Academic Libraries
  • https://vale.njedge.net
  • 625 Broad St., Suite 260, Newark, NJ 07102-4418
  • 855-832-3343
  • VALE Program Manager: Alison Cole, MLS, phone: 855-832-EDGE(3343)
  • The VALE Consortium was developed in 1998 as a grass root organization to develop inter-institutional information connectivity and collaborative library application projects among New Jersey academic libraries. VALE’s mission is to help institutions meet the demands of students and faculty for access to scholarly materials.

LISTSERVS & ONLINE FORUMS

LibraryLinkNJ, The New Jersey Library Cooperative
  • Online Forums
  • Members only (user account registration required)
  • Job Postings forum is open to everyone: http://librarylinknj.org/jobs 
  • The LibraryLinkNJ Forums are a place where members can share comments, thoughts, ideas and experiences related to our work in libraries. All LibraryLinkNJ members are encouraged to use the forums to connect with each other, discuss library topics, share information, raise issues, and to give and receive support.
  • Need help? Contact 732-752-7720 or info [at] librarylinknj.org.
New Jersey Association of School LIbrarians (NJASL)
  • Must be a member to join the Listserv, participate in special events, and have access to online resources.
  • NJASL blog provides general information and announcements concerning scholarship opportunities and upcoming events.
New Jersey Law Librarians Association (NJLLA)
  • Subscribe via email to receive notifications of new posts. To sign up, go to the NJLLA Homepage.
New Jersey Library Association (NJLA)
  • In order to join the NJLA listserv, you must be an NJLA member.
New Jersey Special Libraries Association (NJSLA)
  • Listserv: sign up to receive emails about upcoming events and announcements. 
New Jersey State Library (NJSL)
  • NJSL Podcasts
  • NJSL Blog (focus on marketing trends for librarians)
  • Sign up for NJSL Direct for new and updates
  • The NJ State Library has a long-established free listserv called NJYAC for youth services librarians. It was created in order to reach out to youth services librarians and library staff with announcements, grant opportunities, information about upcoming programs and discussions on youth services issues.

Virtual Academic Library Environment of New Jersey (VALE)
  • Listserv: Open to staff of all VALE member libraries and access is subject to approval