On October 31, LibraryLinkNJ Executive Director Kathy Schalk-Greene, with Executive Board President Ranjna Das, State Librarian Mary Chute and NJLA Executive Director Pat Tumulty all met with Justin Braz, Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs and Cary Booker, Senior Policy Advisor in Governor Murphy’s office.
This team met with Mr. Braz and Mr. Booker to discuss the value of the New Jersey Library Network, funded through the State budget, and the work of LibraryLinkNJ. They also responded to questions regarding our approaches to other potential funders, our current strategic plan, and the plan to lay off staff and dissolve LibraryLinkNJ at the end of June 2019, in the event that we are not able to secure sustainable funding for FY19 and beyond.
Mr. Braz and Mr. Booker remarked that we’re wise to start the FY20 budget conversation with legislators early, and praised NJ libraries as aligning neatly with the Governor's interest in shared services, innovation, and education.
We continue to welcome your LibraryLinkNJ stories via our advocacy form. Has LibraryLinkNJ played a role in shaping your career? Have we helped move your library’s services forward? We’re using these stories in our advocacy work, so please do keep them coming.