Update – Statewide Strategic Planning Process

Members of the Statewide Strategic Planning Committee (listed in the Oct 22nd E-Update) participated in a lively kickoff meeting on November 13th at the Monroe Township Public Library (Middlesex County) along with our contracted facilitators Abby Straus and John Findlay of Maverick & Boutique.

We discussed the issues, approach, timeframe, absolute need for engagement by the entire library community and the need for measurable action. The group, including State Librarian Mary Chute, brainstormed to identify other stakeholders to pull into the process. The BIG goal is to develop a Master Plan for the Future of New Jersey Libraries. The approach to this plan is as follows:

1. Create a living plan owned by all the stakeholders;
2. Leverage emerging economic, social and innovation trends;
3. Tap into the creativity/aspirations/needs of all stakeholder groups;
4. Analyze the issues/data;
5. Tap into professional and broad community creativity/synergy/expertise;
6. Integrate interests so that we achieve synergies and shared resources and develop partnerships across the network, the community and beyond; and,
7. Formulate clear, actionable initiatives (projects and programs) with specific measures of success.

The Committee is one dedicated set of colleagues ready for action. All members of the Cooperative will be offered a means to participate and/or communicate. LibraryLinkNJ is very pleased to manage this effort with a grant from the New Jersey State Library. Stay tuned for another update by mid-December.

Cheryl O’Connor, Executive Director  

Are you recovered enough from the past few weeks to take a short break and network at the LibraryLinkNJ Membership Meeting? We do hope so and look forward to your participation at either Rowan University, Rutgers University or William Paterson University (VALLEY ROAD Campus) on December 5th.

Networking: 1:30-2:30 PM
Enjoy refreshments and catch up with Cooperative Members, Staff and Board Members. Mary Chute, New Jersey State Librarian, will be at the Rowan University location.

Business Meeting: 2:30-3:00 PM
Executive Board President Update; Executive Director Report; State Library Report. Action items will take place at the 2013 Spring Meeting. We need NO proxy designations for Dec 5.

Timely Program: 3:00-4:00 PM

State of the New Jersey Library Community Post-Sandy: Lessons Learned and Strategies Shared

Participants: New Jersey State Library, New Jersey Library Association, LibraryLinkNJ and YOU! As a result of this 60-minute interactive session, participants will:  

• Ascertain and review the up-to-date picture of Hurricane Sandy on the multi-type library community.
• Discuss and document service lessons learned from weather-related and other high-impact events in 2011 and 2012.
• Contribute and accelerate input for an upcoming statewide conference to position the library community to take an organized role in local, regional and statewide emergency relief.

For more details and registration, go to: http://librarylinknj.org/content/librarylinknj-fall-membership-meeting

Presented by LibraryLinkNJ, the New Jersey State Library and the New Jersey Library Association:

Technology Speed Dating Programs - Meet Attractive and Suitable Technologies

It's time to set your technology life in order and begin your search for the tech of your dreams and live happily ever after!

In just three hours, meet plenty of eligible technology. Step back, observe and consider. Ask yourself:

• Can I see myself living with technology for the rest of my life?
• Do I see in these technologies such potential that I want to invest time in them?
• Do these technologies have the character, values and goals that will foster my desire to help library users?

If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, this program is for you! Meet the right gadgets for you & your community! Learn from and with your colleagues in a relaxed, practical and fun environment!

Each program will feature:

• Table talks staffed by expert colleagues - talk, listen, discuss, and learn one-on-one.
• Hot topics - smartphones, iPads, ebook readers, gaming, mobile apps or websites, productivity tools (Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, etc.), social media (Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram, etc.). (Program content may be slightly different at each location.)
• Gadgets and devices galore - get acquainted with your community’s favorite devices, and how much each one costs.
• Short presentations on tech, best practices and resources for teaching technology to your users.

Ensure that your library and you are the go-to resource for your community on 21st century information, learning, and consumer technologies.  

Each program will be scheduled from 10:00 AM-1:00 PM, with coffee starting at 9:30. Choose from three dates and three locations:

• Tuesday, January 15, 2013, Parsippany Public Library (snow date is Tuesday, Jan. 22nd) 
• Tuesday, March 5, 2013, Monroe Twp. Public Library (Middlesex County)
• Wednesday, April 24, 2013, Gloucester County Library, Mullica Hill

To register for any of the above locations, go to: http://librarylinknj.org/content/technology-speed-dating-programs

Audience: Everyone working in libraries - no matter what type of library, level of knowledge, familiarity or comfort with tech. Mix and mingle with newbies and techies alike.

Cost: $15  

Congratulations to the New Jersey Law Librarians Association (NJLLA) as they celebrate their 25th anniversary as a chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries!

NJLLA has long been a generous provider of continuing education to their non-law library colleagues. This year marks the third straight year they have presented their "How to Find the Law" workshop free of charge to members of LibraryLinkNJ. Those of us fortunate to have attended this year's program at the Monroe Township Library (Middlesex County) are now far more prepared to handle legal reference questions. NJLLA's webpage of links to internet resources on law topics is a wonderful starting place for legal reference. A big thank you to Andrea Battel, Anne Shulman and Kathy Taggart for all the work they do to bring us these programs.

Good news! They will return again next October to present another workshop. Thank you NJLLA and once again, congratulations on your 25th anniversary!

New Jersey’s Library Snapshot Day was held on Wednesday, October 24. Co-sponsored by NJLA and the New Jersey State Library, this year’s Snapshot Day included a special enhancement sponsored by LibraryLinkNJ: the NJ Library Roadshow.

A group of intrepid road warriors - Sophie Brookover, Andy Woodworth, Tiffany McClary, Natasha Peter, Sharon Rawlins, Cathi Finnen and Gary Cooper - fanned out across the state to visit and document innovative programming and outreach efforts at public, school and academic libraries including West Orange High School, Paul Robeson Library at Rutgers-Camden, two branches of the Atlantic County Library System and Rockaway Township Library.

We used Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook to bring NJ library staff with us on the road. To revisit the day and learn more about what great things your colleagues are doing around the state, check out the NJ Library Roadshow Tumblr or the Snapshot Day Facebook Page.

Featured Discount: EBSCO Ebooks LibraryLinkNJ has two new discount offers on EBSCO Ebooks. Both offers are volume discounts - the more libraries that participate, the greater the discount. Orders must be placed by December 7, 2012.

LibraryLinkNJ K-12 school libraries are eligible for the discount on Ebooks by Subscription. Three packages are available as a 6-month introductory offer and include unlimited access to more than 83,000 titles (academic); 5,100 titles (high school); 4,800 (K-8). All titles can be viewed online or downloaded for use on mobile readers. The collection grows over time as new titles are added.

Public, academic and K-12 school libraries are eligible for the discount on Ebooks as One-Time Purchase. Libraries can choose from 22 subject sets of books or create a custom package from more than 155,000 titles available for individual purchase. Most titles are 2012 publications. A one-time purchase means no platform fees, access fees, or download costs. All titles are viewable online or downloadable to most mobile readers.

Libraries must place their orders with the vendor by December 7. Once the discount level is determined, participating libraries will be contacted with pricing and asked to sign off on their purchases by December 11. LibraryLinkNJ will handle billing from that point.

Please visit the web pages above for details. For questions, contact EBSCO representative Angela Zaremba at (800) 653-2726 Ext 3204 or amzaremba@ebscohost.com.

Other New Discounts

• Alexander Street Press - through 6/30/13
  High-quality education collections, including streaming video and music. 15% off through 12/31/12; 10% off though 6/30/13
• PebbleGo - through 12/31/12
  From Capstone, databases for preK-3 researchers
• Pronunciator - through 12/31/12
  New language-learning software for libraries. 30% discount off already reasonable pricing.
• Rosen Digital, including Teen Health & Wellness - through 12/31/12
  Discount on the classic Teen Health & Wellness, plus more from Rosen Digital: Financial Literacy, CyberSmarts and Cybersmarts Teen.