Dear Colleagues,

I hope you find the following items informative.

Best wishes,

Victoria

Trustee Manual Update

It gives me great pleasure to announce that New Jersey Public Libraries: A Manual for Trustees has been updated. The staff members of Library Support Services wanted to accomplish this for some time, and we are delighted to have completed the task. Since it has been 10 years since the last issue, there is a new format that will allow LSS staff to keep sections up-to-date without the daunting task of updating the entire manual at one time. For those who want a paper copy, there is a pdf of the entire manual for your printing pleasure. The electronic version is easy to use and requires no index – 'Ctrl' and 'F' works beautifully. For the manual and other resources, please visit http://www.njstatelib.org/services_for_libraries/consulting_services/library_trustees/.

Per Capita State Aid and free access to the Internet (all public libraries)

NJAC 15:21-2.5, 2C 1(d) states that "Each library shall provide the public free access to the Internet all hours the library is open." The language of PCSA allows for no exclusions. Unless a library has a compelling reason due to a person's misuse of the Internet, there is no reason to bar Internet access. Of course if demand is greater than the computers available, time limits may be necessary for all users.

LSS staff members have completed a survey of webpages to assure that all libraries are in compliance with this requirement. Those libraries that have decided not to comply will respond “no” to Line 10.2 of the annual survey. Assuming no exception is granted, a 50% deduction will be made to the PCSA payment.

Contacts Update for Library Support Services

Please direct library law questions to Bob Keith at rkeith@PROTECTED. Contacts for other areas of Library Support Services remain as follows.

Advisory Services, Training for Directors and Trustees, Preservation, Emergency Planning, Return of Funds Procedure

Michele Stricker at mstricker@PROTECTED

JerseyCat

Casey Confoy at cconfoy@PROTECTED

Law Pertaining to Libraries, JerseyClicks (connectivity issues), Per Capita State Aid, Statistics for Public Libraries

Bob Keith at rkeith@PROTECTED

Regulation Update, Adoption and Re-adoption

Victoria Rosch at vrosch@njstatelib.org

Victoria Rosch

Deputy State Librarian

Director, Library Support Services

vrosch@PROTECTED 

609.278.2640 ext.157