Census training for library staff the week of January 7-9 Regional census trainers will be available to train library staff on the new online census form as well as to take questions on how best to assist your patrons. The schedule for this week is: January 7, Hasbrouck Heights, 10-noon January 8, Old Tappan, 10-noon January 9, Fort Lee, 10-noon To register email Kathleen Peiffer at kmoellerpeiffer@PROTECTED ...Continue Reading

*The next annual New Directors’ Orientation will be held on March 18 & 25, 2020, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at the New Jersey State Library’s Talking Book and Braille Center (2300 Stuyvesant Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08618).* The two-day workshops will feature essential information for new library directors in the following areas: [*]Overview of New Jersey State Library services focusing on how we can help serve you in your new position as Library Director. [*]NJ Library Law [*]Purchasing Basics [*]Strategic Planning [ ...Continue Reading

The New Jersey State Library and the New Jersey Library Association are working diligently with regional Census officials to help ensure that you have the information that you need to assist your customers when the census opens in the Spring of 2020. At this time we are working on scheduling training sessions for library and computer consortia in New Jersey, to be followed by contacts with county library systems. There is also a wonderful LibGuide created by Teri Taylor of the State Library Information Center on the ...Continue Reading

New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act --- November 4, 2019 Update The public comments received between July 1 and August 30, 2019 and agency responses that indicate changes to the rules for the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act are printed in the New Jersey Register today. Instructions for accessing this information are as follows: • Click on: http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/njoal • In the search box enter: 51 NJR1610(a) • Click on the search icon • Click on “rule adoptions” The complete r ...Continue Reading

Dear Colleagues, Please see the attached list of New Jersey libraries and their unique URL to access Heritage Quest either by IP or barcode.  If you have any difficulties with accessing this resource ProQuest has asked that you please contact Kevin Barkume at ProQuest: Kevin.Barkume@PROTECTED ...Continue Reading

To obtain statistics for the Heritage Quest electronic resource that became available statewide in July 2019 you need to take the following steps: Click on https://www.heritagequestonline.com/localadminweb/hqousagereport/do/report?pid=28278 Account: select your library Select the usage period you want to view Click on “Select Report”. I noticed that there are not very many libraries with usage of this resource compared to the number of academic, school and public libraries in New Jersey. If you do  not ha ...Continue Reading

Dear Colleagues, The State of New Jersey’s Census 2020 Website is now active on the NJ Department of State’s homepage. The direct link to the site is https://nj.gov/state/census.shtml Of particular note is the following page: https://nj.gov/state/census-resources.shtml which lists a number of National Job Recruiting events that are going on throughout the state during the Census Bureau’s National Recruiting Week which began on October 22. Best regards, Bob Keith Director of Library Law, State Aid, and Statistics N ...Continue Reading

Dear Colleagues, The link for the 2020 1/3 mill spreadsheet is below.  If you are unable to access it please email me and I will send it to you as an attachment: https://www.njstatelib.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020_Minimum_Amount_Needed_to_Qualify_for_1_25_Per_Capita_One-Third_Mill.xls Also, please be aware that a few libraries are in the enviable position of having their one third mill amounts go up over 15% this year.  N.J.S.A. 40:54-8.1 requires libraries in this position to write to the ...Continue Reading

Dear Colleagues, First, I am still waiting for the equalized valuation figures to be posted to the Division of Taxation website.  I am constantly refreshing the webpage where the figures are posted and as soon as they are I will make the available to all of you.   By now you should be receiving your FY20 Per Capita State Aid checks, the amounts for which can be found here:  https://www.njstatelib.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/FinalCheckAmountFY20.xlsx If you do not receive your check by ...Continue Reading

One step that libraries can take to prepare for the census is to participate in Complete Count Committees (CCCs). These are volunteer committees established by state and local governments and community leaders to increase awareness and encourage residents to respond to the 2020 Census. CCCs integrate different representatives of the community who have first-hand knowledge of local needs and have direct contact with hard-to-count populations. Libraries can reach out to their regional Census Bureau Office: New York Reg ...Continue Reading