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LibraryLinkNJ News
June 2024
LibraryLinkNJ The New Jersey Library Cooperative
For more details about any of our projects, programs, or services please visit the LibraryLinkNJ website!
For questions, suggestions, or help with your account, please reach out to our CE Team: ce@librarylinknj.org
Executive Director Update
June is here and we are looking forward to our annual Spring Membership Meeting! This year's meeting will take place in person and we are in need of additional Voting Representatives to attend! If you are a voting representative at a member organization, please make every effort to join us, as we must have at least 5% of our voting representatives present in order to reach a quorum and vote on important issues during our business meeting.
The Spring Membership Meeting will be held Thursday, June 20, 12-4pm at the College Cafeteria at Middlesex College in Edison, NJ. In addition to the business meeting, join us for a buffet lunch, networking time, organizational updates, and a keynote presentation by author Eric Smith that will celebrate the power and potential of libraries; you don't want to miss it! Learn more and register to attend at the Membership Meeting page on our website.
Many thanks to all of you who visited us at our exhibitor booth and participated in our conference sessions at the NJLA Annual Conference in Atlantic City last week. It was great meeting many new colleagues and catching up with old friends. See below for a review of our activities at the conference.
Wishing you a warm and relaxing summer,
Ralph
LibraryLinkNJ Executive Board Meeting
The next LibraryLinkNJ Executive Board Meeting will take place on Thursday, May 20th ahead of the LibraryLinkNJ Membership Meeting.
All LibraryLinkNJ members are welcome to attend Executive Board meetings. Find more information on the Executive Board page on our website!
Announcements
You are invited to attend our Spring Membership Meeting to learn more about LibraryLinkNJ’s programs and services, our recent accomplishments, and our future plans. The meeting will feature networking, lunch, a keynote address from author Eric Smith on The Transformative Power of Books, and our official business meeting! Our membership meeting is open to all member library staff, but space is limited and you must register.
Voting Representatives are especially encouraged to attend.
For more details, meeting documents, and the link to register, visit the Membership Meeting page on our website! Registration closes June 10th!
Join us for our 2024 Summer Book Bash!
We are proud to host three virtual visits, featuring a variety of children's authors:
Learn more about picture books with Kyle Lukoff, Breanna Carzoo, and Debbi Michiko Florence
Get creative and silly with Ben Clanton, Andy Chou Musser, and Jennifer Holm
Catch up on comics with Huda Fahmy, Pedro Martín, and Kirk Reedstrom
Attend any author event for a chance to win book-related prizes, including books from each author as well as literary prizes, such as bookmarks and tote bags, from our sponsors like Out of Print!
We are also proud to host three virtual publisher previews:
Stock up on diverse children's books with Astra Books for Young Readers, Chronicle, and Levine Querido
Catch up on this season's buzzy adult titles with W. W. Norton, Abrams, and Hachette Book Group
Pick up the latest romance, fantasy, and more with HarperCollins, Harlequin, and Lee & Low Books
Attend any publisher preview for a chance to win a prize pack of books from each featured publisher. We hope to see you there!
We would like to thank our 2024 sponsors: Astra House Books for Young Readers, W.W. Norton & Company, Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, Levine Querido, Abrams Books, HarperCollins, Out of Print, Lee & Low, Macmillan, Chronicle
Snapshots
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Congratulations to our own Programming & Outreach Coordinator, Stephanie Sendaula (left) and the marketing team at the New Jersey State Library! Stephanie participated in the working group that conceived of the "Life Happens @ Your Library" marketing campaign, which was executed by the State Library. The campaign won a Public Relations award at the recent NJLA Conference!
Professional Development Opportunities
Skill-Sharing Conversations
Share your knowledge and learn from your colleagues in these attendee-driven conversations focused on specific library skills. Come ready to share experiences and ask questions!
- "Book Bikes"; Online Discussion; Tuesday, June 11th, 11am-12pm; Moderated by Ally Blumenfeld, Hoboken Public Library.
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Strategies for Effective Bystander Intervention
This interactive, virtual training explores the factors that influence bystander intervention and strategies for intervening effectively in response to bias and discrimination. Participants will investigate the cognitive and psychological processes that inhibit and encourage bystander intervention. Then, using case studies and interactive media, participants will be introduced to and practice research-based strategies for responding to explicit bias, “everyday” or casual forms of bias, and bias expressed in digital environments.
*This program is presented by the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights*
Registrants will receive a "Continuing the Conversation" worksheet prior to the event, and are invited to attend an optional debriefing conversation moderated by LibraryLinkNJ staff on Tuesday, June 18th at 2pm.
- Strategies for Effective Bystander Intervention; Virtual; Wednesday, June 12th, 11am-12pm. *Registration for this event is full.*
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Documenting Dissent: Capturing Student Protests, Navigating Disinformation, and Ethical Considerations
In a time of escalating campus protests, arrests, and chaos, a critical need exists to capture these events accurately and ethically for future generations. This timely webinar, “Documenting Dissent: Capturing Student Protests, Navigating Disinformation, and Ethical Considerations,” offers a powerful resource. Led by a panel of experts, his workshop goes beyond just collecting information. You’ll learn best practices for capturing the complexities of campus protests, from demonstrations and sit-ins to clashes with police. The panelists will also address the pervasiveness of misinformation surrounding these events and equip you with the skills to navigate it effectively. Most importantly, you’ll gain valuable insight on ethical considerations in documentation, ensuring your captured record serves as a valuable resource for future generations.
*This webinar is brought to you by ASERL via the Professional Development Alliance of Library Consortia.*
- Documenting Dissent; Virtual; Monday, June 17th, 2pm-3:30pm.
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LibraryLinkNJ is proud to partner with Hackensack Meridian Hospital System to offer both Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid training to our members. Mental health can touch nearly any aspect of library service, and we invite staff in any position to register for this valuable training course. *Capacity for each training is limited to 30 participants!*
- Adult Mental Health First Aid Training; Virtual, Tuesday, June 25th, 9AM-2:30PM.
- Youth Mental Health First Aid Training, Virtual, Friday, July 19th, 9AM-1:30PM.
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Funding to Preservation: a Digital Content Life Cycle Webinar Series
Spend Tuesdays this summer learning about: grant opportunities to fund digitization, workflows for processing born-digital materials, digitization best practices, digital preservation basics, and the importance of metadata in digital content. Sign up for one, a few, or all six webinars in the series!
*This program is brought to you by CARLI and FLVC via the Professional Development Alliance of Library Constoria.*
Grant Opportunities with the National Historic Publications and Records Commission; Virtual; Tuesday, June 4th, 10am-11am.
Processing Born-Digital Materials Resources; Virtual; Tuesday, June 11th, 11am-12pm.
Digital Preservation Basics with Storage Media and Digital Forensics; Virtual; Tuesday, June 18th, 11am-12pm.
Newspaper Digitization and Preservation at Illinois; Virtual; Tuesday, July 16th, 2pm-3pm.
Digital POWRR: Digital Preservation 101; Virtual; Tuesday, July 23rd, 11am-12:30pm.
Metadata in Digital Content: A Look at Shareable Metadata in Aggregation Services; Virtual; Tuesday, July 30th, 2pm-3pm.
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MentorNJ Online Meetups
Join your colleagues for one or more of our MentorNJ Online Meetups! Meetups are online discussions where library staff from around the state gather to share successes, ask questions, seek advice, or simply take some time to network with peers.
June Meetup Dates:
- Disabled & Neurodivergent Library Staff: Tuesday, June 4th @ 2pm
- Latino Library Staff Meetup: Tuesday, June 11th@ 10am
- Adventures in Administration: Thursday, June 13th @ 10:30am
- Youth Services: Friday, June 14th @ 11am
- Juggling Parenting & Library Work: Wednesday, June 19th @ 2pm
- African American Library Staff: Wednesday, June 26th @ 2pm
- Adventures in Administration: Thursday, June 27th @ 10:30am
No registration is required; Zoom links are shared via LLNJ's mass email system each Monday for all of that week's Online Meetups. For more information, visit the LLNJ Events Calendar.
Recaps, Resources, and Reminders
Thank you to everyone who joined us at our programs, meetups, or vendor booth at the 2024 NJLA Annual Conference! LibraryLinkNJ was thrilled to be able to support this year's conference not only as a Gold Level Strategic Partner, but with a variety of sessions and learning opportunities brought to you by our team!
We were thrilled to be part of this year's pre-conference offerings with Exploring the Econtent Landscape: Collaborative Insights with Speakers Nationwide (presenters and organizers pictured above), which provided an holistic perspective of the multifaceted econtent landscape, brought to you in partnership with the New Jersey State Library. We are also proud to have sponsored the pre-conference Networking Luncheon (pictured at right), where members of our team were able to connect with attendees over a meal.
Our team members also worked with members and partners from around the state to bring you a variety of conference presentations, including:
- Speaking Your Piece: Keys to Impactful Public Statements, with Amy Penwell of the NJASL/NJLA Regional Response Team and LLNJ's Darby Malvey
- LibraryLinkNJ AI Ambassadors Panel, with Richard Loomis (SCLSNJ), Maria Dunbar (Jefferson Township School District), Mary Martin (Wanaque Public Library), Jon Braun (LLNJ), and moderator Heather Lubchansky (Sussex County Library System)
- Talking the Talk: Supporting and Valuing Bilingual Library Staff (pictured above left), with Rachel Montanez (Ocean County Library), Luisa Martucci (NJ State Library Talking Book & Braille Center) Tanya Finney Estrada (Pennsauken Free Public Library), Jennie Pu, (Hoboken Public Library) and moderator Darby Malvey (LLNJ)
You can find resources for any of our sessions on the NJLA conference app, or feel free to reach out to our team with questions!
In addition to formal presentations, we were thrilled to host 5 in-person MentorNJ Meetups at this year's conference, providing an opportunity for attendees to network, connect, and reset with their colleagues. Our thanks to everyone who joined us for our Meetups, and a special thanks to the dedicated Meetup Discussion Hosts who made it possible:
- Lizette Melendez, Latino Library Staff Meetup (pictured above)
- Dave Costa, Irene Langlois, and Nadine Giron, Adventures in Administration
- Ashley Mitchell, Equity Scholars Meetup
- Cara Berg, Bonnie Lafazan, and Adriana Mamay, Wellness Wednesday
- Kate-Lynn Grimm, Maker Meetup
If you missed the in-person Meetups, don't worry - you can check our online event calendar for virtual Meetups happening all summer long!
We were also happy to have so many colleagues stop by our exhibitor booth to chat with the LLNJ team, find out what's new with the cooperative, and learn more about what we can offer! Our thanks to the NJLA Conference Committee, NJLA leadership, and all the folks who joined us for networking, education, and fun. We hope to see many of you at our upcoming Membership Meeting, continuing education webinars, or MentorNJ Meetups this summer and all year long!
Tech Summit for Libraries 2024: Embracing Innovation and Practical Solutions
Contributed by Heather Lubchansky, Sussex County Library & Chair of Tech Summit 2024 Planning Team
On May 9th, 2024, L-TAG (LLNJ’s Technology Advisory Group), in collaboration with the NJLA Emerging Technology Section, hosted the return of the Tech Summit for NJ library staff. After a 5-year hiatus, the Tech Summit was once again held at the SHI facility in Somerset County. This day-long summit featured a keynote by Brian Pichman of the Evolve Project (pictured below), which covered an overview of emerging technologies and how libraries can both adapt to new technology and adopt it into their strategic plan. AI topics featured heavily in the keynote and in two of the breakout sessions later in the day, also led by Brian Pichman.
Following the keynote, attendees worked their way through 4 breakout sessions which featured nine different topics, including: cybersecurity, website accessibility, software licensing models for Google & Microsoft, a discussion of bleeding edge technology, implementing AI ethically, mobile device management, AI tools, assisting patrons with technology, and e-Rate. Attendees had opportunities to network with other library staff throughout the day and had the chance to take a tour of SHI’s CIC Innovation Center at the conclusion of the day.
Here are some comments from the summit attendees:
“Amazing experience learned so many useful tools and strategies”
“The Tech Summit was very informative and engaging. The speakers were knowledgeable and welcoming. Overall, this was a great experience.”
“Loved the event. Looking forward to the next one”
The Bleeding Edge (Open Discussion Table) - “It was nice to have a space to hear from others on various topics. I think it is important for something like this to take place so that the attendees can decide what is of importance to them and their library rather than be limited to only a choice of one or two topics.” “It was nice to hear that other libraries have some of the same concerns we have.”
What I learned today that I will apply back at my job is “Translation software for helping patrons with foreign languages, general tools I didn’t know about like remote assistance.”
“JerseyConnect has free resources that we could (and very possibly should) be using in our libraries. I had no idea that there is remote assist capability or that they can provide a "Chat" feature to be used on our website. I also plan to use the information I got from the session on making your website accessible.”
“I was amazed at the amount of technology out there can be overwhelming. But now I am able to share the information with my coworkers and patrons. There is still so much to learn but I am eager to jump in.”
“I'd never heard of a couple of the AI tools. One of them allows you to create a chatbot based on data that you feed to it. I can think of several uses for that, including a chatbot that can answer questions about the library's digitally indexed local history collection. Can't wait to try it.”
The day was filled with cutting edge technology, lively discussions, and excellent networking. The Tech Summit planning team - comprised of Ann Hoang, Doug Baldwin, Maureen Langley, Richard Loomis, and Tricina Strong-Beebe, and chaired by Heather Lubchansky - would like to thank SHI for providing us space on their campus to host the Tech Summit and for providing many of the speakers for the breakout sessions. The team would also like to thank the NJLA Emerging Technology Section and the LLNJ staff for offering their support of the event.
Earlier this spring, LibraryLinkNJ hosted our 4th Craft Show & Share event - this time, in partnership with the Ocean County Library!
Youth Services library staff from around the state gathered at the Toms River branch of OCL with sample crafts in tow. To kick off the event, participants took turns showing off some of their favorite or most successful craft projects for kids and teens. Attendees had the opportunity to view the craft samples up close and ask questions about the process, event setup, cost, project time, and much more! This peer-to-peer sharing provides a great opportunity for staff who lead crafting programs to gather ideas for future projects that will work with their population!
But ideas weren't the only thing staff gathered! Attendees were encouraged to clean out their library (or home) craft closets and bring leftover or unwanted materials and supplies to swap with their colleagues. Many participants went home with new-to-them crafting supplies or materials. The "swap" helps stretch limited programming budgets and gives new life to craft materials that might otherwise have ended up in a landfill.
If you weren't able to make it to this spring's Show & Share event, you can still benefit from the brilliant ideas your colleagues shared by viewing the Spring 2024 Resource Guide, linked below! The Guide features instructions, photos, links, tutorials, and more for many of the craft projects shared during the event. Thanks to all the attendees who took the time to create pages in the Resource Guide!
Our thanks to Katie McKnight and the team at the Ocean County Library for partnering
with us to bring the spring Show & Share to life!
News and Partner Updates
Tuckerton Seaport has a great resource to share!
Our team, through funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission, printed a Let’s Make History Workbook. This workbook introduced students to conducting oral history interviews to capture the time period they are living through. We have 100 extra copies of the workbook and would like to make them available as a resource for public libraries in New Jersey. The workbook would be a good resources for teachers or at home educators!
Libraries interested in obtaining free copies of the workbook may contact:
Brooke Salvanto, Executive Director, Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen's Museum
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Nuestra Historias: the Latino/a/e/x and Hispanic Experience with Bias in New Jersey
Join the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights and their guest panelists for a discussion about intersecting identities, cultural values, and the impact of bias on the Latino community in New Jersey. The program will explore strategies for combatting bias and hate in NJ and celebrate the strengths found in New Jersey's various Latino and Hispanic communities.
Tuesday, June 11th, 6:30 - 8pm
Online via Zoom, Free of Charge
Visit the NJDCR Homepage for more details, or click here to register via Zoom.
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This month's "How Did I Get Here" column was written by Selwa Shamy, Assistant Director at the Montclair Public Library
I got my start in libraries training public library workers in the first Middlesex County-wide automated circulation system. The year was 1989 and I was in my last semester of library school at Rutgers studying adult reference services. I transferred to the library program from sociology. I wanted to work in NYC to help people find the information they needed to empower themselves. I had job offers from the three library systems in the city and chose Brooklyn Public Library’s Social Sciences Division. I lived in Park Slope and walked to work – I loved the city and my job but got laid off after six months due to a city-wide budget crisis. I spent the winter navigating the city’s unemployment system and pursued another interest by taking film and video classes at the School of Visual Arts. After a few months I got rehired in the Young Adult division.
After being laid off again, I decided to move back to NJ. I had a short stint in Elizabeth as an Adult Services Librarian but eventually ended up as a part-time Children’s Librarian in East Brunswick. I never thought I’d be a children’s librarian, but East Brunswick had its own cable television station so I took the job. I fell in love with picture books and serving children and volunteered at the TV station until they finally hired me part-time. I worked my way up to producing, directing, and editing a children’s variety show called Just Kidding. At one point I had four part-time jobs, two in the library, one as an editor for a local TV show, and the last delivering futons. After a few years I wanted a change and was hired as a part-time system administrator, which led me to go to massage school – I wanted to get as far away from computers as possible.
For eight years I pursued a career in the healing arts and never thought I’d work in a library again. The reality was in 2005, after being forced to leave a business I co-owned, I ended up in debt and needed to fall back on my library degree. I was miraculously hired as a full-time Young Adult Librarian at the Bridgewater Public Library. I spent over 13 years at the Somerset County Library System in various roles, including over three years in administration in a job that doesn’t exist anymore.
It became clear to me that my skills, talents and experience would be more effective in a smaller
environment and I was lucky to be hired as Assistant Director at the Montclair Public Library where I’ve been for over five years. I can say that I use everything I’ve ever learned in every position —administration, collection development, movement therapy and massage, teen volunteer management, videography, public service for all ages, and even lugging futons (outreach and event setups!).
What I learned is that nothing you do is wasted, variety keeps you sharp and curious, and never
say never.
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Are you interested in learning more about librarianship and the various careers within this profession that you may not be aware of? Then the Library Career Paths series is for you! Whether you are a seasoned librarian or a newcomer to the profession, you will learn from our interviews with librarians in a wide variety of positons. Interviews will be posted biweekly to the NJLA Youtube Channel, so please like this video and subscribe to the channel to follow our Library Career Paths series!
This series is sponsored by the Professional Development Committee of the New Jersey Library Association (NJLA). To learn more about the Professional Development Committee, please visit https://njlamembers.org/profdev
Special thanks to Jessica Trujillo, NJLA Past President, for suggesting this program to the Professional Development Committee.
Library Career Paths Part 1: Youth Services Librarian
View the video below to learn about the career path of Youth Services Katie Salerno of the Somerset County Library System!
We Want to Hear From You!
Please email suggestionbox@librarylinknj.org with feedback about our services and programs. Suggestions for new services and programs are welcome, too.
About LibraryLinkNJ
LibraryLinkNJ: Every New Jersey Library - Connected and Thriving
LibraryLinkNJ (formerly known as INFOLINK) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Its members are multi-type libraries and library-related agencies located in the twenty-one counties of New Jersey. This area includes 8.79 million people. The population of the state is highly diverse and includes some of the largest communities of Spanish speaking and Asian Indian persons in the U.S.
LibraryLinkNJ – The New Jersey Library Cooperative has over 1100 voting representatives from over 2,500 public and private school, public, academic, institutional, corporate, health sciences and special libraries and library-related agencies. A member-elected Executive Board meets regularly to oversee the programs and services of the organization.
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.
Email: info@librarylinknj.org
Website: www.librarylinknj.org
Location: 2300 Stuyvesant Avenue, Ewing Township, NJ, USA
Phone: 732-752-7720
Facebook: facebook.com/librarylinknj
Instagram: @librarylinknj