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April 27, 2008

Jersey leads on cyber privacy

Star Ledger
Friday, April 25, 2008

Even in cyberspace, you have a reasonable expectation of privacy -- if you
live in New Jersey. This week, the state's highest court put limits on the
ability of police officers to rummage through private internet data.

The first of its kind in the nation, the Supreme Court decision ought to
inspire other states to take similar action given the weaker federal law
that has allowed law enforcement too much latitude when it comes to internet
snooping.

The court issued its ruling in a case involving Shirley Reid, a woman who
allegedly got into an argument with her boss and from her home computer
attempted to sabotage her employer by changing the firm's shipping address
to a nonexistent location. When the matter was turned over to police,
officers got a subpoena from a municipal court judge to force Comcast to
trace the computer used in the hoax. The trail led to Reid.

Relying on the state constitution, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that
internet records are no different from those stored by banks or telephone
companies. And, as in those cases, police must get a grand jury subpoena to
obtain access to the information.

The ruling has privacy advocates cheering. No other state provides as much
protection to its residents. Police seeking internet information must follow
a well-established legal process designed to thwart abuses.

Because a grand jury subpoena is involved, police looking into minor cases
involving the internet will not have access to data such as e-mail
identities. Grand juries only consider indictable offenses.

New technologies often create new challenges for the legal system. They
force judges to apply the law to a frontier previously unexplored. Often
that can be a difficult undertaking. That's not the case here. With its
ruling, the unanimous seven-member court shows that the same legal
protections that are applied to banking and phone records also fit neatly in
cyberspace.

Federal law, experts say, hasn't kept pace, and Congress ought to heed New
Jersey's example.

Posted by tumulty at 7:24 PM | Comments (0)
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April 25, 2008

NJLA Conference - Magic of Love: LGBTQ Characters in YA Fantasy

If you will be attending the NJLA Conference on Thursday, May 1st please consider joining the
YA Section and the LGBTI Roundtable for:
Magic of Love: LGBTQ Characters in YA Fantasy
from 9:00 to 9:50 am in the McKinley Room.
This session has been reinstated so please disregard previous cancelation notices.

Here is the session description:
Fantasy and science fiction are often regarded both as windows to other worlds and mirrors on our own. This program will investigate how these dual roles, combined with other theoretical frameworks, can be applied to young adult novels and short stories that feature LGBTQ characters in fantastical settings. Using works by Ameila Atwater-Rhodes, Francesca Lia Block, Robin McKinley, Tamora Pierce, and others, the program will demonstrate ways in which speculative fiction texts can be viewed as forging positive new paths in LGBTQ literature for teens.

Jill S. Ratzan, Ph.D. student, School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; Moderator: Enola Romano, Montclair Public Library
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Intersexed Roundtable and Young Adult Services

The handouts for this session have been posted on the Handouts and Resources page of the NJLA Conference wiki at http://njlaconference.pbwiki.com/Handouts%20and%20Resources.

Hope to see you there!
Nola

Enola Romano
Chair,
LGBTI Roundtable
New Jersey Library Association

Posted by lgbti at 3:14 PM | Comments (0)
Category: Conference 2008 LGBTI Roundtable Young Adult Services

Scanning world's every book means turning many, many pages

By NATASHA ROBINSON
Published: Friday, April 25, 2008

Courtney Mitchel looks over a page scan of a rare, centuries-old Bible in Ann Arbor, Mich., March 21, 2008. Mitchel is among hundreds of librarians from Minnesota to England helping Google Inc.'s Book Search create digital versions of all the estimated 50 million to 100 million books in the world and make them readily available online for free for people everywhere.
Carlos Osorio

In a dimly lit back room on the second level of the University of Michigan library's book-shelving department, Courtney Mitchel helped a giant desktop machine digest a rare, centuries-old Bible.
Mitchel is among hundreds of librarians from Minnesota to England making digital versions of the most fragile of the books to be included in Google Inc.'s Book Search, a portal that will eventually lead users to all the estimated 50 million to 100 million books in the world.

The manually scanning - at up to 600 pages a day - is much slower than Google's regular process.

"It's monotonous," the 24-year-old said.

Then she knit her career hopes into the work.

"But it's still something that I'm learning about - how to interact with really old materials and working with digital imaging, which is relevant to art history."
The unusually tight binding on the early-16th-century polyglot Bible made it hard to expose the portions toward the book's middle as Mitchel spread each pair of pages for the scanner. Librarians believe it is the oldest Bible in the world with Arabic type.

Google, the Internet's leader in search and advertising, says the process it developed and is using for scanning the majority of the books in Book Search is proprietary. Employees will not discuss it except to say it is much faster than what Mitchel is doing and it's not destructive.

"It took us quite a while to develop it so we do keep that confidential," said a library manager for Book Search, Ben Bunnell, who declined even to say where Google does the scanning.

Many libraries began digitizing books a decade ago to preserve them. Funding from Google allows the 28 libraries it's working with to cut their digitizing costs because they don't have to pay for scanning the books Google wants to include in Book Search.

Through Book Search, users can track down a book on any topic they're interested in and read a small portion. If the book's not protected by copyright, users can download the whole thing. If it is, or if they just want to read an original, they can use Book Search to find copies to buy or borrow.

More than 1 million rare or fragile books have been digitized through the Google-Michigan partnership since it began in 2004, with an estimated 6 million to go.

Book Search has the support of many publishers, authors and librarians, including Cambridge University Press and Wisdom Publications. But some publishers and authors have sued, claiming the service violates their copyrights. Google says Book Search is aboveboard because Web surfers can retrieve only snippets of copyright material through the service.

Brewster Kahle, founder and digital librarian of the Internet Archive at the Open Content Alliance, said Google may be trying to "lock up the public domain" by making proprietary copies of works whose copyrights have expired - which includes the vast majority of the world's books.

Kahle said there's a core value in the project, in preserving material indefinitely and enabling broad access to it. But he questioned whether Google will share the works it digitizes with other search engines.

"We believe there should be many libraries, many publishers, many search engines, many types of users from different points of view," Kahle said.

John Price Wilkin, Michigan's associate university librarian, called Kahle's stance "theoretical."

"Our volumes are entirely open in the sense that people can find them, read them, use them, do all the things that they would do in scholarship or pleasure," Wilkin said.

In the room where Mitchel and colleague Chava Israel, an artist, work, the temperature is always in the 60s.

Each technician has a slightly angled table with a flexible middle that cradles books and holds them still while two overhead cameras photograph the pages. Sometimes the women play music or listen to news online, but they often work in silence, save the clicks of their computers and scanners.

Mitchel glides in a rolling chair forth and back between scanner and computer, computer and scanner, turning page upon page and clicking her mouse to shoot each pair. Once the images reach the computer, the women use the book scanning software Omniscan from Germany's Zeutschel GmbH to clean them up.

A final click of the mouse sends each digitized book to Google for optical character recognition processing, which makes the text searchable. Google then returns a copy of the images and data to the library and posts another to the Web.

Israel, 44, who has been scanning books for three years, takes a philosophical view of the project.

"My favorite part is working with older books and being able to preserve a lot of the knowledge and help bring more people access," Israel said. "I turn pages. It's kind of meditative."

Posted by tumulty at 12:11 PM | Comments (0)
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April 24, 2008

The Scriblio Solution for Improving the Library OPAC

When: Thursday, May 1, 2:30pm-3:30pm
Sponsored by:
College & University Section/ACRL – NJ
Technology Committee and Technical Services Section

Learn about the simple yet elegant Scriblio OPAC interface solution using WordPress and open source software, which Bisson created, and for which he received the prestigious Mellon Award for Technology Collaboration in December, 2006. The Scriblio software will revolutionize the online search process by allowing titles and descriptions of library holdings to be found on the Internet.

Posted by technical at 10:13 AM | Comments (0)
Category: Conference 2008

Hillside seeks new library, unsure how to get it

Some skeptical of consultant's $3 million price, saying it would cost more
Thursday, April 24, 2008
BY JASON JETT
Star-Ledger Staff
Hillside officials and residents got their first glimpse of plans for a 12,000-square-foot library estimated to cost $3 million, but they came away with more questions than answers.

Harbor Consultants, the township's consulting engineer, gave an hour-long presentation Tuesday on the project. But library officials said additional space is needed and expressed doubts about the price because similar libraries built in Union County in recent years have cost about $7 million.

Some residents and a business owner suggested such a big-ticket item may not be wise in the current economic climate, and Council President Leonard Gilbert noted the township may be acting too late to get state funding that helped nearby municipalities build libraries.

Amid the questions on the proposed library for Hillside, the first of three components in a planned redevelopment of the municipal complex, Mayor Karen McCoy Oliver called for a voter referendum.

"There will be some bonding," the mayor noted of building a library. "You say $3 million today, but it may be $3.5 million down the road. Bonding is a credit card. This is a credit card solution, and ultimately someone is going to be responsible for paying for it.

"I support a new library," she added. "I know the council has said it is receptive to open government, and letting people speak their mind. What's most appropriate is to do a referendum. Let the people decide. We are in tight financial times, so bring it to the people."

Michael Mistretta of Harbor Consultants called the project a work in progress, and township council members noted there is still $2.6 million available in a capital improvement fund to support the library project.

Officials said a prelude to the project was the demolition last winter of the War Memorial Building adjacent to town hall. The new library would be constructed on that site, with Memorial Drive -- a block-long street separating the vacant parcel from the municipal building -- eliminated and the space converted into a parking area.

Also under the proposal, the municipal building would be renovated to make more efficient use of the 58-year-old structure.

Most of the space accommodating the existing public library would go to the police department, which for several years has been forced to use trailers to store evidence because of cramped quarters. "We have basically run out of space," Police Chief Robert Quinlan said. "I hope whatever differences we have can be put aside, and that we all can work for the betterment of Hillside. A new library would be a great thing for the community, and would help us at the same time by giving us space we desperately need."

A major infrastructure component of the project would be the construction of an underground storm water management system to prevent flooding. Floods have caused extensive damage to the library three times since 2000.

Mistretta termed the improvement to a culvert on Hillside Avenue, near Liberty Avenue, an expensive task. Township officials stressed it would be financed by funds from the Urban Enterprise Zone Program, in which revenues from a reduced 3 percent state sales tax are returned to the township.

The final component, and the one with the longest odds on being completed, is an expansion of the William H. Buie Community Center across Hillside Avenue from town hall.

The plan calls for an existing undersized basketball court to be rebuilt to regulation standards, and the addition of an indoor soccer area.

"We couldn't do everything at once, or the cost and expense will be beyond (means)," Council Vice President John Kulish said. "This is to be done over years. We do have funds available to start the project.

"Hopefully the library board and librarian will seek grants," Kulish said. "We have the get-go, but we need input to determine what the community is really looking for. This complex will be a showcase."

Kulish stressed the use of bonds is common for major projects in any municipality.

"It's normal for a town to bond," he said, noting the process had been used for roadwork now under way in the township. "Over a long term, of 20 to 25 years, it allows us to spread out costs. To say we'll never bond, then the town will be stagnated. No one has the kind of money to pay off projects (without bonding)."

Jason Jett may be reached at jjett@starledger.com or (908) 302-1509.

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Posted by tumulty at 9:47 AM | Comments (0)
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Curious about RDA (Resource Description and Access)?

The Technical Services Section of NJLA will be sponsoring the program:

"What Happened to AACR3? Meet RDA!" Wednesday, April 30th, 11:00am-11:50am

“Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules,” 2nd Edition (AACR2) are in the process of being revised and re-titled as “Resource Description and Access” (RDA).The new cataloging rules are expected to be implemented by the end of 2009.The American Library Association representative to the Joint Steering Committee for Development of RDA will share the latest information about RDA and how it will affect catalogers and catalog users.

John Attig, Authority Control Librarian at Pennsylvania State University and ALA
Representative to the Joint Steering Committee for Development of RDA will fill us in on all of the details!!

Posted by technical at 9:40 AM | Comments (0)
Category: Conference 2008

NJLA CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHT! Ocean Place Resort, April 30, 1:30!!!

Safe and Secure in Social Networks and 2nd Life: Skills and strategies to share.

The NJLA Intellectual Freedom Subcommittee invites you to hear Professor Ed Felten speak about the complexities and implications of social networks and 2nd Life in the libraries. Dr. Felten is Professor of Computer Science and Public Affairs and Director of the Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton University. He is an internationally recognized leader in his field.

Dr. Felten does research in two main areas: computer security and privacy, and technology policy. The two areas often interact: public policy aims to protect security and privacy, while security and privacy technologies define the landscape in which policy decisions are made. Much of his work is at the interface between these two areas. Focus areas include intellectual property policy, and the impacts of technology regulation in general. His policy research and teaching is done as part of the Center for Information Technology Policy.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to learn from the very best.

Posted by if at 9:17 AM | Comments (0)
Category: Conference 2008 Intellectual Freedom

April 23, 2008

Dispute spurs early end to Holocaust exhibit

Wednesday, April 23, 2008
BY GABRIEL H. GLUCK
Star-Ledger Staff
Anger over recent events at the Springfield Library resulted in the removal yesterday of a Holocaust exhibit days ahead of schedule.

At the heart of the dispute is a debate that still rages over events nearly a century ago, when more than 1.5 million Armenians died at the hands of the Turks.

The debate over whether the Turks committed genocide in their massive killings of Armenians is so politically charged that, while the federal government will not officially use the word genocide to describe the events of 1915-17, 40 of the 50 states have passed resolutions recognizing the events as genocide.

Recently, President Bush called on members of Congress to stop pushing the issue because of the effect it could have on American relations with Turkey and logistical support for the U.S. military in Iraq.

Last year, the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity produced a letter signed by 53 Nobel laureates re-affirming historians' findings that the killings constituted genocide.

But among those who dispute those conclusions is Guenter Lewy, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Massachusetts and author of "The Armenian Massacres in Ottoman Turkey: A Disputed Genocide."

On Sunday, at the invitation of a Turkish-American group, Lewy spoke at the township library in the room where a Holocaust exhibit was on display.

The exhibit, "Survival of the Human Spirit: Triumph Over Adversity," is a traveling exhibit created by the Center for Holocaust Studies at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft. The display, which chronicles the experiences of Holocaust survivors from Monmouth and Ocean counties, opened on March 16. It was to run through tomorrow. It can also be seen online at http://www.springfieldpubliclibrary.com/joomla/

Last week, as word spread of Lewy's pending visit, objections started to mount. At Thursday night's library board of trustees meeting, there were members of the Armenian-American community calling upon board members to cancel the event.

But that was not an option, said Susan Permahos, library director. The courts have held that "the public library is a public forum" and any attempt to stop Lewy would have abridged his constitutionally protected rights to free speech, she said.

Dale Daniels, executive director of the Holocaust center, said officials were troubled by Lewy's appearance in the same room as the Holocaust exhibit.

"Denying the Armenian genocide is no different than denying the Holocaust," Daniels said.

As a result, the center asked for permission to add a poster to its exhibit regarding the dispute. While the library initially agreed, Permahos concedes that when the poster appeared, board members felt it was "inflammatory" and decided to remove it.

Daniels said that while members of the center would have attended Sunday night's meeting -- about 70 people did show -- it was Passover and center officials could not attend. But when she discovered their Armenian poster was removed, she felt the library had broken its word.

As a result, Daniels and center Director Sy Siegler drove up to Springfield yesterday morning to remove the center's Holocaust exhibit.

"We could not stand by and allow that kind of denial to go on where our survivors were hanging on the wall," Siegler said.

"It was nothing intentional," Permahos said. "The exhibit was a wonderful exhibit."

If Lewy had been available next week to speak, the Holocaust exhibit would have been gone. "This never would have happened," she said.

Gabriel H. Gluck may be reached at (908) 302-1506 or ggluck@starledger.com.

Posted by tumulty at 1:13 PM | Comments (0)
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Decades of city history digitized

New Brunswick's past now easier to search
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
BY NAWAL QAROONI
Star-Ledger Staff
Before this week, if you were searching for an obituary from New Brunswick from some unknown date in the late 1800s, you would have to scroll through dozens, if not hundreds, of reels of microfilm at Rutgers University.

Now, however, two decades of the New Brunswick Daily Times, a newspaper that was recording history more than a century ago, has been digitized at the city's Free Public Library.

Hsienmin Chen, the librarian who secured a grant from the county for the effort, said the new technology will make it much easier for researchers or anyone simply interested in the city's past.

The library borrowed the microfilm from Rutgers University and sent it to Innovative Document Imagining in East Brunswick to digitize.

The $2,200 grant from the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Foundation was matched in part by the library for digitizing 20 reels of film, she said. Archives from 1871 to 1892 have been processed, and the goal is to earn additional grants to digitize all 45 years of the newspaper, which ceased publishing in 1916.

"The newspaper isn't indexed, so a lot of times we depended on people to provide the date," Chen said. "Otherwise we have to search page by page on microfilm, and sometimes that is challenging or impossible.

"Now people can just come in and use the public computers to search the PDFs or call and ask us to do it." PDFs are computer files that recreate the original appearance of a document.

Library director Bob Belvin said the switch also makes it easier to highlight the city's rich history.

"People document the lives of important people, but when you go back in the newspaper, it includes stories about people who weren't famous either," Belvin said. "Those are the people who turn out to be interesting."

Many families in transition lived in New Brunswick at the turn of the century, he added.

"There were a lot of families who lived here for a while before moving on," Belvin said. "So this will also be helpful to people interested in researching their family history, too."

Nawal Qarooni may be reached at nqarooni@starledger

Posted by tumulty at 1:10 PM | Comments (0)
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April 22, 2008

Users can expect privacy from 'Net providers

Monday, April 21, 2008
Last updated: Monday April 21, 2008, EDT 3:45 PM BY KIBRET MARKOSSTAFF WRITER

Internet subscriber information is as private as bank records or telephone bills and cannot be accessed by law enforcement without a proper subpoena, the state Supreme Court ruled today.

“We now hold that citizens have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the subscriber information they provide to Internet service providers,” the state's highest court wrote in the 7-0 decision, which will bind law enforcement agencies throughout the state.

The ruling was issued in the case of a South Jersey woman who was indicted on computer theft charges shortly after police obtained her personal information from Comcast, her Internet provider.

The woman, Shirley Reid, argued that police used a faulty subpoena to get hold of her information, thereby violating her privacy rights.

Lower courts agreed with Reid and the state’s highest court sided with her, rejecting arguments by prosecutors that there is no “reasonable expectation of privacy” with respect to Internet subscriber information.

The American Civil Liberties Union, representing several privacy-rights advocates, had joined the case, asking the court to recognize that Internet users expect their providers to keep their personal information private. The ACLU, along with Reid, also argued that when law enforcement agencies seek subscriber information, the subscriber should be notified.

The justices, however, ruled that law enforcement agencies can obtain such information through a grand jury subpoena without notifying the subscriber.

E-mail: markos@northjersey.com

Posted by tumulty at 10:05 AM | Comments (0)
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N.J. justices call e-privacy surfers' right

Ruling on warrant trumps top U.S. court's decisions
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
BY TOM HESTER
Star-Ledger Staff
The Supreme Court of New Jersey became the first court in the nation yesterday to rule that people have an expectation of privacy when they are online, and law enforcement officials need a grand jury warrant to have access to their private information.

In state proceedings, the ruling will take precedence over what attorneys describe as weaker U.S. Supreme Court decisions that hold there is no right to privacy on the internet.

"The New Jersey Supreme Court is the first in the nation to recognize a reasonable expectation of privacy when using the internet anonymously," said Trenton-based attorney Grayson Barber, who represented six privacy rights organizations as a friend of the court. "'I think this reflects the reality that most people do expect a measure of privacy when they are using the internet anonymously."

The unanimous seven-member court held that police do have the right to seek a user's private information when investigating a crime involving a computer, but must follow legal procedures. The court said authorities do not have to warn a suspect that they have a grand jury subpoena to obtain the information.

Writing for the court, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner said: "We now hold that citizens have a reasonable expectation of privacy protected by Article I ... of the New Jersey Constitution, in the subscriber information they provide to Internet service providers -- just as New Jersey citizens have a privacy interest in their bank records stored by banks and telephone billing records kept by phone companies."

Barber said most people use the internet like a phone, making personal -- sometimes sensitive -- transactions that they don't believe the police will be able to access.

"This decision reflects the reality of how ordinary people normally use the internet," he said. "'It's very nice to have the court recognize that expectation is reasonable."

The court ruled in the case of Shirley Reid of Lower Township, Cape May County, who was charged with second-degree computer theft for hacking into her employer's computer system from her home computer. Township police obtained her identity from Comcast by using a municipal court subpoena. The Supreme Court held that law enforcement had the right to investigate her but should have used a grand jury subpoena.

A state Superior Court in Cape May Court House suppressed the evidence based on the use of the wrong subpoena, and a state appeals court upheld the action when the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office appealed.

Reid was investigated after her employer, Jersey Diesel of Lower Township, was notified by a business supplier in 2004 that someone had accessed and changed both the multi-digit numbers that make up the company's IP address and password and had created a non-existent shipping address. When the owner, Timothy Wilson, asked Comcast for the IP address of the person who made the changes, the internet provider declined to comply without a subpoena.

Wilson suspected that Reid, an employee who had been on disability leave, could have made the changes. On the day the changes were made, Reid had returned to work, argued with Wilson and left.

When the police obtained a municipal court subpoena and served it on Comcast, the internet provider identified Reid, her address and telephone number, type of service provided, e-mail address, IP numbers, account number and method of payment. In 2005, a Cape May grand jury returned an indictment charging Reid with computer theft.

Lee Tien, an attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said the decision is an important ruling on the state constitution.

"Obviously, the federal law is terribly weak in this area because of bad decisions in recent years," Tien said. "The federal Fourth Amendment is inadequate for modern privacy issues. New Jersey interprets its constitution to be along the line that ordinary people have a fundamental expectation of privacy."

Writing for the court, Rabner said: "Law enforcement officials can satisfy that constitutional protection and obtain subscriber information by serving a grand jury subpoena on an ISP without notice to the subscriber." Cape May Prosecutor Robert Taylor said he expects to take the case to a new grand jury and seek a new indictment against Reid.

Tom Hester may be reached at thester@starledger.com.

Posted by tumulty at 9:53 AM | Comments (0)
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April 21, 2008

Supreme Court rules Internet user has right to privacy

by Tom Hester/The Star-Ledger
Monday April 21, 2008, 11:23 AM
The state Supreme Court ruled today that under the New Jersey Constitution an Internet user has the right to privacy in the subscriber information maintained by the individual's Internet service provider.

Ruling in the case of Shirley Reid, a Cape May County woman who was charged with hacking into her employer's computer system after police obtained her identity from Comcast by using a municipal court subpoena, the high court unanimously held law enforcement had the right to investigate her but should have, instead, used a grand jury subpoena.

The court upheld a state appeals court ruling that overturned the conviction for second-degree computer theft.

Reid was investigated after her employer, Jersey Diesel of Lower Township, was notified by a business supplier in August 2004 that someone had accessed and changed both the company's multi-digit numbers that make up an IP address and its password and created a non-existent shipping address. When the owner, Timothy Wilson, asked Comcast for the IP address of the person who made the changes so he could identify the individual, the Internet provider declined to so without a subpoena.

Wilson suspected Reid, an employee who had been on disability leave, could have made the changes. Reid had returned to work on the day the computer changes were made, argued with Wilson and left.

The Lower Township police obtained a municipal court subpoena and served it on Comcast. Comcast then identified Reid, her address and telephone number, type of service provided, email address, IP numbers, account number and method of payment. In February 2005, a Cape May grand jury returned an indictment charging Reid with computer theft. In state Superior Court in Cape May Courthouse, Reid successfully moved to have the evidence suppressed. The court identified several flaws in the subpoena process.

"... The court holds that citizens have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the subscriber information they provide to Internet service providers,'' the Supreme Court held. "Accordingly, the motion to suppress by Reid was properly granted because the police used a deficient municipal subpoena. Law enforcement officials can obtain subscriber information by serving a grand jury subpoena on an Internet service provider without notice to the subscriber. The state (law enforcement) may seek to reacquire the information with a proper grand jury subpoena because records of the information existed independently of the faulty process used by police, and the conduct of the police did not affect the information.''

Reid's attorney's have sought to establish a requirement that Internet users be informed when their identities are the subject of subpoenas so they can mount a challenge in court.

Posted by tumulty at 12:34 PM | Comments (0)
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Libraries seek new ways to attract young people

Courier-Post Online APRIL 21,2008
By HILLEL ITALIE
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — Looking for new ways to attract young people, more than three quarters of the nation's public libraries support gaming, including card games and online activities, according to a study released last week.

The libraries' response to gaming is another indication that the profession is aware of the needs and desires of patrons, American Library Association President Loriene Roy said in a statement included in the ALA's annual State of America's Libraries Report. The 24-page document came out last week during National Library Week.

Interviewed by The Associated Press, Roy acknowledged some resistance to gaming, citing a librarian from the Texas-based San Marcos Public Library who prefers to focus on books.

But she said most librarians believe that gaming fits an overall strategy to increase teen involvement, noting a nationwide trend of libraries forming teen advisory boards, devoting more space to teen centers and letting teens help with the design.

"We find that a lot of teens who come to the library to use games end up coming back to the library to use other services," she said.

Libraries have worked hard in the past decade to change their hushed image, and gaming is now a common event. In early March, about 30 teenagers attended a game night at the public library in Burlington, Iowa, playing "Guitar Hero" and "Wii Sports" among others. About 100 teens compete monthly at "Guitar Hero" at the Rochester Hills Public Library in Michigan.

"I actually know a lot of librarians who are terrific at "Guitar Hero,' " Roy said, adding that "people who come to play these games often can't afford them at home. And what better place to try these out than at a library?"

Roy cited gaming as a positive trend during a difficult time. In recent years, school libraries in particular have struggled to offer more services with less money. Average funding per student dropped from $19.14 in 1999-2000 to $13.67 in 2003-2004. Roy said financial support has probably decreased further in the past few years.

Posted by tumulty at 12:26 PM | Comments (0)
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April 19, 2008

3 libraries get Commerce grants

By LAVINIA DeCASTRO • Courier-Post Staff • April 18, 2008

BEVERLY — When Greg Gongora told librarian Tracy Hall his employer planned to give the Beverly Library a grant, she thought it was a prank.

To Hall's surprise, Gongora and a handful of Commerce Bank employees showed up Wednesday at the small Cooper Street building carrying balloons and a $4,000 check.

"I didn't tell Miss Hall how much it was going to be," said Gongora, who manages Commerce's Willingboro branch.

"I'm like, "You're here and I still don't believe you,' " Hall said.

During National Library Week, April 13-19, Commerce gave $4,000 to 50 libraries in eight states -- one in each county where the bank has a branch.

"We try to find good ways to put the limited funds that we have to good use in the community," said John Hall, Commerce's vice president of government banking.

About 86 percent of the donations went to libraries in low- to moderate-income areas, Commerce officials said. In addition to Beverly's library, two other libraries in the tri-county area received the grants -- one in Camden (on Thursday) and one in Pitman (on Monday).

"This is like pennies from heaven," Camden librarian Theresa Gorman said. "It's not every day that somebody calls you and says "We're going to give you money.' "

Gorman said the library will use the money to purchase between 200 and 300 books.

In order to continue receiving state aid, the library must purchase about 8,000 books a year, Gorman said. When unexpected expenses occur, the library has a hard time meeting that goal, Gorman said.

"Prices for books go up, computers get obsolete, salaries go up, things break down," Gorman said. "We only have a certain amount of money. When something happens, we have to reallocate money from other parts of the budget."

Beverly plans to use the money to continue offering programs for children, like the summer reading camp that attracted almost 30 children last year.

"A lot of times, we have to go into our own pocket to do things," said Hall, who runs the library with the help of a handful of volunteers.

Unlike Camden, which recently got a grant that allowed the library to buy six new computers for its Ferry Avenue branch, the Beverly Library has a hard time securing funds.

"We don't qualify for most grants because we don't have enough square footage or parking spaces," library trustee Juliana Feener said. "Even though we're small, we try to offer a lot."

The 1929 building, which also serves Edgewater Park, is a meeting place for the historical society and the Red Hat Society and offers homework help for youngsters after school.

"We're small, but we're cute," said Hall, who has a second job as a sixth-grade teacher in Willingboro. "We have a lot of things to offer."

Pitman will use the money to buy new books, technology resources or to support existing library programs.

This was the first time Commerce offered grants to libraries. The bank, founded in 1973, is being taken over by TD Bank Financial Group.

The grant awards served as the official kickoff to the bank's Summer Reading Program, which has been going on for at least 10 years. The program encourages students to read by contributing $10 into a new or existing account for each child who reads at least 10 books over the summer.

"Unexpected gifts like this bring so much pleasure," Beverly Councilwoman Gail Cook said. "It's such a wonderful thing for the whole community." Reach Lavinia DeCastro at (856) 486-2652 or ldecastro@courierpostonline.com

Posted by tumulty at 2:53 PM | Comments (0)
Category:

Trenton hires new library director

Times of Trenton

Saturday, April 19, 2008
BY ANDREW KITCHENMAN
TRENTON -- The city's library has its first director in more than a year, after the board hired an administrator from Salt Lake City's library system.

Kimberly M. Bray, who started on April 7, is the first director since Scott Hughes left in March 2007 after six months on the job, alleging that the library board is in need of change.

Bray plans to spend the coming weeks learning more about the library, its staff and the city. The library board appointed Bray at its March 12 meeting.

While Bray said she has ideas for the library, she wants to learn more about its strengths before making any proposals.

"It's my opinion that a director comes in with their eyes and ears open and their mouth closed for a little while," she said. She did say that she hopes to raise the library's public profile.

The five-branch Trenton Public Library has had four directors since 2001 and has had three others serve temporarily in the top full-time staff position. After clashing with library board President Adrienne Hayling and leaving abruptly, Hughes called for new library board members; regular, well-advertised public board meetings; and a forensic audit of the library's finances over at least the past 10 years.

Bray said she plans to stick around and that she looks forward to a good relationship with Hayling.

"I serve at the will of the board, but I have every intention of being here and working with the staff and citizens of Trenton to provide the best library services possible," said Bray, who added, "I have found Mrs. Hayling to be an absolutely charming woman and I believe she has only the best of intentions."

The new director and her husband, Tim Bray, have been renting a home in the city's Mill Hill neighborhood. The couple had been planning to move to New Jersey when she saw an ad for the director position.

"My husband and I have absolutely fallen in love with Trenton," said Kimberly Bray, who singled out the city's history and the friendliness of its residents. She noted that while the couple has been watching the television miniseries "John Adams," they have enjoyed exploring Revolutionary War era sites in and around Trenton.

While she may not be ready to begin new programs, Bray expressed enthusiasm for a teen book club initiative the library plans to start this summer. The program will be among the projects funded by a $4,000 grant from Commerce Bank, according to Assistant Director Larry Kroah, who previously served as director from 2004 to 2006 and has been the top administrator since Hughes left.

Hayling said the board is excited to have Bray, describing her as "the most enthusiastic (director) they have seen in a long time."

She said the dispute with Hughes was a "chapter that's closed" and the board is hoping to move forward.

"I really think this is what we have waited for, and I think it is going to be wonderful for the system and for the city," Hayling said.

Bray spent nearly nine years with Salt Lake City's public library, serving as a branch manager before becoming manager of technical services, a position that put her in charge of managing acquisitions and cataloguing the library's material.

A self-described "Army brat" who moved around the country while growing up, Bray attended college at the University of Kansas and has master's degrees in library science and business administration. She also has served as a library administrator at Washington State University and at a private school in Kansas City, Mo.

Contact Andrew Kitchenman at akitchenman@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5706.

Posted by tumulty at 2:51 PM | Comments (0)
Category:

April 18, 2008

Borough tax rate may rise 2.6 cents

West Long Branch asks county to take library
By Carol Gorga Williams • COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU • April 18, 2008

WEST LONG BRANCH — Property owners here face a 2.6-cent increase in their municipal tax rate under a proposed $9 million municipal budget, prompting borough officials to see if the Monmouth County Library system would take the town's library as a way to save costs.

The proposed $9,074,639 budget, which is scheduled for a public hearing 8 p.m. May 21, requires a municipal tax levy of $5.5 million. The budget increased by $357,539 over last year's spending plan.

Under the proposed budget, the municipal purposes tax rate would be 41 cents for each $100 of assessed valuation, up from 38.4 cents last year. For an average home assessed at $474,500, the increase will be an additional $123.37 a year, or $10.28 a month.

Mayor Janet W. Tucci said the amount the borough spends on the library — $487,691 — helped spark the council to consider alternatives.

"I am an advocate of home rule, but when it comes to money, we're doing whatever we can to maintain a stable tax rate," she said. "The increases we are being hit with are becoming more and more difficult" to withstand.

Councilman J. Thomas DeBruin offered a motion to send a letter to Monmouth County to see if it would be interested in taking on the borough facility. Although West Long Branch's library already is a member of the system, if it became a branch of the system, the county would pay costs such as salaries.

Similarly, a routine matter to introduce a salary ordinance for the borough's public library staff failed to garner enough votes to pass. Only DeBruin and Council President Joseph Woolley voted to approve the ordinance, while council members John Hegarty, Barbara Ruane, Christopher Neyhart and Steven Cioffi voted against it.

Ruane said later it was pointless to approve such a measure until the borough had some sort of indication from the county about whether it was interested in the library.

The ordinance was to have provided for semi-monthly payments in 2008 to the library staff. It provided between $56,966 and $59,245 for the library director; $33,565 to $36,807 for the library's administrative assistant; $30,285 to $31,496 to the library access services head; $13.32 to $16.76 an hour for library assistants and $7.15 an hour for library pages.

There also was a longevity schedule for full-time employees with seniority above five years.

Resident Mary Lynch of Locust Avenue questioned whether it was wise not to approve library salaries, particularly because they were so small in relationship to comparable salaries in other communities.

"These people can't afford to live in West Long Branch" on those salaries, said Lynch, who supports the idea of the library becoming a county branch. "It sounds anti-intellectual to me. It is a bad idea."

Tucci, who is a member of the local library board, said she would meet with the other members to discuss the issues associated with the library. But in terms of the budget, officials had to make hard choices, particularly in view of Gov. Corzine's decision to cut state aid to small towns, she said.

"Hopefully, we'll get some money back, but you can't do a budget hoping to get some money back," Tucci said.

Tucci said contractual obligations related to collective bargaining agreements, payments to the library, health benefits and insurance remain the main sources of increases.

The borough also is in the final year of a five-year phase-in of the police and firemen's retirement system pension contributions and the fourth year of the phase-in for pension contributions for public employees. Together, this added $149,000 to the budget, she said.

State aid was cut by $258,638, although on the revenue side, the borough realized increases in municipal court fees, interest on taxes and interest on investments, according to the mayor.

The tax collection rate remains high, at 98 percent, Tucci said.

The capital budget calls for road improvements to Cooper Avenue, Thompson, Slocum and West streets and Summers Avenue while the borough's volunteer fire and first aid departments will receive two thermal imaging cameras and two motorized stretchers, under the terms of the spending plan.

The borough Department of Public Works will replace a pickup truck with a plow and a wheel loader with a bucket and clam while the police department will receive three mobile vision digital video systems for police vehicles.

"These requests have been examined closely by the council and deemed to be necessary to meet the demands of the 21st century in keeping our town safe and sound and protecting the quality of life of our residents," Tucci said.

Posted by tumulty at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)
Category:

YA Section Preconference

If you haven't yet registered for the YA Services Section Preconference, think about it!

Teen Librarian as Confidante:
Knowing Where, When, and How to Draw the Line

Have you ever been asked to drive a stranded teen home after the library
has closed for the night? Has a teen ever confided to you that he self-
mutilates, has an eating disorder, or wants to come out to his parents, but
just doesn’t know how? You want to help, but when does helping cross an
ethical or legal line? A diverse panel including a library director, school
counselor, social worker, attorney, and school resources police officer will
discuss how teen librarians can help their teens while maintaining healthy
and professional boundaries with their teens. Learn what your responsi-
bilities are to your patrons, your patrons’ parents, and the library. A lively
discussion will follow the panelists’ presentations.

Presenters: Audra Caplan, Harford County (MD) Library; Michele Saliski,Monmouth County Division of Youth and Family Services Office; Jackie Gould,Media Specialist at
Clearview Regional High School; Peter Boser, Monmouth County Prosecutor.

Posted by Sophie Brookover at 10:27 AM | Comments (0)
Category: Conference 2008 Young Adult Services

A message from Debbie Reese, pre-conference presenter

Hi all!

I'm doing a pre-conference session on Tuesday afternoon. The title is a bit challenging:

"Are Librarians Unwittingly Complicit? Informed Selection of Books about American Indians"

but I assure you, I was 'unwittingly complicit' too, back before I began to think critically about the ways that American Indians are shown in children's books. And, I remain 'unwittingly complicit' about a wide range of topics and peoples of the world.

I hope you'll come to this session. Between now and that day, think about books you read as a child. A favorite book, or, one you hated. You might ask your parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, if they remember reading to you, or if they remember you as a reader in childhood. I will start the session by talking about those memories.

See you soon!
Debbie

Visit my Internet blog and resource: American Indians in Children's Literature.
To get to it, go to my faculty bio and click on 'Web Page'
http://www.nah.uiuc.edu/faculty-Reese.htm

Debbie A. Reese (Nanbé Ówîngeh)
Assistant Professor, American Indian Studies
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Native American House, Room 2005
1204 West Nevada Street, MC-138
Urbana, Illinois 61801

Email: debreese@uiuc.edu
TEL 217-265-9885
FAX 217-265-9880

Posted by childrens at 9:31 AM | Comments (0)
Category: Children's Services

April 16, 2008

Blogging for the NJLA Conference

The NJLA Conference will soon be here! In 2006 and 2007 a number of guest bloggers reported on various programs and activities at the conference - sharing their experiences with others who could not attend. They did a wonderful job! We are now looking for volunteers to blog for the 2008 conference. You can put up an entry before the conference describing an upcoming program, or report on one or more of the programs you attend. Contact Maureen Wynkoop if you are interested in contributing. If you have not posted to the NJLA blog before, you'll receive instructions for creating an entry.

If you would like to contribute to the blog, but would prefer not to use the blogging software, just e-mail your entry and it can be added to the blog.

See the 2007 conference blog entries.
See the 2006 conference blog entries.

Posted by it at 11:25 AM | Comments (0)
Category: Conference 2008

Librarian named Millville's teacher of year

By JOYCE VANAMAN For The Press
Published: Wednesday, April 16, 2008

MILLVILLE - If it were up to Marlene Paladino, she would add a fourth "R" to the large banner that reads "Respect Yourself; Respect Others; Respect Our School."
It would be "READ!"

Paladino, 68, a resident of Newfield, Gloucester County, is the education media specialist at Silver Run School in Millville - or the "library teacher" as the kids call her.

Her colleagues think she conveys the importance of reading so well that Paladino not only was chosen teacher of the year at Silver Run School, but also of the entire school district.

Retired Principal J. Robert Miskelly is proud to say that he hired her 29 years ago when he was principal of the former Culver School.

"Marlene has done so many things above and beyond teaching library skills," Miskelly said. "She brought in the Reading Is Fundamental Program and started teaching the kids to use computers. Marlene has such a sweet personality and is an 'A-Number-One' school librarian."
Her current principal at Silver Run School, Pamela Moore, said: "Marlene provides a warm environment for students to learn in the library. She gives them the opportunity to open the world through books."

Paladino recalled: "I always liked to read. I grew up in North Vineland. I would take a bus for 25 cents to the Vineland Library to get books. My favorite was 'Little Women.' "

Though she graduated ninth in the Class of 1957 at Sacred Heart High School in Vineland, she chose to marry her husband, Vito, instead of go to college, much to the dismay of her teacher.

"He had graduated from the Pennsylvania Military College (now Widener University). After we were married, I went to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas," Paladino said. Besides various assignments in the United States, the Paladinos lived on military bases in France, Germany and Italy.

And they had four children, with whom Marlene Paladino shared her love of books as she read to daughters Francine, Stephanie and Danielle and son Vito Jr. She and her husband, a retired Army officer, now have seven grandchildren to whom she has read whenever she had the opportunity.

"When Vito went to Korea and other places I couldn't go, we'd come back to Vineland to stay. And when he was assigned to Fort Dix (Burlington County), I decided I wanted to go to college," Paladino said. "It took me five years, but I got my bachelor of science degree as an education media specialist in 1978 from the then Trenton State College."

After a brief stint as a substitute teacher in Vineland, Paladino was hired that December by Miskelly as the Culver School librarian. For a number of years, she shared her time with Bacon School, as well.

A fire in March 1982 caused extensive damage to Culver School and many of the books were ruined.

"Mr. Miskelly, Betty (his wife) and I spent hours cleaning books and were able to save some," Paladino said. Pointing to a picture on her desk that she had saved from the fire, Paladino said it was of her grandson, Daniel Parks, as a child. Next to it was his wedding picture.

Paladino has fond memories of her years at Culver, including being a coach of the Gifted & Talented Program and introducing the Reading Is Fundamental program. "Every student received a least three paperbacks to keep," she said. "Some of them never had books of their own."

Culver later closed as a school and is now the administration building. When Silver Run opened in March 1992, Paladino made the new spacious library into an inviting, comfortable place for students.

"I see a lot of potential discipline problems, but when I read a story to them, the children calm down and listen," Paladino said. "I have 30 scheduled classes - 40 minutes each - a week," Paladino said.

"We have the 'Accelerated Reader Program,' which emphasizes not just reading a book, but comprehending it," Paladino said. It also ties in with the use of computers.

Although she's planning to retire at the end of this school year, Paladino said: "I've loved every minute working in Millville. When Dr. Moore told me that I was chosen teacher of the year for the school and the district, I started to cry. I could not believe it."

But being retired doesn't mean she won't continue her other varied activities, including being a member of a quilting group and a cooking group.

"I've taught CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) classes at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Newfield for about 15 years to third-graders and I love doing it," she said.

Paladino also participates in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Cumberland and Salem counties. She's a "Big Sister" to Fahren Rilley, 8, a third-grader at Silver Run School.

Besides having more time to read, Paladino and her husband plan do more traveling, which she hopes will include trips back to France, Germany and Italy where they lived during part of the time that he was in the Army

Posted by tumulty at 10:00 AM | Comments (0)
Category:

April 15, 2008

Library of Congress teams with History

Press of Atlantic City.com
April 15, 2008
NEW YORK - The Library of Congress will open its vaults to the History Channel in a deal to bring the library's vast public collections to a larger audience.
History and its numerous sister channels will draw from the historical content preserved by the Library of Congress for original specials and documentaries

Librarian of Congress James Billington said there are more than 138 million items in the library's collections, plenty of fodder for historical stories.

Associated Press

Posted by tumulty at 7:28 PM | Comments (0)
Category:

Five jobs that require digging for information

Cournier-News Online April 15, 2008

By JILL PHILLIPS
GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

Is snooping your forte? Or maybe you refer to it as "investigating." Whatever you call it, your skills can be put to good use in many careers. Maybe as an FBI agent, investigative reporter, museum curator or even a law librarian.

Applicants for those jobs will be increasingly in demand as baby boomers retire, recruiters say.

The future is bright for law librarians, said Judith Ford Anspach, professor of law and director of the Ruth Lilly Law Library at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. She expects many jobs to become available in the next few years as librarians are promoted to directors

Most investigative jobs require a college degree, so you may need a little more education before you can officially start your "snooping" career.

FBI agent

Description: Protects the United States from terrorist attacks, investigates criminal activities, obtains evidence. Applicants must be 23 or older and no older than age 37, and willing to relocate. "It is challenging, exciting and rewarding," said Special Agent Wendy Osborne, a 17-year veteran and spokeswoman for the Indianapolis office of the FBI.

Training: Bachelor's degree. Currently recruiting for those with computer science or IT degrees/backgrounds or those fluent in a foreign language (Middle Eastern and Asian languages and Spanish).

Average salary: $67,888.
Genealogist

Description: Conducts research into genealogical background of individual or family in order to establish descent from specific ancestor. Consults American and foreign genealogical tables and publications and documents, such as church and court records, for evidence of births, baptisms, marriages, deaths and legacies to trace lines of descent or succession. May chart lines of descent and family relationships and prepare information in narrative form or brief sketches.

Training: Typically, a bachelor's degree.

Average salary: $43,908.
Museum curator

Description: Manages, cares for and plans for exhibits at a museum. Assembles historical data for the exhibition using the museum's current artifact inventory or travels to gather additional artifacts. Should be detail-oriented.

Training: Bachelor's degree in art history, the sciences or anthropology.

Average salary: $57,221.
Law librarian

Description: May serve as a director, reference or technical librarian. Reference librarians should have a law degree and provide reference help to faculty, students and the general public, as well as teach legal researching. Should have people skills, excellent written and oral communication skills and flexibility.

Training: Depending on the job, may require bachelor's, master's, law degree or doctorate.

Average salary: $48,844. Directors may earn $150,000 to $175,000.
Investigative reporter

Description: Collects and analyzes information about newsworthy events for publication or broadcast. Receives assignment or evaluates tips to develop stories. Uses research and interviews to verify information. May specialize in sports, politics, police, courts, business or serve in an online writing capacity. Must have excellent written and oral communication skills, be a problem solver; quick thinker and flexible.

Training: Bachelor's degree or extensive experience.

Average salary: $40,902.

Posted by tumulty at 6:50 PM | Comments (0)
Category:

Commerce Bank Celebrates National Library Week With a $200,000 Donation to Area Libraries

The Earth Times
Donations kick off Commerce's Summer Reading Program

CHERRY HILL, N.J., April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Commerce Bank, "America's Most Convenient Bank," is celebrating National Library Week, April 13-19, with a $200,000 donation to libraries in low- to moderate-income areas throughout Commerce's footprint.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050104/PHTU036LOGO )
During the week of April 14, local Commerce executives will surprise and delight 50 area public libraries with a $4,000 grant each for books, technology resources or existing library programs. About 86 percent of the donations will support libraries in low-to moderate-income areas across eight states.
"Libraries are a pivotal part of our communities," said Fred Graziano, regional bank president, Commerce Bank. "They are a haven for creativity and education, and a great resource for people of all ages. We are thrilled to support these organizations, that like Commerce, WOW! people in their own way every day."
The bank's celebration of National Library Week will serve as the official kick off to Commerce Bank's Summer Reading Program. The Summer Reading Program encourages young people to read and additionally provides a goal for them to learn the importance of saving and money. Commerce contributes $10 into a new or existing young savers account for each child who reads 10 books throughout the summer.

A longtime education proponent, Commerce Bank hopes its Summer Reading Program will help children keep their reading skills sharp and their boredom level low during the summer. According to educators, summer reading is critical in continuing good academic performance and advancing literacy skills. Studies show that children who read several books during the summer maintain or surpass the reading skills they achieved during the previous school year.
The library donations from Commerce Bank are made through the TD Banknorth Foundation. Subject to regulatory approvals, Commerce Bank will become known as TD Commerce Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, with a financial services network comprising more than 1,100 offices spanning 13 states and Washington, D.C. TD Commerce Bank's assets will total approximately $109 billion.
The Summer Reading Program runs May through September 2008.

About Commerce Bank

Commerce Bank, "America's Most Convenient Bank," is a leading retailer of financial services with 470+ convenient stores in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland and Florida. Commerce is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. For more information about Commerce, please visit the company's interactive financial resource center at http://www.commerceonline.com/, or call 888-751-9000.
About the TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation
The TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Banknorth Inc., a leading banking and financial services company headquartered in Portland, Maine. The Foundation's mission is to serve the individuals, families and businesses in all the communities TD Commerce Bank will serve. Foundation has made over $29.7 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002.
LIBRARIES RECEIVING DONATIONS
-- 115th Street Branch 203 West 115th Street New York, NY 10026
-- Atlantic City Free Public Library 1 N Tennessee Avenue Atlantic City
New Jersey 0841
-- Belmont Branch 610 East 186th Street Bronx, NY 10458
-- Beverley Free Public Library 441 Cooper Street Beverly, NJ 08010
-- Brooklyn Public Library - Sunset Park 5108 4th Avenue & 51st Brooklyn,
NY 11220
-- Camden Free Public Library 418 Federal Street Camden, NJ 08103
-- Chatham Square Branch 33 East Broadway New York, NY 10002
-- Coatesville Library 501 East Lincol Highway Coatesville, PA 19320
-- Conshohocken Library 301 Fayette Street Conshohocken, PA 19428
-- Dover Library 32 East Clinton Avenue Dover, NJ 07801
-- Dumfries Neighborhood Library 18007 Dumfries Shopping Plaza Dumfries,
VA 22026
-- Easton Area Public Library 515 Church Street Easton, PA 19061
-- Elizabeth Free Public Library 11 S. Broad Street Elizabeth, NJ 07202
-- Evesham Township Library 984 Tuckerton Road Marlton, NJ 08053
-- Freehold Public Library 28 1/2 E. Main Street Freehold, NJ 07728
-- Gaithersburg Library 18330 Montgomery Village Avenue Gaithersburg, MD
20879
-- Haverstraw Library (Village) 85 Main Street Haverstraw, NY 10927
-- Hempstead Public Library 115 Nichols Court Hempstead, NY 11550
-- Hunterdon County Library 314 State Route 12 Flemington, NJ 0882
-- Jersey City Public Library 678 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07606
-- Little Egg Harbor 290 Mathistown Road Little Egg Harbor, NJ 08087
-- Long Branch Public Library 328 Broadway Long Branch, NJ 07740
-- Mary M. Campbell Library 10th and Green Streets Marcus Hook, PA 19061
-- Mastics-Moriches Shirley Community Library 407 William Floyd Parkway
Shirley, NY 11967
-- McCowan Memorial Library 15 Pitman Avenue Pitman, NJ 07101
-- Miami-Dade Public Library 101 West Flager Street Miami, FL 33130
-- Millville Public Library 210 Buck Street Millville, NJ 08332
-- Muhlenberg Branch 209 West 23rd Street New York, NY 10011
-- New Brunswick Library 60 Livingston Avenue New Brunswick, NJ 08901
-- Newark Public Library 5 Washington Street Newark, NJ 07101
-- Norristown Public Library 1001 Powell Street Norristown, PA 19401
-- North Babylon Public Library 815 Deer Park Avenue North Babylon, NY
11703
-- Norwalk Public Library 1 Belden Avenue Norwalk, CT 06850
-- Oakland Public Library 2 Municipal Plaza Oakland, NJ 07436
-- Paterson Free Public Library 250 Broad Way Paterson, NJ 07501
-- Plainfield Free Public Library 2484 Plainfield Avenue South Plainfield,
NJ 07080
-- Queens Library Foundation - Central 89-11 Merrick Boulevard Jamaica, NY
11432
-- Queens Library Foundation - Corona 38-23 104 Street Corona, NY 11368
-- Ramonita De Rodriguez Branch Library 600 W. Girard Avenue Philadelphia,
PA 19123
-- Raritan Public Library 54 E. Somerset Street Raritan, NJ 08669
-- Riviera Beach Public Library 600 W. Blue Heron Blvd. West Palm Beach,
FL 33404
-- South Beach Branch 21-25 Robin Road Staten Island, NY 10305
-- Southampton Free Library 947 Street Road Southampton, PA 18966
-- Trenton Free Public Library 328 Broadway Long Branch, NJ 07740
-- Welsh Road Branch 9233 Roosevelt Boulevard Philadelphia, PA 19114
-- Westbury Memorial Library 445 Jefferson Street Westbury, NY 11590
-- White Plains Public Library 100 Martine Avenue White Plains, NY 10601
-- Wilmington Institute Library 10th and Market Wilmington, DE 19801
-- Woodridge Regional Branch 1801 Hamilin Street NE Washington, DC 20018
-- Woodrow Wilson Community Library 6101 Knollwood Drive Falls Church, VA
22041

Posted by tumulty at 6:44 PM | Comments (0)
Category:

Libraries offer many services to area residents

thedailyjournal.com

This week, communities across the country celebrate National Library Week, a time to remind the public about the contribution libraries, librarians and library workers make to their communities every day.
Library use is up nationwide among all types of library users, continuing a decade-long trend, and it's easy to see why. Libraries are places where everyone can go to discover the world. People of all ages visit the library for entertainment, self-help or to find their place in the community. With free resources such as books, magazines, DVDs and computer and wifi access, libraries help people find new jobs, do better in school, tackle projects and learn new ways to improve their health.

What makes the library unique is access to trained professionals -- librarians -- to help people find and interpret the information they need to make a difference in their lives. Our libraries also help keep us connected, providing a space for people of all ages, classes and races to come together, while keeping us connected to events and people around the world. It's where people can keep up with world events or research where to take their next vacation.

Here are just a few of the things you can do during April at Vineland Public Library: Take a computer class in Spanish or English; read to a therapy dog; meet an artist; attend a coffeehouse; read a best-selling novel; access the Internet; dress up like a princess; listen to stories; discuss a book; enjoy your favorite magazines; learn about houseplants and discover a new recipe.
What can you discover? National Library Week is the perfect time to find out. Join your family, friends and community. Join the circle of knowledge at your library.

Gloria Urban

Director

Vineland Public Library

Posted by tumulty at 11:35 AM | Comments (0)
Category:

Library workers doing much more with less

thedailyjournal.com April 15, 2008

Americans love their libraries, and we show our appreciation by visiting libraries almost 1.2 billion times each year. In fact, a recent national poll by Marist College Institute for Public Opinion found that 94 percent of Americans rate libraries very valuable or valuable, and 63 percent would support increased taxes for public library services.
Libraries are unique in providing educational, recreational and useful materials to everyone for free. In these challenging economic times, libraries are being used more than ever, and with less financial backing. Consequently, library workers are doing more with less while trying to meet the diverse needs of our communities.

Today, during National Library Week, schools, campuses and communities across the country will celebrate the valuable contributions of our libraries and library support staff on the second annual National Library Workers Day. Libraries are part of the American dream as places for opportunity, education and lifelong learning, but that dream would not exist if not for the people staffing our libraries.

I encourage everyone to take a moment today to thank our library workers for the services they provide and to remind our city commissioners that libraries provide vital services each and every day.
Millville Public Library works because library workers do!

Toni Coogan

Posted by tumulty at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)
Category:

April 9, 2008

'Perfect storm' buffets finances in Cherry Hill

By LISA GRZYBOSKI • Courier-Post Staff • April 8, 2008

CHERRY HILL — Mayor Bernie Platt presented Cherry Hill taxpayers with a gloomy analysis of the township's financial situation Monday night and predicted the fiscal year that starts July 1 could be brutal.

It was the second time in two weeks that Platt addressed the community to prepare people for what will likely be a sizable increase in property taxes and a possible decrease in local services.

"Right now dark clouds are gathering over our heads and forming the budget equivalent of a perfect storm," the mayor said.

Cherry Hill is facing an $850,000 cut in state aid under Gov. Jon S. Corzine's proposed 2008-09 state budget, which seeks to slash $190 million in aid to municipalities across New Jersey. The cut is happening at a time when the township is paying more than $4 million a year in state-mandated pension costs and experiencing a decrease in taxable property.

This year, the township has $4.607 billion in tax ratables -- a decrease of $8.95 million from 2007.

"We are in dire economic times. People are appealing their (tax) assessments, not only homeowners, but also businesses," Platt said.

The slower-than-anticipated development of the former Garden State Park racetrack at Route 70 and Haddonfield Road isn't helping matters because new taxable properties aren't coming online fast enough to stabilize taxes, the mayor said.

The township has already begun consolidating its human resources and finance departments, which resulted in four layoffs. More nonpolice layoffs are possible, Platt said, and the township is also looking to decrease nonessential services within the recreation department.

Platt said he also would like to present a ballot question to voters about consolidating the Cherry Hill Library into the Camden County Library System.

The Cherry Hill library is set to receive about $5 million in the coming year in local funding. That makes up nearly 10 percent of the municipal budget, the mayor said.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures and right now, as you know, we are in desperate times," Platt said.

He criticized the Cherry Hill school district and fire district for, in his opinion, not doing enough to cut staff and negotiate tougher labor contracts for employees. The mayor assailed the school district for giving teachers a 4.5 percent salary increase.

Many people who attended Monday's meeting, some of them from the school district, criticized the mayor for pitting government entities against one another. They said the results of the mayor's tax talks could be a defeated school budget later this month.

"I am appalled as a taxpayer that you can stand there and point the finger at the school district," said resident Renee Kessler, who said she has a child in the public schools. "I think we need to work on a solution together."

Said Betsey Kirk, a resident and a Cherry Hill schoolteacher, "You don't realize that Cherry Hill schools are Cherry Hill. If the schools go down, the community will go down, just like a rock."

The school district has cut administrators and dealt with state aid reductions for two decades until this year's increase, said school board member Sharon Giaccio. The district will receive about $16.5 million in state aid in 2008-09, about $1 million more than 2007-08, according to the state Department of Education.

The teachers' 4.5 percent salary increase is below the average for the state and Camden, Burlington and Gloucester counties, Giaccio added.

The mayor said his tax talks weren't meant to be adversarial but to talk openly about the township's tax situation and begin a dialogue among the various government entities.

"I didn't take any offense to the mayor's comments," said Fire Chief Robert Giorgio. "I just think that there's a lot of frustration out there, not only in Cherry Hill but around the state."

Such frustration shouldn't result in knee-jerk reactions like consolidating the township library with the county system, said Cherry Hill Library Director Manuel Paredes.

Paredes said consolidating would only mean transferring the cost from the township to the county and wouldn't save taxpayers money. It also would likely mean a reduction in services, he said.

Some residents, however, favor a library consolidation.

Mark Markos, who said he has lived in the township for 43 years, reasoned that when an expense is spread out over a larger population, people will pay less.

"I think it's justified because of the times we are in," he said.

Reach Lisa Grzyboski at (856) 486-2931 or lgrzyboski@courierpostonline.com

Posted by tumulty at 6:31 PM | Comments (0)
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April 8, 2008

On February 19, 2007 the law changed.

On February 19, 2007 the law changed.
P.L.2006 c.103, the statute authorizing civil unions in NJ became effective.
Do you know what that means for your library?

Find out!

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Intersexed Roundtable and the Personnel Administration Subcommittee invite you to attend:

How to Ensure Compliance with the Law Against Discrimination (LAD)
at the NJLA Conference on Wednesday, April 30 from 11:30am to 12:20pm
Esther Nevarez* from the NJ Division on Civil Rights is our featured speaker.

What should employers do to ensure compliance with the new provisions of the LAD (Law Against Discrimination) with regards to the civil rights of GLBT employees? Nevarez is the state's lead trainer focusing on antidiscrimination and ensuring diversity and equal employment opportunity. The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, which was the nation's first statewide civil rights enforcement statute, is widely considered the strongest of its kind in the nation.

* Esther H Nevarez joined the NJ Division on Civil Rights in 1992. She initially focused on special projects and today develops and delivers training for businesses, municipalities, and advocacy groups on civil rights issues as covered under NJ law.

Posted by lgbti at 2:49 PM | Comments (0)
Category: LGBTI Roundtable Personnel & Staffing Programs Public Libraries

'Excess funds' law takes effect

By JIM WALSH • Courier-Post Staff • April 8, 2008

TRENTON — A new state law, promoted by a South Jersey legislator, allows towns to tap "excess" funds at their local libraries.

The measure, signed Monday by Gov. Jon S. Corzine, could help some municipal governments resist tax increases or service cutbacks, said a sponsor, Assemblyman Paul Moriarty, D-Gloucester.

Under the law, libraries would receive all funds needed for operations, as well as a 25 percent budget surplus. But funds above that amount could be returned to the local government, if library trustees approve.

"In some cases, taxpayers are sending twice what is needed to pay for the library," said Moriarty, who blamed a state funding formula. "We should never overbudget any department."

Moriarty, who is also mayor of Washington Township, was blocked last year when he tried to move $400,000 in library funds to the township's coffers.

But Moriarty said Washington Township now will not seek that money, because its Margaret E. Heggan Library is planning to double in size at a new location.

"If we're able to go through with the plan, we'd need the (surplus) money to fit out the new library," he said.

Additional details of the expansion project were not available Monday night.

The new law sailed through the Assembly and Senate in three months, with just two legislators voting against it.

"This bill originally had opposition from librarians and library societies," acknowledged Moriarty. "But they came to realize this is not a threat,."

Robert Wetherall, executive director of the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative, could not be reached for comment on the law.

Under a state formula, towns that fund municipal libraries do so at a fixed rate of $33 for every $100,000 of taxable property.

Statewide, 244 towns fund libraries -- including Riverton, Cherry Hill and Pitman in the tri-county area.

The formula results in an "embarrassment of riches" for some libraries, said Moriarty.

He noted Ocean City, with 15,000 year-round residents, sends $3.5 million to $4 million to its library annually. "They couldn't possibly spend that," Moriarty said.

He said the excess funds are increasingly needed by towns because a year-old law limits hikes in the local property tax levy to 4 percent.

Cherry Hill Mayor Bernie Platt said his town is unlikely to seek funds from the township library. "I am being told that the Cherry Hill Library is running very tight with the money we give them," he said.

But Platt said officials would review the library's budget to identify potential savings.

Staff writer Lisa Grzyboski contributed to this report. Reach Jim Walsh at (856) 486-2646 or jwalsh@courierpostonline.com

Posted by tumulty at 1:00 PM | Comments (0)
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April 2, 2008

Madison librarian keeps busy as volunteer

MADISON -- Have you ever met a good egg? Not the kind that you scramble or dye at Easter time. But the kind of good egg that, after you have met the person, you think the world must be a better place because of him or her.

Nancy Adamczyk of Madison is one such good egg.

A native of Morris County and a resident of Madison since 1983, Adamcyzk has been spreading good will around not only Madison, but Dover as well.

For more than 10 years, Adamczyk has volunteered for the Madison Rotary Club and also served as its president. She is one of the 1.2 million business and professional leaders who advocate doing good deeds, helping with charitable giving and encouraging high ethical standards.

"I volunteer at the registration table for The Taste of Madison," Adamczyk said. "I also help with May Day, which is the first Saturday of May, where volunteers help clean up the town. Since the Rotary supports the library, I usually work there that day helping with planting and mulching."

Adamczyk is no stranger to the Madison Public Library, as she has been employed there since 1970 and became the director in 1978.

She is also still actively involved in the Madison Branch of the American Association of University Women. The AAUW, which began in 1881, is the nation's leading advocate for promoting education and equity for women and girls. She co-chairs the annual book sale to support AAUW's scholarship program.

"This was my college club," she said. "I was helped years back with a very nice fellowship that helped get me through library school, so I think it's only fair that I help others. I still enjoy being a part of this phenomenal group of women."

Although Adamczyk lives, works and volunteers in Madison, she also travels to Dover each week to attend St. John's Episcopal Church, where she is the third generation to volunteer for some of the much-needed tasks that help the church.

"When I was young, I was part of the youth group, the junior altar guild and the choir," she said. "Now I help by occasionally making baked ziti for the Dover Soup Kitchen, participate in the making and selling pasties (a pastry that is traditionally filled with meat, potato and onion), and I also work on the church newsletter."

Sense of satisfaction
Adamcyzk said volunteering gives her a great sense of satisfaction that she has helped someone.

"I think it's important to volunteer. I've had many wonderful experiences," she said. "It was part of the ethic of our family. My parents and grandparents were always involved in doing something for others."

At holiday time, Adamcyzk also goes caroling with other members of St. John's Episcopal Church.

"During the holiday season, I go caroling to shut-ins," she said. "Although we're only at each house for a short time, they look forward to seeing us because we provide them with a bit of cheer."

A fair amount of the volunteering she has done at all of these organizations also involves fundraising, which she said is vital these days.

"I would encourage everyone to volunteer, especially the young generation," Adamcyzk said. "It's important to expand yourself as well as to help others, and it's a great way to meet people."

One of the people Adamcyzk met through her volunteer efforts at the Madison Rotary Club is her husband, Joe. This year they will celebrate eight years of marriage.

For more information on the Madison Rotary Club, visit www.rotaryclubofmadisonnj.org.

For more information on St. John's Episcopal Church, visit stjohns-dover.dioceseofnewark.org.

For more information on American Association of University Women, visit www.aauw.org.

Posted by tumulty at 5:11 PM | Comments (0)
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Red Bank Library set for its grand debut

By Larry Higgs • COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU • April 2, 2008

RED BANK — While the doors have been open and books circulating since January, the official grand opening ceremony and tours of the Red Bank Library will occur at 11 a.m. April 12.

The opening starts with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and continues with tours of the restored Eisner family home, which was the library's main building for years, and the Alice Noblett children's reading room. The Eisner family living room has been restored for use as the library's New Jersey Room, and the upper floors house adult music, entertainment and literature collections, a cafe and reading room.

Several local authors will be present with copies of their books, and an exhibition of photographs of the library past and present will be on display.

The library reopened for patrons in January to provide basic services, while minor work continued after the majority of a $1.6 million renovation was completed.

The renovation was the first in decades to a library addition built in 1968 and to the Eisner family home. During the course of the renovation, the need for other work was revealed — such as roof replacement — pushing back the completion and opening date several times.

The April 12 official opening also will mark the return of library programs, which had been suspended during the renovation work. An initial calendar of events will be announced at the grand opening.

Posted by tumulty at 5:05 PM | Comments (0)
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