New Jersey Library Association
Encyclopedia
The New Jersey Library Association (NJLA) is a library organization located in Trenton, New Jersey
. It was established in 1890, and is the oldest library organization in the State of New Jersey
. The NJLA began in 1890 with 39 members, and currently has over 1,600. The organization states on its website that it: "advocates for the advancement of library services for the residents of New Jersey, provides continuing education & networking opportunities for librarians", and "supports the principles of intellectual freedom & promotes access to library materials for all". Michele Reutty of the Oakland Public Library in Oakland, New Jersey
is the organization's current President, and Patricia Tumulty serves as Executive Director. The organization works with the Rutgers University
library as well as the New Jersey State Library
to present seminars on maintaining libraries.
In 1905 the organization helped to set up a summer school for librarians, and in 1922 assisted in the establishment of a "graded summer school for library service". The organization's publication New Jersey Libraries has appeared continuously in various formats since 1911. In 1927 the NJLA assisted the Public Library Commission in forming a library school at the Douglass College, then known as New Jersey College for Women.
s of librarians and maintain professional standards. The Intellectual Freedom Committee was established in the same year, and acts against censorship
. The Intellectual Freedom Committee has presented testimony before New Jersey state committees, in opposition to legislation regulating obscenity
and pornography
. In October 1976 the association passed a resolution that all "future publications and official documents of NJLA avoid terminology which perpetuates sex stereotyping, and that existent publications and official documents, as they are revised, be changed to avoid such terminology". In 1991 the organization sponsored "Books for Kids", a statewide program which encourages children to read by themselves.
The NJLA supported the American Library Association's position in challenging the 2001 Children's Internet Protection Act
, which mandates public libraries install pornography filters on computers with Internet
access in order for the libraries to receive federal funding. The Act was upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States
in a 2003 decision. "Obviously we feel it's a very difficult decision to implement. There's no guidance on how to implement it. There's a lot of confusion about what's going to happen and what requirements would have to be followed if federal funds were obtained," said NJLA executive director Patricia Tumulty in a statement about the decision to The Star-Ledger
. Tumulty said that the law would disproportionately affect libraries with less available funding. In 2002 the NJLA and corporate sponsor, the Verizon Foundation started the nonprofit charity program "New Jersey Reads", to encourage literacy among the 2 million people in New Jersey who have trouble reading. New Jersey Reads was started with US$325,000 in funding from Verizon. In 2003 the NJLA organized a seminar for approximately 150 librarians, educating them on how to protect readers' privacy in light of the USA PATRIOT Act
. "We are grappling with this - we are a country at war and everyone wants to be patriotic, but they're forgetting the First Amendment," said one librarian who attended the convention. The association organizes the "One Book New Jersey" program, and chooses one book for each age group to promote literacy. In 2003 then-First Lady Dina Matos McGreevey
was the spokeswoman for One Book New Jersey. One Book New Jersey was developed by the NJLA and the New Jersey State Library.
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
. It was established in 1890, and is the oldest library organization in the State of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. The NJLA began in 1890 with 39 members, and currently has over 1,600. The organization states on its website that it: "advocates for the advancement of library services for the residents of New Jersey, provides continuing education & networking opportunities for librarians", and "supports the principles of intellectual freedom & promotes access to library materials for all". Michele Reutty of the Oakland Public Library in Oakland, New Jersey
Oakland, New Jersey
Oakland is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,754.Oakland was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1902, from portions of Franklin Township.-History:The Van Allen House...
is the organization's current President, and Patricia Tumulty serves as Executive Director. The organization works with the Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
library as well as the New Jersey State Library
New Jersey State Library
The New Jersey State Library, based in Trenton, New Jersey, was established in 1796 to serve the information needs of New Jersey's Governor, Legislature and courts. The State Library is also responsible to assist in the provision of library and information services to all New Jersey...
to present seminars on maintaining libraries.
1890 - 1950
On December 29, 1890, 39 charter member libraries formed the New Jersey Library Association and elected their first president, William Prall. Prall, a New Jersey State Assembly member from Passaic County, served as president from 1890-1891. He had previously introduced the state library law in 1884. The original purpose of the organization was "to instill in the minds of assistants a love of work in which they are engaged". The organization helped to promote state legislation benefiting libraries, and successfully pushed forward passage of the state Traveling Library Law for rural librarians in 1899. It helped promote the law which established the New Jersey Public Library Commission in 1900.In 1905 the organization helped to set up a summer school for librarians, and in 1922 assisted in the establishment of a "graded summer school for library service". The organization's publication New Jersey Libraries has appeared continuously in various formats since 1911. In 1927 the NJLA assisted the Public Library Commission in forming a library school at the Douglass College, then known as New Jersey College for Women.
1950 - present
The NJLA was officially incorporated on April 19, 1951, and structured with an Executive Board to oversee operations. The NJLA has published several studies on the services offered by public and county libraries, including the reports Library Service for the People of New Jersey in 1953, Libraries for the People of New Jersey, or Knowledge for All in 1963, and Interim Goals for a New Jersey Library Development Program in 1977. The Grievance Committee was established by the organization in 1962 to investigate grievanceGrievance
A grievance is a wrong or hardship suffered, which is the grounds of a complaint.-History and politics:A grievance may arise from injustice or tyranny, and be cause for rebellion or revolution....
s of librarians and maintain professional standards. The Intellectual Freedom Committee was established in the same year, and acts against censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
. The Intellectual Freedom Committee has presented testimony before New Jersey state committees, in opposition to legislation regulating obscenity
Obscenity
An obscenity is any statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time, is a profanity, or is otherwise taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting, or is especially inauspicious...
and pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
. In October 1976 the association passed a resolution that all "future publications and official documents of NJLA avoid terminology which perpetuates sex stereotyping, and that existent publications and official documents, as they are revised, be changed to avoid such terminology". In 1991 the organization sponsored "Books for Kids", a statewide program which encourages children to read by themselves.
The NJLA supported the American Library Association's position in challenging the 2001 Children's Internet Protection Act
Children's Internet Protection Act
The Children's Internet Protection Act requires that K-12 schools and libraries in the United States use Internet filters and implement other measures to protect children from harmful online content as a condition for the receipt of certain federal funding...
, which mandates public libraries install pornography filters on computers with Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
access in order for the libraries to receive federal funding. The Act was upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
in a 2003 decision. "Obviously we feel it's a very difficult decision to implement. There's no guidance on how to implement it. There's a lot of confusion about what's going to happen and what requirements would have to be followed if federal funds were obtained," said NJLA executive director Patricia Tumulty in a statement about the decision to The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
. Tumulty said that the law would disproportionately affect libraries with less available funding. In 2002 the NJLA and corporate sponsor, the Verizon Foundation started the nonprofit charity program "New Jersey Reads", to encourage literacy among the 2 million people in New Jersey who have trouble reading. New Jersey Reads was started with US$325,000 in funding from Verizon. In 2003 the NJLA organized a seminar for approximately 150 librarians, educating them on how to protect readers' privacy in light of the USA PATRIOT Act
USA PATRIOT Act
The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001...
. "We are grappling with this - we are a country at war and everyone wants to be patriotic, but they're forgetting the First Amendment," said one librarian who attended the convention. The association organizes the "One Book New Jersey" program, and chooses one book for each age group to promote literacy. In 2003 then-First Lady Dina Matos McGreevey
Dina Matos McGreevey
Dina Matos is the former First Lady of New Jersey. She served as first lady during the administration of her then-husband, Gov. James McGreevey. In advance of an expected lawsuit, Gov. McGreevey, with Matos at his side, revealed at an August 2004 press conference that he had had an affair with a...
was the spokeswoman for One Book New Jersey. One Book New Jersey was developed by the NJLA and the New Jersey State Library.
Recognition
In 1977 the American Library Association presented the NJLA with the annual Grolier Award, which recognizes the "best public relations program promoting public library use". In its entry describing the association in the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, the encyclopedia notes: "Whatever will be accomplished, it may be prophesied without fear or contradiction that the NJLA will stand in the front row when a tally is taken of effective and steadfast library supporters."External links
- New Jersey Library Association, main page
- About NJLA, about page on official site
- NJLA Conference wiki, Wiki page for NJLA Annual Conference 2008
- NJLA Blog, Official Weblog of the New Jersey Library Association