Testimony in Suppport of A1314/S1803

TESTIMONY

 OF PATRICIA A. TUMULTY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

NEW JERSEY LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

In SUPPORT of A1314/S1803

BEFORE THE SENATE COMMUNITY AND URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTE

MARCH 17, 2014

On behalf of the members of the New Jersey Library Association, I want to thank Assemblywomen Quijano and Huttle and Senator VanDrew for sponsoring this legislation.

The past four years have been extremely challenging for many public libraries in New Jersey with the need for services increasing at the same time as there have been reductions in both local and state funding.

Every dollar raised for public library services is extremely important.  Many local libraries are extremely fortunate to have active Friends’ organizations which provide additional support of the local library through a variety of fundraising activities.  We support this legislation because it will offer the residents of New Jersey another opportunity to maintain library services through this voluntary contribution. If enacted we will actively promote the use of this legislation as a way to support public library service in New Jersey with an additional funding stream.

Although it is difficult to determine how much funding this will raise through this legislation, we believe the NJ State Library is the appropriate agency to distribute this funding to local libraries.

We are extremely pleased that this legislation was unanimously passed by the Assembly.

We hope the committee will support this legislation so that the full Senate may have the opportunity to vote on it.