Organizational Update: January 2025

NJLA’s Executive Board met on Tuesday, January 21. Here are some of the highlights:

• NJLA is planning a Committee Consolidation Convention, chaired by NJLA Secretary, Rosy Wagner. The group plans to meet in February to  discuss how NJLA can make its organizational structure less complex. Any changes would have to be approved by the Membership.
  
  

• As of January 1, all job postings on the NJLA’s Job Hotline have salary or rate of pay included, in keeping with NJLA’s new policy on pay transparency.
  
  

• President Jeff Cupo is working with the Young Adult Services Section (YASS) on a proposal for a Teen Volunteer Scholarship. Teen librarians and staff would nominate high school seniors based on their service to a New Jersey library. The next step is for YASS to review the plan with the Scholarship Committee. 
  
  

• Jeff Cupo, Rosy Wagner, Executive Board member Eleni Glykis, Susan Vignuolo (Chair of the Professional Development Committee), and Will Porter (Chair of the Finance Committee) are developing a proposal for a new Professional Development Fund. They reviewed what events might be included, who would be eligible, and how applications might be reviewed.
  
  

• NJLA is making good progress in the transition to its new website. Novi and Higher Logic will replace MemberClicks. Alicia Gough is leading this process.
  
  

• NJLA launched its partnership with Amazon Prime for Business on November 25. As of January 16, there are 50 EIM libraries that have enrolled, up from 39 at this time last month. We have added 7 new EIM libraries since starting the partnership. Katy White is leading this project for NJLA and is eager to answer your questions.
  
  

• Exhibitor registration for the 2025 NJLA conference is open! So far, 13 exhibitors have committed, up from 10 at this time last month. Katy White, Melissa Johnson, and Conference Exhibits reached out to 53 potential partners who did not exhibit last year, and have many more to contact. If there are vendors you want to see at the conference, please email Katy with their information and she will contact them.
  
  

• NJLA’s lobbyist, Porzio Governmental Affairs, has reached out to potential sponsors for legislation related to:

  • eBook pricing (similar to initiatives in Connecticut and Massachusetts)

  • Stable capital funding for public libraries in New Jersey.

• Brett interviewed semi-finalists for the attorneys to recommend to the committee that will choose NJLA’s next Library Law and First Amendment attorneys, as well as attorneys that New Jersey libraries may wish to consider for their needs.
  
  

• NJLA renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI). NJLA members can join SLI for 12 months at no charge, and get a discount for the Sustainable Library Certification Program (SLCP). 
  
  

• NJLA named its representatives to advise the State Library on creating model policies, as described in the Freedom to Read legislation. The State Library will select representatives for this task as well, and plans to have draft policies in place by the end of the summer.
  
  

• The Special Election to fill the open Member-at-Large seat closes on January 24. Please vote!  
  
  

• The slate for the upcoming NJLA election will be announced in the next few weeks. Thanks to all who volunteered. We are grateful for your leadership!