NJLA Public Policy Committee
Minutes
September 5, 2008
Present: Chair, Eileen Palmer, LMxAC; Pat Tumulty, NJLA; Norma Blake, State Librarian;; Diane Campbell, Rider University; John Hurley, Woodbridge; Joan Bernstein, Mount Laurel; Bill Paullin, Atlantic County; Nina Ladof, Chris Carbone, South Brunswick; Dan O’Connor, Rutgers SCILS; Bob Stewart, Asbury Park; Susan Briant, Haddonfield; Carol Roehrenbeck, Rutgers-Newark Law; Jeanne Marie Ryan; Lynn Miller, Miller & Miller; Heidi Cramer, Newark Public & NJLA President
Guests: Robert White, BCCLS; Betsy Kanouse, MAIN; Joanne Roukens, HRLC; Cheryl O’Connor, INFOLINK; Christy Sayre, PALS Plus; Kathi Peiffer, State Library.
Meeting was called to order at 10:12 AM
Minutes - The minutes of the meeting of July 18, 2008 were not yet transcribed. Fran Kaufmann, Vice-Chair volunteered to take the minutes at committee meetings and suggested that this become the Vice-Chair’s responsibility going forward.
Discussion of Library Funding, Reciprocity and Statewide Library Card
Pat Tumulty presented background information about the need for this discussion. Funding cutbacks and the state budget cap law have threatened a number of libraries in New Jersey. Jamesburg, Bloomingdale, Northfield, Lambertville and West Long Branch have or may face ballot questions to de-municipalize. In many of these cases municipal officials have indicated that they want to contract with libraries in other communities to provide library services, often for less than the per capita costs of providing these services, and often with the assumption that all services provided by the consortium of the host library will be available. The Public Policy Committee has been asked to determine whether NJLA should create a policy and/or guidelines for local libraries to follow regarding de-municipalizing and contracting with other libraries for services.
Betsy Kanouse of MAIN described their recent experience with Bloomingdale (not in Morris County). Bloomingdale municipal officials approached Riverdale about contracting for library services including MAIN services and never contacted MAIN. MAIN was able to stop this from going ahead. But now Morris County Freeholders are studying how best to handle this and similar situations and asking MAIN for recommendations – should non-resident cards be issued, should consortium services be included, should service costs be figured per library card or per household? Who pays for non-resident cards – residents or their municipality?
Bob White of BCCLS asked what provisions would be made to provide library services such as Interlibrary Loan, access to databases funded by the state library or a state wide library card to residents who do not have a library in their municipality. Cheryl O’Connor pointed out that residents with no library do not have access to databases that they pay for with their tax dollars.
Summary of policies of consortia and county libraries:
BCCLS – Their by-laws stipulate that if a community de-municipalizes their library they cannot pay less than they were paying per capita from another community for library services. Most BCCLS libraries do not sell non-resident cards. BCCLS libraries that do issue non-resident cards stipulate that BCCLS services are not included. BCCLS has figured that the average value of a library card in BCCLS is $567.
PALS Plus – Member libraries will not sell cards to non-residents who do not have a library in their municipality.
Atlantic County Library – Issues non-resident cards for $30. The cost has been frozen for many years. There are also many types of cards available by type of access and time period.
State Library - Kathi Peiffer noted that she has been compiling information about state wide library cards and has some good examples from other states. The State Library budget for 2010 will request funds for a feasibility study of a state wide library card.
Suggestions from participants for policies and guidelines:
· All New Jersey residents should have equal library access.
· Prepare a cost model that includes 1/3 mill funding.
· Municipalities that de-municipalize their libraries or that do not have a library must pay for services based on a town wide, not individual rate based on 1/3 mill.
· How municipalities figure charges for providing services such as education, garbage pick up to other communities should be explored.
· Libraries should not be obligated to sell non-resident cards.
· Non-resident cards do not provide access to consortium services.
· Non-resident cards do not provide access to all services of the host library.
· Charges should not be unreasonably expensive.
· The feasibility of a state wide library card should be explored.
· The State Library needs to define how state wide library services (JerseyCat, JerseyClicks, state wide library card) are delivered to residents – State Library to Local Library to Resident or State Library directly to Resident.
· Policy should encourage open access, support strong local library service, and assure stable and equitable public library funding.
The consensus of the committee is that an NJLA policy should be created. A sub-committee will study the issues and come up with a policy. Committee members are Eileen Palmer, Pat Tumulty, Kathi Peiffer, John Hurley, Robert White, Bill Paullin, Jeanne Marie Ryan. Eileen thanked all guests for attending the meeting and for their valuable input.
Legislative Agenda – Pat Tumulty
Pat distributed a draft of Legislative Priorities for FY 2010. After discussion it was decided to add an additional section concerning funding for a feasibility study of a state wide library card. Hurly made the motion, Ladof seconded. The motion passed. Eileen will add this information and circulate the revisions to the committee by email.
NJLA Conference Program – Eileen Palmer
Several ideas for the program were discussed. Eileen suggested inviting Cathy DeRosa, Global Vice-President of Marketing at OCLC to discuss their recent report, From Awareness to Funding: A Study of Library Funding in America http://www.oclc.org/reports/funding/default.htm . The NJLA survey supports the findings of this report. Jeanne Marie suggested having a lobbyist speak about techniques for dealing with state officials and legislators especially with issues like de-municipalizing libraries. Heidi suggested Everyday Advocacy directed at non-administrative staff. It was also suggested that using CAPWIZ should be integrated into the programs. Eileen will take all ideas into consideration. We will try to sponsor two programs.
Executive Director’s Report - Pat Tumulty
Pat distributed copies of A3089 (DeCroce, Greenstein, Webber) http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp It concerns the dissolution of public libraries. This could be introduced by the end of the month. She also distributed a 1998 Lakewood ordinance to de-establish the library. Kathi Peiffer distributed A3089 with suggested changes and asked that feedback be directed to Victoria Rosch. Two recommendations that came out of the discussion were that there should be more clarity about what happens to library property and assets and how would this work for county and association libraries. Lynn Miller suggested that there be an explanation with the referendum such as “If you vote yes on this question, you will no longer have a public library in your community.” Pat Tumulty noted that NJLA can’t stop the bill from going forward, but we can try to change it to make it work better for libraries. Diane Campbell made a motion to charge Pat to continue to work with the State Library on further improving the language of the bill. Jeanne Marie Ryan seconded. The motion passed.
State Librarian’s Report - Norma Blake
Norma testified at the Capital Planning Commission that the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is not in full compliance with ADA. This must be done. The rails for compact shelving in the State Library are 25 years old and are in dire need of replacement. Funds for a feasibility study for a new addition to the State Library were requested.
Committee Reports
Intellectual Freedom - Carol Roehrenbeck
The committee is planning a series of workshops about privacy around the state for librarians and staff. The first workshop will be held at Princeton Public Library on
November 20. Grayson Barber will present and they are hoping to have a
representative from the Princeton Police Department. They are planning a program,
What is a Library Record? for the NJLA Conference and hoping to have Lynn Miller as the main speaker.
Non-Resident Card Survey – Eileen Palmer
Eileen created a survey using Survey Monkey. The survey will be sent to all Library Directors. Norma asked Eileen to forward the survey to Victoria and Victoria will then send the survey to Library Directors.
Next Meeting – Friday, October 3, 10 AM to Noon, Princeton Public Library, 2nd floor conference room.
Future Meeting Dates – It was agreed that the first Friday of the month works for the committee. Eileen will take care of scheduling the meetings. In December we will decide if we need to meet in January. The meetings will be scheduled in the Princeton Public Library, 2nd floor conference room for the following dates:
October 3
November 7
December 5
February 6
March 6
April 3
May 1
June 5 – All Day meeting – Open Forum morning in First Floor meeting room – Business meeting afternoon.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:10 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Frances Kaufmann
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