WHY JOIN NJLTA

Membership Form

Being a good library trustee is demanding. The issues you deal with reflect today’s complex world. The New Jersey Library Trustee Association can help you make informed decisions about complex library issues. As a library trustee you are probably dealing with, or will soon have to meet, these challenges.

• You know that today’s library offers more than books. With the advent of DVDs, iPods, Internet, and other computer services, appropriate library policies are critical for all these new informational services. What is a policy? What is a procedure? How do I write an effective policy?
• Trustees must hire and evaluate the library director. What do I put in the advertisement and where do I place the ad? What questions should I, and may I, ask of the candidate? How do I evaluate the library director?
• Trustees should know about their community and residents’ needs. By doing so, trustees can wisely allocate resources to insure the best possible library services. How do I administer a community survey and use the findings to develop a library mission statement, goals and objectives? How do I develop and present a budget to meet our community goals? How do I make my building accessible to my patrons?
  The New Jersey Library Trustee Association can help you meet these challenges.
  NJLTA jointly publishes New Jersey Public Libraries: A Manual for Trustees with the New Jersey State Library. (Available online, njlibrarytrustees.org at the NJLTA webpage or in print for $12. Send a check or voucher payable to NJLTA, Box 1505, Trenton, NJ 08607 or fax 609-394-8164.)

NJLTA offers a continuing education program at the Annual NJLA Spring Conference.

Perhaps the most important job of today’s library trustee is that of library advocate. In times of tight budgets and funding cutbacks, it is vital for trustees to step forward and make sure libraries receive a fair share. Each year, NJLTA keeps a close eye on what is going on in the state capital, especially at budget time and posts the latest information on its webpage (njlibrarytrustees.org, click on Legislative Updates)

Your membership fee can help save thousands of dollars for NJ libraries.

NJLTA

• Advocates for the betterment of all libraries and provides free advocacy training on demand
• Voices your library concerns to state and local legislators
• Strengthens and educates members through educational seminars
• Keeps you abreast of library and trustee happenings through newsletters (three times a year), a monthly listserv and a webpage
• Participates in the publication of a manual for trustees
• Supports the annual Trustee Institute through planning and financing

Join NJLTA and add another voice for the advocacy of libraries in New Jersey.