Central Jersey Regional Library Cooperative's
Plan of Service
2006 - 2009

Mission

CJRLC helps our 500+ member libraries of Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties to meet their communities' needs. To achieve its purpose, CJRLC brings libraries together to promote cooperation and to facilitate the effective sharing of resources, information and services.

Vision

Customers love their libraries and libraries love CJRLC!

Values and Beliefs

About our Member Libraries' Patrons --

• Time is a precious resource.
• Convenience is valued above most other values.
• Every library user is entitled to high quality service and wise use of resources.
• People should have access to resources wherever they live in New Jersey.
• We value the voice of library end-users.
• The library can and should be the center of its community.

About our Member Libraries --

• We can meet our customers' varied needs by sharing resources.
• We want to build the capacity of every library.
• All libraries face some similar challenges.
• We need to recruit and train outstanding people to work in our libraries...
• We work to empower library staff.
• We need to promote libraries as the center of their community.

About the Cooperative --

• CJRLC is the librarian's librarian.
• The cooperative is the place for experimentation - it's the best place to try the newest thing.
• We help our members stay anticipate trends and stay current with developing issues.
• Working together as a group exponentially multiplies the resources we can offer our patrons.
• Being multi-type makes us stronger.
• By being multi-type we foster a variety of partnerships at the state and national level.
• We use technology to help us carry out our mission.
• We give libraries the tools to be their own best advocates.

We Celebrate Our Strengths

Our members especially value:

• Our excellent committees and groups, including TechGroup, SchoolGroup, CJILL, Mercer Co. Directors, Monmouth Librarians.
   
• Our Programs and Services, including funding for scanners, information literacy, IMLS grant involvement, shared databases, discounts, delivery, training.
   
• Our nationally recognized program of Leadership Development, which is supported by the State Library.
   
• Our staff -- forward looking, approachable, efficient, energizing, and motivating.
   
• House Calls -- reaching out to our members where they are.
   
• Communications (newsletter, listserv, webpage) -- connect us with each other and the library community, regional, state, and nation, especially CD of Services, newsletter, Urban Library DVD.
   
• Free and subsidized databases -- offer high quality information to provide a base of support to meet every community's information needs.
   
• Training -- in a variety of locations and formats for librarians and support staff.
   
• Networking and meetings -- to address special areas of service, to provide a support network, and to share good ideas.
   
• Recruiting program -- to help us replace ourselves and ensure our institutions' viability. Supported by the State Library for the state.
   
• Partnership activities -- with the Regions, State Library, Rutgers SCILS, NJLA, NJASL, for IMLS grant, wireless grant, NetLibrary, downloadable audiobooks, Emerging Leaders, summer programs.

Our Challenges

• Our members who need training have trouble getting away from their libraries.
   
• Libraries need help in proving their value.
   
• Curriculum materials for training patrons would save everyone time.
   
• Good librarians are hard to find.
   
• Public, academic, and school librarians need to communicate more often.
   
• It's hard to keep up with changing technology and expectations, i.e. the shift to a digital environment.
   
• Marketing to underserved populations requires special effort.

The Plan With Activities for 2007-2008

We expect to devote our resources to achieve the following goals in the next 3 years:

Goal 1: Our members will use the appropriate services CJRLC provides for them.

• Activity: Provide a flyer or toolkit on how special libraries can use the services CJRLC provides.
• Activity: Focus attention on one service to explain (or show example) in each newsletter to help members know/become familiar with what is available to them.
• Activity: Recruit five new members for CJRLC.
• Design a grid showing all CJRLC services and the libraries they are appropriate for.

Goal 2: We will help our members explain the value of the services they provide.

• Activity: Offer a school version of "Valuing Libraries."
• Activity: Encourage and support attendance at statewide ROI programs.
• Activity: Work with NJSL Marketing initiatives to encourage press releases, library success stories, etc.
• Support NJLA's calendar with appropriate events, i.e. Read Across America Day, with lists of participating libraries and the dates and times of their programs.
• Promote the blog and flickr for promotion of libraries.
• Highlight a member library each month on the web or in the newsletter.

Goal 3: We will help our member libraries train their staff to use available services.

• Activity: Set up regularly scheduled trainings, fall and spring, for popular paraprofessional courses, e.g. Reference for paraprofessionals, Book Repair, etc. so libraries can plan.
• Activity: Make at least 30 HouseCalls.
• Promote the TechChallenge as great staff training.

Goal 4: We will implement agreed upon statewide goals and programs.

• Activity: Provide information to special libraries as to how the statewide goals and programs applies to special libraries.
• Activity: Coordinate recruiting/leadership training activities as funded by the State Library.
• Mail Mystery brochure to guidance departments at all high schools in the region promoting library services as a career

Goal 5: We will continue to facilitate our members working cooperatively in areas of special interest and expand those opportunities as appropriate.

• Activity: Expand training in consumer health resources for public, academic, and school libraries utilizing the expertise of HSLANJ.
• Activity: Continue to support the Monmouth Librarians Association in bringing together regional librarians on specific topics and interests.
• Activity: Feature one technology of Web 2.0 in each (or most) newsletters
• Activity: Book Evaluation, Information Literacy, Interlibrary Loan, Recruiting, School Media, and Technology Committees will meet regularly and sponsor activities as appropriate. New groups will be formed as necessary.

Goal 6: We will seize upon opportunities, as they arise and seem fruitful, to test the feasibility of innovative concepts and projects.

• Activity: Seek out and advertise to members grant and funding opportunities that relate to different library types and varied services.
• Activity: The Board and the staff will be vigilant in assessing the needs of members and the opportunities to meet those needs in new and exciting ways.
• Activity: Support Tech Group to host forums for librarians about new technologies and how they can be used in a library setting and report frequently on their activities.

Goal 7: We will serve the library profession and our librarians beginning with recruitment, through training, empowering and leadership development, through transition, to planning for retirement.

• Activity: Offer programs and training to keep our librarians current and up to date with trends and technology.
• Activity: Identify Directors, HR gurus, etc. who are willing to serve as mentors to less experienced librarians
• Activity: Encourage and identify libraries willing to set up internships for librarians-to-be.
• Activity: Schedule retirement workshops late in the day to help members plan.

Goal 8: We will help our member libraries identify and serve their increasingly diverse populations.

• Activity: Identify and promote resources for programming to diverse populations, such as Bilingual Storytelling.
• Activity: Work with our Gates trainee to identify collections of world language materials for sharing.
• Activity: Expand World Language Storytelling site with great tried and true ideas that have succeeded for programs, displays and collections to serve diverse populations

Goal 9: We will evaluate the communication needs and opportunities of CJRLC board, committees and members in the light of existing new technologies.

• Activity: Encourage Tech Committee to keep Board apprised of new options.
• Activity: Encourage 25 CJRLC members to take the Tech Challenge and learn six new technologies to communicate with our members.
• Activity: Encourage Tech Committee to hold programs on new technologies and make an annual report at one of the CJRLC Membership Meetings.
• Activity: Hold one mini-lesson in a new technology for the Executive Board.

The following are activities which are currently in place
and which we intend to continue in 2006-2008:

I. Technology

A. Promote and support the Technology Committee.

B. Use Technology Committee recommendations to keep course offerings current.

II. Marketing, Advocacy and Recruiting

A. Participate in statewide marketing planning and implementation.

B. Continue to promote Recruiting across the state, as funds are available.

1. Encourage Open Houses.

2. Distribute pins and brochures.

3. Maintain www.becomealibrarian.org website

III. Information

A. Support Information Literacy Committee's work.

B. Negotiate group purchases of databases; evaluate current purchases.

IV. Monitor and Evaluate Member Services

A. With the other Regions, monitor new Reference Center for satisfactory performance.

B. Survey members regarding the effectiveness of CJRLC services, especially the database choices.

V. Staff

A. Offer programs to meet the 100-hour certification retention requirement for school librarians. Provide certificates as needed.

B. Explore appropriate offerings for paraprofessional staff.

C. Support SchoolGroup summer trip/programs.

VI. Patrons

A. Promote Jersey Clicks and JerseyCat

B. Support the QandAnj project.

VII. Leadership

A. With State Library funding, offer a Leadership Academy for experienced librarians in Fall, 2006.

B. Support NJLA's Emerging Leaders program as requested.

VIII. Planning

A. Plan activities for the following year in February/March