LibraryLinkNJ News

For more details about any of our projects, programs, or services please visit the LibraryLinkNJ website!

For questions, suggestions, or help with your account, please reach out to our CE Team: ce@librarylinknj.org

As autumn settles over New Jersey, we are thrilled to bring library workers across the state another month filled with enriching opportunities and resources. This October newsletter showcases an exceptional array of professional development programs, from marketing workshops and art-themed storytimes to mental health first aid training and leadership development.

Whether looking to enhance skills through our LearningSpace courses or participate in one of the many MentorNJ meet-ups, there are numerous ways to grow professionally this season. On the lighter side, our Halloween Costume Contest returns for its second year, inviting library staff throughout New Jersey to share their creativity and festive spirit. This newsletter also features important updates from partners like NJASL, reminders about statewide delivery service supplies, and exclusive discount offers.

LibraryLinkNJ remains committed to supporting the New Jersey library community through collaboration, education, and connection. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions about our services or—especially—with suggestions for new services and partnerships. I can be reached at ralph@librarylinknj.org.

Best regards,

Ralph

It's back! The NJ Libraries Costume Contest will be taking place through the month of October. Be sure to send in pictures of you or your library staff in costume by November 3rd if you'd like to be entered into the contest. Submissions can be sent to ce@librarylinknj.org. Just be sure to let us know which library you're from and what your costume is! We're excited to see all of the spooky and creative submissions!

LibraryLinkNJ members receive 25% off Newsreel annual licenses for both public libraries and academic libraries across New Jersey.

In the age of social media, Newsreel was built to give libraries a healthier alternative and fight back against the constant pull of cheap clicks and endless feeds.

If you’re looking to equip your community with tools for media literacy, civic engagement, and healthier phone habits, Newsreel is designed for you. With swipeable story stacks, quizzes, and polls— all written and vetted by trained journalists — Newsreel helps students, patrons, and adult learners build a daily news habit that lasts.

Find more details at: https://librarylinknj.org/discounts/newsreel

LibraryLinkNJ members can receive 25% off Library Journal & School Library Journal online courses, and 25% off subscriptions to Library Journal, School Library Journal, and The Horn Book.

• 25% off of all online courses
• 25% off of print, digital, or print+digital combo subscriptions
• Unlimited online access to all premium content
• Complete access to digital editions of the magazine
• Web exclusives plus full, searchable archives of articles
• Exclusive starred reviews, plus a searchable archive of all reviews
• Collection development advice, merchandising tips, and readers’ advisory
• Personal library with saved articles and reviews, and share collection ideas
• Access to research, case studies, webcast library, and more
• Free shipping of print issues to US subscribers

Find more details at: https://librarylinknj.org/about-us/news/online-course-subscription-discounts-librarylinknj-members

The LibraryLinkNJ LearningSpace is packed with fresh content made just for you. From emerging tech to critical thinking and inclusive practices, there's something for every library role. No login needed to browse—just click and learn.

Courses on the LearningSpace are specifically designed to support the professional development of library staff. Please note that these courses are not intended for use or access by the public.

Elevate Your Library Marketing: Live Q&A with Kathy Dempsey

Library Marketing Made Easy is perfect for “accidental marketers”—those who need to promote their library but haven't formally studied marketing. Through quick and clear lessons, Kathy Dempsey guides participants through the essential concepts of effective promotion without overwhelming them. This course equips you with practical skills to make your library’s marketing more impactful, without requiring a deep dive into complex marketing theories.

• Elevate Your Library Marketing: Live Q&A with Kathy Dempsey; Virtual; Tuesday, October 7, 10:30am-11:30am. brought to you by LibraryLinkNJ & LibraryLinkNJ Tech Advisory Group (L-TAG)

_______________________________

Skill-Sharing Conversations: State of the Art: Art-Themed Storytimes

Are you looking for ideas on how to reinvent storytime? Art and storytime are a great combination!Join us as we hear about the success of the Once Upon an Easel storytime at Scotch Plains Public Library, and share ideas for incorporating art-related activities into storytime. All are welcome, including those who teach information literacy to tweens and teens and are looking for inspiration for art programming.

• Skill-Sharing Conversation: State of the Art: Art-Themed Storytimes; Virtual; Tuesday, October 7, 3pm-4pm.

_____________________________

Super Library Supervisors 2025

The Super Library Supervisors series is still going on! This series of training workshops in supervisory skills has been serving the New Jersey library community for more than 20 years. This fall, our workshop series will be available in-person at the Monroe Township Public Library. If you are registered, be sure to mark your calendar for the remaining dates!

• Super Library Supervisors; In Person; October 8, October 14, October 21, 10am-3pm. *Participants must attend all 4 sessions

_________________________________

Information for All: Fostering Belonging Through Access to Educational Materials

While library workers strive to increase patron belonging and student success through their efforts to create access to affordable educational resources, students responding to the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois’ Illinois Course Materials Survey: Student Perspective (2023) shared that they continue to struggle to afford their course materials. As a result, this session will cover several learning objectives:

1. Recognize the need for patron belonging through access to educational materials
2. Understand the wide range of educational materials available to support patrons’ lifelong learning
3. Determine ways your library could support your patrons’ need for access to educational resources.

• Information for All: Fostering Belonging Through Access to Educational Materials; Virtual; Wednesday, October 8, 2pm-3pm. Brought to you by the Professional Development Alliance of Library Consortia.
• This webinar is open to Illinois library workers and members of the Professional Development Alliance.

__________________________________

NJ Statewide EDI Initiative Group (EDI-NJ) Meeting

Join us in this coalition of NJ's library organizations to tackle EDI issues in our state's libraries.

• NJ Statewide EDI Initiative Group (EDI-NJ) Meeting; Virtual; Wednesday, October 15, 3pm-4pm.

___________________________

Copyright Literacy and Creative Commons: What It Is and Why It Matters for You and Your Community

"Copyright anxiety" is something felt by both librarians and patrons - what am I allowed to do with the content I find online? Will I get in trouble if I use this picture / meme / article / text? This webinar will cover the basics of copyright: what it is, how it works, and why it matters. We will then introduce Creative Commons, an organization that provides a suite of legal tools to help creators and users understand, at a glance, what they can and cannot do with creative content.

• Copyright Literacy and Creative Commons: What It Is and Why It Matters for You and Your Community; Virtual; Thursday, October 23, 2pm-3pm.

____________________________

Adult Mental Health First Aid Training

Mental Health First Aid from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a nationally recognized program that offers Mental Health First Aid training courses designed to help participants react confidently, competently, and appropriately when they encounter an individual suffering from a mental health crisis. From identifying risk factors and warning signs to outlining strategies for assisting someone in the midst of a crisis, a Mental Health First Aid training course prepares participants to enact an action plan and utilize appropriate interventions when they encounter a mental health emergency.

• Adult Mental Health First Aid Training; Virtual; Thursday, October 30, 9am-2:30pm.
• Participants must complete a 2 hour self-paced online course in addition to attending the scheduled training date

____________________________

Skill-Sharing Conversations: D&D Programs for All Ages

Are you looking for offer D&D programs for adults or teens at your library? Feel free to join us as we talk about the appeal of D&D, and the values the game can instill in players of any age. Library staff of all types are welcome to join!

• Skill-Sharing Conversation: D&D Programs for All Ages; Virtual; Wednesday, November 5, 10am-12pm.
  

_____________________________

Join us for any or all of our MentorNJ Meet-ups this month. No registration required!

Zoom links go out to our entire email list each Monday morning for the Meet-ups to be held that week.

• Indigenous American Library Staff - October 2, 10am
• API - October 2, 1pm
• Maker Meet-up - October 2, 3pm

• Disabled & Neurodivergent Library Staff - October 7, 2pm
  

• LGBTQUIA+ Library Staff, October 8, 11am

• Wellness Wednesday - October 8, 3pm

• Adventures in Administration - October 9, 10:30am

• AI in Libraries - October 9, 2 pm
• Juggling Parenting & Library Work - October 10, 10am

• Latino Library Staff - October 14, 10am

• Tech - October 16, 3pm

• Adventures in Administration - October 23, 10:30am

Want to know more about a meet-up? Check out our calendar!

If you are holding any extra Blue Bins that your library is not utilizing please leave them for your TForce Driver and they will take them. TForce is running low on LLNJ bins that we supply to libraries.

If you are no longer enrolled in the statewide delivery service and you are holding any LLNJ delivery supplies (Blue Bins, Plastic Bags), please contact Jennifer Bruno at jennifer@librarylinknj.org and we will arrange pickup of the supplies.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our LibraryLinkNJ Fall 2025 Virtual Conference earlier this week!

We want to extend a special thanks to all of the presenters who joined us and generously shared their time and expertise. Across fourteen presentations covering a variety of topics related to connection, attendees had the opportunity to learn about a wide range of successful programs and initiatives from libraries of all types.

If you weren't able to join us live, recordings of most of the day's presentations will be available soon for everyone to view. Keep an eye on your email to find out when recordings and other materials will be available for you in our LearningSpace.

New Jersey Association of School Librarians (NJASL) is asking all school library media specialists(SLMS) to participate in a survey with the following goals:

• Determine NJASL membership status and possible reasons for not joining NJASL
• Determine specific needs of SLMS related to daily work duties
• Determine specific professional development needs of SLMS to guide NJASL PD opportunities
• Inform and build support for school library legislation

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and share it with your colleagues who may not be NJASL members. NJASL is looking to use the results of the survey to help develop goals for the organization as well as guide the work of the organization. It is important to gather as much data as possible from certified SLMS throughout NJ. Thank you for your time and assistance with this project. Any questions, please contact Mary Moyer Stubbs, mmoyer@njasl.org.

Please click here to fill out the survey by November 15th.

Schedule a Meeting with the Rapid Response Team!

The NJASL/NJLA Rapid Response Team is here to help! Serving libraries of all types state-wide, RRT can provide guidance, support, and response tactics to staff and institutions facing book challenges, censorship issues, and similar concerns. Whether you're dealing with a loud and formal challenge, trying to be prepared for a rumored event, or just aren't sure if what you're dealing with is acceptable, RRT can help. And now, you can quickly and easily schedule an appointment to chat, using the Rapid Response Team Calendly link below!

https://calendly.com/njrrt

Work Wise Labs

Join Work Wise Labs for "Just a Touch" of training!

Want to lead, communicate, and collaborate more effectively? It starts with self-awareness. In just 15 minutes, we’ll introduce two key components of self-awareness and share one simple tool to help you reflect with purpose—not pressure. Walk away with a forward-focused strategy to better understand yourself and your impact on others.

• Just a Touch of Conflict Resolution, Thurs. Oct. 16, 9am-9:45am

• Register Here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/eLULZuFgSGGC0zQiLvaKoA

LibraryLinkNJ's Executive Board will hold their next meeting on Thursday, October 16th at 3pm via Zoom.

All LibraryLinkNJ members are welcome to attend Executive Board meetings. Find more information on the Executive Board page on our website!

We want to hear what you've got to say.

Please email suggestionbox@librarylinknj.org with feedback about our services and programs. Suggestions for new services and programs are welcome, too.

LibraryLinkNJ: Every New Jersey Library - Connected and Thriving

LibraryLinkNJ (formerly known as INFOLINK) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Its members are multi-type libraries and library-related agencies located in the twenty-one counties of New Jersey. This area includes 8.79 million people. The population of the state is highly diverse and includes some of the largest communities of Spanish speaking and Asian Indian persons in the U.S.

LibraryLinkNJ – The New Jersey Library Cooperative has over 1100 voting representatives from over 2,500 public and private school, public, academic, institutional, corporate, health sciences and special libraries and library-related agencies. A member-elected Executive Board meets regularly to oversee the programs and services of the organization.

LibraryLinkNJ and its services are funded by the New Jersey State Library, which is responsible for the coordination, promotion and funding of the New Jersey Library Network. Members join at no charge and pay no dues.

Email: info@librarylinknj.org
Website: www.librarylinknj.org
Location: 2300 Stuyvesant Avenue, Ewing Township, NJ, USA
Phone: 732-752-7720
Facebook: facebook.com/librarylinknj
Instagram: @librarylinknj