New Jersey State Library

The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), authorized in PL. 104-208, as amended, provides federal funding for library programs. These funds are awarded to the State Library by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). LSTA replaced the expiring Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) when the new Act was signed into law on September 30, 1996.

Although LSCA Title I and III expired in 1996, LSCA Title II funds for public library construction and technology enhancement are available until the entire appropriation is expended as authorized in P.L. 101-254. The remainder of the State Library's appropriation of $143,000 will be used for technology enhancement projects to be implemented within the next two years.

LSTA funds are generally used as "demonstration funds" or "seed money" to enable libraries to initiate programs which would not be possible without outside funding. LSTA is not intended to supplant local responsibility or provide support for basic services.

The focus of the Act is on two key priorities for library programs: 1) information access through technology; and 2) targeting library and information services to persons, of all ages, who are having difficulty using a library and/or who are unserved or underserved in urban and rural communities. Funds support grant programs for libraries and statewide services. The LSTA Five Year Plan states that depending on the focus of the grant program, public and academic libraries and library computer consortia will be eligible to apply for federally funded grants. When applicable, libraries of all types will be eligible to receive services resulting from the implementation of the project specified in the grant program.

LSTA regulations allow the State Library two years to expend an annual allocation. Under these circumstances, it is common for grants awarded in a particular fiscal year to be paid for out of both current and previous year LSTA allocation. Therefore, the total of grants awarded in a particular fiscal year may not be the same as the allocation for that fiscal year.

In FY 1999, LSTA funds were used to fund library grants programs and services for:

The LSTA Information Access Through Technology priority supports grant programs and statewide services which have the following objectives: establishing or enhancing electronic linkages among or between libraries; assisting libraries in accessing information through electronic networks; paying the costs for libraries to acquire or share computer systems and telecommunications technologies; electronically linking libraries with educational, social or information services; and encouraging libraries in different areas and/or different types of libraries to establish consortia and share resources.

In FY 1999, LSTA funds were expended for the following grant programs and services:

Funds are used to purchase RLIN records for titles cataloged during the year by the Rutgers and Princeton University Libraries to be loaded into the OCLC online union catalog database. Through this grant 120 New Jersey OCLC library members (including the State Library's Access Center) have online access to the holdings of these major research libraries.

Public libraries who received a grant installed training centers and developed training programs to provide hands-on computer training for library users to: 1) develop skill in locating and effectively using information in World Wide Web, CD-ROM and other electronic databases; 2) be familiar with the Windows interface; and 3) have the necessary computer mouse and keyboard skills. The following 10 libraries were awarded contracts:

Cumberland County Library: $20,000
Center has 8 trainee PCs, 1 instructor's PC and a networked printer. Eight courses per month are offered.

East Brunswick Public Libary: $20,000
Center has 8 trainee PCs, 1 instructor's PC and a networked printer. Twenty courses per month are offered.

Englewood Public Library: $19,997
Center has 4 PCs, multimedia projector and a networked printer. Ten courses per month are offered.

Gloucester County Library: $20,000
Center has 6 trainee PCs, 1 instructor's PC with TV presentation system and a networked printer. Eighteen courses per month are offered.

Nutley Free Public Library: $16,708
Center has 4 PCs and a networked printer. Twenty courses per month are offered.

Old Bridge Public Library: $19,998
Center has 5 trainee PCs, 1 instructor's PC with TV presentation system and a networked printer. Thirty courses per month are offered.

Ridgewood Public LIbrary: $19,892
Center has 8 PCs , 1 instructor's PC with LCD projector and a networked printer. Twenty courses per month are offered.

Roxbury Public Library: $20,000
Center has 7 PCs and 4 printers. Twenty-four courses per month are offered.

South Brunswick Public LIbrary: $15,701
Center has 4 PCs, TV monitor and VCR and a networked printer. Twenty-five courses per month are offered.

Willingboro Public Library: $19,919
Center has 6 PCs and 2 networked printers. Twenty courses per month are offered.

The Hub Library Network is composed of 15 public and academic libraries and library computer consortia which blanket the state and provide all public libraries with rapid, free Internet access and technical assistance. Eighty-four percent of the public libraries in the state now have Internet access through the network. The Network pays its members fees for the Internet Service Proivder; line charges from the Hub Library to the Internet and provides technical support for the local connection to the Hub. The Hub Libraries also supply members with e-mail service and web page hosting. In FY 1999 technical support was provided for the Hub Libraries for router training and BANI consulting services. The Hub Libraries are as follows:

Total expended for Grant Program: $497,526
Program partially funded by the Technology Bond Fund for $111,544

The purpose of this grant program is to assist public and academic libraries and library computer consortia to acquire the necessary technology to further promote interconnectivity and resource sharing among all types of libraries in the state. Z39.50 software allows different vendors' Integrated Online Library Systems to talk to one another without the human user needing to know anything about the remote computer. Using grant funding, libraries and library computer consortia could acquire servers, WebPac software, Z39.50 software, 3M Standard Interchange Protocol software, NT software, users' licenses and vendor-supplied training. The following 17 libraries and consortia were awarded contracts:

The Informe electronic database provides Spanish language references to over 63,000 articles from popular Hispanic magazines many of which are available in full-text articles. Upwards of 1000 pamphlets on a variety of popular subjects are also included in the database. Designed primarily for the Spanish speaking user, the periodicals and pamphlets are from various Spanish-speaking countries. The database is available to all public libraries receiving their Internet access through a Hub Library.

The objective of this grant program is to assist public and community college libraries to become a member of a library computer consortium providing online catalog, circulation and cataloging subsystems for its member libraries; or to share a public library's Integrated Online Library System. The maximum grant was based on the size of the population served by the library. The following 6 libraries were awarded contracts:

Fanwood Public Library: $50,000
The library will join the LMxAC consortium and install 6 PCs supported by a 64K line. Staff and contract labor will create holdings records for 33,600 titles. LMxAC will provide OCLC records for titles not in the database.

Kenilworth Public Library: $39,095
The library will join the LMxAC consortium and install 5 PCs supported by a 64K line. LMxAC will match an existing machine readable database of 24,030 records to those in the database. LMxAC will convert 1,500 library records that are not in the database. The library will be cabled.

Matawan-Aberdeen Public LIbrary: $75,000
The library will join the LMxAC consortium and install 10 PCs supported by a T1 line. LMxAC will match an existing machine readable database of 63,348 OCLC records to those in the database. An additional 15,836 titles will be linked. LMxAC will provide OCLC cataloging for records not in the database. The library will be cabled.

Passaic County Community College Library: $50,000
The library will join the PALS Plus consortium and install 6 PCs supported by a T-1 line. PALS Plus will load 25,397 OCLC records for titles from 1983 to present. 15,603 records will be converted.

Plainfield Free Public Library: $99,900
The library will join the LMxAC consortium and install 15 PCs supported by a T1 line. LMxAC will match an existing machine readable database of 130,000 records to those in the database. Contract service will convert 11,000 older records not in the database.

Salem Community College LIbrary: $49,914
The library will join the GOLD consortium and install 3 PCs supported by a 64K line. GOLD staff will convert the collection of 25,000 titles using the GOLD and OCLC databases. Library staff will enter records and barcode the collection. The library will be cabled.

The New Jersey Union List of Serials contains information on 31,000 periodical and serial titles owned by 625 New Jersey libraries. Through the list, library patrons and staff have access to 194,000 local holdings records for direct forwarding of ILL photocopy requests, allowing requests to be filled rapidly and accurately. The New Jersey Union List of Serials database is maintained as part of the OCLC online union catalog database. Funds are used for: record conversion activities; updating the NJULS database; and OCLC online database maintenance fees. (NJULS costs are also supported by New Jersey Network Aid.)

The VALE Project, a consortium of 45 New Jersey public and private academic libraries, was awarded a grant to contract with OCLC, Inc. to obtain its SiteSearch interface software and have unlimited online use of two academic databases for a year.

The LSTA Services to Targeted Populations with Special Needs priority supports grant programs to libraries and statewide services for library and information services to persons, of all ages, who are having difficulty using a library and/or who are unserved or underserved in urban and rural communities. The LSTA Five Year Plan targets these services for: persons with disabilities (visual, physical, hearing, learning, etc.); persons for whom English is not their native language; persons lacking literacy skills; persons who are unemployed; and persons who are economically disadvantaged.

In FY 1999, LSTA funds were expended for the following grant programs and services:

LBH offers direct library services to any New Jersey resident who for any physical reason can not read regular printed books with ease. More than 10,000 individuals are registered users of the Library. Braille, talking books, large print books and descriptive videos are available on-site or by postage-free mail. The Library has: more than 60,000 book titles and 90 periodicals; machines to be loaned free-of-charge for playing recorded materials; an active children's program; resource materials on blindness and deafness; and an outreach program to promote the use of Spanish language materials.

In FY 1999, LBH circulated 500,000 items. More then 75 volunteers help operate Audiovision, a radio reading service, available to registered residents in central and southern New Jersey. LBH provides classes for visually impaired patrons in using computer assisted programs to access Internet web sites and the online catalog.

An AT&T language line service is available to assist persons for whom English is not their first language to access LBH library materials. The library's web pages are available in both English and Spanish versions.

In addition to its direct services, LBH has contracted with 10 public libraries throughout the state to make available, to registered patrons, a small collection of recorded books and cassette players to replace machines that need repairs. Federal funds support 25 FTE and 3 part-time staff positions in administration, readers' services, volunteer services, data processing, technical services, shipping and the Deaf Awareness Project.

This grant program funds public library projects to develop new services, programs and resources or to expand existing ones to meet the needs of unserved or underserved populations within the libraries' communities. In FY 1999, the following groups were targeted for service: children and adults who are economically disadvantaged; adults who are unemployed or underemployed; and children and adults whose English-language skills are limited. The following 12 libraries were awarded contracts:

Atlantic City Free Public Library: $10,000
Establish Homework Center to serve economically disadvantaged children with limited English language skills.

Belleville Public Library & Informaton Center: $10,000
Expansion of Career & Job Center materials, programs and counseling in resume preparation.

Camden Free Public Library: $ 9,903
Purchase materials in Spanish and promote Internet access for Hispanic residents.

Cumberland County Library: $10,000
Hired part-time employees to train patrons to search the Internet for career and job information.

East Brunswick Public Library: $10,000
Produce video tapes in Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, Korean and Russian that provide an overview of various library and municipal services.

Elizabeth Free Public Library: $10,000
Bookmobile service providing expanded Spanish and ESLmaterials.

Gloucester County Library: $10,000
Establish Homework Center at Glassboro Public Library to assist disadvantaged children.

Hillside Free Public Library: $ 9,106
Establish Career and Employment Center to assist patrons to find jobs, retrain and upgrade careers and increase job searching skills.

Mount Laurel Public Library: $10,000
Expand service to unemployed by providing workshops on resume writing, interview skills, employment skills and Internet resources and by purchasing new collection materials.

Newark Public Library: $10,000
Implement Community Health Information Project (CHIP) which uses Library resources and those of municipal programs to provide information on pressing health issues.

South Brunswick Public Library: $10,000
Purchase materials in Arabic and Urdu and present programs which showcase these materials.

Union Free Public Library (Friberger Park): $10,000
Present programs on job searching and starting a new business and purchase related materials.

The Multilingual Language Materials Acquisitions Center (MultiMAC) purchases a wide variety of popular reading materials in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Hindi, Gujarati, Russian, Haitian Creole, Polish, Arabic, Tagalog for all age groups and reading levels.

The Center compiles and distributes quarterly annotated booklists of new recommended acquisitions. It provides: cataloging information for each new title; on-site facilities for librarians to examine materials; consultation and advice on the acquisition and cataloging of materials; and packets, in eleven languages, which contain information and signs for using a public library. It also sponsors workshops on library services to multi-cultural and multi-ethnic communities.

The Center, administered by the Newark Public Library, was established with FY 1991 Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) funds. In FY 1999 the Center made 9,350 bulk loans, 675 individual loans, answered 344 questions from public, school, academic and special libraries and presented 4 workshops. Over 3,000 items were added to the collection.

New MultiMAC services in FY 1999 included:

The goal of this grant program is to strengthen local public library services, resources and programs to meet the literacy needs of adults, young adults and families. Projects funded under this program will assist public libraries to strengthen or expand their existing program components in literacy instruction, family literacy and/or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). The following 13 libraries were awarded contracts:

Belleville Public Library & Information Center: $19,200
Camden County Library $19,424
Elizabeth Free Public Library: $20,000
Gloucester County Library: $20,000
Hillside Free Pubic Library: $11,955
Jersey City Free Public Library: $20,000
Libraries of Middlesex: $15,000
Newark Public Library: $20,000
Passaic Public Library: $20,000
Paterson Free Public Library: $20,000
Plainfield Free Public Library: $20,000
Vineland Public Library: $20,000
Westwood Free Public Library: $20,000

Statewide services, supported by LSTA funding, are administered by State Library staff or provided directly to libraries and the public. The State Library's objectives in providing these statewide services are as follows:

LSTA funding supports 7 FTE and 10 part-time positions at the State Library which provide statewide reference, interlibrary loan and public library development services to the library community and to the citizens of New Jersey.

Reference and interlibrary loan service is provided statewide for libraries and the public. The State Library has extensive collections of law, New Jersey government, Jerseyana, local history, genealogy and core materials. Any member of the public, who has a public library card, can borrow materials from the State Library on-site or via an interlibrary loan request generated by their local public library.

Online access to information is provided through CyberDesk web pages which contain authoritative links to information resources for law, genealogy, health, medical resources, New Jersey government information and documents and other areas of interest to New Jersey residents. The site also provides Internet access to books, journal indexes, web sites, full-text of electronic journals and state documents and the capability for patrons to electronically transmit reference requests to the staff.

The State LIbrary's online catalog can be searched from on-site, home or the office. Persons with State Library cards can electronically submit loan requests for books from the State Library's collection or for titles not owned by the Library; and can download full-text journal articles, or electronically enter loan requests for articles not available in the database.

The Library Development Bureau provides consultant services and technical assistance to create, improve and strengthen library, information and literacy services. Administrative support for programs funded by LSTA includes: award of federal grants to libraries; generation and distribution of information to librarians, governing officials and the public; maintenance of web pages containing information on Library Development and Library for the Blind and Handicapped programs and services; provision and/or sponsorship of continuing education opportunities; and maintenance of the New Jersey Union List of Serials database.

In FY 1999, the State Library and its staff provided the following services and continuing education opportunities:

In FY 1999 the State Library sponsored a four day Train the Trainer Workshop whose goal was to develop a core group of library staff who will be skilled in training techniques and will serve as a training resource for libraries in New Jersey. Library Development staff organized the workshop and participated as trainers. Building on last year's Challenges of Technology and Training Workshop, a core group of volunteers expanded the curriculum to include units on using technology while training.

To accommodate the new lessons and permit learners more opportunities to practice, the training schedule was expanded from 3 to 4 days. Nineteen librarians from public, academic, special and school libraries received training. The participants reported an average of a 50% increase in skill level on 8 major training skills as a result of taking the workshop. Since the inception of this program in FY 1995, 105 librarians have been trained.

This half-day workshop, cosponsored by the State Library, the Multilingual Materials Acquisitions Center (MultiMAC) and the INFOLINK Regional Library Cooperative, was attended by 55 librarians who heard presentations on Informe, a Spanish language full-text periodical and citation database and a panel discussion on how to run English language conversation groups, how to catalog materials in unfamiliar languages, how to use MultiMAC services and what State Library grants can be used to build collections and services for new populations.

As authorized in LSTA up to four percent of the federal funds may be expended for administrative costs in connection with programs and activities carried out in the Act. The State Library uses these funds to: manage the projects and activities that fall under the purpose of the Act; provide financial and program accountability for the administration of federal funds; provide reimbursement for members of grant Reader Evaluation Panels; conduct meetings with librarians to solicit input, feedback and suggestions about the programs being conducted; and evaluate the results and impact of the LSTA program.