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The Talking Book and Braille Center (TBBC) is excited to invite adult patrons aged 18 and over to participate in the Chilly Chapters Winter Reading Challenge (WRC). This eight-week challenge will run from January 6, 2025, to February 28, 2025, encouraging participants to engage in reading during the winter months. Registration Details Participants can register for the WRC from December 2, 2024, to December 23, 2024. Registration is free and can be completed by contacting Liz Kelly via:

• Phone: (800) 792-8322 ext. 805
• Email: lkelly@njstatelib.org

Upon registration, participants will receive:

• A comprehensive packet with challenge rules.
• Curated lists of recommended books.
• A reading log to track their reading progress.

The first 75 patrons to register will receive a TBBC logo gift! Reading Program Details

• Duration: January 6, 2025 – February 28, 2025
• Eligibility: Adults (18+) registered with NJSL Talking Book and Braille Center.
• Reading Log Submission: Participants must submit their completed reading logs by March 1, 2025. Logs can be submitted via:
  • Email: Send a photo or a list of read books to lkelly@njstatelib.org.
  • Mail: Ensure logs are postmarked by February 28, 2025 (participants must provide their own postage).
  • Phone: Consult with a Readers Advisor to add titles to the reading log.

Prizes All registered participants who report reading at least one book will receive one entry into a prize drawing for $100 Visa Gift Card. Additional entries can be earned as follows:

• 2 Entries: For the top 10 patrons who read the most books.
• 3 Entries: For the top 5 readers.
• “Most books read” Prize: A tactile chess set will be awarded to the participant with the highest number of books read.

Prize Drawing The drawing will take place on Friday March 14, 2025, with winners notified by email or phone. Results will also be announced in the Spring issue of the TBBC Newsletter.

The post Join the TBBC Winter Reading Challenge: Chilly Chapters! appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

The Northeast Summit on Climate Adaptation for Library Facilities, which consists of State libraries and agencies from Maine to Maryland, invites you to save the date for our next webinar, “Library Greenscapes: Cultivating Climate Resilience, Community, and Learning Outdoors.”

This virtual event will take place on Tuesday, February 4, from 1:00pm to 2:30pm and will feature a keynote from MA, landscape architect Lisa Giersbach of the G2 Collaborative, and a panel discussion of librarians from VT, MA, and MD who have transformed their library’s exterior landscapes.

More information and a registration link will be forthcoming. We hope to see you there!

The post Save the Date – Northeast Summit on Climate Adaptation for Library Facilities appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

Thanks to a generous grant from the National Network Libraries of Medicine Region 2, the New Jersey State Library invites you to attend the following in-person workshop trainings offered at five locations throughout the state. The workshops will be presented by the Mental Health Association of New Jersey and cover the following topics:

1. Self-Care for Librarians: Addressing burnout, mind and body wholeness.
2. Dealing with Crisis: For front desk who have to handle fraught customers and QPR suicide prevention certification.

Each session will provide additional community resources, access to information, and additional online training and support services available to the libraries, as well as access to annual mental health awareness and education materials, along with a direct line into the MHANJ Call Center for questions and consultation.

Please note: Attendance is limited to 25 per location and is open to one person per library.

Dates and Locations:

• January 6 from 9:00am to 3:30pm – Cumberland County Library, Bridgeton
• January 13 from 9:00am to 3:30pm – Newark Public Library, 4th floor auditorium
• February 3 from 9:00am to 3:30pm – Elizabeth Public Library
• February 24 from 9:00am to 3:30pm – Atlantic County Library, Mays Landing
• March 10 from 9:00am to 3:30pm – Burlington County Library Headquarters

Lunch will be provided. Please indicate any dietary restrictions in the registration form.

Click here to register.

Questions? Please contact Andrea Levandowski at alevandowski@njstatelib.org

The post In-Person Mental Health Training for Libraries appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

The New Jersey State Library (NJSL) is issuing a Request for Quotations (RFQ) to be received by the New Jersey State Library, emailed to skowalski@njstatelib.org, no later than 11:59 p.m. January 10, 2025. The New Jersey State Library (NJSL or State Library) seeks qualified vendors to provide statewide access to a wide range of electronic resources and services for state residents and libraries of all types. We anticipate entering a three-year contract (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2028) with selected vendor(s) to fulfill the educational, recreational and informational needs of New Jersey residents and libraries with digital  and online content made available through JerseyClicks. Quotations submitted in response to this RFQ may be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder(s), price and other factors are considered.

Please click here for the official request for quotations.

The post Request for Quotations for JerseyClicks Electronic Resources appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

The New Jersey State Library (NJSL) seeks representatives to serve on the Library Network Review Board. Representatives will serve a two-year term beginning January 1, 2025. Representatives of all types of libraries, including K-12 school, academic, and public libraries, are encouraged to apply.

The Library Network Review Board (LNRB) meets at least annually and advises the State Librarian on matters pertaining to necessary or desirable statewide and inter-regional programs or services; and types of interaction and linkage of the New Jersey Library Network with interstate and national library networks. The board is composed of four members appointed by the LibraryLinkNJ Executive Board and up to four members appointed by the State Librarian. Each member of the Library Network Review Board serves for a term of two years, and may be reappointed for a second term.

The New Jersey State Library (https://www.njstatelib.org), an affiliate of Thomas Edison State University, is led by State Librarian Jennifer R. Nelson and provides services for NJ libraries, the state legislature and government employees, Thomas Edison State University staff and students, and registered borrowers.

LibraryLinkNJ (https://librarylinknj.org) is a nonprofit, multi-type library organization established under the New Jersey Library Network Law and the regulations under New Jersey Administrative Code. 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. LLNJ has over 1,300 voting representatives from more than 2,500 public and private school, public, academic, institutional, corporate, health sciences and special libraries and library-related agencies. Members join at no charge and pay no dues.

To apply, send an email to mmaziekien@njstatelib.org by Wednesday, December 20, 2024. Please submit a summary of your professional experience (i.e., resume, short bio or profile link).

The post Library Network Review Board – Call for Representatives appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

Calling all patrons of the New Jersey State Library Talking Book and Braille Center!

We invite you to reminisce about beloved homemade meals and treats. Do you have a cherished recipe you’d like to share? We’re excited to announce a nationwide project where TBBC patrons and NLS staff members can contribute their favorite recipes!

Think back to the comforting taste of your mom’s kitchen, the delightful casseroles you enjoyed after school, or those unforgettable Christmas cookies from your grandma. We want to gather these recipes for “The Community Table,” a unique collection that will be produced in audio, braille, and (eventually) large print.

Join librarians from South Carolina and Florida as they create a heartfelt anthology filled with love, memories, and culinary delights from across the country.

To contribute, please email your recipe along with a brief paragraph explaining why it’s special, to tbbc@njstatelib.org.

Thank you for helping us create something truly wonderful to share!

The post TBBC Patrons: Submit a Recipe to ‘The Community Table’ Collection appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

The New Jersey State Library is happy to announce the six libraries selected to participate in the Digital Navigation Corps, an initiative led by Literacy Minnesota to bring full-time AmeriCorps members organizations in high-need communities.

The selected libraries are:

• Atlantic City Free Library
• Edison Public Library
• Linden Public Library
• New Brunswick Free Public Library
• Pennsauken Free Public Library
• Union City Public Library

The Digital Navigation Corps is an AmeriCorps State and National program that will place 28 AmeriCorps members in locations in Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Texas to provide digital literacy and job readiness training. This locally responsive, scalable solution to the digital equity crisis will place individual AmeriCorps members as Digital Navigators in libraries, nonprofits, and public agencies to help connect digitally disenfranchised people with nearby digital inclusion activities that address their unique needs. The New Jersey State Library is a State-Level Partner in this initiative.

Through a competitive application and review process six New Jersey public libraries have been selected to serve as host sites. These libraries will provide the vision, project plan, day-to-day management of the project, and on-site supervision of their AmeriCorps members.

The Digital Navigation Corps is expected to launch with services to the public in January 2025. For questions or more information, please contact Andrea Levandowski, Adult Services Specialist: alevandowski@njstatelib.org.

The post Libraries Chosen to Participate in Digital Navigation Corps appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

The New Jersey Division of Aging Services (DoAS), an organization within the New Jersey Department of Human Services, strives to make it easier for older adults to live in their community as long as possible with independence, dignity, and choice.

The Division administers a number of federal- and state-funded programs that provide assistance for everyday needs. Access to some of these programs is available with NJSave, an application that can help older adults and individuals with disabilities save money on Medicare premiums, prescriptions, utilities, and other living expenses. Click here to learn more about NJSave.

New Jersey residents ages 60 and older can also remain socially engaged, learn new skills, and become more proficient with technology with free access to GetSetUp, an online platform that hosts live classes taught by older adults for older adults. GetSetUp is available 24/7 and offers hundreds of classes across a wide range of topics, including art, health, technology, and travel. Click here to register through the State’s partnership with GetSetUp.

If your library is interested in learning more about these and additional DoAS programs and services, as well as how the Division can help you promote them to your patrons, please email DoAS.Outreach@dhs.nj.gov.

The post NJ Division of Aging Services Programs appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

The New Jers​​​ey High School Consumer Bowl is an educational competition for high school students across the state. It was established in 1997 to educate young adults on a variety of consumer issues and is approved under the New Jersey Department of Education Professional Development Guidelines, thus enabling teachers who coach the students to obtain professional development credits.

Schools participate free of charge and study materials and additional study links are provided through our website. All participating students receive Certificates of Achievement. Winners at the county and regional level receive trophies. First, second and third-place winners at the state level, the final level of competition, receive individual medals.

If you are interested in participating in the New Jersey High School Consumer Bowl, please contact Dulcelina Pena at PenaD@dca.njoag.gov or P.O. Box 45027 Newark, New Jersey 07101.

Click to download promotional poster. Entrance deadline has been extended to November 18th, 2024.

The post New Jersey High School Consumer Bowl appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

Please join us for the New Jersey Cultural Alliance for Response Virtual Summit. Cultural Institutions and Climate Resiliency November 12, 2024, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM REGISTER AT: https://bit.ly/3zZREn2

Keynote: Adapting Facilities for Climate Resilience

Join Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MLS, LEED AP, Executive Director of the Mid-Hudson Library System, Co-Founder/Board President of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative, and principal author of the National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries for an introduction to the idea of sustainability as a core value and practical tips for ensuring cultural institutions have facilities are more resilience in the face of the predicted impacts of severe weather brought on by climate change. Rebekkah Smith Aldrich currently serves as the co-chair of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Special Task Force on Sustainability, as an advisory board member for the ALA Center for the Future of Libraries, and is a founding board member of the ALA Sustainability Round Table and the co-founder of the New York Library Association’s Sustainability Initiative.

Program: Collections Climate Resiliency Cohort for Coastal New Jersey and Delaware

Speaker: Dyani Feige, Director of Preservation Services, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts

The Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA), in partnership with Christopher Cameron of Sustainable Heritage, is introducing a Collections Climate Resiliency Cohort. With generous funding from the National Endowment of the Humanities, this initiative is aimed at small-to-midsized collecting institutions located in coastal regions of New Jersey and Delaware. The vast majority of land in both New Jersey and Delaware lies within what geologists call the Atlantic Coastal Plain, which has a heightened vulnerability to storm inundation and sea-level rise. Collecting institutions need to undergo a paradigm shift in their thinking, a monumental task, to begin to approach planning in a way that both increases sustainability efforts to mitigate their own contributions to climate change while also preparing and adapting for projected outcomes in an ever-riskier world.

Program: Jumpstart Your Arts Readiness Plan with dplan/ArtsReady

Speaker: Mollie Quinlan-Hayes, Fund Development and Program Officer, NCAPER

Arts and cultural organizations are vulnerable not just to natural disasters, but to crises due to accidents, deferred maintenance, negligence, public health emergencies, and human-caused events such as community unrest, cyberattacks, and violence. As a steward of your institution’s collections and creative assets, you want to protect them, maintain your business operations, and continue to serve your community in the wake of an emergency. dPlan/ArtsReady is an online emergency preparedness and response tool for arts and cultural organizations – of any size, scope, or discipline. NJCAR members can get a free one-year subscription (a $100 value)! This session will walk through how the tool works and how to jumpstart your plan. It builds on the elements you already have in place and lets you work at your own pace to create your customized preparedness plan!

Click here to register. 

The post Register Now for the New Jersey Cultural Alliance for Response Virtual Summit appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

The New Jersey State Library collaborated with the New Jersey Library Association (NJLA) to create a media relations guidebook for NJ libraries.

This is a basic guide to media training that covers key concepts and skills to help library staff effectively communicate with the media. The goal of this resource is to help library staff feel prepared and confident to take a call from a journalist at any given time! This is a great resource to keep handy for reference in the future when interview opportunities arise.

Click here to access the Media Training 101 Guidebook.

The post Introducing a Media Relations Guide for Libraries appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

The New Jersey State Library (NJSL) is issuing a Request for Quotations (RFQ) to be received by the New Jersey State Library; 185 West State Street, PO Box 520, Trenton NJ 08608-0520 no later than 11:59 p.m. December 2, 2024. The New Jersey State Library (NJSL or State Library) is seeking professional meeting planner services for an upcoming event, Reimagining Information Literacy, scheduled for Summer 2026 (date tbd) in New Jersey, (specific location tbd). We invite qualified meeting planning firms or individuals to submit a quotation for the scope of work described in this RFQ.

NJSL expects to enter into a contract for the period February 3, 2025 – September 30, 2026 for meeting planning services. Quotations submitted in response to this RFQ may be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder(s), price and other factors are considered.

Please click here for the official request for quotations.

The post Request for Quotations for Meeting Planner appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

This is special information from IMLS.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services participates in the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, a partnership of 62 national service organizations and federal agencies created to protect cultural heritage from the damaging effects of natural disasters and other emergencies.

Cultural Institutions or Arts Organizations that have been impacted by the recent storm can fill out one of the following Rapid Damage Assessment Forms:

1. Cultural Institutions
2. Arts Organizations
3. Individual Artists and Performing Groups

Cultural institutions, arts organizations, and artists and performing groups can call the National Heritage Responders hotline: (202) 661-8068. The National Heritage Responders, a team of trained conservators and collections care professionals administered by the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation, are available 24/7 to provide advice and guidance.

For Members of the Public

Members of the public and individual artists who have questions about saving family heirlooms and personal collections can email the National Heritage Responders at NHRpublichelpline@culturalheritage.org.

HENTF’s Save Your Family Treasures guidance is available at https://www.fema.gov/disaster/recover/save-family-treasures#fact-sheets. Here you can find the downloadable FEMA fact sheets “After the Flood: Advice for Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures” and “Salvaging Water-Damaged Family Valuables and Heirlooms,” available in multiple languages.

Click here for additional HENTF Resources.

The post Recovery Resources for Libraries Impacted by Natural Disasters appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

This October, celebrate Family History Month with the New Jersey State Library! 

 

NJSL Presents has organized events this month that celebrate our history and the ways we can utilize statewide resources to learn more about our ancestors. Feel free to virtually attend the following webinars and explore new techniques in researching genealogy. All webinars are recorded, so if you miss an event the recaps are posted to our website and recordings are available on our YouTube channel. If you’d like more information about a specific question or project that you’re working on, click here for our Genealogy collection or contact our Genealogy Librarian, Regina Fitzpatrick.

Garden State Genealogy: Records of the NJ State Archives October 1 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Jon Bozard, Reference Assistant, New Jersey State Archives

When conducting genealogy research in the great state of New Jersey, there is no better place than the NJ State Archives.  Whether you are looking for vital records, wills, state census, court records or military records, the NJ State Archives has you covered.  Please join us for National Family History Month as Jon Bozard from the NJ State Archives talks about their collections and what is available for in-person and mail reference, including new records that are coming in 2025.

Click here to register.  Using AI in Genealogy October 8 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Melanie McComb, Senior Genealogist, American Ancestors

There has been so much talk of Artificial Intelligence recently and how it will affect all aspects of our lives. Have you wondered how Artificial Intelligence might be able to help your family history research? In this lecture, Senior Genealogist Melanie McComb will discuss exciting possibilities for using AI to support your research—including assistance with report writing, digitally restoring family photos, and more.

Click here to register.  Finding Women Ancestors in New Jersey October 29 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Regina Fitzpatrick, Genealogy Librarian, New Jersey State Library

Documenting women in genealogy efforts can be more difficult than finding men, especially during the colonial and antebellum periods of our history. Women were much less likely to own property and therefore could not participate or take part in a variety services that generate useful genealogical records, including censuses, wills, and deeds. Please join us as Regina Fitzpatrick, Genealogy Librarian here at the NJ State Library, uncovers strategies for locating New Jersey women in records collections from the colonial era to the 20th Century.

Click here to register. 

The post Celebrate National Family History Month with the New Jersey State Library! appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

We’re thrilled to announce that the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) is looking for 5,000 users nationwide to help us test the innovative My Talking Books skill on Amazon Alexa smart speakers!

Key Details:

• Launch Date: The My Talking Books skill will be available for NLS patrons starting Wednesday, September 25th
• Registration: To participate, you must register. Sign up now at www.surveymonkey.com/r/mtb-open-beta.
• For minor patrons, a parent or legal guardian must complete the parental acknowledgement form here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mtb-parental-acknowledgment

What’s an Open Beta Test?

This is your chance to experience the My Talking Books skill before it officially launches. Your feedback will be crucial in helping us identify and fix any issues. Participants will need to report any problems they encounter.

How to Register:

• Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis until we reach the 5,000-user limit.
• If the limit is reached before you register, you will be placed on a waitlist for future access.

Next Steps:

• Once registered, you will receive an email notification when your access is ready. You must activate the service within 48 hours of receiving this email; otherwise, the license will be reassigned.

Get Started:

• Ensure you have an Amazon account, an Alexa enabled smart speaker, and an active BARD login.
• For help or questions, contact the Talking Book and Braille Center (TBBC) at (800) 792-8322 Ext 0 or email us at TBBC@njstatelib.org.

Important Note: You must have an active BARD account to use My Talking Books. If your account is inactive, please contact TBBC to reactivate it before accessing the service.

Don’t miss out on this chance to be among the first to explore a revolutionary way to enjoy your audiobooks! We look forward to your participation and feedback.

The post Audio Books on Amazon Alexa Smart Speaker appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

The “Reimagining Information Literacy” Initiative will Provide Education and Training Resources for New Jersey’s K-12 Public Schools and Libraries

 

TRENTON, NJ – September 23, 2024 – The New Jersey State Library, an affiliate of Thomas Edison State University, has announced a partnership with the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey Association of School Librarians, and LibraryLinkNJ, to help New Jersey’s K-12 public schools and libraries prepare for the state’s forthcoming information literacy standards. In January 2023, New Jersey became the first state in the nation to require that information literacy be taught in public schools. In anticipation of the new information literacy standards, the State Library and partnering agencies have already begun working to develop replicable models and tools for information literacy education and support resources for the public school and library workforce.

“With the constant spread of misinformation, it is more important now than ever for our children to build a strong foundation of information literacy skills,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “It is our responsibility to give our students the tools they need to become critical thinkers and separate fact from fiction. With New Jersey leading the way in information literacy, I am confident that our children will become informed, thoughtful, and engaged citizens.”

The State Library’s “Reimagining Information Literacy” initiative has an overarching goal of helping certified school library media specialists, public librarians, academic librarians, and teachers across the state, who will support students in learning about information literacy. State law (N.J.S.A. 18A:7F-4.4) defines information literacy as a set of skills that enables an individual to recognize when information is needed and to locate, evaluate, and effectively use the needed information. Information literacy includes, but is not limited to, digital, visual, media, textual, and technological literacy.

“Information literacy is more important now than ever before,” said Acting Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer. “Our students are constantly bombarded with information from digital, media, and technological sources, so equipping them with the skills to discern and evaluate that information is critical to their success both in and out of the classroom. New Jersey is proud to be at the forefront of this effort, as the first state to mandate information literacy instruction in our public schools. The Department of Education is fully committed to supporting our educators and students in this vital initiative, working hand-in-hand with partners like the New Jersey State Library to provide the necessary resources, training, and instructional supports.”

The State Library and its partners will develop online training modules, professional development resources, classroom curriculum, and other support for New Jersey’s public schools and libraries.

“Information literacy is a cornerstone of libraries,” said Jen Nelson, State Librarian, New Jersey State Library. “Now, well into the information age and with the more recent advent of artificial intelligence tools and applications, students of all ages need to effectively evaluate and use information for all aspects of life. New Jersey libraries are committed to working alongside public schools to do this important work.”

This project is made possible in part with $748,588 in funds, provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the New Jersey State Library, award number IMLS-NLG- RE -255048. Questions about “Reimagining Information Literacy” can be directed to Sharon Rawlins of the New Jersey State Library at srawlins@njstatelib.org.

Please note: Jen Nelson’s quote has been updated since the original release of this announcement.

The post NJ State Library Awarded Grant to Help Prepare NJ Schools & Libraries for Upcoming Information Literacy Learning Standards appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

Has the lasting impact of the pandemic had you reevaluating traditional services and programs? Does “equity” feel too big to tackle by yourself? Consider being a part of Building Equity-Based Summers (BEBS). BEBS is an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant-funded national initiative focused on assisting public library staff in gaining the skills necessary to work with systematically marginalized communities.

The NJ State Library is seeking public libraries to participate in the third year of this three-year initiative. Each participating library should be represented by a team of least two or more staff members. Team members should have roles in summer services work and may be frontline staff, staff from other departments, supervisors, directors, or community partners outside the library. Each participating library will receive a $500 stipend.

Through training and co-design, participants will work to address the following questions:

• Do summer services demonstrate attention to equity?
• How are libraries determining how and if summer services are achieving equity goals?
• What impact are summer services having on those that need them most?

Participation in the BEBS initiative will require of all team members to:

• Attend eight virtual learning sessions every other week with other NJ participants. The sessions will run from late Fall 2024 – Winter 2025.
• Attend a virtual orientation session on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024 from 10 – 11 am.
• Virtual learning session dates and times are:
  • Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, 10 am – 11:30 am
  • Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, 10 am – 11:00 am
  • Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, 10 am – 11:30 am **** Note, it’s a Thursday
  • Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, 10 am – 11 am
  • Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, 10 am – 11:30 am
  • Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, 10 am – 11 am
  • Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, 10 am – 11:30 am
  • Wednesday, Mar. 12, 2025, 10 am – 11 am
• Participants should plan to commit approximately 2-5 hours a month to BEBS work outside of the learning sessions.
• Participate in a monthly Community of Practice (CoP) with other states in 2025 after the learning sessions conclude.

Libraries who would like to participate in this project are asked to contact Sharon Rawlins, Youth Services Specialist, NJ State Library, srawlins@njstatelib.org, 609-278-2640 x116, by September 30, 2024.

The post Building Equity-Based Summers (BEBS) Initiative appeared first on New Jersey State Library.

This article was originally published by Thomas State Edison University.

Thomas Edison State University (TESU), in collaboration with the New Jersey State Library (NJSL), announces the formation of a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Task Force. This initiative aims to guide the integration of AI technologies across the university and library, ensuring these innovations align with the strategic goals and ethical standards of both institutions.

The AI Task Force has been established to support leadership across TESU and NJSL in integrating AI into various organizational operations and enhancing the educational experiences of students. The task force will focus on key areas such as AI-driven tools for business processes, data analytics, student services and institutional initiatives. By doing so, the task force plans to ensure that these efforts are consistent with TESU’s and NJSL’s strategic initiatives and ethical principles.

TESU President Merodie A. Hancock, Ph.D., expressed her support for the initiative.

“At TESU, we are committed to preparing our students and staff for the future, and the formation of this AI Task Force is a critical step in that direction. By aligning our efforts with the state’s broader AI initiatives, and partnering with our affiliate, The New Jersey State Library, we ensure that our community is not only equipped to adapt to the changes brought by AI, but also to lead in this new era of technological innovation. This task force will play a vital role in integrating AI into our educational and operational strategies, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of higher education,” Hancock said.

The task force will operate under the direction of the Provost and the Chief Technology Officer, who, together, will oversee the alignment of AI strategies with institutional priorities. Stuart A. Eisenstadt, assistant dean of the School of Sciences & Technology, will serve as chair and Christina Wilson, director of Learning Technology & Solutions, and Edith Beckett, Ph.D., MLIS, supervisor, tech services at NJSL, will be co-chairs.

The launch of TESU’s AI Task Force comes at a pivotal moment for the state of New Jersey. In a national first, New Jersey has initiated a comprehensive effort to consult workers across the state about the impact of generative artificial intelligence on the workplace. Recognizing the potential of AI, the State of New Jersey is seeking direct input from workers about the hopes, concerns and challenges they foresee with this rapidly evolving technology. The insights gathered from a statewide survey will inform the Governor’s Office on how to harness AI responsibly and ethically.

The TESU/NJSL AI Task Force’s work will complement the state’s broader AI initiatives by focusing on the academic and operational integration of AI within higher education and public library systems. As the state gathers insights from its workforce, TESU’s task force will ensure that the university remains at the forefront of preparing students and staff for the future of work, aligning educational experiences with the evolving demands of the labor market.

“AI is changing how people produce and consume information; ensuring that the implications of using AI are well understood is paramount for libraries serving students and the public,” said New Jersey State Librarian Jen Nelson.

The TESU/NJSL AI Task Force will engage in a range of activities, including:

• Student Learning: Recommending AI tools and processes to effectively incorporate AI into student learning experiences.
• Strategic Guidance: Advising on the development of a comprehensive AI strategy that includes measurable objectives, identifying impactful AI applications and ensuring alignment with TESU’s and NJSL’s missions.
• Ethical Implementation: Providing guidance on maintaining ethical standards and compliance with laws like GDPR and FERPA, particularly in data privacy, algorithmic fairness and transparency.
• Technology Assessment: Evaluating and recommending AI technologies that best meet the needs of TESU and NJSL, ensuring compatibility and integration feasibility.
• Data Governance: Offering expertise in managing the security, integrity and privacy of institutional data used in AI applications.
• Training and Resources: Facilitating AI literacy and competency through continuous learning, resource development and professional development programs tailored to TESU/NJSL staff and students.

The task force will also collaborate with external AI experts and vendors to support its recommendations. This collaboration will enhance the university’s operational efficiency and data-driven decision making while ensuring that AI is appropriately integrated into the student experience.

The post Thomas Edison State University and New Jersey State Library Launch Artificial Intelligence Task Force to Drive Strategic Innovation appeared first on New Jersey State Library.