ACRL Chapter Annual Report Form

(Due August 15)

This report should be written by the Chapter President and cover the months of September through August.

Send to:

ACRL Executive Director
50 E. Huron St.
Chicago, IL 60611

Please also add this report to the Chapter's web site.

Chapter Name: New Jersey ACRL (also the College & University Section of NJLA)

Chapter President: Frances Kaufman (2004/05)
Phone: 973-275-2059
 (report prepared by Julie Still, president 2003/04)

President's Address:
Frances Kaufman (2004/05)
Client Services Librarian
University Library
Seton Hall University
400 South Orange Avenue
South Orange, NJ  07079

President's E-mail:  Email: kaufmafr@shu.edu

Chapter's Officers' Terms begin in and end in: July – June

Number of ACRL National Chapter Members: 265

Dates of meetings and programs in coming year: monthly meetings, Annual conference in April, continuing education programs throughout the year, one scheduled for October 15th.

Please indicate your Chapter's status:

box.gif - 58 BytesAffiliated with state/regional organization (name state chapter and give chapter designation, i.e. academic division, section, roundtable, etc.)

College and University Section of NJLA

 Each ACRL unit is asked to address the following issues in order for ACRL to assess how it is making progress on the strategic plan. Please provide a short summary of the Chapter's activities for the following issues.

  1. How has the Chapter facilitated professional development activities?

In keeping with past tradition and practice we have sponsored a research forum at the annual conference and presented a research award to encourage research and publication among librarians in the state.  We also sponsored a number of programs throughout the year and at the annual conference to provide opportunities for professional development.  Our technology award encourages cutting edge development and our distinguished service award recognizes

  1. How has the Chapter influenced legislative activities regarding information policy or higher education at the state, regional, or national level?

    The section has a legislative affairs coordinator who posts announcements on upcoming legislation to the statewide academic librarians listserv.  In addition our president for 2003/04 presented a paper at the Computers in Libraries conference and followed up with an article in Marketing Library Services on ways librarians can contact and influence their elected officials.

  2. How has the Chapter contributed to ACRL membership recruitment activities?

    For some years the chapter has sponsored a “job shadowing” service for library school students.  Our coordinator maintains a list of participating librarians and disseminates it to all library schools in the tri-state area.  For the past two years in a row we have seen an increase in the number of students using this service.  Students who have shadowed librarians have found jobs, professional advice, mentoring, resume preparation assistance, and just general follow-up lunches and coffees.  All participants have reported enjoying the experience a great deal.  We also introduced a new program to recruit undergraduates, especially minority undergraduates into the profession.  See details under question 4. 

  3. Has the Chapter undertaken any special efforts this year?

With the cooperation of NJLA we offered librarians the chance to invite an undergraduate student interested in librarianship to attend one day of the annual conference (the day our annual luncheon is held) free of charge.  One librarian / student team were able to participate.  (A late venue change for the conference may have affected participation rates.)  Another undergraduate did attend the luncheon and was invited to meet our speaker, Tyrone Cannon.  Both students have been in touch with chapter officials and with Mr. Cannon since the luncheon and both reported a positive experience and an appreciation for the networking opportunities.