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New Jersey Urban Libraries: Challenges and Strategies for Change(May 3, 2002) The Urban Libraries Section of the New Jersey Library Association was established to address the unique needs of urban public libraries of the state. As the need and demand for services in urban areas continues to grow, even as funding declines and other problems proliferate, the leaders of New Jersey’s urban libraries see the need to articulate the challenges facing their institutions so that they can communicate their issues to others and work together to devise new solutions.Many of the problems facing urban libraries also confront libraries in suburban and rural settings. What distinguishes the urban situation is the scope and severity of the problems exacerbated by the critical, complex and diverse needs of the populations served. For example, while homelessness is not limited to urban centers, the numbers of homeless in cities is much greater than those in other areas. While many communities in New Jersey are experiencing an influx of new immigrants, cities tend to draw those who are less educated and have more limited job skills. While all public libraries must deal with local funding issues, relationships with schools, facilities needs, and collections, technology, and staffing issues, urban libraries face factors and forces that must be dealt with in each of these areas. State Librarian, Norma Blake, asked the Urban Libraries Section to define the unique challenges urban libraries face and to propose strategies for change. Leslie Burger, President of NJLA, facilitated a meeting of section members (list of attendees appended) on January 11th, where they offered their observations and suggestions. Cindy Czesak and Marianne Avery compiled a draft report of their consensus views. The draft was distributed for review, discussed at a second meeting on February 8th, and then revised to incorporate changes and to add new material that members recommended. This report highlights the critical issues facing New Jersey’s urban libraries and provides specific recommendations for actions. Urban Libraries Section members, NJLA, or the State Library, can simply and speedily implement some of these initiatives. Others, though, require more long-term and concerted development by urban librarians working with these agencies and others. The Urban Libraries section requests, therefore that the State Library convene a summit of urban libraries and their supporters to provide the impetus for that more expansive effort. Challenges and Strategies for ChangeChallenge: FundingThe tax base in urban areas in New Jersey is weak, with few commercial ratables. As a result, property tax rates are high, but are still insufficient to meet the financial needs of the city. School funding takes a large proportion of the local budget, as it does in most communities. Urban libraries are forced, then, to compete with other city agencies for a meager slice of an inadequate fiscal pie.Strategies
Challenge: Public Schools/Public LibrariesWith few exceptions, New Jersey urban libraries serve students in Abbott districts
(a list accompanies this report). While the state government has recognized
that Abbott school districts have pressing needs that warrant special funding,
no similar mandate funds support of the public libraries in those districts.
In many urban areas, the public library serves de facto as the school library;
the school library may either not exist at all or may be poorly staffed, with
obsolete collections and little or no technology or programs. Most charter
schools and private schools lack any library service. In addition, the requirement
for free preschool and full day kindergarten classes in these school districts
has also placed a large burden on the public library. Urban schools turn to
urban public libraries to provide collections, programs, services, and outreach.
Challenge: FacilitiesSince New Jersey’s urban
public libraries were among the first in the state, their facilities are among
the oldest. Buildings that are designated
historic sites, or, are located in historic districts, merit careful stewardship
but the special attention they require makes them more expensive to maintain
and restore. Many of these facilities need extensive repair and rehabilitation.
When funds are sought for construction in public libraries, these factors merit
special consideration so that urban libraries can address these pressing facilities
needs.
Challenge: Staff Recruitment, Retention, and TrainingAs
the gap widens between the number of professional librarians available nationwide
and the number needed to staff today’s libraries, all libraries struggle
to recruit and retain quality staff. Urban libraries face the additional
obstacle of the common perception, and occasional reality, that urban centers
are (at worst) unsafe and (at best) unattractive environments in which to
work. In many cases, salaries are lower in urban centers than they are in
other areas. New librarians are not as motivated to see the satisfaction
inherent in urban library work. The rewards of doing important work for those
most in need has not been well communicated to new professionals. At the
same time, many current staff have become dispirited after working in daunting
circumstances for years. They need revitalized skills and fresh perspectives.
Recruitment and retention are even more difficult in municipalities that
have ordinances requiring residency of city workers. This restricts the pool
of potential applicants even further. For all staff, training and continuing
education are critically needed.
Challenge: LiteracyThe incidence of illiteracy in
urban areas is endemic and far greater than urban libraries’ capacity
to remedy. Literacy is a lifelong learning challenge, spanning the life cycle
from preschool, teen and family programs
to adults and seniors. Urban libraries respond with an array of programs
but local efforts vary widely and may be less efficient because of a lack
of coordination and duplication of effort.
Challenge: Collection Preservation, Digitization, and AccessNew
Jersey’s urban public libraries serve the oldest communities in the
state. Their collections are rich with history, not only of their own municipality
but of nearby areas, as well as of the state. In order to be prudent stewards
of this heritage, urban libraries need funds to carefully preserve the rare,
unique and fragile materials in their care. Digitization now provides the means
to provide global access to our state’s heritage. Ideally, digitization
and preservation should be undertaken concurrently.
Challenge: MarketingAll libraries need to better
communicate their mission and message to the public and to funders. Urban libraries,
in particular, suffer from lack of a positive
image in the media.
Challenge: TechnologyThough much progress has been
made in bridging the digital divide, much remains to be done. Residents in
urban areas still lag behind other groups in the
percentage of residents who own computers. For most city dwellers, the public
library provides their sole access to technology. Most technology grants
support the purchase of equipment but ignore the critical need for staff
to maintain systems and to provide training for the public.
Challenge: Targeted grant programsUrban libraries
would benefit greatly from grant programs targeted only for urban libraries
to support preservation, collection maintenance, management
issues, organizational issues, planning, and services to special populations.
General recommendations
While urban libraries share many characteristics, they also vary widely in populations, priorities and potential. This report defines some common traits that can be addressed by statewide initiatives. Each library, however, faces unique local challenges that must be dealt with locally.
The operations of most urban libraries are severely constrained by Department of Personnel regulations, union contracts, levels of local government bureaucracy and a long history of complex local government relations. These forces often impede progress and must be considered in any programs.
The Urban Libraries Section seeks to raise awareness of urban issues to mitigate the unintended negative impact of some actions by the State Library on urban libraries. One example cited above is the exemption of the cost of security staff in the calculation of state aid. Another example is the Technology Grants that were part of the Libraries 2000 initiative. While population was a factor in the amount of awards, need of the library and the need of the population served (i.e., the digital divide) should have been a factor. The members of the Urban Libraries Section are encouraged by and grateful to the State Librarian for initiating this dialogue on strategies to improve public libraries. We intend to expand on specific recommendations listed above, particularly in recommending other divisions of state or federal government as options. Additionally, a survey of “best practices” in New Jersey’s urban libraries will be compiled and the report distributed widely. In these ways, we hope to continue to work together for the advancement of our libraries and our communities. NJLA Urban Library Section Meeting Attendees
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