Code for Committees

New Jersey Library Association
Code for Committees and Their Subcommittees

All members of the Association are encouraged to participate on the committees and subcommittees of the Association. This document outlines guidelines for ideal composition of committees. Unless otherwise noted in this document, the following procedures will apply to committee and subcommittee appointments.

The First Vice-President (President-elect) will select among applicants and solicit among other individuals with identified expertise to serve beginning the following year on committees. All committee members must be individual members of the Association except where noted. When possible, appointments to committees will be representative of the geography, the types and sizes of libraries throughout the state, and the positions of library workers in New Jersey libraries, within their makeup.

Committee terms begin on July 1st. Members are appointed for a two-year term unless otherwise determined by the First Vice-President (President-elect). They may apply for reappointment for up to two additional consecutive two-year terms, thus making their tenure six years. Members must be off a committee for one year in order to be eligible for reappointment to that committee. Any member who does not attend two consecutive meetings without cause may be removed from a committee by the chair.

Committee appointments are staggered to ensure continuity. Term limits on committee appointments ensure that all members of the Association have the opportunity to participate. At the discretion of the First Vice-President (President-elect), a member may be asked to serve longer on a committee to function as vice-chair and chair. The chair of each committee will succeed into that position, having been appointed as the vice-chair by the First Vice-President (President-elect) the previous year and approved by the Executive Board of the Association.

Committees are empowered to meet at least two times per year, dates to be determined by the chair and membership. The NJLA Executive Board and its Planning Subcommittee will work with committees and sections annually to develop, review, and update primary projects and priorities in relation to the Strategic Plan of the Association and its evolving needs. Chairs report periodically to the NJLA Executive Board at the request of the President, and are responsible for maintaining records of the group’s activities in accordance with archival guidelines approved by the NJLA Executive Board.

The list of committees is reviewed annually by the Bylaws & Organization Subcommittee and revised as necessary by the NJLA Executive Board.

A task force will be appointed as the need arises to carry out a specific task, at the completion of which it automatically ceases to exist. Task forces are not considered permanent in nature; therefore, they will not be included in the Code.

NJLA EXECUTIVE BOARD

The Executive Board of the New Jersey Library Association shall consist of the following Subcommittees: the Budget Subcommittee, the Bylaws & Organization Subcommittee, the Employee Relations Subcommittee, and the Planning Subcommittee.
 

Budget Subcommittee

AUTHORIZATION
The Finance Committee established as a Special Committee in 1942. Established as a Standing Committee in 1943. Re-established as a subcommittee of the Executive Board in 1996. Re-named Budget Subcommittee in 2007.

COMPOSITION
8 members, including the chair, appointed as follows: Treasurer, President, First Vice-President, Executive Director and up to 3 additional Executive Board members. The Treasurer should not be appointed the role of chair.

FUNCTIONS

• To prepare an annual budget subject to the approval of the Executive Board
• To project future expenditures and to recommend possible ways of meeting the expenses involved
• To review annually investments of the Association
• To implement, review and evaluate the financial plan of the Association
• To periodically review procedures and controls relating to financial management of the Association

Bylaws & Organization Subcommittee

AUTHORIZATION
Established in 1935 as the Committee on Committee Procedure to study the role and the status of the Association’s committees and to develop a Code for Committee Procedures for Standing Committees. Established as a Standing Committee in 1937. Structure Subcommittee of the Planning Committee established in 1984. Name changed to the Committee on Organization in 1986. The Constitution & Bylaws Committee was established as an additional Standing Committee in 1962. Both were re-established as subcommittees of the Executive Board in 1996 to be activated as needed. The Committee on Organization merged with the Section Coordinating Subcommittee of the Executive Board in 1999, and was established as a Standing Subcommittee in 2003. Renamed the Bylaws Subcommittee in 2007 after the adoption of new Bylaws and the abolishment of the Constitution in 2006. Merged as a Standing Subcommittee of the Executive Board in 2025.

COMPOSITION
4-6 Executive Board members plus the Parliamentarian

FUNCTIONS

• To study the structure of the Association and to make recommendations to the Executive Board as to any changes
• To review the Bylaws of the Association
• To act on suggestions for the revision of the Bylaws
• To make recommendations for revision of the Bylaws
• To prepare the proposed revision of the Bylaws for distribution to members
• To transmit to the ALA Committee on Constitution and Bylaws all changes in the Bylaws of the Association as they are adopted by the membership
• To review annually and revise the Code for Committees as deemed necessary
• To monitor, refer, or address reports of Code of Conduct violations, in coordination with the Executive Director or President, as appropriate
• To recommend addition and dissolution of committees, subcommittees and sections, as appropriate

Employee Relations Subcommittee

AUTHORIZATION
Established as an ad hoc committee to search for an Executive Director in 1980. Established as a Standing Committee in 1981. Changed to an Executive Board Committee in 1985. Reestablished as a Subcommittee of the Executive Board in 1996.

COMPOSITION
4 members, including the chair, appointed as follows: Immediate Past President, President, First Vice-President, and Treasurer or Budget Subcommittee Chair. Past President serves as chair.

FUNCTIONS

• To review annually the contracts and job descriptions for all employees of the Association for approval by the Executive Board
• To review periodically the personnel policies for employees of the Association for approval by the Executive Board
• To annually evaluate the performance of the Executive Director
• To annually review the evaluations of all other employees by the Executive Director
• To make annual salary and other compensation recommendations for all Association employees for approval by the Executive Board
• To study and recommend action as needed on related employee matters
• To support continuing education and professional development for Association employees

Planning Subcommittee

AUTHORIZATION
Planning and Action Committee was established as a Special Committee in 1967. Renamed Planning for Action in 1967. Name changed to the Planning Committee in 1982. Re-established as a subcommittee of the Executive Board in 1996.

COMPOSITION
6 members, including the chair, appointed as follows: First Vice-President, President, Executive Director and at least 3 other board members. The First Vice-President serves as chair.

FUNCTIONS

• To consider issues of broad concern to the Association and the development of its activities
• To recommend goals for action for the Association
• To review and revise the Strategic Plan of the Association for approval by the Executive Board
• To continually review the activities of the committees and sections in relation to the Strategic Plan of the Association
• To advise the Executive Board in the above matters

Statistics & Data Subcommittee

AUTHORIZATION
Created as a task force in 2024. Established as a subcommittee of the Executive Board in 2025.

COMPOSITION
5 members, including the two chairs, appointed as follows: First Vice-President (President-elect), Past President, Executive Director, and at least two members-at large of the Executive Board, and additionally, up to three non-voting consultants (NJLA members or otherwise) with experience and knowledge of a topic of interest.

FUNCTIONS

• To collect and provide data on topics of interest to the Executive Board, in order to chart the progress of our efforts and initiatives over time. 
• To provide annual updates to the Executive Board regarding membership demographics and fine-free libraries in New Jersey.

STANDING COMMITTEES

Archives & History Committee

AUTHORIZATION
Authorized as a Standing Committee in 1972. Reinstated as the Archives & Records Retention Task Force in 2021. Established as a subcommittee of the Member Services Committee in 2022 to maintain the history of NJLA. Re-established as a Standing Committee in 2025.

COMPOSITION
10 members, including the chair, with attention paid to include at least one member of the NJLA History & Preservation Section and a member who is a professionally-trained archivist or has extensive experience with archival collections.

FUNCTIONS

• To arrange for retention and preservation of the archival material of the Association at a location(s) determined by the Executive Board
• To maintain a current inventory or finding aid of the archive
• To review annually the Records & Retention Policy for approval by the Executive Board
• Maintenance of Archives with the NJLA Archivist in accordance with current standard archival practices and the Records & Retention Policy
• To document the history of the Association, and maintain a narrative of the Association’s history and leadership available to the public through print and digital resources and platforms
• Marketing and encouraging the use of Archives to the membership and others
• To assist NJLA staff, members, and other users in reference questions and inquiries about the history of the Association
• To recommend to the Executive Board procedures for the development, storage, care, and use of the archive
• To oversee annual procedural training for leadership of the Association

Conference Committee

AUTHORIZATION
Established as a committee in 1960. Reorganized as a subcommittee of the Professional Development Committee in 1996, absorbing the following previous subcommittees of the Conference Committee: Hospitality, Program and Room Arrangements. Absorbed Exhibits Subcommittee in 2018. Merged with the Honors and Awards Subcommittee in 2025, which was first established as the Resolutions Committee in 1937 and 1972 and renamed Honors and Awards Subcommittee in 2003.

COMPOSITION
20 members, including up to 4 members serving as chair(s) and the chair of the Conference Future Planning Subcommittee

FUNCTIONS

• To plan and organize all the activities and other matters relating to the Association’s conferences
• To identify and recommend to the Executive Board the establishment of appropriate honors and awards to recognize individuals and/or groups for meritorious accomplishments in the field of library service, and further identify and recommend individuals and groups who have made significant contributions to the profession, made notable achievements, are recent retirees, and other recognitions of members of the Association
• To communicate program proposal requirements and other information to membership to ensure the greatest participation among sections, committees, and individual members
• To develop an overall program schedule, including special events, exhibits, and an appropriate and visible display of recognition of awards
• To advertise and promote conference attendance to the membership, vendors and other interested parties
• To disseminate registration and schedule information
• To work to develop a marketing plan for the conference(s) and to identify and pursue sources of revenue and sponsorship opportunities
• To promote positive relations with and acknowledge the needs of exhibitors and sponsors

Conference Future Planning

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE

AUTHORIZATION
Established as a subcommittee of the Conference Committee in 2019.

COMPOSITION
10 members, including the chair, appointed as follows: a chair of the current Conference Committee; 3 previous chairs of the Conference Committee; the 2nd Vice-President; and up to 5 additional members. Attention should be given to institutional knowledge and related experience of past chairs of the committee.

FUNCTIONS

• To regularly review the sustainability, feasibility and options for collaboration in preparation for future conference events, beyond the scope of the Conference Standing Committee
• To make recommendations for changes to the dates, overall format and content of conferences
• To aid in the review of and consider recommendations for contract negotiations for the approval of the Executive Board
• To identify conference sites and dates and aid in the negotiation of favorable terms with host location for the approval of the Executive Board
• To work with the Conference Committee, NJLA staff, NJASL leadership and NJLA Executive Board, and other invested entities to focus on improvements and maintenance of relationships with vendors, secure sponsorship, and promote attendance and participation

Finance & Investment Committee

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE

AUTHORIZATION
Established in 2007 as the Finance Committee. The Scholarship Trust Fund Committee was authorized as a separate committee about 1970. The Investment Subcommittee was formed as a subcommittee in 2006. Renamed Finance & Investment Committee in 2025. 

COMPOSITION
8 members, including the chair, appointed as follows: Treasurer, chair of the Budget Subcommittee, chair of the Fundraising & Store Subcommittee, and up to 5 additional members

FUNCTIONS

• To review annually the Financial Policy of the Association
• To make recommendations to the Executive Board for revision of the Financial Policy
• To review annually the organization’s dues and fee structures
• To review annually the major income generating activities
• To oversee, support, and assist in the coordination of activities of related subcommittees
• To support and assist the Scholarship Committee of the Association
• To advise the Executive Board on matters pertaining to the financial status of the Association
• To manage funds so designated by the Executive Board
• To accept and acknowledge donations and bequests to the Association as needed
• To advise the Executive Board in the above matters

Fundraising & Store

FINANCE & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE

AUTHORIZATION
Ways & Means established as a Standing Committee in 1989. Re-established as a subcommittee under the Public Relations Committee in 1996. Re-named and reestablished as a subcommittee under the Finance Committee in 2007. Merged with the Fundraising Committee in 2025.

COMPOSITION
10 members, including the chair and the chair of the Finance & Investment Committee

FUNCTIONS

• To manage fundraising projects as suggested by the Executive Board including annual appeal(s) and a merchandising presence at annual meetings, conferences and workshops
• To investigate and recommend new sources of revenue for the Association

Intellectual Freedom Committee

AUTHORIZATION
Established as a Special Committee in 1954. Established as a Standing Committee in 1962. Reestablished as a subcommittee under the Public Policy Committee in 1996. Re-established as a Standing Committee in 2025.

COMPOSITION
10 members, including the chair and the chair of the Public Policy Committee

FUNCTIONS

• To review, analyze and study matters relating to intellectual freedom
• To educate members and disseminate information relating to matters of intellectual freedom, including laws of the United States and New Jersey regarding the U.S. Constitution First Amendment, the New Jersey Library Confidentiality Act, and the New Jersey Freedom to Read Act
• To provide information and assistance to members on matters relating to intellectual freedom
• Collaborate with organizations representing schools and academic institutions for the protection and furthering of Intellectual Freedom ideals throughout society.
• To recommend the recipient of the Intellectual Freedom Award annually, or when appropriate
• To develop statements which explain current intellectual freedom issues and their implications for libraries, to be adopted by the Executive Board
• In the event of a time-sensitive issue, the committee is empowered to gather and provide information and act on challenges without the formal approval of the Executive Board, but with the consent of the President and Chair of the Public Policy Committee

Leadership and Education Committee

AUTHORIZATION
Established as a Special Committee in 1949. Established as a Standing Committee in 1950. Reestablished as a subcommittee of the Professional Development Committee in 1996. Reestablished as a Standing Committee in 2025.

COMPOSITION
15 members, including the chair, with a special effort to include representatives from library education

FUNCTIONS

• To encourage participation in leadership roles in the Association and provide training for potential leaders through activities modeled by initiatives such as the NJLA Internship Program and Emerging Leaders.
• To develop core competencies for the profession and to work with committees and sections to promote additional competencies
• To liaison with the Nominations and Elections Committee to review the leadership needs of the Association

Member Engagement Committee

AUTHORIZATION
Membership Committee established in 1928. The Civil Service Committee was established in 1944 as a subcommittee of the Personnel Committee, made a Special Committee in 1945, and established as a Standing Committee in 1948. The Personnel Committee and Civil Service Committee were combined to form the Personnel Administration Committee in 1955. The Certification Committee was absorbed by the Personnel Administration Committee in 1965. The Membership Committee was established as a Standing Committee in 1970. The Grievance Committee dissolved in 1991, and the function of providing information to members regarding laws and regulations was absorbed by the Personnel Administration Committee. Reestablished as the Personnel Administration Subcommittee under the Member Services Committee in 1996.
Absorbed by the Member Services Committee in 2025 and renamed Member Engagement.

COMPOSITION
20 members, including the chair and the chair of the Equity & Mentorship Subcommittee

FUNCTIONS

• To identify the needs of personal, institutional, commercial and affiliate members
• To address these needs, either through the committee or through cooperation with another committee, section, or task force within the Association
• To promote and enhance membership in the Association through recruitment of new memberships and the preparation and distribution of membership materials
• To provide assistance to members seeking information relating to personnel practices and to recommend to the Executive Board programs relating to such relevant topics as employment and libraries in NJ, labor unions, and civil service status, salary, common benefits and rights, and proper hiring processes
• To gather, publish and distribute data relating to salary and working conditions of library personnel in New Jersey
• To recommend to the Executive Board programs relating to the improvement of salary and working conditions

Equity & Mentorship

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE

AUTHORIZATION
Named a task force in 2023. Established as a subcommittee of the Member Engagement Committee in 2025.

COMPOSITION
10 members, including the chair and the chair of the Member Engagement Committee

FUNCTIONS

• To oversee and coordinate services and support for recipients of the Equity Scholarship and/or any other scholarship established with a focus on support for librarians and students of color or other emerging majority or systematically oppressed populations.
• To offer mentorship to scholarship recipients in coordination with other Association and statewide networks in the areas of professional development, training, workplace support, and particularly in relation to topics of equity, diversity, and inclusion
• To support and assist the Scholarship Committee

Nominations and Elections Committee

AUTHORIZATION
Nominations Committee established in 1904. Established as a Special Committee in 1937. Elections Committee established as a Standing Committee in 1961 to supplement the activities of the Nominations Committee. Nominations Committee established as a Standing Committee in 1970. Nominations Committee & Elections Committee combined as the Nominations & Elections Subcommittee under the Member Services Committee in 1996. Reestablished as a Standing Committee in 2025.

COMPOSITION
5 members, including the chair, appointed as follows: Immediate Past President; immediately preceding Past President; one appointee from Chair of Leadership & Education Subcommittee; Past President of the NJLA Academic Librarians Section; Past Chair of Member Engagement Committee. Immediate Past President serves as chair.

FUNCTIONS

• To solicit and recruit nominees to submit petitions for officers of the Association, for members-at-large of the Executive Board, and for ALA Councilor, according to the Bylaws. Officers of the Association include the President, Vice-President (President-Elect), Treasurer and Secretary
• To intentionally seek nominations of members in order to broaden the representation of the Executive Board for approval of the Executive Board
• To collect biographical information and platform statements from nominees for ballot preparation and distribution
• To prepare, receive, collect and count the ballots
• To inform the President, Executive Director and candidates of Executive Board election results prior to the annual meeting of the Association
• To announce the results of Executive Board elections at the annual meeting
• To support sections in the process of Section Executive Board elections, including accepting nomination and ballot information for sections, compiling ballot information for ballot preparation and distribution to section membership, and distributing election results to section leadership

Professional Development Committee

AUTHORIZATION
Created as a Standing Committee in 1996.

COMPOSITION
10 members, including the chair

FUNCTIONS

• To identify the professional development needs of the membership of the Association
• To develop opportunities for professional growth and networking, either within the committee or by working with other committees, subcommittees and sections
• To promote the benefits of professional development and to inform the membership of opportunities available to them
• To liaison with continuing education providers in the state and communicate professional needs and expectations
• To recommend programming and materials to inform, encourage, and support library career paths

Public Policy Committee

AUTHORIZATION
Government Relations Committee established in 1974 to replace the Federal Relations and State Legislation Committees. Library Development Committee established in the 1930s as Library Planning Committee. Established as a Special Committee in 1949 as Regional Library Planning Committee. Changed to Library Development Committee in 1952. Established as a Standing Committee in 1955. The Government Relations Committee and Library Development Committee were absorbed into the Public Policy Committee in 1996. 

COMPOSITION
20 members, including the chair(s), at least one representative of schools, a representative of academic institutions, and chair of the Intellectual Freedom Committee

FUNCTIONS

• To monitor legislative initiatives and legislation, both in the state and in the nation, and to recommend a course of action for the Association and for the professional community
• To work with appropriate agencies to initiate new legislation
• To develop legislative platform(s) for approval of the Executive Board
• To train members to be effective legislative advocates
• To familiarize officials attending the Annual League of Municipalities Conference and other government functions with library issues and activities of the Association, and to encourage attendance at these functions by library staff and trustees
• To study issues facing libraries in New Jersey and to recommend appropriate steps to address these issues
• To organize annual legislative activities
• In the event of a time-sensitive issue, the committee is empowered to act on legislation without the formal approval of the Executive Board, but with the consent of the NJLA President

Public Relations Committee

AUTHORIZATION
Established in 1925. Established as a Standing Committee in 1929. Publications Subcommittee established in 1944 and reestablished under the Professional Development Committee in 1996, and then under the Member Services Committee in 2003. The Newsletter Editorial Board was established as a subcommittee in 2003 and renamed the Member Communications Subcommittee in 2014. The Public Relations Committee absorbed the Member Communications Subcommittee in 2025 and the Newsletter Editorial Board was dissolved.

COMPOSITION
15 members, including the chair

FUNCTIONS

• To publicize the activities of the Association
• To establish relations with other organizations, foundations and businesses to partner in the promotion of services in libraries
• To promote a positive public image of libraries and library personnel
• To issue press releases on major initiatives of the organization as needed
• To oversee the involvement of the Association with statewide public relations activities
• To explore, recommend, and implement effective modes of communication about activities of the Association among members and the New Jersey library community
• To recommend guidelines and best practices for social media communication and interactions for the Association and its committees, subcommittees and sections

Scholarship Committee

AUTHORIZATION
Established in 1925. Established as an ad hoc committee under the Member Services Committee in 1996. Reestablished as Scholarship Subcommittee under Member Services in 2003. Reestablished as a Standing Committee in 2025.

COMPOSITION
10 members, including the chair, a representative from the Finance & Investment Committee, and liaisons to those committees or sections of the Association with formal participation in the selection and/or mentorship of scholarship awardees.

FUNCTIONS

• To provide information about awards and eligibility rules to members
• To review criteria for selection of scholarship winners and present recommended changes for approval of the Executive Board
• To advertise scholarship opportunities and benefits to prospective applicants
• To solicit information about the availability of occasional specific scholarships
• To review credentials of candidates, to interview selected candidates, and to select and notify recipients
• To determine scholarships to be awarded pending funds available from the Finance & Investment Committee
• To certify the names of the winners to the President, the Treasurer, and the Chair of the Finance & Investment Committee
• To arrange for appropriate recognition and announcements
• To provide support and mentorship to scholarship recipients
• To cultivate scholarship winners for membership and leadership in the Association, particularly in coordination with related committees and sections

Adopted by the NJLA Executive Board, May 15, 2007; Amended by the NJLA Executive Board, June 18, 2019; March 15, 2022; November 18, 2025