Administration and Management Section Meeting

Second Tuesday of the Month at 10am.

January 13

Presenter: Katy White
Bio: Katy White is the Associate Director of NJLA. She started in this role in November of 2023, after many years as a vendor representative with a few notable companies in the library industry. Her main focus is to ensure a beneficial NJLA member experience. A New Jersey native, she received her MLIS from Drexel University. She lives in Plainsboro with her husband and son. 

Description: Katy will review the many benefits of NJLA membership and give an overview of NJLA's organization and structure.

May 12

Brief bio Maria Baratta, Director of the Research Library of the New Jersey State Library

Throughout her 40-year career in libraries, Maria has held a manager level position in each role she’s had.  She started in a small public library in PA, then moved on to over 38 years in New Jersey government agency libraries.  Those NJ government library positions include:

• Manager of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection Research Library
• Chief of Research Services, NJ Attorney General’s Library
• Associate Director of the Talking Book & Braille Center of the New Jersey State Library
• Associate Director and now Director of the Research Library of the State Library (formerly called the State Library Information Center). 

She has supervised union-presented staff in each position in New Jersey and has experience with disciplinary hearings between management and union represented employees.

In her current role, she has responded to multiple Open Public Records requests that come to the New Jersey State Library and has consulted with the counsel’s office of Thomas Edison State University regarding complex OPRA requests.  The University is the administrating agency for the State Library.

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Brief session overview

Managing a union grievance doesn’t always have to be a contentious process.  Understanding the root causes of grievances and what you as a manager can and cannot do will help you navigate most situations.

When dealing with an OPRA (Open Public Records Act) request, it is important to understand what constitutes a ‘record,’ when and what types of redactions are appropriate, how to craft an appropriate response, and when it is time to seek legal counsel.