NJLA Official Statement Framework

On September 16, 2025, the Executive Board voted to approve the proposed Official Statement Framework. 

This internal framework is intended to help NJLA evaluate if, when and how the organization issues public statements.

EVALUATIVE CRITERIA

NJLA staff and leadership should consider the following when evaluating whether it is appropriate and advisable to make a public statement:

• Review New Jersey Library Association and ALA Policy and Guiding Documents: 

  • NJLA Mission Statement

  • NJLA Core Values

  • Library Bill of Rights

  • Freedom to Read Statement

  • ALA’s Core Values of Librarianship

  • ALA Code of Ethics

• Connection to NJLA: Issues of state interest are most appropriate for statements from the New Jersey Library Association.

• Impact evaluation: Statements that would create threats to libraries, library staff, and the First Amendment shall be considered with caution; the impact of inaction also must be considered.

• Message clarity: Association statements should be issued only when there is a clear and concise message, including a specific call to action whenever possible.

• Leadership and collaboration: Association statements that demonstrate NJLA’s leadership or provide opportunity to collaborate are preferred.

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

1. Use the Statement Criteria Scorecard to help evaluate if a statement is appropriate and beneficial.

2. Types of statements:

   1. Necessitates Immediate Response - Time-sensitive issues per NJLA Code for Committees:

      1. Public Policy Committee - 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.

      2. Intellectual Freedom Committee - In the event of a time-sensitive issue, the subcommittee 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 NJLA President and the Chair of the Public Policy Committee.

   2. Immediate Response Not Required:

      1. All draft statements need to be reviewed and approved by the Public Policy Committee.

      2. After approval by the Public Policy Committee, the statement moves to the Executive Board for discussion and approval.

TIMELINESS

To demonstrate leadership in alignment with its purpose, NJLA should issue statements soon after an issue’s emergence. However, speed should not compromise strategy. The correct statement and support from stakeholders should preempt speed.

POSITION STATEMENT ELEMENTS

Statements should be short, clear, and meaningful. Preferably, all statements will:

• Include a specific call-to-action related to a clearly articulated goal. This helps ensure the statement is strategic and purposeful.

• Be as concise as possible (ideally approximately 3 sentences in a well-developed, concise paragraph), briefly articulating why NJLA is making the statement, and, if relevant, other supporting evidence. If additional commentary is necessary, the concise social-media-friendly core statement should be easily identifiable at the beginning of the larger statement.

• Avoid additional commentary that is unnecessary to achieve the above criteria.

OTHER ACTIONS

The following steps should be taken when considering or releasing an Association statement:

• Clarify roles for managing questions and feedback. Identify a clear process to collect, review, and respond to questions or feedback.

• Communicate to membership and stakeholders. Alert membership and stakeholders when a statement is about to be released with clear instructions about how to triage or otherwise respond to questions or feedback.

STATEMENT CRITERIA SCORECARD

The scorecard is a tool to help evaluate whether a statement is appropriate.

An issue that meets minimum criteria suggests an Association Statement may be appropriate but does not mandate issuing a statement. Similarly, a statement meeting the maximum criteria does not mandate a statement—this scorecard is to frame discussion and decision-making.

This framework and scorecard draw heavily from and with thanks to the American Society of Association Executives at https://www.asaecenter.org/ and the Virginia Library Association at https://www.vla.org/assets/VLASSFramework.pdf