Interested in joining a committee or special interest group?
Contact the committee chair(s) listed or complete the NJAL Interest Form
Committees
Bethany Sewell, The College of New Jersey
Madel Tisi, Ramapo College of New Jersey
to explore effective methodology to demonstrate and teach about the use of archives and special collections to conduct activities to increase visibility and demonstrate the value of archives and special collections across New Jersey’s academic institutions to foster cooperative efforts in sharing information about and access to archives and special collections among NJLA member libraries to gather and make available the names of archives and special collections consultants and experts in New Jersey to offer continuing education, scholarship, and professional development opportunities for archivist and special collections librarians to provide a forum for members to share information and explore common issues faced by archives and special collections in academic libraries
Chair:
Heather Perez, Stockton University
Kimberly Lynch, Caldwell University
T o share information and explore challenging issues in cataloging/metadata, bibliographic control, authority control, database management and staff training To provide technical and moral support to members within its ability in the field of cataloging/bibliographic control To provide members with opportunities in continuing education and professional development To promote innovative ideas and effective measures for quality control of bibliographic and authority data To foster cooperative efforts in resource sharing among academic libraries in the field of cataloging/metadata and bibliographic control
Chairs:
Sungmin Park, Rutgers University
Stephanie Sussmeier, Stockton University (Vice-Chair/Chair Elect)
Jia Mi, TCNJ
College and University Section (CUS) of NJLA, as well as learning, communicating and sharing ideas on how to best
Research Libraries and the Academic Librarians Section of the New Jersey Library Association.
The purpose of the committee is to solicit nominees for Executive Board positions.
Special Interest Groups
The NJAL AI SIG was formed in response to an expressed need from academic librarians to come together and discuss topics of interest in an informal setting. Meetings are open to academic librarians, staff, and the greater education community. Session content is shaped by group interests, with a focus on the use of AI in academic libraries.
Topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:-
Short demonstrations of AI tools
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Brief presentations on AI workflow, incorporation of tools, etc.
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Discussion on a focused topic
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Discussion of shared readings
Moderator
Theresa Agostinelli, Brookdale Community College
The NJAL Medical Librarians SIG provides a collaborative space for New Jersey academic librarians who support nursing and health sciences programs. This group fosters discussion and resource sharing on topics central to health sciences liaison work, including:
- Health sciences databases and tools
- Instructional strategies for allied health, medical, and nursing students
- Support for systematic reviews
- The evolving role of artificial intelligence in healthcare
- Other emerging trends and challenges in health sciences librarianship and medical librarianship
Whether you're a seasoned health sciences librarian or new to the field, this SIG offers valuable opportunities for professional development, networking, and peer support.
Moderators
Mina Ghajar & Maria Deptula, George F. Smith Library of the Health Sciences, Rutgers University
The STEM Librarian Special Interest Group provides a collaborative community for academic librarians in New Jersey dedicated to addressing the unique challenges and opportunities within STEM-focused librarianship. Through regular discussions and knowledge sharing, the group seeks to enhance support for research, teaching, and innovation in our fields. Our mission is to advance best practices and advocate for the role of STEM librarians in a rapidly changing scientific landscape.
Moderator
Joanne Dera, Dana Library, Rutgers University-Newark
The newly formed WCAG SIG is a casual, collaborative community of practice where New Jersey academic librarians’ team up to tackle digital accessibility together. We meet via Teams on the second Monday of each month at 11 AM, hosting relaxed, round-robin discussions so everyone can share their experiences, ask questions, and learn directly from each other. Whether you are building LibGuides, managing a major platform migration, or navigating WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, this group is all about sharing handy tools, design tips, and peer support to make library web environments accessible for everyone.
Moderator
Heather Smith, Mercer County Community College