About NJALA

The New Jersey Association of Library Assistants hosts an annual conference and offers monthly virtual training and information sessions.

Our history: 35 Conferences! Can you believe it? It seems like only yesterday the idea for a library support staff conference was born. 

In 1986, the old Essex-Hudson Regional Library Cooperative’s Continuing Education Committee, and the McLaughlin Library administration and staff of Seton Hall University, began exploring the possibility of a conference for library support staff, planned and run by Library Assistants. 

The first Conference, held at Seton Hall, was so successful that it stimulated interest in future conferences and in creating a formal organization to continue the networking that had begun at the initial Conference. 

A committee of dedicated library assistants was formed, and with much demand for continuing education and requests for other intra-regional participation, a second Conference was held at Seton Hall in June 1988. With another success under its belt, the formation of an organization closer to reality, the committee began the task of deciding whether to affiliate with NJLA or to form its own independent association. 

With a great deal of trepidation, the New Jersey Association of Library Assistants was born at the Third Annual Conference at Seton Hall in June 1989, an independent organization that promotes the enhancement of New Jersey’s library assistants and promotes networking and communication among its many members. Our members are from public, private, and academic libraries, and provide a forum to debate hot topics and continuing education for our members.

Executive Council

Past Presidents