September 1, 2010

Newark residents hold reading vigil in effort to revive Newark Public Library

http://www.nj.com
Sept. 1, 2010

Newark residents held a 24-hour reading vigil on Tuesday in an attempt to restore the Newark Public Library. The library has lost $2.45 million in funding from the city, closed the First Avenue and Madison branches last month, and will only be open 3 days a week through December. (Video by Adya Beasley.

Video at: http://videos.nj.com/star-ledger/2010/08/newark_residents_hold_reading.html

Posted by Pat Tumulty, NJLA Executive Director at 7:48 AM | Comments (0)
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Upper Township's library branch to celebrate its makeover Sept. 8

http;//www.pressofatlanticcity.com

By CAITLIN DINEEN, Staff Writer | Posted: Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The Upper Township Branch of the Cape May County Library system is open again after it was closed for seven months for renovations and improvements.

The upgrades - which cost a total of $980,000 - may not be noticeable from the outside, but library patrons visiting the newly renovated site will notice all the big changes once they get inside.

"It was really a gloomy, dark building," said Deborah Poillon, adding that new lighting was among several changes made to the interior of the library.

The Upper Township branch of the library system has been in operation since 1985 and is located on Tuckahoe Road in Petersburg. It reopened in July.

A ribbon-cutting event will be held 2 p.m. Sept. 8 at the library.

Other changes at the library include a new teen center, glass around the reference room, and making the building more energy efficient. The building will convert to gas heat from electric when a gas line is brought down the street, Poillon said. New furniture also has been brought into the updated space, as well as new counters. System officials said the updates were necessary.

Library staff said public response to the improvements has been positive. "They love it," said Deanna Petitt, who has worked at the library for 25 years, adding patrons have commented on the brightness of the library and the new counters. "They love the counters."

Petitt said that although the library's upgrades mainly serve patrons, library staff also appreciate the result.

"We love it, it's awesome," she said. "What's not to like about it? It's all brand new."

Poillon said changes are necessary because local libraries are a central hub for residents.

She said the Upper Township library's patronage has increased 18 percent from 2007 to 2009. She said more residents are using the library's Internet access, and DVD and CD libraries.

Poillon said she thought library traffic increased because the economy is poor and the library is offering more regular, free programs.

"We wanted to make it a place people wanted to come," Poillon said, adding that the library used to be "a little shabby."

Other libraries in the system - including the Lower Township branch, which reopened July 28 - have undergone renovations. The Sea Isle City library renovations broke ground last week.

Poillon said renovations for the library are paid for by a combination of bonded funds and taxpayer dollars.

Contact Caitlin Dineen:

609-463-6710

Posted by Pat Tumulty, NJLA Executive Director at 7:44 AM | Comments (0)
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August 26, 2010

Warren County freeholders approve $890,000 contract to renovate new library branch

Thursday, August 26, 2010
By BILL WICHERT
The Express-Times
WHITE TWP. | Marking an increase of about three times the original projected cost, Warren County freeholders signed off Wednesday on a contract for $890,000 worth of renovations to the upcoming Northeast Branch of the county library system.

County freeholders awarded the contract to Hackensack, N.J.-based Onekey LLC to renovate a former farmers market building on Route 46 in Independence Township. The county last November approved spending another $900,000 to purchase the building.

County Freeholder Director Rick Gardner previously estimated the renovation costs at between $200,000 and $300,000. Following Wednesday's meeting, Gardner attributed the higher price tag to unforeseen expenses.

Gardner said he didn't realize initially the county would need to install an elevator at the building, creating a six-figure cost. The county also is unable to reuse as many of the furnishings at the existing branch as originally anticipated, Gardner said.

"While the appearance of that building looks great, in order to turn it into a library, a fully functioning modern library, it did cost more than what was first indicated to the board," Gardner said. "I'm never happy when we have to spend a lot more money."

Gardner maintained that pursuing that building was a prudent move. The expenses incurred by purchasing and renovating the building remain cheaper than constructing a new branch from scratch, he said.

Residents of the municipalities served by the Northeast Branch pay more than $1 million annually in library taxes and expect a reasonable setting, Gardner said.

"It's really going to be a major plus to the Independence, Allamuchy and Mansfield communities who are the main library users of that branch," Gardner said. "When we're all said and done, this is an extremely substantial building for the dollar value."

The new Northeast Branch is slated to open in early 2011. The existing branch, located farther west on Route 46, would be sold.

At more than 10,000 square feet of total floor area, the new building is nearly triple the size of the existing branch. The parking lot at the new building also has more than 50 spaces compared with spots for 27 vehicles at the current facility.

With more shelf space, staff members also will be able to hold onto books for a longer period of time, county library Director Maureen Baker Wilkinson said Wednesday. The new branch will include a separate meeting room for library programs instead of the current practice of holding events in the middle of the library, she said.

Branch employees also will be provided with a staff room in the new building, Wilkinson said. Without a private area in the existing facility, some staff members eat at their desks or sit in their cars, she said.

"It's not always comfortable eating in front of the public," she said.

Reporter Bill Wichert can be reached at 610-258-7171, ext. 3570, or bwichert@express-times.com. Talk about issues in your town at lehighvalleylive.com/forums.

Posted by Pat Tumulty, NJLA Executive Director at 7:50 AM | Comments (0)
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Jersey City library patrons, staff ask city to save library budget from cuts

Jersey Journal.
http://www.nj.com
Thursday, August 26, 2010
By MELISSA HAYES
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Paul Valleau may only be 8 years old, but that didn't stop him from making a case - complete with exhibits - for fully funding the Jersey City Free Public Library.

Paul stood on a stool as he spoke at yesterday's City Council meeting.

His first exhibit was a poster with a slogan, "Make a splash, budget the cash," a take off on the library's summer reading campaign.

For another exhibit, he displayed two pictures of several people walking into his local library, the main branch on Jersey Avenue.

"They hold the books I need when I cannot get them at the moment," he told council members. "They help me find the books I need and they even let the top readers in the reading program - that's where 'Make a Splash' came from - go to Liberty Science Center."

His comments drew a standing ovation from the roughly 30 people in attendance.

After the meeting, Paul, a top summer reader, said he felt the need to speak out.

"It's the library. I couldn't resist," he said. "I don't want it to shut down."

Library Director Priscilla Gardner has said the city will only give the library $6 million this year to run its 10 branches. That's down from $7.7 million last year and below the $8 million she requested.

Under state law, the city must give the library $7.4 million, but that includes pension contributions for employees and the library's debt service, which the city pays.

Library patrons, staff members and representatives from the library's various programs asked the City Council to fully fund the budget.

Mary Quinn, principal librarian and manager of the Glenn D. Cunningham Branch, said the economy has placed an increased demand on libraries.

Quinn, president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3612, said the circulation was 180,000 in 2008 and jumped to 209,000 in 2009. While 2010 isn't over yet, the circulation to date is 218,000.

She said people borrow books, CDs and DVDs and rely on the library for research and access to computers and the Internet.

After listening to several speakers, Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson asked the administration to make cuts elsewhere. City officials are grappling with an $80 million budget deficit and have said every department will be cut.

"I just ask that we find other means of addressing the budget and not at the cost of services the library provides," Richardson said. "It is vital to the community."

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August 25, 2010

South Plainfield library: Seven-member committee announced to study move

http://www.mycentraljersey.com
By JEFF GRANT • STAFF WRITER • August 23, 2010

SOUTH PLAINFIELD — A bipartisan panel will consider ideas for replacing the borough's outdated, crowded library, the latest in a series of attempts in recent years to address the issue.

South Plainfield library: Seven-member committee announced to study move

The seven members who will serve on the committee were announced during the Aug. 16 Borough Council meeting.

Mayor Charles Butrico, who formed the group, has said he wants it to develop recommendations by Oct. 15.

"We're going to look at everything,'' Butrico said.

The committee's creation follows years of discussion, but no agreement on how to address the facility that library officials have said must be replaced.

"We can't stay in that building,'' library trustees President Eric Aronowitz said about the facility next door to the municipal building on Plainfield Avenue.

At 46 years old, the library's 6,400 square feet force workers to squeeze into small rooms with files and books piled around desks.

But perhaps the biggest drawback to the building is that it has no separate area for community meetings or special activities, forcing outside groups to gather in
the same area as library patrons, Aronowitz noted.

Besides Aronowitz, the group assembled by Butrico includes Republican Councilman Rob Bengivenga Jr., Democratic Councilwoman Chrissy Buteas and library trustee and treasurer Nina Rohrer. The committee also includes two members of the public, Bob Golan and Suzanne Lepore. Golan is listed as a project archivist for the special
collections section at Princeton Theological Seminary's library. Lepore's background was not immediately available.

Aronowitz said that during the past several years the issue has been discussed informally without a solution.

In 2008, the borough held a nonbinding public referendum in which voters rejected building a new $4.5 million facility on the present site. However, a turnout
of less than 12 percent called into question whether the results accurately reflected public sentiment.

In March, the trustees voted to relocate the library to an industrial park in the southern section of town.

But on May 27, the borough's Zoning Board of Adjustment rejected the library's variance application, saying that a lack of sidewalks and the location of several heavy
industries within two blocks was inappropriate for a library.

In mid-July, a committee of borough Board of Education and Borough Council members suggested studying moving the library to the school district's Roosevelt administration building. But Aronowitz has said the required technological upgrades at Roosevelt likely would be too costly.

The new panel's work will come against a political backdrop.

With the date falling about two weeks before Election Day, Butrico noted action on the committee's findings likely would fall to the next Borough Council, which will
be seated in January.

Control of the governing body will be at stake in November, when voters decide on two council seats now held by Republicans, who maintain a 4-2 majority on council.

Donna Egan, a library trustee, expressed support for the panel.

"We need to get as many ideas out there as possible. I think we have to give the committee a chance to get rolling,'' Egan said.

Jeff Grant: 908-243-6612; jgrant@MyCentralJersey.com

Posted by Pat Tumulty, NJLA Executive Director at 10:46 AM | Comments (0)
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