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October 22, 2009

Monroe Township set to open new expanded library

Gloucester County Times

Monday, October 12, 2009
By Christina Paciolla

cpaciolla@sjnewsco.com

MONROE TWP. After years of planning, the doors of the new Monroe Township Public Library will open tomorrow to the public at its Marsha Avenue location.

"People are very anxious to see and I think they are going to be really excited," said Library Director Beth Lillie.

Some folks got a sneak preview during the township's weeklong 150th birthday celebration, but now, all the shelves are stocked, the furniture is in and the meeting rooms are finished.

The library's old building, located on Main Street in downtown Williamstown, had two floors and was just over 14,000 square feet. The library's new digs may be just one floor, but it's 24,000 square feet. On that one floor, however, the library has several meeting rooms, reading areas and computer hubs for its patrons.

The new meeting room facility, Lillie hopes, will bring in local community groups and business meetings.

"We have a separate story room which has a beautiful ceiling that when we turn on looks like A Starry Night," Lille said.

There is also a storage area for old and new newspapers that can be viewed and accessed easily by the public. There are also four separate tutoring rooms something that the old library never had.

"We have an absolutely exquisite fireplace in a reading area," Lillle said. "It's a very relaxing, calm area where you can look out the windows to a garden."
There is also a children's story room that leads out to a special children's garden. Lille said that children's reading groups will utilize the garden. There is also a parent waiting area with couches. It also looks out onto the garden.

In the new building, all of the DVDs and videos for rental are located on the main floor, instead of tucked away in the basement as was with the Main Street location.

"We had a very sizable collection stored in our basement," Lillie said. "If someone wanted something, a member of the staff would have to retrieve it. Now, everything is on the main floor."

In addition to a custodian and student helpers, all 12 staff members have moved over to the new library location and soon, a technology librarian for all the computers the new library is housing. The amount of computers has doubled they are up to 28, just for Internet access.

"They are new and spiffy," Lillie said. "We have got things set up so they move pretty fast."

A technology lab will also open shortly, with 18 additional computers. Lillie's hope is that the lab will be used for specific training, such as software classes for a small corporation.

"These are the kinds of places they might look to have that," Lillie said.

The only computer-related issue the new library is having is wireless access but Lillie said that will be up shortly, and is one of the more minimal features that may not be made available tomorrow.

"It's just comfortable," Lillie said. "All new furniture and it's clean, neat and quiet."

An added bonus to the new library is outside and it's the parking lot. The Main Street location didn't offer a parking lot of its own. The bank housed next door would allow library parking in its lot, or patrons would park along Main Street. At Marsha Avenue, there is plenty of parking for library-goers.

Two years ago, the library's staff conducted a survey of everybody that came through the doors. Lillie said it was a short survey asking people how they got to the library. The results were that over 90 percent said they had driven there, which boded well when switching to a location not entirely central to Williamstown's down town area.

"People came to the library because they wanted to come to the library," Lillie said. "Truthfully I think we're going to see even more people."

The new library is less than a mile from its old location.

Another draw to the new library is its location behind the Stoltzfus Farmer's Market, Lillie said. Shoppers from all over Gloucester County make that a destination.

"Not only will we be pulling in a lot of new residents, we're going to have people from all over the county who want to see the new library, because it's fantastic," Lillie said.

The Monroe Township Public Library is also part of an inter-county library system, where residents can use their Gloucester County library card at the Williamstown location; being a resident isn't entirely needed.

Lillie has credited Monroe Township council, as well as Mayor Michael Gabbianelli, as driving forces to getting the project completed. Lillie has wanted a new library in the community for nearly 30 years.

"If it weren't for them," she said, "we wouldn't be here. They have been really supportive of this in the community."

As a thank-you to them and other friends of the library, flat screen TVs mounted above the desks give information about those organizations, as well as letting patrons know of upcoming community and library events.

"I think people are excited about it because it's new and different," Lillie said. "This is like our township's jewel. It's not just a place for the books and computers.

"Just for me to be able to look out a window to see a beautiful blue sky with white clouds floating by is just amazing."

The library will open to the public tomorrow at 11 a.m. but a grand opening celebration has yet to be scheduled. The new library is located at 713 Marsha Ave. For up to date information about the library, become a "fan" on their Facebook page The Free Public Library of Monroe Township, or visit monroetownship.org.

Posted by tumulty at October 22, 2009 6:51 PM

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