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March 30, 2010
NJ Statewide Children's and Teen Author Conference
NJ Statewide Children's and Teen Author Conference – Deadline to register April 8
This annual conference will be held on Friday, April 16, 2010 from 9:30 am until 4 pm at the Woodbridge Public Library. The registration form is posted on the NJLA and the NJYAC http://www.njyac.org websites. You have to scroll down the page after the Pennies for Peace information for the announcement on the NJYAC website. The confirmed authors/illustrators include: Alison Ashley Formento (This Tree Counts!), John Hulme (co-author of the Seems series), Chris Grabenstein (The Crossroads and The Hanging Hill), Amy Ignatow (The Popularity Papers), Nan Marino (Neil Armstrong is My Uncle & Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me), Wendy Mass (many novels including 11 Birthdays, A Mango-Shaped Space, and Jeremy Fink & the Meaning of Life) and Duncan Tonatiuh (debut author of Dear Primo). The registration fee ($30 for NJLA/NJASL members, $45 for nonmembers, and $15 for students) includes a light breakfast and lunch. CE credits will be awarded and copies of the author's books will be available to purchase and have signed. For more information, contact Sharon Rawlins, Youth Services Consultant, NJ State Library, srawlins@njstatelib.org, 609- 278-2640 ext. 116.
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Children's Services
Young Adult Services
March 29, 2010
Hoboken Library Faces Cuts
hoboken.patch.com
Gov. Chris Christie's budget cuts will effect libraries around the state -- and Hoboken is no exception.
By Jamie Schuh | Email the author | March 25, 2010. Add Gov. Chris Christie's proposed $3 billion state budget cuts were a harsh wake-up call to public schools, but there is another educational outlet that is being hit even harder: public libraries.
Christie has proposed a 74 percent cut of state funded library programs, which will save the state a little more than $10 million.
"We are devastated," said Hoboken Public Library Director Lina Podles. "Library funding has been flat for the last few years."
Hoboken Public Library is part of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS), which means that Hoboken cardholders can visit any of the BCCLS partner libraries and receive full service. For the libraries, this means that the leverage of a group enables them to receive discounts on materials and drastically cheap shipping of books between member libraries.
According to the budget cuts, Regional Library Cooperatives like BCCLS will be dissolved on or after June 30.
"It's a system that we were relying on for so long," said Podles. "That's a whole system of support that will no longer be there."
Also on the chopping block by June 30:
- Interlibrary loans and delivery, which allows people to borrow books from other area libraries, shipped to their home library free of charge.
- Databases like RefUSA, Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, EBSCO, Gale Custom Newspapers and Informe.
- New Jersey Connect, which provides in-house Internet service to library patrons. It also hosts library Websites and email for staff.
- Talking Book and Braille Center, which provides talking books and a radio reading program to patrons in need.
After the summer, the Statewide Summer Reading program, which provides prepared programs, graphics and forms to help librarians, will be eliminated.
"I understand that things can be cut and should be cut, but it's not like we've ever enjoyed economic wealth," said Podles with a sigh.
The patrons that will feel the cuts are most likely those with less advantages. Resume workshops and career training programs that the library previously held, also may not be able to hold up under budget woes. Plus, many rely solely on the library for Internet and computer access, Podles said.
"Libraries are a fundamental part of a society," she said, "and not something we can afford to lose."
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In lean times, Piscataway library finds way to reopen on Sundays
c-n.com
By JEFF GRANT • STAFF WRITER • March 27, 2010
At a time when municipal services in towns across the region are being squeezed by budget cuts, the staff of the township's Public Library has found a way to expand its hours.
The John F. Kennedy Library on Feb. 7 restored its Sunday hours following a nearly two-year absence. The library had ceased offering the service in fall 2007 due to budget cuts, said Director James K. Keehbler.
The change is a welcome one for patrons and staff, said Keehbler, noting that Sunday is considered the second most popular day of the week … after Saturday … to check out materials.
"We circulate over 100 items an hour on Sundays; Saturdays, probably 125,'' he said.
The library is now open from 1-5 p.m. on Sundays -- … easily the shortest daily hours of the week, but a very busy four hours, Keehbler said.
"A lot of (people) are so busy during the week they can't get here,'' he said. ""Many students who have papers and reports come in. And, a lot of job searchers want to do their work on Sunday to prepare for the week ahead.''
The effort to restore Sunday hours began in October 2008, shortly after Keehbler took over as director of the Piscataway Public Library, which includes the Kennedy site at 500 Hoes Lane and the Johanna W. Westergard Library at 20 Murray Ave. The Westergard library does not have Sunday hours.
"The staff said Sunday was the most popular day, and we'd like to reopen. We all got together and said, "How can we make this work?' It really was a staff-created thing. The town didn't ask us to do it, and the library board didn't ask us to do it,'' Keehbler said.
The move bucked a current trend for libraries.
For example, in Plainfield, the Public Library recently eliminated Thursday evening and Saturday afternoon hours in the wake of sweeping budget cuts. In East Brunswick, the library now closes at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays instead of 9 p.m.
Public libraries receive a budget allotment from the municipality each year. That figure was $2.336 million in fiscal year 2010, which ends June 30. (The library and the municipality are shifting to calender-year budgeting this year.) Budget cuts prevented the library from adding personnel, so the staff turned to scheduling. Eventually, all the staff agreed on a plan that would involve those who normally didn't work on Sunday, including Keehbler. That means each person takes an additional day off during the week. With 12 full-time employees, Keehbler said that works out to one ""flex-schedule'' week per month.
"If i come in on Sunday, I won't be in on Friday. I would make sure I'd schedule meetings, etc. on other days,'' he said.
The Sunday staff includes four full-time workers and two part-time pages to check in books and shelve books. The full-timers are a reference librarian, a children's librarian and two staffers at the circulation desk.
Patrons seem happy with the change.
"I was shocked at first (when Sunday hours ended),'' said Anthony Valenti, 35, of Piscataway. ""It gives me something good to go back to.''
Anubhaw Arya, 15, a sophomore at Piscataway High School, said it's become easier to complete homework. ""I was stuck for a bit,'' he said. "We had to meet at someone's house (for group projects). The library is much easier. It's a central
location.''
Madeleine Interdonato, 45, of Piscataway, said she enjoys having access to the library's computers.
"You can get on the Internet,'' she said. "I work during the week and am off on Sunday. If you don't have something else going on, you can always go to the library.''
Jeff Grant: 908-243-6612;
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March 27, 2010
LIBRARIES FACE STAGGERING CUTS:
The Daily Record
By JOEL LANDAU • Staff Writer • March 27, 2010
The public libraries in Vineland and Millville are considering significant cuts, including access to materials, programs and hours of operations, due to massive state aid cuts proposed by the governor.
One of the little-noticed aspects of Gov. Chris Christie's wide-ranging budget address March 16 is a 74 percent cut in aid to the state's library system, from $14 million to about $3.7 million.
Library officials are now scrambling to figure out what services they'll have to reduce or cut, and they say the results may be devastating.
Christie's plan would destroy efforts made over the past 25 years to connect resources within the state's 304 state libraries and about 2,500 libraries in schools and other organizations throughout the state, said Pat Tumulty, executive director of the New Jersey Library Association, a nonprofit advocacy organization.
The reduced funds could mean an elimination of most statewide library programs and services, as well as a 50 percent cut in direct allocations for all libraries, according to the association. The total loss of about $10.4 million also would cause the state to lose its ability to match $4.5 million in federal grants available for libraries over the next few years, Tumulty said.
Libraries essentially would be forced to operate independently from one another, unable to share materials between their facilities or through Internet databases because the infrastructure needed to access information from other libraries wouldn't be available anymore, she said.
That includes book sharing among libraries made possible by Cumberland Libraries United System, known as CLUES, local officials said.
"The cut is just over the top," Tumulty said. "You can try to work with some cuts, but you can't work with what's been eliminated."
Tumulty testified Thursday at a public hearing of the state Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee at Rutgers Law School-Camden.
"I often get a sense there is a disconnect between what elected officials know about the library and how the public uses them," she said. "These are programs the public values."
Christie's office did not return a phone call seeking comment.
The association reports 170,000 state residents use libraries every day. Libraries recently have seen "extraordinary numbers" from people needing Internet access amid the difficult economy, Tumulty said. Library staff have received training to assist patrons to apply for unemployment and search for jobs online, she said.
Two state programs that would be eliminated under Christie's proposal are the New Jersey Library Network, which distributed more than 3 million items through interlibrary loans last year, and New Jersey Knowledge Initiative, which provides services for small businesses.
State funding also would be cut for the Virtual Library Program, which provides Internet access and shares various news articles, academic papers, literature and information databases to 2,500 libraries, schools and other organizations in the state. But Tumulty said that important service will get a one-year lifeline because federal funds can keep it going until 2012.
The directors of the Vineland and Millville public libraries said they're still trying to determine the fallout of the budget proposal, but they're adamant it will have a big impact on services.
Vineland Library Director Gloria Urban said the cuts will mean changes in the children's summer reading program, in which the state provided 3,100 books to 254 kids last year, and reductions in training for its staff.
The Vineland library uses its state appropriation to purchase materials. That allocation is projected to be slashed from $54,000 to $27,000, she said.
The library isn't in danger of losing Internet access, because its shares its connection with the city.
About 700 people visit Vineland's library each day.
"I have to step back and consider all of the different ramifications," Urban said. "It will take some time to assimilate and figure out where all these cuts will have an impact."
Millville Library Director Irene Percelli said her facility's state funds will be cut from $32,000 to $16,000. If the Virtual Library service ends, the library might have to spend $80,000 in the future to continue its Internet capabilities, she said.
The Millville library started a letter-writing campaign Wednesday that had 63 responses by Thursday afternoon. The state association also is encouraging residents to write to Christie and legislators.
"We are the one organization in the community that bridged the digital divide between the haves and have-nots," Percelli said, adding two-thirds of city residents have a library card and the facility gets 200,000 visits a year. "This will hurt a lot."
Neither Urban nor Percelli was willing to discuss specifics regarding potential impact on employment or library hours, but both said those areas were under consideration.
"If you care about your library in Cumberland County," Urban said, "contact your legislator."
Librarians are still trying to determine what cuts would be made, but say much of the CLUES system appears a likely casualty.
It connects all libraries in the county -- including those in the three cities, the county library and Cumberland County College -- and allows residents to view the libraries' catalogues and databases from home. The system also allows for interlibrary loans.
Myron Estelle, a librarian and information technology manager for the county library, said delivery of books between the libraries and the Internet databases would no longer be available through CLUES after these cuts. The county still plans to operate the Web site, which allows residents to view their account and get information about libraries and events.
But the infrastructure for accessing catalogues from computers outside the libraries would no longer exist, meaning you'd have to go to a library to find out what it offers. Libraries also wouldn't be able to share books among their facilities. They plan to still allow patrons to use their library cards to check out books from libraries other than the one to which they belong -- but those individuals would have to go to whatever library owns the item, rather than having it shipped to their local library.
Tumulty said the library funding issue has not received much attention in the early aftermath of Christie's address, in which the new governor laid out his plan to close a state budget deficit that he said is about $11 billion.
"I understand $800 million" in cuts for school districts "is a big number, but most school districts weren't cut by more than 5 percent," Tumulty said. "This is a total elimination of ... programs and a cut in state aid programs. These programs are not reduced. They are eliminated."
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March 25, 2010
Northfield considering land swap that would add space for library
pressofatlanticcity.com
By CHRISTOPHER RAMIREZ, Staff Writer | Posted: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 | 0 comments
The City of Northfield is examining a proposed land swap that could provide additional property for the Otto Bruyns Public Library.
Land bordering the library, located at the intersection of Mill Road and Wabash Avenue, recently was put up for sale, and Mayor Vince Mazzeo, a member of the library's board, inquired about working out a potential deal.
The neighboring land is the former site of Arthur R. Henry Inc., a construction company founded in 1946 that has moved its operations to Ocean Heights Avenue across from McCullough's Emerald Golf Course in Egg Harbor Township.
The city owns a piece of property Mazzeo estimated is about 50 by 500 feet that is adjacent to the Henry property, which in turn borders the library.
In the land swap, the city would receive a parcel estimated at about 50 by 300 feet located just east of the library in exchange for its wooded lot.
The trade would allow both sides to square off their respective properties, and from the library's point of view, provide space for a possible expansion of the driveway entrance and increase in the number of parking spaces.
"It looks like a no-brainer from the city's standpoint," Mazzeo said.
Ralph W. Henry Sr., president of Arthur R. Henry Inc., said he viewed the proposed land swap as a "fair trade."
"Whoever buys the property, it does square off our property a little bit better," Henry said of his seven-acre lot.
He added that he has received several inquires about the land, but has not opted out of possibly developing the land himself.
While Henry has shown interest in exploring the deal, he also already expressed to Mazzeo that he does not want to pay any costs related to the trade such as title fees.
Mazzeo asked City Solicitor Keith Bonchi to study circumstances related to the deal at the City Council meeting Feb. 23 and is still waiting for the findings.
Neither side has set a timetable, and it could be a while before any agreement could be completed; the city is only now nearing the finalization of a land swap with the county that was initiated in February 2009 for property on Dolphin Avenue.
"It's still going up on the air on what we're going to do," Mazzeo said.
Contact Christopher Ramirez:
609-272-7147
CRamirez@pressofac.com
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Study: Third of Americans use library computers
philly.com
DONNA GORDON BLANKINSHIP
The Associated Press
SEATTLE - A third of Americans 14 and older , about 77 million people , use public library computers to look for jobs, connect with friends, do their homework and improve their lives, according to a new study released Thursday.
It confirms what public libraries have been saying as they compete for public dollars to expand their services and high-speed Internet access: library use by the general public is widespread and not just among poor people.
But researchers found that those living below the federal poverty line , families of four with a household income of $22,000 or less , had the highest use of library computers. Among those households, 44 percent reported using public library computers and Internet access during the past year.
Among those aged 14 to 24 in poor households, 61 percent used public library computers and Internet for education purposes, though young people were the biggest library computers among all demographic groups.
Nearly half of the nation's 14- to 18-year-olds , about 11.8 million people , reported using a library last year and a quarter of teens used the library at least once a week.
The study was paid for by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and conducted by the University of Washington Information School, which gathered information in three ways:
, A random national telephone survey of 3,176 people from April to August.
, In-person interviews with library patrons in Baltimore, Fayetteville, Ark., Marshalltown, Iowa, and Oakland, Calif.
, An online survey that was answered by 45,000 people after they logged on to use a public library computer.
The most common uses for library computers included gaining access to government agencies, searching for jobs and filling out applications, doing homework, communicating with friends and family, banking, seeking health advice, running a business, completing online courses and seeking financial aid for college.
The researchers were intrigued to find that people across all age and ethnic groups used library computers, said Michael Crandall, one of the principal authors of the study and chairman of the Master of Science in Information Management at the University of Washington Information School.
Some of the findings were surprising, he said.
"In the health area, over 80 percent of the users said they made a change in their diet after using library computers," Crandall said, adding that he did not know if the change was permanent.
The most unexpected finding, according to Crandall, is that two out of three of the people who use library computers said they are using the computers to help friends or family, such as scanning job databases or looking up information for others.
"In terms of library services, we're deeply undercounting," he said, referring to the others benefiting from library computer searches conducted on their behalf.
Crandall said he was also interested to learn that one in four Americans use public library computers while traveling.
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Glassboro library is getting a makeover
March 22, 2010
philly.com
By Haley Marks
Inquirer Staff Writer
Gloucester County Library officials, looking for ways to fix up their Glassboro branch, made what seems to be an odd decision: They called in a SWAT team.
But they weren't looking for police officers in riot gear.
Instead, they applied to be part of the SWAT Team program created by the New Jersey State Library, which assists libraries with transformation projects.
The state announced this month that the Glassboro branch was one of four public libraries chosen to participate. The others are the Caldwell, Matawan-Aberdeen, and Midland Park libraries, none of which are in South Jersey.
In Glassboro, the project calls for brightening the interior with paint and additional lighting and modifying how materials are organized to make the library feel more like a bookstore.
Carol Wolf, the branch manager, said the improvements had been needed for a while.
"Once upon a time this was an Acme," Wolf said. "We hope to change the unattractive brown wood paneling and cinder-block walls so the inside has a brighter feel."
Plans to replace the Glassboro branch of the Gloucester County Library began five years ago, but have been put on hold for budget reasons.
"We are still hoping for a new library," Wolf said. "This economy has made that dream just a little farther away, so we decided participating in this program would be the best way to serve the current needs of our community."
Under the state program, one of the four SWAT team members is assigned to each of the participating libraries and will bring expertise to the project. The team member assigned to Glassboro is Gloria Urban, director of the Vineland Library, who said she was excited about the project because the branch is large and has a lot of potential.
"Any of the SWAT team members could give a talk about marketing a collection and making the library more user-friendly, but the staff knows the community and its specific needs," Urban said. "I'm coming in with ideas on lighting and displays and how they will flow through the building."
Urban stressed she would not suggest any changes that would exceed the project's $5,000 budget, which comes from county funds. The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Heather Polillo of Glassboro, a frequent patron of the library, agreed that the interior was outdated.
"It has been here for such a long time," she said. "I'm glad they're going to fix it up inside."
Lori Karnuk, also of Glassboro, thought the suggested improvements were a good idea, but said she felt the money might have better uses.
"I would like to see it bigger," she said. "I'm just not sure if it is worth doing these renovations now. It might be a mistake to spend this money now instead of putting it into the new building."
Susan Kortonick, senior library assistant, was thrilled about the SWAT team's involvement.
"It really needs an update," she said of the library. "I've worked here for 19 years and have seen a lot of changes, but nothing like this. Being selected shows there is a large need for work like this."
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Contact staff writer Haley Marks at 856-779-3990 or hmarks@phillynews.com.
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Morris County leaders explore consolidating local libraries to reduce costs
By Lawrence Ragonese/The Star-Ledger
March 24, 2010, 7:20PM
MORRIS COUNTY -- As part of a countywide cost-cutting effort, some Morris County leaders are questioning whether some municipal libraries should be consolidated.
Mayor Bill ChegwiddenFreeholder Bill Chegwidden today called for a review of library services in Morris County’s 39 towns, especially in small towns with libraries located in close proximity to each other, and at a time technology is reducing the need for physical library plants.
"Look, I’m not suggesting we do away with libraries . . . But maybe there’s another way to do this,’’ said Chegwidden, who doubles as mayor of Wharton, which has its own library.
Chegwidden said it costs Wharton $288,000 annually to run its library and questioned if merging services with neighboring towns might make sense — for Wharton and other towns.
Library use has increased during the recession, with more people borrowing books, movies and music, and taking advantage of job training and employment programs. But Morris County has 30 municipal libraries, plus the Morris County Library and County College of Morris Learning Resource Center.
Chegwidden wants to explore if that system can be consolidated, in the spirit of government efficiency.
Some library directors had mixed opinions on the possibilities.
"The people of Riverdale feel very strongly about their library,’’ said Abby Sanner, director of the Riverdale Public Library, located just a few miles from libraries in Butler, Bloomingdale, Pequannock and Pompton Lakes.
She said the borough of 3,000 residents made a capital investment in a new library in 2002 and also approved using dedicated tax dollars to a library with a $290,000 operating budget. In addition to lending traditional items, Sanner said the library serves as a community center and after-school site for students, making it an integral part of the community.
Mount Arlington, with just 4,700 residents, also has a thriving local library, which is a source of local pride, said its director, Jim Garland. But he conceded major changes are coming in library services, driven by new technology, that could dramatically alter library needs.
"I’m loathe to admit it, but change is inevitable,’’ said Garland, whose busy library handled 50,000 transactions last year. "Nobody wants to get rid of their local library. But technology is going to win out in the end.’’
The freeholders agreed to explore some pending legislation regarding library funding and to possibly form a subcommittee to further examine the issue.
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Bridgeton may issue $1.8 million in bonds for roof repairs to library and firehouse
By Joe Green
March 20, 2010, 4:04PM
BRIDGETON — City Council at its April 6 meeting may give final approval to issue a $1.805 million bond to repair the roofs of the city public library and firehouse.
Council on March 16 approved an ordinance on first reading for the measure, which also includes heating, ventilation and air conditioning repairs.
Including a $95,000 required down payment on the bond, the total allotment comes to $1.9 million.
Council members said any funds left over after the library and firehouse projects are finished would go to repairs on other public buildings here, including perhaps some of those located near or in the city park.
Officials have mentioned at least over the past year that old facilities throughout the city badly need such repairs, but they’re working on a limited budget to say the least.
The newest portion of the library is an annex built in 1967, but part of the facility originally housed the Cumberland National Bank, built in 1816.
Repairs to the roof on both sections are forthcoming. In the meantime, library officials have seen repeated leaks during rainy weather, among other problems.
Two volunteer organizations, Friends of the Bridgeton Library and Save the Library!, have arranged fundraising efforts for the fix-up.
As just one example, Friends of the Library efforts netted more than $32,000 by the end of November.
The home of Bridgeton Fire Department on Orange Street has likewise seen its share of problems, the results of wear and tear since the facility was built in the 1890’s.
Fire department members have over time worked on features of the building and on restoring and maintaining some of the historic apparatus.
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Christie's N.J. budget has Rutgers absorbing Thomas Edison State College
By Brian Whitley/The Star-Ledger
March 22, 2010, 12:16PM
(Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-LedgerLt. Gov.Kim Guadagno and Gov. Chris Christie walk towards the Assembly Chamber as Christie prepares to deliver his March 16 budget address at the Statehouse.
Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed budget calls for merging Thomas Edison State College in Trenton — a mostly online school that caters to working adults — with Rutgers University.
Fusing the institutions, according to the budget, would save on overhead. More ambitiously, the governor’s plan envisions Rutgers providing an economic jolt to the capital’s downtown by offering classroom-based courses in the area and taking over the State Library and State Museum.
While the proposal would eliminate state support to Thomas Edison, which totaled $5.6 million this fiscal year, it does not provide additional funds to Rutgers. It also does not specify what form the merger might take or how it would affect students and staff.
George A. Pruitt, president of Thomas Edison, said the plan blindsided him when Christie’s chief of staff presented it Tuesday morning.
"At so many levels, I don’t understand it," he said. "We will try to persuade the governor to change his mind. We will try to persuade the Legislature not to implement it."
Pruitt said a merger would achieve no cost savings. He said Rutgers is unlikely to be more efficient than the distance-learning specialist, which educates 18,000 students while taking in just 18 percent of its revenue from state coffers.
Detailed research by the school indicates there is little demand for traditional colleges in downtown Trenton, Pruitt said. He noted that institutions such as Rider University, the College of New Jersey and Mercer County College are nearby.
The merger received a slightly warmer reception from Rutgers president Richard L. McCormick, who described it as "potentially feasible." Rutgers is aggressively adding online courses in many fields, looking to boost revenue as state support declines. Its success hinges on reaching audiences such as working adults — and the average Thomas Edison student is 40 years old.
But McCormick stressed the university has not analyzed the logistics of such a merger, including how to finance it, and that its governing boards would have to approve the plan.
Christie’s office did not respond to requests for comment on details of the proposal.
David Henderson, chairman of the Trenton Downtown Association’s board of directors, said it’s too early to evaluate the economic development potential of the plan. He called Thomas Edison a "great player downtown." The school works with local businesses on issues such as lighting and parking, and Henderson noted it has hosted events.
But Henderson said any measures that bring more students downtown are welcome.
"Students are great urban creatures because they partake of restaurants, arts, events, film. They’re out and about," he said. "More life in downtown Trenton is always a plus."
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Millburn's proposal for shared library on Saks site draws interest....from Summit
Independent Press
By Patricia C. Kelley
March 24, 2010, 2:02PM
MILLBURN — While they won’t be attending the meeting between Millburn and Springfield to discuss shared library services housed on the site of the former Saks Fifth Avenue building on Millburn Avenue in Springfield, Summit officials are interested in the idea and the possibility of joining in.
Millburn officials were scheduled to meet with Springfield government and library representatives on Thursday, March 18 to discuss the possibility of combining libraries from the two towns and using the Saks site to provide a larger library facility.
Township Committee member Jim Suell, who is representing the township at the exploratory session, said that Summit officials have asked for information about the plan and they may be interested in joining Millburn and Springfield if the project comes to fruition.
Suell, along with Millburn’s President of the Library Board of Trustees Abby Gorin and Library Director Bill Swinson, were set to meet with Springfield officials on Thursday to discuss the plan.
If the towns agree to combine their libraries on the Saks site, Springfield would have to condemn the property which is slated to become a super Stop & Shop supermarket.
After 12 years of court battles, the Dutch conglomerate Royal Ahold won the right to build the supermarket on the site but they have been mum about building plans. Royal Ahold has approvals from Springfield and Essex County to build on the property but they have yet to apply to Millburn. Although the property is located in Springfield, Millburn officials would have to grant approval for the usage because the main driveway would connect with Millburn Avenue and the new use would generate more than 10% of the previous occupant’s business.
Summit Library Director Glenn Devitt said, “They approached us to ask if we would be interested in their idea. We said we would study it if we have a grant from the state.”
Devitt said, however, a referendum would have to come before the voters. He noted that Summit has an open borrowing agreement with Millburn/Short Hills and that some Short Hills residents actually live closer to the Summit library than to Millburn’s library. The central location of Summit’s library on Maple Street makes it an accessible location for the majority of city residents, he said.
The Summit library set a new record for the number of items circulated. But Devitt said in these days of shared services the idea of a regional library was an idea that should be explored.
Posted by tumulty at 6:23 PM
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March 24, 2010
Celebrate National Bookmobile Day at Warren County Library
nj.com
Celebrate National Bookmobile Day at Warren County Library
By Warren Reporter
March 23, 2010, 1:04PM
The Warren County Bookmobile
BELVIDERE — Wednesday, April 14 is the first-ever National Bookmobile Day, a time to celebrate the contributions of mobile library services in the United States.
For over 100 years, bookmobiles have provided access to information, technology and resources for life-long learning to Americans of all walks of life, no matter where they are – rural areas, cities, or suburbs.
The Warren County Library is celebrating National Bookmobile Day by hosting a bookmobile open house event in front of the Headquarters building at 199 Hardwick Street in Belvidere. As part of National Library Week, National Bookmobile Day is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association, the Association for Bookmobile and Outreach Services, and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries.
For more information, visit the Warren County Library, call 908-475-6378 or see the library’s web site at warrenlib.org.
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March 19, 2010
Washington ( Warren County) could put library merger to voters in November
Friday, March 19, 2010
By STEPHEN J. NOVAK
The Express-Times
WASHINGTON | Borough voters may decide in November whether the local library stays Washington's own or joins the Warren county library system.
Borough council on Tuesday gave its informal consent for Manager Rich Phelan to draft a ballot question asking voters to make that choice.
But council members made it clear they want time to review the effects of such a merger before they approve the question's appearance on the general election ballot.
"This question has been going back and forth in the borough for at least a dozen years," Mayor Scott McDonald said. "This question will decide it once and for all."
Some council members were hesitant to form the question before they had all the information about the move. Phelan said he planned to reach out to county library system officials and arrange a meeting with council.
He also said that by drafting the question now, he can alert the county that the borough is considering the course, which could help expedite the process should the question go to voters.
"At worst, I (will) waste time forming a question that will never be used," he said.
Council discussion indicated the library would likely join with the county next year, if the change is approved.
There is no cost to the borough to have a question appear on the ballot in November, McDonald said. A special election would cost about $10,000, he said.
Washington first got a library in 1913, when a group of residents formed a library association in the rectory of St. Peter's Church, according to the library's Web site. After the library changed locations, the borough took it over in 1927.
The current library building was dedicated in 1983, according to the Web site.
Reporter Stephen J. Novak can be reached at 610-258-7171, ext. 3542, or snovak@express-times.com. Talk about issues in your town at lehighvalleylive.com/forums.
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Watchung announces semifinalists for library project
c-n.com
By LAURIE LEVOY • STAFF WRITER • March 15, 2010
WATCHUNG — Three architectural firms have been named to submit their formal proposals to remediate crowded building conditions at Watchung Public Library.
Debra Downs, chairwoman of the Library Advisory Committee, made the announcement at Thursday's 3/11 Borough Council meeting.
This step comes nearly four years since the borough appointed study and then advisory committees to address the conditions at the library, which essentially is the 2,000 square-foot, 1945 home of Harlan Pratt, who opened his Valley Furniture Shop in 1947 just yards from his home on Watchung Circle.
The library has become overcrowded from the increasing amount of technological equipment its patrons want and use. The building also is not a sufficient meeting destination for the community.
Doug Poswencyk, director of the library for nearly 20 years, said the library for some time has found it difficult to operate as a modern public library.
The Library Advisory Committee has met regularly for more than 18 months to research and make recommendations about the library's issues.
Each of the architectural firm candidates have been asked to have their proposals include the following:
A recommendation to either build a new structure or renovate and expand the current building;
Create a multipurpose room to accommodate 150 people, to function as a community hub;
Have certification in a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building program that promotes "green" initiatives;
Provide a preliminary design, layout and floor plan the community can examine;
Provide a project timeline and identify any zoning and environmental issues that need to be addressed;
Proposed, estimated costs.
The winning architectural firm will be chosen before the end of the year.
"This is a big investment to make and that's why a preliminary design the towns can look at and put online is important," said Councilman Steve Pote.
A referendum question and public donations could be part of the process in determining how to fund the library project, said Mayor Albert Ellis.
The library is a member of the Somerset County Library System and receives funding for staff and books. The municipality pays for and maintains the facility.
Laurie Levoy; 908-243-6614; llevoy@MyCentralJersey.com
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East Hanover library might use its savings to renovate or expand
DailyRecord.com
By JAKE REMALY • STAFF WRITER • March 18, 2010
EAST HANOVER -- The library Board of Trustees voted at its most recent meeting to hire an architect to show how the East Hanover Library could use its savings to renovate and possibly expand, library director Gayle Carlson said.
Once library officials have detailed plans, the board will review what options are
available and see how much renovations would cost, Carlson said.
The possible improvements range from installing fire suppression sprinklers and bringing old wiring up to code in older parts of the library, to building an addition for a computer lab and the library's media collection. The lab would enable the library to offer computer classes, Carlson said.
The board unanimously voted at its March 9 meeting to hire architect Robert Russell, of Princeton-based Holt Morgan and Russell, who has done previous consulting work for the library, Carlson said.
Trustees have said they would commit $650,000 to $750,000 from the library's savings for renovations, Carlson said. The library has accumulated roughly $900,000 in savings over the years.
"We know we cannot go to the town for additional money. This is just from our savings. We have to see how far our savings will go,'' Carlson said in an interview Wednesday.
The library added a wing for the children's section about 10 years ago.
The library receives funding from the town each year based on a formula set by the state. The formula dictates the library will receive $1,346,258 this year, an increase of about $100,000 because East Hanover's tax base increased.
The library this year budgeted about $850,000 for salaries and benefits, and $150,000 for materials, Carlson said. It also budgets for maintenance, computers, utilities, insurance and programming, among other expenses, she said.
One township resident, Mario Accumanno, has said the library shouldn't be spending money freely when school boards, municipalities and residents have had to "tighten their belts.'' He believes the library's extra money should somehow be given back to the town.
"No one wants to take away from the library the money that is needed to successfully operate the wonderful service it provides,'' he wrote in a letter to the Daily Record. "But the public should not be taken advantage of either ... This free and easy spending has to stop.''
The library board's next meeting is on Tuesday, April 13, at 5:45 p.m. in the library, 415 Ridgedale Ave. Members of the public are welcome to speak.
Jake Remaly: 973-428-6621; jremaly1@gannett.com
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In 80th year of operation, Somerset County Library System keeps up on all fronts
By The Messenger-Gazette
March 18, 2010, 3:03PM
Courtesy Somerset County Library SystemORIGINAL BOOK MOBILE — The Somerset County Library System started 80 years ago with only a book truck, maroon in color with gold lettering held about 500 books.
By Carly Bohach for The Messenger-Gazette
It all started with a Model T Ford driven by head librarian Dorothy Van Gorder.
The book truck, able to hold about 500 books, traveled county roads delivering books to Somerset County Library System cardholders.
Now celebrating 80 years of service, the system contains eight branch libraries that house a combined collection of some 3 million items for circulation, including books, newspapers, magazines, DVDs, CDs and e-books.
Through the years, one thing has remained constant — the system’s mission: to provide patrons with the information they are seeking.
“Customer service is extremely important, and our staff does a wonderful job serving our patron base,” said Evelyn Silverstein, chairwoman of the Somerset Country Library Commission.
Van Gorder, the first county library director, played an important role in establishing this high level of customer service.
Through her leadership, eight association libraries were formed, library services were delivered to rural communities, and the library was the first county unit to relocate to the new County Administration Building in Somerville in 1952.
To better serve the public, the Somerset County/Bridgewater Library opened in 1981 at 1 Vogt Drive. Since then, the facility has been providing services to patrons while housing the functions of the county library system.
Although the format and the way information is delivered have changed, Somerset County Library System Director Jim Hecht said he believes the library is an ideal community center.
“The library is a natural meeting place. We are offering more and more programs, including book-discussion groups, informational classes and music programs,” Hecht said. “The public is also looking to the library as a place to go and interact intellectually.”
“Technology, however, is changing every day and it is a driving force in the demand for electronic and digital resources,” he said.
The library is meeting this demand by offering patrons several electronic options. Patrons can access the library holdings through the Internet including e-book and e-audiobook titles. The collection is available through the library’s online catalog at somerset.lib.nj.us.
This year the library system will begin offering a collection of video games. The library conducted a pilot program at its Peapack branch, which was met with considerable enthusiasm.
“We realized how popular video gaming was. On average each game went out 10 times. All branches will be developing their own collections,” said Hecht.
Both Silverstein and Hecht agreed that the key to making technology work within the library is training. “As we introduce new technology, it is important for both the staff and the public to know how to access it and use it properly,” Hecht said.
One example is a computer class offered at the libraries called Downloading Digital Media. In the course, patrons can learn how to download e-audiobooks and e-books to their PCs, MP3s, PDAs and SmartPhones.
“Technology changes every day and it is hard to predict how it will change the library,” Hecht said. “We are going to keep on top of all technology developments going forward.”
But Silverstein said that even with technological advances and ever-better remote access to library resources, she believes bricks-and-mortar library buildings will not disappear.
“People still want to touch and feel books, but technology is now playing an important role in providing information to our patrons,” Silverstein said.
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March 18, 2010
Library boards in South Orange and Maplewood balk at merger proposal`
By Richard Khavkine/For The Star-Ledger
March 18, 2010, 5:58AM
A proposal to merge the South Orange and Maplewood libraries as a cost-savings measure received little support from their respective boards of trustees at a joint, informal meeting Tuesday night.
“Neither board would like to see a joint or merged library. We would like to maintain the libraries as they are,” the president of the Maplewood library trustees, Katherine Hilaire, said yesterday. “The whole point of any library is to serve a community, and we feel this is the best way to serve the community.”
The suggestion to merge the two systems was among several proposals forwarded by Maplewood’s deputy mayor, Fred R. Profeta Jr., during a public budget brainstorming session in January. Mayor Victor DeLuca, who as mayor sits on the library board, then suggested the joint board meeting take up Profeta’s idea.
The library trustees did discuss how they might bolster some of the joint initiatives already in place and perhaps even start up new ones, which DeLuca called encouraging.
“This is a process of conversation with opportunities to look for savings and for shared services,” he said, adding that he would try to keep the two boards talking.
“These things are going to be accomplished over time. Opportunities are going to come,” he said.
Given the financial constrains both locally and at the state level, DeLuca said, it is imperative to discover cost savings where possible.
“We have to figure out how to do things differently,” he said, adding that the two towns are well on the way to exploring other avenues for shared services, including those provided by the towns’ recreation departments and municipal courts. South Orange and Maplewood are also talking about merging their fire departments.
The president of the South Orange Library Board, Thomas Henry, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Hilaire said a subcommittee comprised of two trustees from each board would look into how the libraries can build on existing shared services. The two libraries already share children’s and teens programming and conduct joint school visits. Both also take part in a wide-ranging materials lending initiative involving several Essex County libraries that they will try and broaden to make it easier for students of the South Orange-Maplewood School District to take part.
The trustees also discussed sharing technology initiatives, including those tied to the libraries’ holdings databases, which Hilaire said were expensive.
“We’re looking to save money and collaborate as much as we can,” she said.
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March 15, 2010
Library told to get the lead out
Orange facility may close if toxic paint is not taken care of immediately
By Halley Bondy FOR THE STAR-LEDGER
nj.com
March 12,2010
Orange officials have known for decades that the city’s public library, the oldest in Essex County, has lead paint on its walls. But a complaint that the paint is disintegrating moved the city to inspect the building and threaten the library with closure.
In a letter Wednesday, Orange health inspector Vincent DeFilippo said he received a call about lead paint on the building’s walls.
The letter, addressed to library executive director Doris Walker, said DeFilippo found areas of defective paint, and if they are not abated within two weeks, he may shut down the building.
“We’ve been serving the Orange community since the early 1900s, and we’re going to try and do everything in our power to make sure our building doesn’t shut down,” Walker said in an interview yesterday.
DeFilippo could not be reached for further details yesterday.
The Orange Public Library at 348 Main St., which was built in 1901 and is registered as a national historic site, probably was coated with lead paint during its initial construction or in renovations in the 1950s, Walker said.
Walker, who has been the library’s executive director for 15 years, knew there was lead paint on the walls, but was told it was safe unless the city performs construction on the building, releasing paint chips.
Yesterday, paint could be seen peeling in the building’s central dome and throughout the ceiling.
Walker said the library intends to comply with the directives in DeFilippo’s letter, but said she did not know specifics about the dangerous areas or how much it would cost to abate them.
The letter said abatement will require sealing the areas with nonlead-based materials.
Four years ago, the library developed a $1.5 million plan to refurbish the whole building, but has been unable to come up with all of the necessary funds, Walker said.
The building, which takes up half a block on Main Street, was constructed in classic Greek style by Stanford White, who also designed the Washington Square arch in New York City. The building features Ionic columns in the entrance and a 45-foot rotunda, which is next to a reference room lined with books and computers.
William Hathaway, a resident who works on the library’s computers every weekday, said he hopes the library gets the funding it needs.
“I don’t think the lead is anyone’s fault, because it’s an older building,” Hathaway said. “But I do think we should be raising money for the library. It is the jewel of our community.”
Lead paint was used to paint parts of the Orange Public Library years ago, and now the city is threatening to close the facility if the toxic material is not abated within two weeks.
The Orange Public Library was built in 1901 by Stanford White, who designed the Washington Square arch in New York, and is registered as a national historic site.
Halley Bondy is a reporter for the New Jersey Local News Service. She may be reached at (908)243-6211 or hbondy@njlns. com.
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March 11, 2010
Millburn suggests joint library venture with Springfield in old Saks Fifth Avenue building
nj.com
By Patricia C. Kelley
March 10, 2010, 12:00PM
MILLBURN – Imagine a large, new library at the site of the former Saks Fifth Avenue building on Millburn Avenue. That’s what the Millburn Library Board of Trustees imagines and they imagine sharing it with the town of Springfield.
Abby Gorin, president of the Board of Trustees along with Township Committee member Jim Suell and Library Director Bill Swinson are meeting with Springfield officials on Thursday, March 11 to discuss a possible merger of the towns’ libraries and relocating them to the Saks site which is located in Springfield.
“We’re thinking that long term it would be a terrific use of the site,” Gorin said, explaining that if Springfield officials agreed with the plan it wouldn’t be put into place immediately. “It will be five years down the road,” he said.
The site is currently owned by the Dutch conglomerate Royal Ahold which after more than 12 years of court battles won the right to build a super Stop & Shop supermarket on the lot. But it’s been a few years since the court battles ended and no one has heard anything from Royal Ahold. If they still have plans to build there they would have to get approval from Millburn because the proposed use would generate more than 10% of the previous occupant’s business.
If the joint library venture is approved by both towns, Springfield would have to condemn the property, Gorin said.
Suell and Swinson previously met with Springfield’s mayor and library director who rejected the plan offhand, Gorin said. “We’d like to make our case before the trustees,” he added.
Gorin said he hoped to address Springfield officials’ concerns which mainly focused on accessibility. He said that there are many senior citizens who live in the garden apartments across from the Springfield library who walk to the library and students from Jonathan Dayton High School and the Springfield Middle School are also within walking distance.
Gorin will suggest that a jitney bus be provided to bus senior citizens to the Millburn Avenue site and some other busing arrangements be made for the students.
According to Gorin, if both towns agreed to the plan their existing library buildings could be put to other use.
In Millburn, he suggests the library building could be turned over to either the township or the board of education. “We believe it’s still a valuable building,” he added.
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March 10, 2010
South Plainfield public library trustees vote to move facility across town
By Brent Johnson/For The Star-Ledger
March 09, 2010, 9:29PM
SOUTH PLAINFIELD — Last-minute pleas from South Plainfield’s mayor and a handful of residents couldn’t quash a controversial plan to relocate the borough’s public library.
The library’s board of trustees voted 7-1 tonight to move the cramped, aging facility to a commercial building two miles across town.
The board is now expected so sign a 10-year lease for a 14,500-square-foot space within the one-story complex on Montrose Avenue — doubling the size of the current library.
“We will have a beautiful library we can be proud of,” board member Donna Egan said, “instead of a library that’s been outdated practically since it was built.”
The three dozen residents who attended tonight’s meeting appeared evenly divided on the issue.
Those against the plan say while the borough’s 46-year-old library is too small, it is located in the center of town on Plainfield Avenue — near shops, schools and the senior center. They said the new location is not only too far away, but it’s also near an industrial area, posing a danger to children.
“I think it’s a terrible location,” resident Jay Szovronek said.
Mayor Charles Butrico addressed the board at the beginning of the meeting, asking to postpone the vote for two months and form a committee to explore other options in that time.
Butrico presented two possible scenarios. One, hire a private developer to build a new library on the other side of borough hall. Or, two have the South Plainfield council fund a new library there, and the library board will pay back the debt.
“In the end, we’ll have a brand new library in a spot that benefits the community,” Butrico said. “Not one on the outskirts of an industrial area.”
But board members said the borough has already waited long enough for a new library.
In 2007, voters shot down a proposal to build a new $4 million library on the other side of borough hall — which would have raised taxes $30 a year for the average homeowner. The referendum, however, only drew a small number of residents to the polls.
“It really hurt the community,” Butrico said.
But library board president Eric Aronowitz said the new building won’t cost taxpayers. The board will pay for the lease with the borough’s yearly library appropriation — which was $1.3 million last year.
“When it’s done, the people will be very pleased,” board member Pat Massey said.
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March 8, 2010
Library site a hot new social media hangout for teens
SCI-TECH SCENE | Harold Washington's Digital Space goes beyond books to appeal to youth
Comments
March 6, 2010
BY SANDRA GUY
Chicago Sun-Times Columnist
Yves Capitaine, a 16-year-old resident of South Chicago, can be found daily on YOUMedia's online community, posting his photography and freestyle poetry and delving into haiku battles with his sister.
"My sister [14-year-old Rachelle] and I have more than 100 comments on my poetry blog," Yves said. "It's fun."
For adults and children new to technology, the public library offers tutors known as CyberNavigators to show people how to connect the Web and the greater world. CyberNavigators are available at 42 public library locations. Check with your local branch for details.
"I get to know people who come from serious sides of the city whom I've never met," said Yves, a junior at Jones College Prep High School.
Yves even got into a heated virtual battle with his online peers to claim bragging rights at the top of the "leader board" listing the top YOUMedia content producers.
Think YOUMedia is the latest social media teen hangout?
It is, and it's housed on the main floor of the Harold Washington Public Library, 400 S. State St., in the Digital Space for Teens.
The Digital Space offers eight desktop computers, 96 laptops, two PlayStation 3's with a library of games, and musical keyboards and a recording studio so teenagers can create music, art and poetry, or jump online and talk with peers in the secure, password-protected YOUMedia forum.
Select book reviews by teens are also posted publicly at chipublib.org/forteens/teensbookre views/index.php.
The teens work with mentors like Erica Neal, who has watched the young people bloom creatively as they come to the Digital Space regularly.
"Our goal is to draw students in so that they're comfortable hanging out in the library, and then get them to engage with the workshops and technology in the space," Neal said. "We're seeing more and more students who were hanging out, participating in workshops and on the social network. It's been great to see their interests develop."
Students enrolled in workshops may check out digital still cameras or Flip high-definition video cameras for a week at a time to work on special projects.
The Digital Space for Teens is free to high school students ages 14-18 with a Chicago Public Library card, and to young people from the suburbs who get a reciprocal library-borrowing card at the Harold Washington Library. It is open from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
The idea for the Digital Space sprouted from Digital Youth Network, which itself started as a digital-divide research project at the University of Chicago's Urban Education Institute and from research and funding by the MacArthur Foundation. It is now a full-blown program housed at DePaul University's downtown campus.
"I saw the Digital Space for Teens when I was walking past the library, and I wanted to become a part of interacting with digital technology. I wanted to be a part of the family," said Yves, who has dreamed of becoming an engineer since he was 12 and saw a video screen of flying cars and trains at an engineering convention.
"If we can learn to manipulate magnets for the greater good, we can invent gasless technology," he said.
Chicago's efforts to attract teens are among a growing upsurge by libraries nationwide to attract tech-savvy young people, said Carrie Russell, director of the Program on Public Access to Information for the American Library Association's Office for Information Technology Policy.
"Libraries are more actively trying to meet new users' needs rather than passively acting as a repository," Russell said.
Yet, libraries are still figuring out how best to achieve wide user access in the digital age, she said. For example, how do libraries "lend" a digital iTunes download?
More and more, libraries depend on licensing arrangements with vendors rather than owning a digital product outright, Russell said. "The vendor might require that a library pay an additional fee every time the library lends a licensed product, so it makes the idea of library lending much different" than in the past.
Yet, Russell believes that libraries will increasingly develop partnerships with the likes of Google and Yahoo in order to obtain access to downloadable books, music and other properties that readers increasingly demand.
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Swedesboro Public Library expansion plans gain ground
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Gloucester County Times
By Deena DiBacco
ddibacco@sjnewsco.com
SWEDESBORO Council members met Monday night for their meeting, and steps have been taken to further expansions on Swedesboro Public Library.
The date for construction bids to be received for library expansion, rescheduled twice first for Feb. 11, and again for Feb. 24 have been received and reviewed by council members Monday night.
Mayor Thomas Fromm said that the council is ready to award the winning bid - and plan to do so in two weeks, at their next meeting on March 15.
In the meantime, Fromm said the council will do an administrative cleanup to fund the expansion, and the winning bid will be awarded in the next three weeks.
The administrative cleanup was dealt with at Monday's meeting as well. Council members amended an ordinance to make bids available for use by the library, which means that members exactly identified library expansion funding, and made money available to use for the project.
"We moved around some funds from other projects over to be used in the library project," said Fromm.
According to Fromm, $120,000 was moved, and will now be used to pay for library expansions that will be executed by the company who is awarded the winning bid.
Fromm said the construction will begin soon after the winning bid is announced.
"We expect, once it's awarded, to start action and see things happen," said Fromm. "Anywhere from two to three weeks after the award."
Fromm said that the entire project will consist of $1.1 million to complete, a significant portion of which will be paid for by the county because the Swedesboro facility is a branch of the Gloucester County Library System.
The library, already used by around 10,000 Swedesboro and Woolwich residents, has plans to add 3,000 square feet of space that they'll utilize for events, programs, community meetings, and additional space for resources and items.
After renovations, the top floor of the library will be used as the main floor, and the back wall will be taken down and replaced with a picture window, so that the new entranceway will be clearly visible from Kings Highway.
Expansion plans also included the implementation of an elevator and stairwell, which will give library members access to a lower level that will include new bathrooms, meeting rooms, a new HVAC system, a kitchen and an art exhibition area.
Handicapped-accessible exits will be built at the lower level, and will lead to the library parking lot.
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March 7, 2010
Princeton Library $1.5M closer to endowment campaign goal
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Krystal knapp
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
PRINCETON BOROUGH -- Thanks to gifts from two major donors, the Princeton Public Library is $1.5 million closer to reaching its fund-raising goal for its centennial endowment campaign.
The Scheide Fund has donated $500,000 to the Centennial Campaign for Endowment, and the Robert Wood Johnson 1962 Charitable Trust has awarded the library a $1 million challenge grant, to be matched on a one-to-one basis.
Philanthropists William and Judy Scheide, longtime supporters of arts and culture in the community, have been generous contributors to the library in the past. Previous gifts to the library from the couple include $500,000 for the construction of the library's current building, which opened in 2004.
The Scheide Library, privately owned and deposited in Princeton University's Firestone Library, is one of the world's premier collections of earliest European printing. The Scheides also own an important collection of rare books.
Regarding their recent contribution, the Scheides stressed the important role public libraries play, saying they "turn the entire community into book collectors. Anyone with a library card has access to wonderful collections, stories and information."
The Robert Wood Johnson 1962 Charitable Trust and other philanthropic organizations under the direction of Betty Wold Johnson have made gifts totaling $3 million to the library.
"We are proud to have received this second challenge grant from the Robert Wood Johnson 1962 Charitable Trust," said Leslie Burger, executive director of the library.
"Having a dollar-for-dollar challenge encourages others in the community to donate and is an endorsement of the significant role the library plays in this community," Burger said. "We are grateful for this generous gift and hope to be able to complete the challenge quickly."
The library will celebrate its 100th anniversary in October. Several centennial events have been planned throughout the year, including a gala fund raiser Oct. 9 and a birthday party Oct. 10.
The goal of the centennial campaign is to build a $10 million endowment for the library by the end of the year. The endowment will provide a sustainable source of income to supplement municipal support, library officials said, allowing the library to continue to offer innovative services to the community.
Lindsey Forden, the library's development director, said with the two major gifts given by the Scheides and the Robert Wood Johnson 1962 Charitable Trust, the library has raised roughly $8 million so far and is within about $2 million of reaching its goal.
"We're in the last leg of the campaign," Forden said. "We fully anticipate we will meet the goal through the generosity of donors ... It's a great thing for the community."
For more information about the campaign or centennial events, visit www.princetonlibrary.org.
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March 2, 2010
Service providers gather to close gap for those in need
By SHRUTI MATHUR DESAI • Courier-Post Staff • February 27, 2010
Deptford Gloucester County residents seeking the services of charities and help agencies over the past five months are often new to the system, due to recent job loss after years of employment.
At the same time, service organizations in the county are often at a loss on how to cover all the needs of those who have fallen on hard times, leaving a gap in service, said Bernadette E. Blackstock, executive director of the People for People Foundation.
"Organizations can sometimes be so parochial," Blackstock said. "We all do our own little thing and then when we are hit with something that doesn't fit our norm, we are at a loss for what to do."
To help resolve that, Blackstock and the People for People Foundation organized a series of conferences called Hands Across the County so that service providers could learn about each other and find out ways other organizations can help.
The first conference was Wednesday at Adelphia Restaurant in Deptford.
Organizations set up tables and members talked to each other about their organizations and the services they provide. Conversations were sometimes interrupted as people walked up to ask for resources that their group needed, spawning a new thread of brainstorming.
Thomas Bowen of the Hispanic Family Center of Gloucester County told the assembled group that he had a shocking announcement: "We actually have money," he said.
The center has government funding for low-income heating and energy assistance programs, available for all families in need.
He suggested to the group that if they encounter people who need help with paying their energy bills, they send them to his organization.
"Rather than expending valuable time trying to take care of that, it can be done through a government program," Bowen said. "Then they can take care of other needs, like food and clothing."
Bowen said it was better utilization of the scarce resources.
Nancy Polhamus, a reference librarian with the Gloucester County Library, recommended that group use the library system as a free resource.
"This is your tax dollars at work," she said.
Often the library becomes a front line for people seeking resources, saying she has fielded questions such as how to find a battered women's shelter to how to put together a resume or use a word processing program after becoming recently unemployed.
"We're hoping by cooperating, we can do it more efficiently and get all the information we need," Polhamus said.
Jere Hoffner, executive director of the United Way of Gloucester County, said he hopes conferences like this can help make the process for applying for help a little easier.
"There has to be ways to streamline this, there has to be ways to make it efficient and make it effective for those seeking assistance," Hoffner said, especially for those who are new to the system and might get confused and frustrated by "all of the hoops they have to jump through."
Hoffner said there are ways in which agency activities can be coordinated and shorten the length of time it takes to access services.
"If you can get ahead of a problem, it tends to not get worse, instead of getting behind it," Hoffner said.
Reach Shruti Mathur Desai at (856) 317-7828 or smathur@camden.gannett.com
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For the iGeneration, a more modern space
Times of Trenton
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Nicole Gough
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
To the iGeneration, whose access to information is faster than ever, libraries may seem like archaic institutions that have fallen behind in the times. Images of weathered tomes and the labyrinthine Dewey Decimal System seem to have teens running in the opposite direction -- and toward a computer.
But the Hamilton Township Free Public Library is one of many facing the challenge and adapting, merging books and the Internet and creating a more modern space for today's teens. Librarian Kathleen Breitenbach is piloting that change at Hamilton.
"Prior to the library adding a specific teen librarian, service to teens and collection development in the teen department was handled by one of the reference librarians who had other responsibilities," said Breitenbach, recently hired and appointed head of Teen Services. "By having someone whose sole collection development duty is for the teen section, we can provide better service."
One of the more difficult tasks the library faces is attracting teenagers and maintaining their interest in the library. In addition to updating the library's collections, Breitenbach plans to organize programs and committees that will cater to teenagers' needs and reignite their interest in the library.
"We plan to offer a wide variety of programs, make our collections more current, do more outreach by visiting the schools and talking to teens where they are, and develop a teen advisory board," said Breitenbach. "Additionally, we are designing a space just for teens to hang out and study in the library."
The library's new initiative and outreach plan will provide teenagers with more programs and utilities that are relevant to their interests and needs. Teens visiting the library's home page are presented with a link to the Teen Review Blog, a place where they can read book reviews and explore titles that may be interesting to them.
Part of the outreach program extends to parents, introducing them to new technology as well.
"We can help others learn the emerging technologies and facilitate their use," said Breitenbach.
"We can also help guide parents through what kinds of online services their teens are using by providing information like MySpace for Parents. The library also is instrumental in helping students achieve technological literacy," she said.
Teenagers can have a say in the new program. Interested teens can join the Teen Board by contacting Breitenbach through a link on the website. As for new technological additions to the library, Breitenbach has a few ideas.
"We are experimenting with new formats for audiobooks (on MP3 CDs and Playaways), and we are purchasing new technology for the teen space," said Breitenbach.
Although the initiative is still in its early stages, Breitenbach is hopeful for the future and emphasizes the importance of an interest in public libraries.
"The library provides a community space, a place to study, to learn, and to have fun, and the best part is that it's all free," she said. "I really hope that we start seeing more teens in the library, utilizing our services and being involved in our community."
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