The library is operating with a $2.7 million budget, which is underfunded by about $300,000, according to Hinkley and Board Treasurer Wil Adkins. Of the total budget, about $2.5 million is the municipal allocation, Hinkley said.

In its first formal discussion with the town, library officials will talk about available funding for the library, "and what it would mean to the library in terms of operations," Board President Frank Lawatsch Jr. told The Times earlier today.

"We'd like to see some of our budget restored," Lawatsch said. "We could improve our hours of operation in both buildings."

But Montclair Mayor Jerry Fried said some relief might be in sight.

"I think there's a real possibility in an increase in funding this year," Fried told The Times.

Although the possibility of library funding cuts looms because of a decline in property values in Montclair this year, Fried said, the mayor will nonetheless push to restore dollars.

"There have been a lot of tax appeals," Fried said.

"I, for one, am going to advocate for restoration of some funding to the library because they've had to shoulder a much higher burden of cuts than almost all other township functions. That was a product of difficult decisions that had to be made by the council in response to the economic downturn."

Despite the financial hardships and working with a skeletal staff, the library has so far this year seen approximately 286,000 patrons, 21,000 more than last year. "That's enormous," said board member Cliff Kulwin, who pointed out that visits and circulation is high despite the library being forced to cut hours. The main library is open 52 hours a week as opposed to 62 last year, and the branch is open 10 hours a week, compared to 35 in 2009, officials said.

If things go the way the library trustees hope, the Bellevue Branch Library could remain open without the worry of possible closure. It was temporarily shut in January but reopened in June with the help of volunteers and fundraising assistance from the Montclair Public Library Foundation.

"I would hope [we will] not face that kind of situation," Lawatsch said. "We're optimistic that the library will be able to get some of its budget restored. That would help us offer services we've had to curtail this year."

Added Lawatsch, "We basically were unable to purchase much in the way of materials. Our budget for new purchases of books, for example, was cut back dramatically. We relied on the foundation to assist us in buying materials, which historically has been paid for as part of the town's allocations. But they don't have the resources to replace what town provided us."

If the library budget was to be slashed further, it would result in more cutbacks in services, said Lawatsch, adding that in the worst case scenario, "It's a question of whether the branch could stay open at all if we have further cutbacks. But we don't anticipate that to happen."

The library is near to completing a months-long strategic plan, and all that's left is to administer a focus group for teachers, and another for influences in the town, Adkins said.

Lori McConnell, who is a member of the Friends of the Bellevue Avenue Library, told the trustees tonight that they have the support of the community behind them. "I am hoping that this year in the budget process you can make use of the goodwill you have in town," McConnell said.

HONORING CAROLINE

During tonight's meeting, the trustees unanimously passed a resolution honoring Library Division Chief Caroline Brown, who tendered her resignation effective Nov. 25.

As Lawatsch read the resolution aloud, he noted her "years of productive dedicated service" in the library since 1977 when Brown was first employed as a page. She had since worked in many departments, and also was acting library director in 2004. She received numerous commendations, including a 1982 letter from Marlis Powell, then president of the board, who had expressed "her appreciation to Caroline for her essential role during that year's library move."

"Caroline Brown's professionalism and personal touch will be deeply missed by the Montclair Public Library employees," the resolution stated. "The Montclair Public Library Board of Trustees extends its best wishes to Caroline Brown as she embarks on the next chapter of her life."

Hinkley told The Times after the meeting, "I'm sad that she's leaving. It's a loss to the library."

Contact T.D. Shoudy at shoudy@montclairtimes.com.

In Hasbrouck Heights on Thursday, 10 adults who acknowledged that their job-seeking skills need improvement took part in the first day of a two-day workshop designed to acquire those skills, one of more than 100 such programs in the state.

"We believe in helping our community with the economic recovery and bettering the people that we serve," said Mimi Hui, the librarian. "And why not? We want to help them get back on their feet. We want to provide information and help them with lifelong learning."

Funded by the $5.1 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and matching funds of $1.5 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the program has implemented 521 training programs since March at 124 public libraries, state officials said.

For residents like Donna Fackelman, who left the job market in the 1990s to raise a family, the training is a chance to catch up on skills.

"I mostly did basic word processing," said Fackelman, of Hasbrouck Heights, a former secretary. "I want to learn how to do it right."

Regina Imperato, who has given instructions at several libraries, including Lodi, Westwood, Garfield, Dumont and Cresskill, said job seekers who have not had to look for work in several years face particular challenges.

Most employers require applicants to fill out job applications online, even if they will not need to work in an office.

With the state's jobless rate at record levels, local and state officials said libraries are filling a need.

More than 5,000 people have participated in the program, state officials said.

"What we are finding is that people are coming into libraries; not only have some of them never been out of work before — some of them have never sat in front of a computer before," said Peggy Cadigan, the state's acting librarian. An advantage of libraries is that they're open evenings and weekends, she said. "Librarians are really good-hearted people, and they'll sit down with somebody and say, 'Here's a mouse. Here's how you go online.' "

By STEVEN LEMONGELLO,

The vote was close - a margin of just 12 votes - but a referendum in Longport this month ended in defeat for those who wanted to break away from the Atlantic County Library System and form their own library.

More affluent towns such as Longport are critical in supporting county library branches and services in smaller, less affluent communities - but many of those same towns are seeking to lessen their tax rates and might find the idea of controlling their own library appealing, as Avalon did when it split of from Cape May County's system in 2002.

So in a time of increased shared services, could one of the oldest shared services in New Jersey - county libraries - be facing a difficult future?

"It depends on who pulls out and how many," said Cape May County Library Director Deborah Poillon. "Obviously, the shore communities put a lot of money into the county system. Losing Avalon did hurt us some, but when they pulled out, the boom times were still in effect. But if Avalon were still in the county system, the library tax rate would be much lower."

County libraries are funded through property taxes from all towns without their own municipal library, whether they have a branch or not. The library tax rate is equalized - so towns pay more or less depending on how their assessments match up with the current market rates.

In 2011, for example, the Atlantic County rate averaged out to about 2.8 cents per $100 of assessed value, or about $28 per $100,000, said the county's library director, Karen George. Individual towns, however, had rates as disparate as 6.2 cents per $100 in Mullica Township or 2.8 cents in Brigantine. Longport's rate was 4.3 cents.

Towns that operate municipal libraries, on the other hand, use the "third of a mil" formula, which is always 3.3 cents per $100.

"The funding structure is not an easy thing," said Pamela Tumulty, the executive director of the New Jersey Library Association. "Longport has been in the county library system for so long, if they pulled out it would have a significant impact on the county library system."

The association, Tumulty said, "supports the process of doing what (Longport) did by referendum. The public needs to have a voice."

Longport's referendum was defeated 171-159, including mail-in ballots, a result that Russo said he was disappointed by.

"I really believe that voters may not have understood the issue," Russo said.

He said that Longport pays more than $650,000 in library taxes to the county, but the cost of operating the Longport branch is about $255,000.

"That's a difference of $400,000 not staying in Longport," Russo said. A committee, he added, "overwhelmingly concluded that Longport should leave the Atlantic County System."

Russo cited a flier distributed by the nonprofit Atlantic County Library Foundation, which said a "yes" vote would mean "No more Longport branch", "All books ... relocated" and "higher library taxes in Longport for at least 8-10 years."

"It's misleading, and I find that unconscionable," Russo said, adding that the borough planned to create its own library. "I don't believe it's a dead issue. ... We're really talking about six votes one way or another. I believe it would be prudent to revisit it now that we know there's a special interest group that does not want to see Longport leave the system."

Foundation President Luann Amodeo, who has personal experience with such a move from when Linwood left the system in the late 1980s, said that the group "was just getting factual information out there of what to expect when a branch pulls out."

Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson agreed that there was "nothing misleading about what the foundation wrote."

The books and equipment, Levinson said, "are owned by the county library and if they left the system (the county system) would certainly take the books back. ... They'd have to buy (their own) books, computers, magazines, videos, all the things you have to put into a library for it to get accredited. It's not an easy thing to do and it's not cheap."

As to the other claims, George said that Longport would have still paid into the county system for two years - "It gives us a chance to absorb the change in our funding," she said - and that a 2010 law mandates that a city's municipal budget would not get back any surplus funds from library budgets for eight years.

Levinson also criticized Russo for talking about another referendum, saying that "If a mayoral election is a close vote, should we have another vote on that one also? ... If Longport were to leave, I don't have a problem, but the people have spoken. Should they keep paying for an election every year until they get it the way they want it? That's not how the system works."

Still, Russo said that "Even though taxpayers may not have seen immediate relief, we would have had better, more local control of taxpayer money."

In Cape May County, Poillon said, "If one other big town were to pull out, we'd probably be OK with general services, but some things we do like computers and databases, we'd have to look at trimming some services back."

As for whether any towns might look at pulling out, Poillon said "We always hear rumors."

Tumulty said she was familiar with Cumberland County, which has a different funding system and includes both county branches and municipal libraries in Bridgeton and Vineland - and there has been talk of ending the county system.

"For many people, you need a close facility," said Tumulty. "If you close the Cumberland County libraries, the Bridgeton library is a very small facility, so people might have to drive to the county college. For people of poorer economic status, a library can be a community focal point. You can't even apply for a job without internet access. Some governments only put information online. If you have to drive 25 minutes every day (to the nearest library), you disenfranchise people."

The same situation might happen if county branches were to close if more towns pulled out, she said.

"Libraries are not frills," she said. "People need a facility they can use. It's an essential part of doing anything."

Contact Steven Lemongello:

609-272-7275

BRIDGETON — Be advised, bookworms. The Bridgeton Free Public Library will be temporarily closed from Nov. 14 to Dec. 5 for overdue repairs.

“For the last four years, we’ve only had one of three (air conditioning) units operating in the public area of the library,” said Robinson.

There were heaters under people’s desks in the winter and patrons wouldn’t bother taking off their coat. The fans came out during the summer months. Drop-ceiling tiles dating back to 1967 will finally be replaced and ductwork in the ceiling will be reconfigured during the closure.

Funding for fixes to portions of the building, a portion of which dates back to 1816, has been pursued in numerous ways by the library and its supporters. However, these repairs are not coming out of any recently received grant, such as the New Jersey Historic Trust’s $150,000 one from September.

“It’s building improvement to take care of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) issues,” said city Administrator Dale Goodreau.

He added the project had “been on the burner for awhile” and the contract was recently completed.

The New Jersey Historic Trust grant is designated for preservation efforts and that amount will go toward funding actual work, not designs or inspections.

Next up, Robinson says, are repairs to leaking portions of the roof.

But, all this doesn’t mean every library service is going on hiatus.

Tuesday morning’s “Story Time” program held at 10 a.m. will now be hosted at the Canvas Bag Gallery, located at 46 E. Commerce St. The Friends of the Bridgeton Library will also be holding an “Afternoon of Jazz” on Nov. 20 at the Ashley-McCormick Center.

Also, portions of the library will be open for the city’s Holiday House Tour on Saturday, Dec. 3.

Patrons may return items at the library’s book-drop, located at the front of the building, during the renovation period. No fines will be imposed during the renovation process and fax service will not be available.

For more information during the project, patrons may call (856) 451-2620 or by email at bpl@clueslibs.org.

Mayor Kenneth Short said a meeting held on Thursday, Oct. 13 with library director Jacqueline Zuzzi was “cordial”” and “non-confrontational.”

Mayor Kenneth Short said a meeting held on Thursday, Oct. 13 with library director Jacqueline Zuzzi was “cordial”” and “non-confrontational.”

At the Township Committee meeting the previous night, Short described the library’s capital spending plan as a wish list and a way to keep from returning surplus money to taxpayers. The library is located in Rock Spring Park off Schooley’s Mountain Road.

“Our building is 15 years old,” said Zuzzi. “I need to be sure I can take care of my facilities. It’s getting tighter and tighter.”

Zuzzi said she is required to get public comments for the library’s strategic plan. She said she has conducted focus groups involving senior citizens, people 25 to 55 years old, teens, parents of young children and other groups, as well as talking to local leaders such as the mayor and senior citizen coordinator.

But at the Township Committee meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 12, Short said, “Tax relief is much more important than a gazebo.”

Surplus Limits

At the heart of the discussion by Township Committee members is recent state law that restricts public libraries from retaining surplus funds above 20 percent of their annual operating budget. The remainder must be returned to the municipality for property tax relief.

The statute, which was initially proposed by the administration of Gov. Chris Christie in 2010, was designed to prevent abuses such as the $1.9 million surplus retained by the North Bergen public library.

To calculate the amount to be returned to the municipality, all monies for long range capital projects are excluded.

The September 2011 capital improvements budget submitted by the library included $413,031, of which $100,586 remained uncommitted to any projects.

The library’s annual budget for 2011 is $1.047 million. By the statutory formula, any unrestricted surplus over $209,473 would have to be returned to the township.

Zuzzi said she’s facing budgeting reductions in the face of rising coasts. The township appropriation decreased $31,000 last year and $54,000 the previous year. And state funding was cut by $8,500, while costs such as health insurance and pensions for the library employees have risen.

Of the projected capital expenditures, $50,000 is intended for a large outdoor gazebo, $54,000 for energy upgrades, $50,000 on roof replacement, $40,000 for computer replacement over a five-year cycle, $20,000 for improvements to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, $20,000 for the completed replacement of the meeting room floor, and $35,000 for interior building maintenance.

Other smaller amounts are reserved for a projection system for the meeting room, e-readers and other emerging technology, exterior maintenance, technology hardware and software purchases, heating and air conditioning controls and replacement of heavy usage copy machines, for a total expenditure of $43,445.

“We questioned some of the items on the list,” Short said. “It’s out of our hands. We trust the library will do the right thing for the residents.”

Zuzzi said neither the gazebo or any other item on the proposed list is locked in stone.

She said the Library Board of Trustees considered a building expansion plan that would have added room for a teen area and larger children’s section but decided against it because of current economic conditions.

As an alternative, the gazebo would provide additional area outside the building. Library officials visited a similar outdoor gazebo in Blairstown, which is used eight months a year.

“When I got here two years ago, I found a library without a teen center and a meeting room that was well used and could have been expanded,” Zuzzi said. “We carved out a small teen area from the children’s section.”

That left a need for additional children’s area space. In addition, Zuzzi said the library is cramped in its efforts to hold musical programs.

“The meeting room will hold the musicians but then you can’t get very many people in there,” she said. “A gazebo would be perfect. It’s a beautiful area.”

Zuzzi said a number of items are necessary before the library sends its final report to the state, including an audit, technology plan, strategic plan and report on the condition of the building.

When the capital expenditures and the strategic plan are approved at the local library level, they will be sent to Trenton for final approval by the State Librarian.

Township Committeeman Tracy Tobin, who is the mayor’s representative on the Library Board of Trustees, said needs such as roof repair are necessary because of recent storms and leakage.

“It’s not a deliberate attempt to use all the money so nothing goes back,” Tobin said. “This is not a one-year possibility of getting money back.”

“Every year the library has to update program,” Tobin said. “All parts of the budget have to go down to the state. They can strike out items. Jackie’s (Zuzzi) meeting with Ken is part of the strategic plan survey.”

Zuzzi said she doesn’t want to see the spending plan become controversial.

“If something catastrophic happens, we’re not going to get any money from the town,” Zuzzi said. “It’s my responsibility to see that we’re not giving money back that we might need.”

Bob Thomas

By Bill Gilman
October 30, 2011

With word that it may take days rather than hours to restore power, the _Tewksbury Public Library_ has been opened up as an emergency shelter for elderly residents.

Normally, the Senior Center is used as a shelter in emergency situations. However, the emergency generators at the center are not functioning.

By Bill Gilman
October 30, 2011

With word that it may take days rather than hours to restore power, the _Tewksbury Public Library_ has been opened up as an emergency shelter for elderly residents.

Normally, the Senior Center is used as a shelter in emergency situations. However, the emergency generators at the center are not functioning.

As of 2 p.m. Sunday, just a handful of elderly residents, whose power and heat were knocked out by last night's storm, had come to the library and were watching videos.

Efforts are being made to get the _generators at the Senior Center_ operational, as that is where the food, cots and other supplies are stored. However, if need be, the supplies will all be transferred to the library.

Temperatures tonight are expected to dip to 25 degrees.

More than 10,000 homes and businesses lost power as the result of the historic October snowstorm that rolled through New England overnight. Nearly 700,000 residents lost power across the state. Tewksbury got just six inches of snow but it came on the heels of heavy rain earlier in the day Saturday. Some sections of Massachusetts got nearly two feet of snow.

There is no official word as to when power will be restored, though some town officials have been told it could be at least two days.

Residents with questions about when their power will be back on are encouraged to call National Grid at 800-465-1212.

Residents with questions about the Tewksbury Emergency Shelter or local emergency services can call the _Tewksbury Police Department at 978-851-7373._

Residents with medical emergencies should call 911.

Tewksbury Patch will provide updates on the emergency shleter as more information becomes available.

Part of the $9,867,000 plan would be used to for a new library headquarters in White Township to alleviate overcrowding at its 11,000-square-foot Belvidere location.

Warren County freeholders gave final approval Wednesday to spending nearly $10 million for two new buildings and other capital improvements.

Part of the $9,867,000 plan would be used to for a new library headquarters in White Township to alleviate overcrowding at its 11,000-square-foot Belvidere location.

Freeholder Director Everett Chamberlain said the proposed location -- 4,000 square feet bigger than the current library -- is within the county's financial means to purchase. The former library system director maintains it is still too small.

The former director, Richard Moore, told the freeholders Wednesday: "I know the library won't fit in that building -- and I don't need a draft design to verify that."

Chamberlain said the only way the county could afford a bigger library is by taking out a bond to pay for it. The $9.9 million is coming from county funds.

Michelle Wieder, of Harmony Township, told the freeholders the library greatly needs the new space.

"Although they do a fantastic job with what they have, they need a bigger space," Wieder said.

The freeholders said they agreed, which is why they decided to buy a new building. Moore, who first appeared before freeholders Oct. 12 on the topic, maintained Wednesday the headquarters of the system needs more space.

"It doesn't work, it doesn't fit and you can't pretend that it does," Moore said Wednesday.

Chamberlain called the new building -- which has yet to be purchased -- "a great alternative."

"Access, visibility, parking is so much better," he said.

Freeholder Jason Sarnoski said discussions over the years about building a new facility could not take place now.

"Back then, we were talking about a $30 million facility," he said. "We just cannot afford (that). It's just not feasible in this economy."

The $9.9 million plan also includes the purchase of another building for various departments and renovations of county-owned buildings.

Anyone who has read this column with regularity knows I have a soft spot for public libraries. In fact, I can think of nothing that gets my blood boiling quicker than when I read where some nitwit politician thinks it's a good idea to close a library.

You see, I'm biased. Some of the best times of my life, indeed some of my greatest adventures, began in a library.

They are among the last of our public spaces, and as far as I'm concerned they are sacred.

So it is with a heavy heart today that I grieve for the present condition of the First Ward Branch Library at 54 North Main St., Paterson, and to those residents who have made good use of it.

According to Cynthia Czesak, the city's library director, the branch library was "seriously damaged" by floodwaters from Hurricane Irene, which ravaged the city's 1st Ward like few other places in North Jersey.

Czesak says a total of 10,174 books were lost in the flood. Those that weren't soaked were damaged from moisture that emanated from several days of standing water of 2 to 3 feet. Czesak says the entire collection was damaged, though the site's computers were somehow spared.

Anthony Davis, both the 1st Ward councilman and the City Council president in this tumultuous time in Paterson history, would like to see the library moved to another location. He says it receives good foot traffic and has described it as a "safe haven for the neighborhood."

Old bank building

Indeed, the library, an old bank building apparently once known as the Bertha Hinton Memorial Library, is within easy walking distance of two elementary schools, School 28 and Frank Napier Jr. School 4. (Of course, the latter school was also heavily damaged in the flood. It's students are now being bused to two other locations in the city. Davis is hopeful it will re-open by the first of the year.)

After talking to Davis Thursday, I felt like shipping the guy a case of aspirin. He's got headaches galore.

He's trying to help families in the 1st Ward sign up for possible FEMA relief funds from the late August flooding. He's trying to get people back in their houses, and he's also working with families seeking to go through the Blue Acres program to possibly sell their homes and relocate. All that would make for a heavy lift anywhere. In a poor city like Paterson, it's a tractor pull.

"We still have families that need help," Davis said. "My priority is to get these residents situated."

One could hardly blame Davis if he forgot, for a second, about the damage done to the branch library, but he is already scouting possible locations for replacement, including the former Head Start school building located at Clinton and Garfield streets.

Battling the odds

Ultimately, of course, it will be the city's Board of Library Trustees, with major input from Czesak, who will recommend where or even if a new location is feasible, though insurance assessments and possible engineering studies at the present site must first be concluded.

At any rate, the director said she is interested in a newer building — the current one was built in 1944 — that has more space, including a room for technology, for children's programs and a place for quiet study.

Czesak admits the library's use was low compared to other branches, such as the main branch on Broadway, but she said that if re-opened, "my personal opinion is I am committed to keeping the branch in the 1st Ward." For the uninitiated, that's already one of the city's most underserved communities, one that, since the storm, has battled the odds every day on a hundred different fronts.

So I guess that's where I step in and say, yes, I know the city faces a myriad of challenges right now. I know it is trying to get more police and firefighters on the streets in an era of massive budget cuts in Trenton and Washington. I know its public works department has its hands full.

And yet, as I said, I have a soft spot for libraries. We need them, however small they are, perhaps more than ever.

If the doors are open, someone will walk through them. I implore all who will listen to fight to save this library, in one form or another, for the families of the 1st Ward.

They haven't had a whole lot to cheer about lately. Give them this one victory.

E-mail: lowryb@northjersey.com

BRIDGETON — This is the fourth in a series of seven articles focusing on the candidates for Cumberland County freeholder, and their positions on the issues. This entry covers the future of Cumberland County Library. Friday’s story will focus on social services in the county.

The candidates are: Democrats Freeholder Director Bill Whelan, Freeholder Deputy Director Jim Dunkins, Deerfield Township Committeewoman Carol Musso and Tony Surace; against Republicans William Gonzalez, Sandy Taylor, Mary Gruccio and Jody Farabella.

Listen back to any one of the various public hearings and meetings regarding the budget last year, and one would assume the Cumberland County Library was the only issue that mattered.

For a time, for many, it was.

When it was announced the freeholders were targeting the $900,000 operation for closure, scores of supporters came out, writing letters and all but begging officials to find a way to keep the library open.

In the end, they did — albeit with some cuts, including a $61,000 cut in operating expenses and a challenge to come up with $215,405 on its own.

However, several officials made it clear the library would only be safe for at least a year; that come the next budget cycle Cumberland County Library could easily find itself on the chopping block again.

That time is fast approaching.

While they admit it may not be the most popular option, the Republicans have advocated eliminating the county library and using the savings to bolster the local libraries in Bridgeton, Millville, Vineland, Port Norris and at Cumberland County College.

“I think we all have to consolidate,” said GOP candidate Sandy Taylor. “I mean, we have all these libraries, it’s not fair for the taxpayers to have to pay for everything; I think we need to scale down a little bit in these economic times.”

Fellow Republican William Gonzalez agreed, picking up on the issue of “fairness.

“Every city is being taxed twice,” he said. “We have a Cumberland County College library where taxpayer money also goes to, as well.”

Later, Gonzalez added: “What we’re saying is to eliminate the county library as it currently stands, and re-organize that library, and in doing so, free up money to assist the other five libraries in the county to get better service to the entire county, and not just the residents of that town.”

For Democratic Freeholder Director Bill Whelan, who oversaw the last budget cycle in which the library was threatened and saved, it’s still too early to say what will happen to the facility.

“We’re just starting to process of pulling together budgetary numbers for next year,” said Whelan.

“Is it on the chopping block? We’re going through all of the departments to see what can be done and what will be cut.

“There’s been no direction given to the county administrator to cut anything. At this point, we’re gathering the information from department heads and seeing what kind of numbers we have, and then we’ll progress from there.”

Whelan said they’ll have the information they need by January or February.

“Then we’ll have a much better handle on things, he added. “They’ll be all kinds of proposals.

“What we did last year was ask for a prioritization from the department heads. We were just trying to be transparent last year, and we got the results.”

What resulted from the initial announcement of the county’s plans to close the county library last was an outpouring of support for the facility. Residents packed freeholder and budget meetings, giving their own personal stories about how the library helped them get a job, or how helped improve their grades in school.

Republican candidate Jody Farabella stated he understood closing the library would be an issue for many people, but he added that people were struggling with taxes and needed relief.

“We’re talking about shared services — it’s one of the things we need to explore,” said Farabella. “It’s a no-brainer. It’s a lot of money there.

“It’s going to bring up some issues, but you’re asking questions about how to help the taxpayer, and that’s one of the options.”

Whelan pointed out that he was appreciative of the large turnouts in favor of the county library, stating it showed people still cared about their county government.

“I really mean that,” said Whelan. “If you saw the meetings at all, I very patiently allowed people to say what was on their mind, even when they were repeating themselves, and saying things that weren’t particularly relevant, but were things they felt they had to say.

“Any time we’re going to cut something, we’re going to hear from the public,” added Whelan. “Then you’ll have another group of people who say you’re doing the right thing. And ,so, I expect anything that we talk about will be defended by those who love it.”

Republican Mary Gruccio said officials need to learn more about how residents use the library, and act accordingly.

“I think you really have to take a look at the use of the library,” said Gruccio. “Is it being used? How much is it used for books and materials and resources? Are they using the technology?

“Because maybe you keep a piece of it; maybe you keep the technology lab for the people, or maybe you scale down. I don’t think we know all that we need to know off the top of our head as of today.”

Last year, Jean Edwards, acting director of the county library, stated approximately 70,000 residents walked through the doors of the Cumberland County Library over the previous year.
Another 30,000 took advantage of the library’s bookmobile, which circulated more than 13,000 items at 376 stops, including schools, senior centers and prisons.

According to library figures, 26,000 people logged on to the public access computers there, using them for school assignments, research, finding employment and social networking.

In all, the library in 2010 loaned 74,520 books and other materials, as well as 13,682 movies.

Residents used the library’s website, clueslibs.org, to download 1,010 books from home.

Also in 2010: Almost 900 people enrolled in classes at the library in subjects including keyboarding, cover letter writing, résumé writing, computer basics, job searching, various Microsoft software and basic Internet skills.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

PATERSON, NJ – For more than a month, the doors have been closed at Paterson’s library branch on N. Main Street.

The building took a beating from the Hurricane Irene flooding. More than 8,000 books – or about three-quarters of its collection – were destroyed, officials said. Floodwaters ruined the furniture and badly damaged the heating system. Inspectors have yet to determine if the structure remains sound.

In fact, library officials are not sure whether they will ever reopen the N. Main Street branch.

“Right now, we’re kind of in a holding pattern,’’ said library director Cynthia Czesak. “We’re waiting to find out if the building will be inhabitable.’’

Even if the building is deemed safe, officials are not sure they want to move back in. The library gets damaged almost every time the Passaic River overflows its banks, and the tab for the repairs keeps growing, officials said. “It doesn’t seem to be the best use of our money,’’ said Czesak.

The city is considering relocating the library to somewhere else in the area.

“I would definitely be against,’’ not having a library in the 1st Ward, said Council President Anthony Davis, who represents that part of the city.

“We’re committed to trying to continue library services in the 1st Ward because the community there has been vocal about it,’’ said Czesak.

Besides finding an alternate site in the 1st Ward, officials also have to decide what type of services the neighborhood branch ought to provide, Czesak said. For example, if the community wants a library that specializes in children’s services, that might require a different type of building than one would accommodate a library emphasizing technology, like computer access, she said. Library officials say they may hold some neighborhood meetings to get a better sense of the community’s needs.

Paterson’s library system underwent significant reductions in the 1990s, when four branches were closed for budget reasons, officials. That left the city with the main library on Broadway and three branches – Main Street in South Paterson in the 6th Ward, the Totowa branch on Union Avenue in the 2nd Ward and the on N. Main branch in the 1st Ward.

The library board recently acquired a used Bookmobile from the city of Passaic at a nominal fee. The vehicle needed some repairs, but the problems at the No. Main Street branch have nudged officials along in getting the Bookmobile in working order. The Bookmobile may serve as an interim branch in the 1st Ward until the city comes up with a plan for what to do about the flood-damaged building, officials said.

Meanwhile, city education officials are not sure when – and whether - they will be able to reopen School No. 4, also known as the Rev. Dr. Frank Napier School, which was also severely damaged in the flooding. Students have been scattered at three different facilities as an interim measure – kindergarten through sixth grades at St. Mary’s on Sherman Avenue, seventh and eighth grades to 137 Ellison Street and special education students to School No. 28.

The earliest School 4 would reopen seems to be January, officials said.

It's just one of the things she thinks could help the financially-plagued institution maintain its system as it faces an uncertain future.

"I have memories of my childhood of going to the library. I get audio books now from here," said the lifelong Montclair resident, who also suggested that the library consider a reverse-mentoring program for teenagers and senior citizens during a community meeting held tonight in the Main Library's auditorium.

Williams-Bogar was one of about two dozen residents, Montclair Public Library Foundation members, and Library Board Trustees, who gathered to offer input and share thoughts about the library. The dialogue is being used as part of the library's six-month strategic plan, which includes exploring alternative ways to raise funds.

Library consultant Alan Burger, of Princeton-based Library Development Solutions, facilitated the meeting and took questions and comments from concerned citizens. Along with Burger were Library Director David Hinkley and Library Board of Trustees Treasurer Wil Adkins.

"It's going to be another tough budget year," said Adkins. "What do we want from our library as we look down the road?"

Focus groups, particularly those comprising students and senior citizens, have helped gauge the community's expectations of the library, Burger said.

Tonight, it was the residents' turn.

"It seems to me the biggest challenge is technology. Publishing is changing at lightning speed," said David R. Jones, a former editor of The New York Times who has lived in Montclair for 38 years. "Libraries are going to have to change because technology is changing. We need to do a better job at encouraging that transition."

Eve Schaenen, a member of the Montclair Library Foundation, believes that the only way the library system can survive is to "think inter-institutionally." Schaenen said she is concerned about school libraries shutting down, and thinks the public library may fill an "essential" gap.

"It seems to be a natural role for the library to take over," Schaenen said during the meeting.

Trudy Fraser, a member of the Friends of the Bellevue Avenue Library group, said she believes the temporary closure of the branch earlier this year made an adverse impact. "I think the community has stopped counting on the library [as a safe place to go] because the Bellevue Avenue Library had closed," she said.

Some residents questioned utilization of space at the Main Library, while some indicated a collaboration with other libraries and perhaps Montclair State University for advanced services.

Grace Grund, owner of Terra at the Isabel Rose Café in the Main Library, said she would love nothing more than to see the library become a community center and be reinvigorated as a "go-to" entity in the township.

"We need to figure out how this can be a place where people feel that they belong here," Grund said.

Senior citizens and children use the library the most, Hinkley confirmed during the meeting, noting that changes are occurring rapidly. "We really want to move forward," he said.

Hinkley said that the institution reached record attendance in 2009 and record circulation in 2010, and attendance this year may be the highest ever, despite working with a $2.7 million budget that falls hundreds of thousands of dollars short of what is needed to operate the system.

One of the largest in the state, the three-story Main Library on South Fullerton Avenue is about 55,000 square feet, and its Bellevue Avenue Branch Library is about 5,000 square feet, Hinkley said.

The library has been forced to make significant cuts in staff in the past decade, declining from 37 full-time employees in 2001, compared to 19 full-time employees this year, according to Hinkley. "We're absolutely at the bare minimum," he said.

"If I had those staffing problems, how would I meet all these needs? And that's going to be difficult for anybody to solve," said Karen Karin Rosenberg, a Montclair resident and writer of fiction and non-fiction, who also expressed concerns about how to bridge the needs of individuals and community groups.

Rosenberg added, "Teenagers are overly dependent on Wikipedia ... There's much, much more available in the databases.

"This library serves a lot of people well, but not enough people know that ... If we don't get them to understand it, we're going to lose funding."

Contact Tanya Drobness at drobness@montclairtimes.com.

By Al Campbell

STONE HARBOR — Long ago and far away from 95th Street and the beach, where this borough’s branch of the Cape May County Library will stand, Julius Caesar coined an unforgettable phrase, “Iacta alea est” (The die is cast).
Caesar spoke that sage uttering after his army crossed the Rubicon in 49 B.C., but he could well have spoken of the deed done by the Board of Chosen Freeholders Tue., Oct. 11.

That evening, as residents of this fair borough watched the evening news or their favorite game show, the board unanimously agreed to award a $5.3-million contract to R. Wilkinson and Sons Construction, Inc. of Absecon to erect that 14,000-square-foot facility on part of an oceanfront municipal parking lot.

The Atlantic County firm was selected from a field of nine bidders. The contract was “conditionally awarded” until the company obtains from the state Department of Treasury, Division of Property Management and Construction a classification of “C008-General Construction” in an amount that exceeds the total contract price of the new facility.

The site, not the library, has been a contentious one in the borough. Petitions were presented during council meetings that protested the location; the last one bore 266 signatures. Still, the notion of shifting from the planned site was not one the governing body was prepared to entertain.

A scant seven parking spaces will disappear as a result of the building, according to county Administrator Stephen O’Connor.
A website emerged opposing location of the site “Worlds Most Expensive Library.” It declares the price per square foot would be “$1,050 per square foot compared to $150 to $400 for standard libraries.”

The site also used a cost of $14.7 million for the complete project, it used $6.2 million for construction “on beachfront property valued at $8.5 million.” Further, it stated the site had been selected without approval of the majority of local or county taxpayers.

While library officials, freeholders, Mayor Suzanne Walters and members of Borough Council are anxious to grab shovels for a groundbreaking ceremony, that auspicious occasion is “on hold” awaiting the state Department of Environmental Protection’s permit and stamp of approval that will allow work to proceed 10 feet from the bulkhead.

To move the sluggish process through DEP’s vaunted halls, the county retained Princeton attorney Neil Yoskin, who specializes in environmental matters. The amendment advocated by him was published in the New Jersey Register April 4, 2011.
That amendment was to permit “Federal, State, county or municipal development projects which are located adjacent to a bay or ocean or bay front or oceanfront, beach, dune or boardwalk, and are greater than 15 feet in height measured from the existing grade of the site or boardwalk need not comply with the setback requirements in (d) 2 above provided that the development contains design elements that enhance physical or visual public access to the waterfront beyond that which would be afforded by strict compliance with (d) 2 above and the development, as proposed, would remain in compliance with N.J.A.C. 7-7E-3-50.”

At the time, Yoskin told the Herald, “The rule as currently written required that new structures adjacent to water bodies, beaches or dunes be set back from the landward limit of the beach-dune by a distance equal to twice the building’s height.”
He said the amendment was “intended to keep buildings from overshadowing the water body or beach-dune complex. The rule has frequently resulted in the denial of permits for single-family homes on bayside lots, usually triggering litigation that always and eventually results in settlements. It has long been understood by practitioners and by DEP that the rule needed to be amended.”

Yoskin stated that one of the purposes of the Stone Harbor library location was to allow seniors and handicapped patrons enjoyment of the views of the ocean from the second floor of the facility, regardless of season or weather.
The county’s communication with Yoskin has continued “on a regular basis,” O’Connor told the Herald.

“We are hoping to have the final permit in the next couple of weeks, by mid-November. That way, we could start construction by the end of the year,” O’Connor added.
“From what I understand there is a lot of misinformation. People think we are eliminating the entire parking lot. That is the biggest issue, or that people won’t have access to the beach,” said O’Connor.

He restated that seven parking spaces would be used, and said no public access to the beach would be restricted.
In order to comply with the anticipated state DEP amendment, the structure was moved 10 feet from the bulkhead, and reduced in height from 55 to 37 feet.

By DIANE D'AMICO Education Writer |

Donna Haye, assistant superintendent for curriculum in the Atlantic City School District, will represent the district and the American Association of School Librarians at a congressional briefing Monday in Washington, D.C., to advocate for a bill that would support school libraries.

The AASL named Haye its Distinguished School Administrator this year for her work in invigorating the district's school libraries. Haye said Friday that two $250,000 grants from the federal Improving Schools and Libraries fund helped pay for those improvements. That bill was not reauthorized, but advocates are now lobbying for a new bill called Strengthening Kids' Interest in Learning and Libraries Act, or SKILLs.

"I want to show them how we used the grant money and the impact it had," Haye said Friday.

Haye, one of four presenters representing school districts, said she has prepared a slide show demonstrating how Atlantic City used federal and other funds to improve libraries and students' educations. The theme for her presentation is "sharing," and she will show how the teachers and school librarians have worked together. She said she also will talk about the importance of school libraries in urban districts, where many students do not have access to computers or have books at home.

The briefing, "Education Reform and the SKILLs Act: An Analysis of Twenty-First Century School Libraries and Their Impact on Career and College Preparedness," will cover how the SKILLs Act supports and sustains school libraries. The act ensures that every school has a state-certified school librarian and that libraries get the resources students need to become lifelong learners.

"The school library is a 21st-century learning center today," Haye said, citing the use of Podcasts and e-readers to get students engaged. Representatives of schools in California, Indiana and Virginia also will testify along with American University librarian William A. Mayer, a leader on the changing face of services in libraries.

Contact Diane D'Amico:

609-272-7241

DDamico@pressofac.com

By Dana Ragonese

BERKELEY HEIGHTS — The Berkeley Heights Library is recovering slowly but surely. In the wake of the late August hurricane that caused major destruction to New Jersey, the Berkeley Heights Public Library suffered major damage to its lower level and was forced to cancel most of the September events.

According to Laura Fuhro, the children’s section director, some events are not happening at all while other adult events have been moved to different local locations.
“The biggest change is the fact that all the middle school children that come in have to be behave in a more mature manner,” Fuhro says. “They are upstairs now rather than having their own level.”

She insists that the library hasn’t been hindered, “We have moved books around the upper level so there is still access.”

Fuhro continues to say “It is a tedious process but one step at a time.”
Stephanie Bakos, library director, agrees. “First we had to take care of the walls then, the carpet, and then have volunteers help put all the books back on the shelves.”

A number of volunteers reached out to the library for support and aid. “We have boy and girl Scouts, individuals emailing a wish to help,” Fuhro says.

Bakos describes the disarray in the back rooms of the lower level, “boxes and boxes of books, and we had just repainted this room, many people were eager to use it.” Packed into this room are chairs stacked on top of one another, countless boxes of books, CD’s, magazine racks.

“We can’t give any actual dates for when the lower level will be open,” Fuhro states. “You can schedule things to get done but every step depends on the step before…”

The Berkeley Heights library was hoping to have an open house in October for the children and families who received library cards during September but, that will have to be postponed as well.

PENNS GROVE — Damage done to the Penns Grove-Carneys Point Library during Hurricane Irene will be more costly to repair than originally thought, and public donations are being sought to help fund the project, library officials said on Tuesday.

According to Linda Huff, president of the library board of directors, repairs to the library on South Broad Street here will cost around $100,000 based on current damage estimates.

“It doesn’t look like a lot of damage, but everything is expensive,” said Huff. “Water came in through the front door, back door, and from under the building ...We’re still trying to get everything cleaned up.”

Insurance on the library will not be enough to cover the cost of the damage, and the library is asking for the public donations to help fund the repairs.

Huff said the board is still waiting to hear back from their insurance company on exact figures, but in the meantime, anything the public can do to help would be welcomed.

“We appreciate anything that anyone is able to give us,” said Huff. “Our main goal right now is to get the library open as soon as we can, in a safe environment.”

The library was damaged in late August when Hurricane Irene tore through the area. Following the storm, carpets inside the building were soaked, a total of 12 wooden bookcases were damaged by water, doors swelled, and some drywall was ruined.

The parking lot was also hit hard, said Huff.

Fans and de-humidifiers were brought in to dry out the building, and the carpets have been treated for germs and odor. The 12 bookcases are being examined to see which ones can be salvaged, and which need to be replaced.

Replacing a single book shelf costs about $700, said Huff.

“We’re addressing what needs to be done to open safely and effectively,” said Huff. “We originally thought we’d be closed for only a few days, but we just kept finding more and more damage.”

The board is continuing to work to seek estimates and ideas for the best and most cost-effective ways to make the necessary repairs. If all goes accordingly, the library could re-open in about one month, she added.

“Everyone just wants to get it open as soon as we can,” said Huff.

Anyone who wants to make a donation to the library can send it directly to the Penns Grove-Carneys Point Library, 222 S. Broad St. For more information, contact the library at (856) 299-4255, or Huff at (856) 299-5696