SEATTLE — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is announcing $6.5 million in grants to help public libraries in 11 states improve the quality of the free computer access they offer.

The money announced Thursday will pay for computer hardware updates at some of the 800 library branches in Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin.
Libraries will need to find matching local dollars to qualify for the grants. And library staff will be required to participate in a professional development conference offered by the Public Library Association.
Previous Gates Foundation computer grants were awarded in 2007 and 2008 to libraries in other states.

by George!
The recession is putting the Morristown/Township Library to the test. Jobs resources are getting heavy use, librarians say.We've been noticing the "Jobs Resource Center" sign outside the Morristown/Township Library, and were wondering just how busy this center has become. So we asked Polly Lacey, the head reference librarian.

MorristownGreen.com: The library has a "Job Resource Center" sign outside. What job services are offered at the library?

Polly Lacey: The library has several ways of helping job seekers:

• Our new Job Resource Center is open Tues., Wed. and Thurs. afternoons from 2 PM - 4 PM. We provide free Internet access and the Microsoft Office Suite for anyone doing a job search or resume. Librarians are always available to provide assistance.

• The library provides access to online subscription databases that can help job seekers improve their job search and interviewing skills. Online skills improvement courses, practice tests and one-on-one tutoring are also available. The business databases are perfect for company research and creating targeted lists.

• Job seekers can check out books and DVDs on resume writing, job searching, interviewing, computer applications, math, management and many other workplace skills.

• In addition to our timed Internet/Microsoft Office computers for the public, we have 2 Microsoft Office computers that are not timed and are available whenever the library is open. These are perfect for someone composing and emailing a resume.

• The library offers a series of free introductory computer classes which are open to all. Job seekers can update their skills in popular applications such as Word, Excel, Publisher and PowerPoint.

MG: How much demand is there for these services? Has it been steady, or was there a sudden surge in interest? If so, when?

Polly: The Job Resource Center has been open since April and is slowly catching on. The use of our Microsoft Office computers increased at the beginning of 2009 because of job seekers typing and printing resumes and our computer classes have been well-attended by those trying to improve their skills.

MG: What kinds of help do people need the most? What needs are not being met by other agencies and services?

Polly: People really appreciate the one-on-one help that they get from our librarians. Other agencies don't have the variety of resources that are available here and may not have the computer and Internet teaching skills that librarians have. We are not job counselors or professional resume writers, but we do know how to use computers, where to look for information and how to be patient with frustrated non-computer users.

MG: Who are your clients for these services? Based on their inquiries, what industries seem to be hurting most? What fields are people most interested in learning about?

Polly: We have had all types of people - from the harried man in a suit and tie who stops in once to print out his resume for a pending interview, to the young mother who comes in day after day looking for a job as a teaching assistant. There seem to be a lot of people who have lost their access to a computer and just need to email resumes or check job sites.

MG: Any sense of how long it's taking people to find jobs in our area?

Polly: It's hard to say since we serve so many different people.

MG: Does this period differ from other recessions, in terms of library usage?

Polly: The use of the library has increased, especially in materials circulation and reference questions. From Jan - May in 2009, we circulated 3% more than the same period in 2008, a jump of over 5,000 items. The Reference Dept. has seen a surge in questions this year as well. In the first half of 2009, we have answered 20% more questions than in the first half of 2008 - over 1,500 more questions.

And this is happening in a time when "no one needs libraries any more"! It's hard to make a comparison to other recessions, because the library filled a different need in the past. But there is very clearly an increase in usage here and that is not something that was predicted - predictions were that library usage would disappear as the Internet became the main source of information.

MG: Do you have the budget and staff to meet these demands?

Polly: It would be nice to have enough staff to open the Job Resource Center all day every day, but there are always librarians available to help people in the Reference Department, so we can usually meet the demands.

MG: What is the attitude of the job seekers that you are seeing? How would you characterize their mood?

Polly: Some seem hopeful, others are a bit frustrated, but most everyone is pleasant and very grateful for our efforts.

MG: Have you seen any patrons whose stories are especially difficult?

Polly: Most people do not share their stories in detail.

MG: Any success stories so far that you can share?

Polly: Not yet, but we hope that the library services have helped our patrons reach their goal of finding a job.

Friday, July 10, 2009
If the Washington Township library board can acquire a suitable building and relocate the undersized Margaret E. Heggan Library on its own - without financing from the township council - the board should do so ASAP.

It's been at least 10 years since the library board began a search for a better building, only to be stymied at every turn by the council. Frankly, each council member and the mayors who have served during this period ought to be embarrassed by the delays.

An agreement on the building the library wants (the Education and Information Resource Center building on Delsea Drive) could have been signed months ago. Though some council objections may be valid, they add up in total to stalling tactics. As a result, the library board has proposed its own EIRC lease-purchase that does not rely on a township bond issue (which was to be repaid with library funds, anyway).

By state guidelines, the current library is only a third the size that a town with the township's population should have. A former warehouse in a commercial district, it lacks space for comprehensive redesign. It's drafty in winter and hot in summer. Knowing all this, the council spent the last decade dangling the prospect of several other buildings in front of the library board. In January, the council reneged on a contract for EIRC, the latest and most viable candidate.

At the time, newly elected Mayor Matt Lyons urged the council to hold off on a bond issue, suggesting a delay so a larger bond could include other purchases as well. Another excuse involved an Assembly bill (it never passed) that would have cut statutory minimum library allocations by local governments. A 90-day extension on the EIRC purchase contract then lapsed.

EIRC's location is easily accessible and highly visible. The property comes with adequate room for expansion. If Lyons or any of the council members have a better library site in mind, they need to say so now. If they want to invest in a spanking new building instead of making relatively minor renovations at EIRC, now's the time to say so and to make a commitment.

If not, the Heggan library board - with a $1.2 million surplus and an annual allocation from the township of about $1.77 million - should go ahead with its lease-purchase.

n hard times, they have become centers of access to information, communities, and jobs.
By Amy Dougherty

A recently released report by the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board, "Help Wanted: Knowledge Workers Needed," included a stunning statistic: Almost 50 percent of the citizens of Philadelphia lack the basic skills needed to perform in a knowledge-based economy. Given that, our state and city leaders have shown a remarkable lack of vision in threatening to reduce library services.

We need to enlarge our workforce by teaching workers the skills that will enable them and the city to make the transition to the new economy. And the infrastructure to do so already exists in our libraries.

Recent data show that Americans are flocking to local libraries, often waiting in long lines for help and computer time. They are searching for employment, job-training information, and, if they are able, rewriting their resumes. Librarians are the new career counselors, sometimes taking the brunt of patrons' frustrations and fears in these turbulent times.

People have spoken
As the local and national economies reinvent themselves, so does the public library. Long gone are the days when libraries were simply places for borrowing leisure reading materials or entertaining the kids for a few hours. They have become centers of access to knowledge, information, connectivity, culture, community, and jobs.

As demonstrated by the recent public outcry that helped save the city's 54-branch library system from 11 branch closings, citizens understand that their local libraries can change their lives, but only if they remain open and equipped. At town meetings, rallies, and budget summits throughout the city, Philadelphians spoke: Now is the time for investing in libraries, they said, not downsizing them.

The threat to libraries at the state level is less well-known. But Pennsylvania's state aid to libraries, which augments municipal budgets for libraries large and small, is in jeopardy. State Senate Republicans want to cut it by 50 percent; Gov. Rendell, by 10 percent.

The Free Library of Philadelphia could lose $3 million to $6 million in annual funding as a result, in addition to the $8 million it lost last year. This could mean more staff layoffs, branch hour reductions, and fewer book purchases and services.

Further cuts
That's not the end of it. The Keystone Fund, the only reliable source of seed money for library capital and renovation projects, could disappear altogether - even though every dollar of it is matched by at least $6 in local funds. So far, 237 projects in 48 counties have used $100 million for library capital improvements.

Also on the chopping block are the essential statewide searchable databases used by the libraries and their patrons.

Imagine if our leaders gave us what we know we need most. While the unemployed and underemployed wait out the economic downturn, municipalities should be embarking on retraining and literacy projects, preparing suitable workers for future employment. We must fund libraries to help Pennsylvania's cities and towns recover, and to turn dashed hopes into dreams and anxiety into action.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amy Dougherty is the director of Friends of the Free Library of Philadelphia. She can be contacted at adougherty@libraryfriends.info.

July 12, 2009

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is another one of our "Sunday Conversations," an interview with a prominent Morris County individual. Today, we feature Lynne Olver, who became director of the Morris County Library on July 1. Olver, 51, is a native of Long Island. She now lives in Randolph with her husband and two children. She joined the library in the reference department in 1991 and moved up through the ranks.

Q: It's 2009 and we have all sorts of digital and technological advances. How does that impact what libraries are about these days?

A: Libraries have always been more than books and material. In the coming of the digital age, libraries play a more important role connecting people with information. My specialty and background has always been reference. I've been a reference librarian for 28 years, so I've seen the difference in our job as going from looking up information in books to helping people find things and information on the Internet by using the data bases. It really has changed how we do business, but the overall need for people to connect with information hasn't changed. We're just using different tools.

Q: Was it more fun to help someone find something in a dusty old book than it is pushing buttons on a computer?

A: Absolutely. We have a fabulous reference collection with a lot of old, old books that people are getting rid of. Yes, when we can find something in an old fashion book, we are delighted.

Q: Roughly how many people use the library every year?
A: We have about 285,000 library users. The old fashion term, patrons, still exists, as does customers, but we use library users.

Q: How does that compare with previous years?
A: Our numbers are increasing. And in large part, that has something to do with the economy.

Q: Explain that please?
A: Libraries are your tax dollars at work. When the economy tanks and you do not have that much disposable income, you have a number of people who are rediscovering the library for the first time. They used libraries 10 years ago, or they used libraries when they were little kids. And now, they are pleasantly surprised and delighted to ... begin again borrowing books.

Q: When the library was expanded 10 years ago, some said at the time, why do we need to expand it, considering the fact many of the towns have their own libraries. Your answer to that would be?
A: That's a fair question. Our libraries all work together. We're all serving; we all share a common mission. But the county library doesn't have to compete with the local libraries; we complement what they have.

Q: How so?
A: In any library, there will be a certain amount of overlap. But some of the unique services that we offer that are not offered by the local libraries are books by mail. We service homebound patrons; we are also a deaf resource center. We offer computer classes that are not available at a lot of the local libraries. We have a state of the art computer lab, and we are training people on Microsoft products. The great thing about coming to the library is that there is no qualifying standard; there is no income qualification. We're able to serve people who are looking for jobs, and senior citizens. Anyone who is interested in updating their computer skills.

Q: What's the size of your staff; and your annual budget?
A: The staff is 79 people. That is full-time and part-time. The budget is about $4 million. We go with the flow (of the county) and our budget has not been increased. We're learning to do more with less and to streamline and become more efficient. It's a good thing actually.

Q: No it's not. Come on, you want more money.
A: Well, money's good, but we also understand. We're realists. Our library is taking a cut and that is true across the board with municipal libraries and state libraries.

Q: Do you have people who ignore all the digital offerings and just come in and take out a book — like they did 50 years ago?

A: Absolutely. We have a number of people who have made the library part of their regular schedule. We have people who come in mornings to read the newspaper. They come to us to read the Daily Record.

Q: Well, that's a problem; they ought to pay for it.
A: The library is more than materials; They come for socialization, things like that.

Q: Socialization? But you aren't allowed to talk in a library?
A: Absolutely, they're allowed to talk in libraries. We no longer "shhh"' people. You're allowed to talk and bring in your coffee. You're allowed to eat. Libraries have come a long way. But we discouarge random cell phone conversations in the middle of the room.

Q: From time to time, there is discussion on what type of content should be available on library computers. This gets into filtering out so-called pornography. There's always a debate about that.
A: There really isn't. I will tell you why. Certainly, in the children's library, there are filters in place, but the rules of our library are the same as anywhere else. As long as you're not breaking the law, accessing anything on the Internet is protected by your First Amendment rights. Just like reading whatever you want. So, pornography, while it may be distasteful to some people, it is not against the law. Child pornography is. If that is reported, we call the cops. We also have recessed computers. People have to be standing right behind you to see what you are looking at.

Q: What do you do for fun?
A: There's something called the Food Timeline. I have been working on that as an independent research project. All of my spare time is devoted to that. It's food history. I'm a fan of food history. I kind of think of it as the genealogy of food.

Q: So, was the typical breakfast in the 1850s similar to what it is today?
A: Here's where the reference librarian kicks in; there is no such thing as typical. Are you talking about an Iowa farmhouse, or the wealthy Astors in New York City?

Q: People living in New Jersey.
A: Most likely, it would have been breads. That time, 1850, would predate your cereal. You might have eggs, you might have an omelet. I want to make clear, this is independent research. Some people garden; some people golf. I research food history.

What should have been an example of cooperative governance between the boroughs of Prospect Park and Haledon is a sad, familiar tale of the myopic, shall we say flat-out dumbness, of some of the people who hold positions of authority in New Jersey.

Prospect Park used to have an agreement with Hawthorne, allowing Prospect Park residents the option of joining the Hawthorne library for $50 a year. The borough entered into a new agreement with Haledon because it offered a fixed cost of $2.25 annually per resident, with a 25-cent annual increase. The Haledon library is also closer.

All was fine until a turf war started between the Haledon library board and borough officials. The library board wants a written guarantee that the new funds will be controlled by its board. The borough says, "no way." The result is that Prospect Park residents who want to borrow a book in Haledon cannot.

This is ridiculous. We do not know which entity has the legal claim on controlling the money. We would allow lawyers to hash that out. But we do not need a lawyer to recognize that in the interim, the borough of Haledon and its library board will not be the worse off by allowing readers from Prospect Park to borrow books.

This isn't rocket science. This isn't even a lot of money. If it takes a few weeks to sort out which petty bureaucrat gets to say, "I won, I won, I won," we couldn't care less. Or we couldn't care less until the next election. But what we care about is the accessibility of public libraries. Clearly, some Haledon officials are taking the "Hamlet" quote, "Neither a borrower nor a lender be," to an extreme.

Prospect Park officials are considering a return to Hawthorne. If the battle of the books cannot be resolved quickly, Prospect Park should leave the bureaucrats of Haledon to stew on their own. Rather than be concerned about who gets control of Prospect Park's library money, they can spend time reading a primer in common sense government.

See Dick. See Jane. See Dick and Jane throw their hands up in disgust.

SEE DICK. See Jane. See Dick from Haledon take out a book from the library. See Jane from Prospect Park being told, "No book for you."

What should have been an example of cooperative governance between the boroughs of Prospect Park and Haledon is a sad, familiar tale of the myopic, shall we say flat-out dumbness, of some of the people who hold positions of authority in New Jersey.

Prospect Park used to have an agreement with Hawthorne, allowing Prospect Park residents the option of joining the Hawthorne library for $50 a year. The borough entered into a new agreement with Haledon because it offered a fixed cost of $2.25 annually per resident, with a 25-cent annual increase. The Haledon library is also closer.

All was fine until a turf war started between the Haledon library board and borough officials. The library board wants a written guarantee that the new funds will be controlled by its board. The borough says, "no way." The result is that Prospect Park residents who want to borrow a book in Haledon cannot.

This is ridiculous. We do not know which entity has the legal claim on controlling the money. We would allow lawyers to hash that out. But we do not need a lawyer to recognize that in the interim, the borough of Haledon and its library board will not be the worse off by allowing readers from Prospect Park to borrow books.

This isn't rocket science. This isn't even a lot of money. If it takes a few weeks to sort out which petty bureaucrat gets to say, "I won, I won, I won," we couldn't care less. Or we couldn't care less until the next election. But what we care about is the accessibility of public libraries. Clearly, some Haledon officials are taking the "Hamlet" quote, "Neither a borrower nor a lender be," to an extreme.

Prospect Park officials are considering a return to Hawthorne. If the battle of the books cannot be resolved quickly, Prospect Park should leave the bureaucrats of Haledon to stew on their own. Rather than be concerned about who gets control of Prospect Park's library money, they can spend time reading a primer in common sense government.

See Dick. See Jane. See Dick and Jane throw their hands up in disgust.

By PAUL C. GRZELLA • MANAGING EDITOR • July 10, 2009

HILLSBOROUGH — At Hillsborough Library, younger children can often be found reading to pre-teens and teenagers.

It's part of an ongoing program called Reading Buddies, and the program's aim is to build competence, understanding and interest among budding readers, so that opening a book becomes a life-long habit.

"It's a shared reading time where the younger reader can talk about what they read, and it helps the child build reading competence," said Laura Mellor, youth services librarian. "We're trying to foster a love of reading and increase reading skills. Just like a parent can be a role model when it comes to reading, this is another way to present this behavior to young children."

In the 2009 Super Summer Reader Club, sponsored by the Courier News, Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com, some of the club members are preschoolers or in early primary grades, and many parents and older siblings read to these young club members as part of the program.

According to area librarians and parents, this is the perfect behavior to follow because reading together creates connections and core competencies that younger children can build on throughout their lives.

The Hillsborough Library Reading Buddies program is geared for children in grades two to and four, and their reading buddies are from sixth grade to high school seniors. During the summer, two sessions a day are offered on Tuesdays and Thursday, and one session a day is available on Wednesday. Mellor said she has about six to 10 reading buddy volunteers during a given week. This is the third summer the program is being offered at the library, but it also was offered during the spring, with the help of an intern, and Mellor hopes to continue it after school in the fall.

"I think I can grow this program even more," Mellor said.

The young readers can bring their own reading material, or choose from selected books at the library. "Volunteers also can sit and read by themselves — it's another great way to model the behavior to the younger readers," Mellor added.

Mary Dombrowski is a Hillsborough High School senior. A Reading Buddy in the library program, she likes to read herself, and also reads at home to her two younger brothers.

"Being part of this program is a way to exercise my ability and enjoy something that I like to do," she said.

This reader, who likes all types of books, but especially historical fiction, said she has been surprised by how easy it has been to work with the younger readers, and also by how quickly they learn and improve their reading comprehension.

"Normally, I don't sit and think about what I'm reading, but being part of this program also has helped me analyze my own reading skills," Dombrowski added.

Lisa Romano has long read to her two children, Hailey, entering second grade, and Olivia, who is entering Kindergarten. She began when they were infants at bedtime.

"I believe it was a great bonding time," the Monroe resident said.

This year, she has noticed that her older daughter wanted to read more, and also to read to her younger sister.

"I sat down and helped them at the beginning, but now they are just doing it on their own," said Romano, who is herself an avid reader. "What I have come to understand is that my children have an astounding vocabulary, and are able to express themselves in ways far beyond their ages. I think that is the result of reading all the books that we have done over the years."

Romano is a big believer in reading programs like the Super Summer Reader Club, and has high praise for her "fantastic" township library, which has all types of incentives and programs for summer reading.

"It all works together," she added.

James Sheeley of Branchburg grew up in a family of readers. His mother was teacher, and he remembers going to the library every summer to get books.

Today, he and his wife, Alaine, make sure that reading is a key part of the summer for their five children, who range in age from 9 to 8 months old. That includes occasionally coming in from the outside and sitting down to read a book!

Mr. Sheeley, who is supervisor of performing arts for Newark Public Schools, tries to make sure that he reads with his children each night. He looks forward to that reading time and if misses it, he said "it really bug me."

"The ability to read is so crucial to the success of my children," he said. "No matter how far we go in technology, we still need to be able to read. Reading is the basis for everything we do in our lives."

W est Hudson's libraries have emerged as an important resource for recreation and job searches during the current down economy, according to the area's library directors.

With residents having less disposable income, they're turning to the free services offered by the Harrison and Kearny public libraries, mirroring a national trend.

Both attendance and circulation are booming at the two local libraries, with patrons taking advantage of free services such as programs for kids, the lending of books, computers with Internet access and job skills workshops.

"Our library is full every day," Ellen Lucas, director of the Harrison Public Library, said recently. "School's not even out yet, so I'm talking about adults. They come in to use the computers and do their resumes. We're seeing a lot of new faces, as well as familiar faces."

Both Lucas and Kearny Public Library Director Julie McCarthy report that circulation is up this year. In fact, McCarthy noted that circulation has jumped some 20 percent in the first five months of this year compared with the same time period in 2007.

"The number of people in the library is definitely more," McCarthy said, adding that the facility just purchased counters to track attendance more closely. "People are doing their resumes and looking for job information. So many applications for jobs can only be done online."

As in past years, the Kearny Public Library has held computer classes to help job seekers and seniors beef up their skills to become more tech savvy. The library recently renovated a downstairs room in which to hold the classes.

Harrison is also improving its computer offerings. The library recently received a $9,350 grant from the Gates Foundation to install several new computers and Lucas reports that the facility hopes to purchase seven more by the fall.

In Kearny, McCarthy is trying to set up workshops on job skills and how to find a position through the Hudson County Department of Labor. The library has also agreed to work with the Census Bureau by providing space for the federal agency to offer job tests for employees to help with the next census.

"One of the reasons we agreed to it is it gives people the chance to get jobs," McCarthy explained. "That's even more important this year."

The reality has become complex: a dispute in Haledon between the governing body and library board over who should control the money.

Meanwhile, Prospect Park residents, who were supposed to be allowed to check out Haledon library materials starting July 1, aren’t being allowed to — and their officials are growing impatient.

The “inter-local agreement” between the neighboring boroughs is one of many being signed as North Jersey municipalities struggle to balance their budgets with flat revenues and reduced state aid. But the local snag highlights the underlying turf issues such efforts can face.

“The initial letter from the [Haledon] borough attorney to the library board stated that the funds will be used to benefit the library,” Library Director Judie Erk said. “The board is just trying to tweak it so everyone understands clearly that it’s the library’s discretion to spend the funds and not the borough itself.”

But Haledon Mayor Domenick Stampone said spending decisions are the Borough Council’s responsibility and the library board has no authority to dictate how the proceeds should be used. He added that the board received written and verbal guarantees that the money will be put in a trust fund for library purposes.

“I’m extremely disappointed the board has taken … the most drastic option,” Stampone said.

Regional and library officials, however, say the issue isn’t that clear-cut.

Robert White, executive director of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System, said the council could not force the semi-autonomous library board to go along with the sharing arrangement, as “the library board controls the actual manner in which services are delivered.”

Victoria Rosch, deputy director of the New Jersey State Library’s Library Development Bureau, explained, “If the library board is being asked to provide services, then the town would have to make a contract with the board.”

Erk, the library director, said that “The inter-local itself was perfectly fine. We just wanted something in writing assuring the funds are directly for the library to do what it needs to do. When we have that in hand, this should be resolved.”

Haledon Borough Administrator Allan Susen has spoken to Erk and library board president Fran Purciello. He said he requested a meeting with Erk for next week.

Purciello declined comment because she is out on disability and has not been present at board meetings.

Meanwhile, frustrated Prospect Park officials wonder if it would be simpler to take their residents and money elsewhere, to Hawthorne.

“While Haledon works on fixing that problem, we have to work on coming up with alternate plans for our residents,” Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah said. Although he did not set a deadline for a resolution in Haledon, he added “Whoever’s going to provide us with uninterrupted service is who we should go with.”

From July 2007 through this June, Prospect Park residents could join the Hawthorne library for $50 a year. Officials switched to an agreement with Haledon because its library is closer and it offered a fixed cost — $2.25 annually per resident, with a 25-cent yearly increase — which would allow for more exact budgeting.

“We never had a problem with [Hawthorne] in terms of providing the service,” Khairullah said. “Our intention was to provide service to our residents at a fixed cost, but we’re hitting a snag in the line, and we have to make a decision in the best interest of our residents.”

Hawthorne officials appear receptive to Prospect Park’s renewed approach.

“We’ll have to determine whether it’s in our interest and they’ll have to determine whether it’s in their interest,” Hawthorne Borough Administrator Eric Maurer said, but “they’re definitely interested in returning.”

E-mail: astor@northjersey.com

The idea was simple: Prospect Park pays Haledon $13,000 a year to share its library.

A young reader searches for books on her summer reading list at the Haledon library, which was to begin allowing Prospect Park residents to use the facility under an agreement. The reality has become complex: a dispute in Haledon between the governing body and library board over who should control the money.

Meanwhile, Prospect Park residents, who were supposed to be allowed to check out Haledon library materials starting July 1, aren’t being allowed to — and their officials are growing impatient.

The “inter-local agreement” between the neighboring boroughs is one of many being signed as North Jersey municipalities struggle to balance their budgets with flat revenues and reduced state aid. But the local snag highlights the underlying turf issues such efforts can face.

“The initial letter from the [Haledon] borough attorney to the library board stated that the funds will be used to benefit the library,” Library Director Judie Erk said. “The board is just trying to tweak it so everyone understands clearly that it’s the library’s discretion to spend the funds and not the borough itself.”

But Haledon Mayor Domenick Stampone said spending decisions are the Borough Council’s responsibility and the library board has no authority to dictate how the proceeds should be used. He added that the board received written and verbal guarantees that the money will be put in a trust fund for library purposes.

“I’m extremely disappointed the board has taken … the most drastic option,” Stampone said.

Regional and library officials, however, say the issue isn’t that clear-cut.

Robert White, executive director of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System, said the council could not force the semi-autonomous library board to go along with the sharing arrangement, as “the library board controls the actual manner in which services are delivered.”

Victoria Rosch, deputy director of the New Jersey State Library’s Library Development Bureau, explained, “If the library board is being asked to provide services, then the town would have to make a contract with the board.”

Erk, the library director, said that “The inter-local itself was perfectly fine. We just wanted something in writing assuring the funds are directly for the library to do what it needs to do. When we have that in hand, this should be resolved.”

Haledon Borough Administrator Allan Susen has spoken to Erk and library board president Fran Purciello. He said he requested a meeting with Erk for next week.

Purciello declined comment because she is out on disability and has not been present at board meetings.

Meanwhile, frustrated Prospect Park officials wonder if it would be simpler to take their residents and money elsewhere, to Hawthorne.

“While Haledon works on fixing that problem, we have to work on coming up with alternate plans for our residents,” Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah said. Although he did not set a deadline for a resolution in Haledon, he added “Whoever’s going to provide us with uninterrupted service is who we should go with.”

From July 2007 through this June, Prospect Park residents could join the Hawthorne library for $50 a year. Officials switched to an agreement with Haledon because its library is closer and it offered a fixed cost — $2.25 annually per resident, with a 25-cent yearly increase — which would allow for more exact budgeting.

“We never had a problem with [Hawthorne] in terms of providing the service,” Khairullah said. “Our intention was to provide service to our residents at a fixed cost, but we’re hitting a snag in the line, and we have to make a decision in the best interest of our residents.”

Hawthorne officials appear receptive to Prospect Park’s renewed approach.

“We’ll have to determine whether it’s in our interest and they’ll have to determine whether it’s in their interest,” Hawthorne Borough Administrator Eric Maurer said, but “they’re definitely interested in returning.”

E-mail: astor@northjersey.com

"We've gone out to eat at a restaurant and people have asked to change tables, or downright left," Robertiello said. "It's almost more comfortable to stay in and not go out in public."
Many families that encounter the daily challenges autism presents feel the same way. Robertiello said. So, she set out to give families dealing with development disabilities their own comfort zone, at the local library.

She approached the directors of the Scotch Plains Public Library and Fanwood Memorial Library about creating a training tutorial to teach staff about the disorder and ways to serve families dealing with it.

A collaborative effort between Robertiello, the two library directors and a bevy of autism experts resulted in an online video and information package called "Libraries and Autism: We're connected."

The tutorial advocates for a more hands-on and inclusive approach. For instance, if a child with autism is participating in a reading group, the librarian can slow down the discussion or choose a book that is less difficult to comprehend.

"We knew there were a lot of families that had children with autism, but we didn't realize how many weren't bringing them to the library because they didn't feel welcome," said Meg Kolaya, director of Scotch Plains Public Library. "They don't go into public often because they're afraid the child will act out. And what we're trying to say is that we understand that."

For Robertiello, a trip to the library often involved a choice between supervising her son Marco or helping his two younger sisters pick out and look at books. If one minute Robertiello was helping the girls, she would find Marco pulling books off the shelves.

Lori Bechner, clinical director of Educational Partnership for Instructing Children, a Paramus-based non-profit that provides educational services for individuals with autism, applauded the library program. She said autism, a neurological disorder, affects 1 in 94 births every year in New Jersey, compared to 1 in 150 in the United States.

"When we got the diagnosis, it was never 'Why me?' it was 'what can we do,'" said Robertiello. "Many families with autism don't go because of the behavioral challenges associated with the library. You have to sit down and read, or sit down and listen at story time."

The project also included a non-verbal communication book that has symbols such as numbers and letters to pictures of everything from the library circulation desk to the restroom.

"These days we all hear the word autism, but not everybody is very aware of what that word means," said Dan Weiss, director of the Fanwood Memorial Library. "Between the two libraries, we've had many people say they're very happy to feel that there's a sense of support. They want to bring their children out into the community."

In the best of times and the worst of times, one of the top priorities our elected officials must have is to keep our public libraries open. If a poor economy disables citizens from being able to afford to purchase books and officials choose to close libraries, surely we will return to something akin to the Dark Ages.

Think about it. Make your voice heard. Our public libraries are one of our most valuable assets and rights.

BOROUGH — The Raritan Public Library's historic building is set to get a new roof and other exterior upgrades in an upcoming renovation.

The borough will hold a public hearing 8 p.m. July 14 in the municipal building's Council Chambers about the restoration project.

The project includes a new roof, window glazing and some masonry work, Administrator Dan Jaxel said. The project is being paid for by a $136,800 Somerset County Historic Preservation Grant and a $264,000 New Jersey Historic Grant.

The library closed for six months in 2006 to complete a $500,000 renovation. The 2006 project was funded by a bequest from Elizabeth Santora, a patron who visited the library once a week.
Before it was a library, the building at 54 E. Somerset St. was a jail, a tavern and then home to one of New Jersey's most prominent families.

The library's west wing may have been built in the early 1700s, according to www.raritanlibrary.org. It may have been used as a tavern, as well as a public meeting hall and jail for the then-governing Township of Bridgewater, according to the Web site.

The library building still is known as the General John Frelinghuysen House, though the first member of the Frelinghuysen family to buy the house was Col. Frederick Frelinghuysen, Gen. John Frelinghuysen's father, in the late 1700s, according to www.raritanlibrary.org.
Peter Frelinghuysen donated the home to the Borough of Raritan in 1970.

The library is listed on the National Register and New Jersey Register of Historic Places.
Kara L. Richardson: 908-243-6621; krichardson@mycentraljersey.com.

MILLVILLE -- Mill-ville Public Library is requesting extra money from the city as it tries to provide more services, including increased computer access.

The library's Board of Trustees also has established two committees in preparation for a new building.

The board passed its budget proposal for 2010 at its May meeting. It's asking the city for $684,680, an increase of $33,680, or slightly more than 5 percent, from the previous year.

The spending plan includes a 3 percent increase for staff, higher maintenance costs and a proposed 10 percent increase ($2,750) in utilities. The library doubled its number of computers from eight to 16, and usage is up 400 percent over last year, according to Library Director Irene Percelli.

The board usually asks for a 1 or 2 percent increase, but felt the larger request is necessary to continue the library's current programs, Percelli said.

"We want to close the gap on what we get from the city and what we really need," she said. "We keep losing ground every year; we can't keep doing that. We have to close the gap."

The total proposed budget is $731,405. The board projects $27,225 from the state and $19,500 from fees, fines and video rentals.

The library board also has established a fundraising committee and a second committee for planning a new building.

It's working with the firm Library Development Solutions in Princeton to develop a feasibility study for a new building. The board is in the process of reviewing the draft and will finalize it at a future meeting, Percelli said.

"If we are lucky enough to get a new building, it will come from a variety of sources," she said.

Vice Mayor Joe Derella, the city's director of revenue and finance, said officials are receiving budget proposals from all departments and will make their decisions in the next few months.

Derella said he hasn't reviewed the library's proposal, but said the city will work on a budget that maintains the municipal tax rate and is in the best interests of the city's residents.

By SERGIO BICHAO • STAFF WRITER • July 1, 2009

RUTGERS — University officials on Wednesday closed the book on a controversial move to drop the words "Library Studies" from the name of its School of Communication, Information and Library Studies.

As of Wednesday, the school will be known as the School of Communication and Information, or SC&I, pronounced "sky," the university said in a statement.
The Rutgers Board of Governors approved the name change in April after a faculty vote of 30-10 in February endorsing the change.
Officials said the name change was needed to provide a clearer identity for the school that teaches broadcasting, public relations, journalism and library studies.
Opponents viewed the change as a snub to library studies, arguing that a name change would break the library community's ties and identification to the school.
The school, which has commonly been referred to as SCILS, was established in 1982, merging the library and journalism programs.
Dean Jorge Reiana Schement said all of the school's programs would remain in place.
SC&I offers three undergraduate programs in communication, information technology and informatics, and journalism and media studies. It also offers master's degrees in communication and library and information science.

Sergio Bichao: 732-565-7256;

Virtual career center will be state model
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer

LONG BRANCH — The Long Branch Public Library has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the New Jersey State Library.

The grant was given to the library on June 9 to implement, strengthen and expand the capability of library staff in the areas of job seeking, unemployment and related services to library customers.

These services will include a model career center computer lab, a virtual career center and in-person as well as virtual training in the use of online resources.

Long Branch Library Director Ingrid Bruck said that the grant money is one of three pieces of good news the library received in June.

"We had three pieces of good news recently," Bruck said. "We got the grant money, but we also found out that New Jersey Natural Gas [NJNG] will be purchasing some computers for $10,000 and that the state will use our virtual career center as a model on the statewide level."

Bruck explained that the grant funds will help people qualify for jobs in the community.

T he money will ultimately be used to fund a teacher and state-of-the-art computers to help with the training class.

"The state library funded a teacher so we can have classes for people without jobs," Bruck said. "We got the grant so we can use it on a teacher and equipment."

Bruck said a teacher has not been officially named yet.

The class will begin in the middle of July and run 16 weeks. There will be 12 people attending the class, according to Bruck, and the goal of the class is to get people re-employed.

"The focus of the class will be helping people getting back to work," Bruck said.

The 15 new computers will be purchased using the grant money to replace the computers purchased by NJNG.

Bruck said replacing the computers was very necessary.

"The computers were seven years old and inadequate," Bruck said. "They didn't have USB ports and couldn't burn CDs. Things we really needed.

"Now we will have state-of-the-art computers to assist people," she added.

While the grant money and the career center news was somewhat expected, according to Bruck, the news about NJNG was a surprise to her.

"New Jersey Natural Gas taking our computers for $10,000 was a surprise," Bruck said. "We didn't expect that to happen at all."

The news of the grant and the upcoming class go hand in hand with the news about the virtual career center being used as a statewide model.

"Anyone in the state can use our virtual career center," Bruck said.

Bruck explained the focus of the career center.

"We take resources and bring them to the Long Branch level," Bruck said. "We make some of these resources accessible to the community."

What the career center does is link job seekers to various helpful resources in the community, such as places to apply for jobs and links to the local universities.

"We have about a 100 links up there," Bruck said. "We make everything local.

"You go on and apply for a job at Kmart because Kmart is a store in our community," Bruck said. "We took a big haystack and made it navigable.

"We have links to classes at Monmouth and Brookdale because those are the universities in our community." One of the aspects of the career center that Bruck is most proud of is the work that Diversity and Literacy Coordinator Tanya Badillo has done.

According to Bruck, Badillo has done a lot of work with the career center especially helping out with making it accessible for minorities.

"For Latinos in the community it may be harder for them to find jobs," Bruck said.

Also, the library is a place where ex-offenders come and look for opportunities.

"Ex-offenders come to the library a lot with no jobs and no money," Bruck said.

With the economy being down, the library has seen a boom in popularity.

"We have about 2,500 users each month use the computers," Bruck said.

She noted that the career center was not a reaction to the down economy.

"We were ready in August before everything crashed," Bruck said. "No one expected it to be as bad as it's been.

"We hope to get people back to work."

The library has worked with the Long Branch Concordance, as well as Monmouth Medical Center and Monmouth University in forming a committee to help people during the economic downturn.

More information about the library and the career center can be found at http://www.lmxac.org/longbranch/.

Contact Kenny Walter at

Kwalter@gmnews.com.