To Save Or Not To Save: Montclair's Public Libraries
montclairpatch.com
As the Montclair Town Council seeks to make budget cuts, on the chopping block is at least some funding for the Montclair Public Library.
By Shelley Emling
This past week's article on the future of Montclair's public libraries (reprinted below) prompted a lot of responses. Obviously people have very strong opinions when it comes to their local library.
For example, Montclair resident John Skillin wrote eloquently of how a public library is the very heart of any civilized community.
"The Bellevue Avenue Branch library of Upper Montclair has served the citizens of the 'north end' since 1914," he said. ...
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NJLA Blog -- The Official Weblog of the New Jersey Library Association - July 18, 2010 Author: tumulty
Newark Library Sees Drastic Cuts
July 8, 2010
localtalknews.com
NEWARK – As the result of a $2.45 million cut by Mayor Cory A. Booker and council, the state's largest municipal library will see more severe service cuts this summer including layoffs, additional furlough days, the permanent closing of two branches and the Main Library's opening three to four days a week.
"This cut is the most severe in the library's history," said Library Director Wilma J. Grey. "We're talking about the library's survival."
About 40 people attended a community meeting June 30 at the North End Branch Library located at 722 Summer Ave. Grey made a presentation on how the...
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NJLA Blog -- The Official Weblog of the New Jersey Library Association - July 12, 2010 Author: tumulty
The Haunted Heart and Other Tales
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/glbtrt/news/newsletters/10Summer.pdf
Currier, Jameson. The Haunted Heart and Other Tales. maplewood, NJ: Lethe Press, 2009. paperback. 206p. $15.00. ISBN: 978-1-59021-203-5.
Aptly dedicated "to the living and the lost," these 12 stories deal with ghosts—both terrifying ghosts of ill omen and those offering guidance and protection to the men they choose to haunt.
In his introduction, James Currier writes of forming the desire a number of years ago to move beyond his reputation as an AIDS writer. In reinventing himself, he remained concerned as ever with issues relevant to the lives ...
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ALA Weblog Service - July 9, 2010 Tags: Book and DVD Reviews from our Newsletter Fiction
Library Cuts Hurt Everyone
May 4, 2010
http://maplewoodblogs.nytimes.com
By PAMELA ERENS
Pamela Erens is a maplewood resident, a novelist and a member of maplewood Library Champions. In this opinion article, she takes aim at Governor Christie’s proposed cuts to the library budget.
A portion of Gov. Christopher J. Christie’s proposed state budget that most New Jersey residents seem unaware of involves drastic cuts to our state library system. In my hometown of maplewood, even many of the longtime and enthusiastic library users I speak to don’t know that these cuts are on the horizon and what they could mean.
Governor Christie wants to decrea...
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NJLA Blog -- The Official Weblog of the New Jersey Library Association - May 5, 2010 Author: tumulty
Sulphur's Esther Pennington attends Public Library Association National Conference
Sulphur Regional/maplewood Library Manager, Esther Pennington, along with 14 other colleagues from the Calcasieu Parish Public Library system, attended the Public Library Associations National Conference held in Portland, Oregon on March 23 to March 28.
Source: Yahoo! News Search Results for librarianship - April 22, 2010
Library boards in South Orange and Maplewood balk at merger proposal`
By Richard Khavkine/For The Star-Ledger
March 18, 2010, 5:58AM
A proposal to merge the South Orange and maplewood libraries as a cost-savings measure received little support from their respective boards of trustees at a joint, informal meeting Tuesday night.
“Neither board would like to see a joint or merged library. We would like to maintain the libraries as they are,” the president of the maplewood library trustees, Katherine Hilaire, said yesterday. “The whole point of any library is to serve a community, and we feel this is the best way to serve the community.”
The suggestion to merge the two systems was amo...
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NJLA Blog -- The Official Weblog of the New Jersey Library Association - March 18, 2010 Author: tumulty
South Orange, Maplewood mull merging libraries
By Richard Khavkine/For The Star-Ledger
January 13, 2010,
maplewood -- Officials in maplewood and South Orange are encouraging their respective library boards to explore a possible merger of the two systems as a cost-cutting measure.
At a budget meeting last weekend, maplewood Deputy Mayor Fred R. Profeta Jr. suggested that as part of a merger maplewood’s main branch be shuttered. Profeta said his research shows that maplewood is the only New Jersey town of its size with two branches.
The move, which would presumably include layoffs, could trim as much as $1 million from the township’s budget, which faces a $3 mil...
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NJLA Blog -- The Official Weblog of the New Jersey Library Association - January 18, 2010 Author: tumulty
New Jersey towns face crash diet of budget cuts
By Philip Read/The Star-Ledger
January 09, 2010, 10:00PM
The furloughs are business-as-usual in maplewood, so much so that they wind up listed under "Events" on the suburb’s official website.
There will be 12 more of the monthly unpaid days off this year. There’ll be rolling summer library closings, too. Add those to the 22 staffers laid off — 10 percent of the municipal work force — and its pedestal on Money magazine’s list of "one of the best places to live in America" looks frayed.
Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerChristopher Langfield, 13, takes time to do research after school while visiting the Bel...
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NJLA Blog -- The Official Weblog of the New Jersey Library Association - January 11, 2010 Author: tumulty
Times Are Tough, and Libraries Are Thriving
New York Times, March 15,2009
New Jersey Section
SHIRA WEISS, a 34-year-old publicist, showed up one day with her two children at the Teaneck Public Library for the first time in years after her husband had gently inquired why she needed to spend so much on books.
She applied for a new library card and — after taking out two chick-lit novels, an illustrated “Star Wars” book for her 5-year-old, Jake, and two animal books for her 2-year-old, Ben — she instinctively pulled out her wallet to pay.
“I guess it will take an adjustment period until I realize that some of the best things in life are indeed free,” sh...
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NJLA Blog -- The Official Weblog of the New Jersey Library Association - March 15, 2009 Author: tumulty
Hoboken Tot Denied a Library Card Because of Illegible Signature
A mad Dad reports his unhappiness with the Hoboken NJ Public Library due to his four-year old son being denied a library card. Here's the story from Hoboken 411.
Letter-writer Dave Dessel goes on to say: "My wife called several libraries in the area, including Millburn, maplewood, Summit and Ridgewood, to find out what their policies are. Every librarian she spoke with was appalled by HPL’s policy. One went so far as to say that the story was heartbreaking, and the policy archaic, the kind of thing that was done away with forty years ago.
I wonder if the library administration has changed much since On the Waterfront?"
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LISNews.org - January 17, 2009 Author: birdie Tags: Administration Children Libraries Public Libraries
Hoboken Tot Denied a Library Card Because of Illegible Signature
A mad Dad reports his unhappiness with the Hoboken NJ Public Library due to his four-year old son being denied a library card. Here's the story from Hoboken 411.
Letter-writer Dave Dessel goes on to say: "My wife called several libraries in the area, including Millburn, maplewood, Summit and Ridgewood, to find out what their policies are. Every librarian she spoke with was appalled by HPL’s policy. One went so far as to say that the story was heartbreaking, and the policy archaic, the kind of thing that was done away with forty years ago.
I wonder if the library administration has changed much since On the Waterfront?"
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LISNews - Librarian And Information Science News - January 17, 2009 Author: birdie Tags: Administration Children Libraries Public Libraries
LAMA and IIDA announce Best of Competition in 2008 Library Interior Design Competition
The Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) are pleased to announce that Arabian Public Library in Scottsdale, Ariz., designed by richärd + bauer, was selected as Best of Competition in the Library Interior Design Competition.
The biennial awards honor excellence in library interior design, incorporating aesthetics, design creativity, function and satisfaction of the client's objectives. The Best of Competition was selected from among nine winners and two honorable mentions awarded from 100 projects submitted from throughout North America. W...
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ALA Weblog Service - July 27, 2008 Tags: Awards
No MySpace, Facebook at Mishawaka Library
Via the South Bend Tribune and a bunch of folks who emailed me:
You can no longer use MySpace, Facebook or other “social networking sites” at Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library.
Fights, lewd language and cars being blocked in the parking lot by teenagers are among the problems Director Dave Eisen said have plagued the downtown library lately.
He told library board members that adults have complained about not feeling safe at the library. Eisen and his staff believe the teenagers are there to use MySpace, Facebook and other social sites.
Oh boy. This is my hometown library. It saddens me that the space between...
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Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology - March 18, 2008 Author: Michael Tags: Social Software & Sites Library 2.0/Web 2.0 Librarians, Libraries & the Profession
St. Louis Kick Off Brunch
Join LISGSA St. Louis for a Spring Semester Kick Off Brunch!
When: Sunday, January 20th at 12 pm
Where: Schlafly Bottleworks (Map)
7260 Southwest Ave. (at Manchester)
maplewood, MO 63143
314.241.BEER
Please RSVP to Christina Pryor by Thursday, January 17th.
Schlafly will be donating 10% of sales to Fair Shares which is a non-profit organization dedicated to making fresh, local food available to St. Louisans regardless of income.
The brunch menu is available on the Bottleworks’ website.
Don’t hesitate to contact the St. Louis LISGSA Student Coordinators:
Christina Pryor (cnpryor@gmail.com)
Anna Kwiatko...
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lisstlouis - January 11, 2008 Author: cpryor01 Tags: Fun Stuff
LISGSA St. Louis Spring 2008 Events
Spring Semester Kick-Off Brunch
1/20 at 12 pm: Schlafly Bottleworks in maplewood (10% of sales goes to Fair Shares) LIS Trends Discussion Meetings
1/24 at 5:30 pm: Digital Identity
2/28 at 5:30 pm: RFID and Biometrics
4/24 at 5:30 pm: RSS and Blogs
First Friday Happy Hours
2/1 at 6 pm: Llywelyn’s CWE
3/7 at 6 pm: Boat House in Forest Park
4/4 at 6 pm: Vito’s on Lindell
5/2 at 6 pm: Boogaloo’s in maplewood
St. Louis Saturdays
2/16: Topic to be announced
3/15: Library tour to be announced
4/19: Topic to be announced
Practicum Chat
3/27: Time and location to be determined
SISLT Mid-Semester Wine and Cheese Party
3/29 a...
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lisstlouis - January 11, 2008 Author: cpryor01 Tags: Fun Stuff Student Stuff
This librarian's life isn't by the book at 'All' By Bob Minzesheimer, USA TODAYNEW YORK — At first, Don Borchert wanted to title his quirky memoir about the unlikely drama found in a public library Ten Years, Good Behavior.After all, it deals with the bureaucracy of civil service which rewards rule-following more than creativity or imagination.But his publisher feared readers would think it's about prison. (Borchert does report on how the police busted drug dealers working out of the library's men's room.)...EXCERPT: Read a passage from 'Free for All' Next, he considered calling the book A Librarian Raises His Voice, bu...
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Library Lovers' LiveJournal - November 20, 2007
ENERGY STAR Change a Light Bus Tour and Change a Light Day
The ENERGY STAR Change a Light Bus Tour will kick off on October 3, 2007, ENERGY STAR Change a Light Day, and will travel from coast to coast, stopping in 10 cities in 20 days. The tour is part of ENERGY STAR’s Change a Light, Change the World Campaign, designed to bring individuals and organizations together in a nationwide effort to save energy and help fight global warming, starting by encouraging a switch to lighting that has earned the government’s ENERGY STAR label for energy efficiency. Stops will be in Los Angeles, the California Bay Area, Denver, Des Moines, Chicago, Indianapolis, Atlanta, maplewood, New Jerse...
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Environmental News Bits - October 3, 2007 Author: Laura B. Tags: Meetings Energy Efficiency
Articles of Note
Telephone Interpreting in Health Care Settings This succinct article answers commonly asked questions regarding the appropriate use of telephone interpreting in health care settings. http://newroutes.org/node/4475 Minnesota Hospital Adapts to Hmong Immigrants "St. John's Hospital in maplewood, Minn., is working to...
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BHIC - July 11, 2007 Author: siobhan Tags: Articles
[TS] Diplomacy in Maplewood
Librarians have a responsibility to do almost anything to welcome students to their facilities.
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NYT - April 27, 2007
Happy Monday Happy Hour
Who wants to join me in celebrating the end of comps? I’ll drink alone if I have to, but it would be better if YOU were there too.
When: This coming Monday, 4-6 pm (or whatever part of that you can make it!)
What: Happy hour/Adult Beverages
Where: Schlafly Bottleworks, maplewood
All are invited! Hope to see some of y’all there.
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lisstlouis - April 14, 2007 Author: heyheypaula Tags: Student Stuff
Local SLA event featuring SLA President Rebecca Vargha
Students are invited - see info about RSVP-ing (deadline is Feb. 19) below. $20 is a great deal for a meal at Monarch! These local SLA events are great networking opportunities, so take advantage of them!
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Library Staff of the Future: Through A Crystal Ball
What does the future hold for information professionals and librarians? Will the MLS continue to be required? In academic libraries on campus, what does the future look like? With increased outsourcing of cataloging and virtual reference what will campus librarians do? Will academic libraries si...
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lisstlouis - February 7, 2007 Author: apenningster Tags: FYI
NJ PL, Under Pressure, Reverses After-School Closing
Reversing a decision made December 20 "with great reluctance," the maplewood Memorial Library Board of Trustees, NJ agreed in a special meeting January 13 not to close the main and Hilton branch libraries on weekdays from 2:45 to 5:00 p.m.
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Library Journal News - February 5, 2007
Round-Up Follow-Up
The maplewood Library, who I previously mentioned were planning on closing their doors immediately after school to cut back on “teen rowdiness”, has now decided to remain open, after a unanimous decision by the board of trustees just one day before the first closure was to take place.
Teens are a valuable part of a community, and of the library that serves it. Granted, they can be rowdy and tough to manage. I personally once had to break up a fight between two teenage girls right in front of the library, so I know how it can go, but I think the answer, rather than to lock them out, is to bring them in and to ...
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ahniwa de montréal - February 5, 2007 Author: ahniwa Tags: gaming libraries and librarians news to me board of trustees dance dance revolution ddr engage teens events for teens lester public library maplewood library remain open tab teen advisory board teen rowdiness video games
Unattended children - best policies
Themonitor.com has an article today about "child overload" at libraries in the McAllen TX area. I'm quoted as saying that unattended children at libraries is a huge issue around the country...I see it wherever I travel.
You may have read the NYT article Jan 2d about maplewood Memorial Library (NJ) plans to close two buildings from 2:45 to 5 pm due to unruly behavior (urination, graffiti, threats). Here's the update which got less press: the library trustees rescinded that decision and report that the township is working with the community and the schools to come up with alternative places for middle ...
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LibraryLaw Blog - January 24, 2007 Author: Mary Tags: Patron policies
This Week in LibraryBlogLand (January 22, 2006)
This Week in LibraryBlogLand (Sort-of-Double Edition week ending January 21 (plus a lot from January 1-14) .......... Libraries as Lyceum? More about too much politeness, from David Rothman (TeleRead); Walt Crawford (Walt at Random); and Heidi Dolamore (quiddle). Iris Jastram (Pegasus Librarian) has argument against library greeters. More about weeding uproar, from Chadwick (InfoSciPhi). More comments about the maplewood library's plan to close after school from: Carleen Huxley (Library Shrine); Miss Martini (Martinis and Vinyl); Lazygal (Killin' time being lazy). RELATED: Amy (All Things Amy) notes that the Madison (Wisc....
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LISNews.org - January 22, 2007 Author: bentley Tags: TWiL
TTW Mailbox: An Aussie Librarian Responds to Maplewood
An Aussie Librarian writes:
I was dismayed to read your post 'Lock the Doors' regarding the library who have decided to close for part of the day, due to youth violence and inappropriate behaviour. I am glad that the community is taking a role to keep the library open. These types of problems with youth are by no means limited to the USA and we have experienced very similar here in Australia. We have a success story You may want to share with readers of TTW.
One of our public libraries, West Torrens Library Service, recently won an award for Innovation in Libraries with their Youth Strategy program. It's taken them 2...
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Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology - January 19, 2007 Tags: Librarians, Libraries & the Profession
"That's how my love goes."
It is a truth universally acknowledged that if you're going to lead a book discussion, you should probably read the book. If fate is kind, the book you waited until the night before to start will turn out to be a book you have read before, and completely forgot you read. How does one forget reading a whole book? Especially when it's not a bad book? The difference, I imagine, is the difference between reading the book at 23, and then reading it again at 33. Not sure if that's what happened, but can see how everything in this book would've rolled right off my back in the tendresse of my twenties. For the record, it's A...
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subversive librarian - January 18, 2007
NJ Library to Stay Open
Just a quick update the maplewood Libraries in NJ have reversed their decision to close due to rowdy teens.
Trustees of the maplewood (N.J.) Memorial Library met with Mayor Fred Profeta in an emergency meeting January 14 to reexamine their December decision to close the library weekday afternoons because of disruptive middle-school students—a policy that would have gone into effect two days later. Library Director Jane Kennedy told American Libraries that the “the board voted to rescind its decision about changing library hours” and the township offered some “funding for the library to develop new after-school prog...
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What I Learned Today... - January 18, 2007 Author: Nicole Tags: Library
Students Welcome at Maplewood Library
http://www.nj.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1168839832171350.xml?starledger?nnj&coll=1&thispage=1by Philip Read, The Star Ledger, 1/15/07
"After some 90 minutes of discourse and debate in the maplewood Memorial Library, the library trustees yesterday voted to rescind a decision to close at 2:45 p.m. weekdays . . ."
posted by Kelly Czarnecki
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ALA Weblog Service - January 17, 2007 Tags: News
Library Decides Not to Close to Thwart Rowdiness
So, it turns out that that the maplewood Library Board's decision to close the library was successfull.
Not that they will close (they won't), but the initial decision got the attention of the community members and efforts were taken in an attempt to solve the problem.
Win, Win!
I applaud the library for making their unpopular decision. Here's to ruffling feathers and getting the job done. Bravo.
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Library Stuff - January 15, 2007 Author: Steven
