New design rollout

Last Sunday I unveiled the new interior design that we hope will be implemented next year. The Board and staff have worked for 4 years on this project, taking our cue from the expressed needs of the community. For the last year we have had the services of Globus Design Associates, the leader in the field of library interior design in New Jersey.

Every square foot of the Library's 14,000 square feet of space has been scrutinized and evaluated. The result is a design that, when implemented, will result in a warmer, more spacious library that more effectively meets the considerable needs of the community.

Artist renderings and samples are currently posted at the entrance to the Library for all to examine. I am happy to answer any questions or concerns.

We will begin fundraising in earnest next month with a mailer that we hope will get the whole community talking.

Whew! What a summer!!

This summer was busier than ever with hundreds of children and young adults participating in our summer reading programs. How cool it was to see 100 River Dell students lining up to register for our Talk It Up and Talk Back book clubs! I was delighted to see some of the awesome programs, like Bubblemania attended by over 100 parents and children. We thank the Friends of the Library for sponsoring many of the summer programs for children.

Our computers were in great demand. Those patrons who are looking for work, or who simply cannot afford Internet service made use of the high quality, free Internet service we offer. In this and many other ways the Library is making an essential contribution to economic recovery in the community of River Edge.

The 6 day furlough meant that Mondays were the busiest we have ever experienced with over 1,000 items circulating each day. We hope we can avoid furloughs in 2010.