| Author |
Message |
    
SOrising
Citizen
Username: Sorising
Post Number: 387
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 8:31 am: | 
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LL, about the ReBL card, I was told by a full-time employee in one of SHU graduate libraries that they would not honor the card.
If there is anything you could do about this with SHU administration, please do so. The person was pretty hostile and unhelpful, generally, and clearly did not want town "interlopers." And no, there were no excuses for it like them being a student or anyone else who might be excused for the action. |
Nancy - LibraryLady
Supporter
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 3532
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 8:35 am: |
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SO, I have it checked out today and get back to you. I've never heard of that before. What were you trying to check out? They do have to right to make their own rules but not to disallow the card totally. PL me any specifics if you want or just post.
Nancy
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busymom
Citizen
Username: Busymom
Post Number: 17
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 11:51 am: |
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There are a group of patrons currently forming a "Friends of the South Orange Library" organization. Maplewood already has one. The "Friends" will raise private money to help support the library and sponsor additional programs. PL me now for more info and or donate / join when we are up and running in the fall. It is the town's responsibility to fix the roof and the AC. IMO it is outrageous that the leaking has gone on for so long. I think everyone who cares about this issue should put a ton of pressure on the town to fix it. |
Shanabana
Citizen
Username: Shanabana
Post Number: 494
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 12:02 pm: |
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Dave, sorry I'm dense and didn't get the point. I like the link to the posters very much, though. |
Politicalmon
Citizen
Username: Politicalmon
Post Number: 165
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 12:07 pm: |
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I agree with putting pressure on the elected officials to fix the roof and central AC in the library should be a priority. A library is a reflection of the community we live in and like everything else that is mismanaged in our village the taxpayers suffer yet again.
No resources being allocated, no accountability yields an environment that is sub par for the taxes we pay. I invite all to take a walk through the library during a wet weekend, walk through the minefield of buckets that are catching the water. I can only imagine what happens when it rains while the library is closed, a soggy carpet and who knows what else.
I had a friend whose rule of thumb when shopping for a house and community to settle in would visit the local library 1st, she felt this was a valid reflection of how responsive the political establishment was to the taxpayers of the community - If local government can't keep basic functions operational how would it manage more complex task like redevelopment.
I believe we all know the answer to that question.
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jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 676
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 12:20 pm: |
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As Bookie suggested I looked under the library website, (which by the way is not linked to the village website. Don't know why not.) Sure enough, there was the mission statement:
Library Mission Statement
The mission of the library is to meet educational, informational, and cultural needs of the South Orange community. The Library is committed to providing:
· free and open access to a broad collection of materials in varied formats and media
· professional assistance in locating, using, and evaluating resources
· programs for all ages that encourage reading, and provide intellectual stimulation and cultural enrichment
My first impression is that this mission statement is far too broad. How can it possibly meet the educational needs of the community? What about the schools' role? And what the heck does meeting "cultural needs" mean? I think the mission needs to be re-written with clear, definable, achieveable goals. And then a very specific and tactical and monetary plan put in place to achieve it.
I think a Friends of the Library program is great, but we need to have the "right bones" first. It can be a reasonable supplemental approach, but we need to get the basics right first. |
joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 560
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 12:27 pm: |
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Why a mission, and not just a library?
jd |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 3307
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 12:56 pm: |
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mission statements are always broad, and typically useless. They are usually written by people in an ivory tower who cannot express what the purpose of their organization is.
Heck, many large, highly successful companies do not have mission statements and shun those types of trappings.
It's a library. People know what a library does. Not every organization needs to explcitly define their role. For many, it is self-evident and a short, broad statement is sufficient. |
MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 4163
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 1:09 pm: |
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I think a more appropriate mission statement for our library could be:
The mission of the library is to meet educational, informational, and cultural needs of the South Orange community. The Library is committed to providing:
· free sauna-like conditions for employees and patrons anytime the temperature outside rises above 85 degrees.
· dry books, carpets and employees - as long as it has not been raining within the past 48 hours. Otherwise, free indoor ponds are available for view.
post above was not intended as an insult to the employees of the library, who I have always have found to be helpful |
Nuff Sayid
Citizen
Username: Parkingsux
Post Number: 432
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 1:19 pm: |
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If any business in town had leaks like the library they'd be closed. Where is the fire inspection, where is code enforcement? The library should be closed until the roof leak is fixed and the ventilation is restored. It is complete incompetence on the part of our town administration that allows this problem to persist for YEARS. Who needs them, do they provide any responsible management at all?
How about the Connett building? There must be some worthwhile uses in addition to EEIS for this facility. Why don't we turn this building into an Art gallery or Seniors center or something other than another decaying undermaintained building owned by the Township of South Orange Village. 
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Nancy - LibraryLady
Supporter
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 3534
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 2:39 pm: |
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SORising, as I promised, I spoke to the Seton Hall Library (Lorraine) to clarify what their policy is.
A ReBL patron may take up to six books from the Walsh Library for 28 days (no renewals).
The RebL card may not be used at the small Seminary library nor in Newark at the Law Library.
Any other questions, just let me know.
Nancy |
MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 4165
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 4:36 pm: |
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In case anyone was wondering the status of the library repairs, here is a video clip from the last meeting which makes it clear that repairs will not be completed any time soon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjQuw1n7nVc
Funny...I don't remember any "study" being done before agreeing to spend money on TAU!  |
SOrising
Citizen
Username: Sorising
Post Number: 389
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 7:06 pm: |
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Thank you, LL. Any reason for the two exceptions you mentioned? If the university honors it, why not two schools within it? Is this inconsistency worth discussing further with SHU administration?
Although the decay of beautiful buildings the town owns is misguided and bothers me, forcing employees to work in unhealthy and miserable conditions is truly inexcusable. What about mould, bacteria, excessive heat and other problems from no ventilation? Even animal kennels have highly specific standards for ventilation it sounds like the library would not meet. Where is code enforcement in protecting employees and the public's health and comfort? Working conditions in the library sound like an illegal sweat shop. Human beings have to count more than architectural gems, yet even they seem woefully neglected and mistreated in the library. |
SOrising
Citizen
Username: Sorising
Post Number: 390
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006 - 7:12 pm: |
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Many mission statements are vague. But there is no reason why the libary's couldn't be fleshed out more than it is, however.
Whether it is in a mission statement or a strategic plan to implement and assess the mission, having concrete annual and multi-year goals for the library would improve the library and its staff's ability to serve the public. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5294
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 - 1:56 am: |
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SODA
Actually the ex in question has been in contact with me via email and on the phone. I even got together with him a few times. Heck We had been together for more then three years and had planned to marry. I know he joined MOL because he was stupid enough to tell me things I've posted. As for being challenged in math, you bet I am! I can't even balnce my checkbook. But this ex does seem to like to push my buttons and he knows it bothers me when he says things like 'When you don't respond for a few days I check MOL to see what you've been up to." It just seems by some of the things FSM posts he could be the ex. But, hey...
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Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5295
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 - 2:02 am: |
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Jay-
Your Mission Statement sounds great but there is one problem. Where do we get the money? We can't even get the town to fix the roof, or the air conditioning. It's going to get pretty hot in there in the very near future. I'm still wondering why work hasn't begun when it was said at least two months ago by one of the BOT's the money was there to repair these things. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5296
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 - 2:05 am: |
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Jay-jay
My nephews have both South Orange (where we live) and Maplewood Library Cards. It has something to do with the shared school system. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5297
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 - 2:09 am: |
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Nancy-
You might recall Millburn gave me a hard time when I wanted to check something out of the library for my friend's daughter who actually lived there! Even after you gave me the new card they gave me a hard time again. I now just use her sister's card if I take her to the library in Millburn. Or bring her to Maplewood or South Orange. |
jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 678
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 - 7:06 am: |
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I was looking around at some other Essex County library sites and low and behold, take a look at what Nutley has in place in terms of a strategic plan for its library:
http://www.bccls.org/nutley/plan.htm
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Suzanne Ng
Citizen
Username: Suzanneng
Post Number: 774
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 - 7:33 am: |
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Nutley, although in Essex County, is a part of the BCCLS group of libraries. Originally started to only include Bergen County, it now includes libraries in Bergen, as well as some in Hudson, Essex, and Passaic Counties. Now I think *THAT* is a great library system. Even though just about each town has its own , autonomous library, there is none of this Rebl card stuff. They share a common library circulation system, and therefore, as long as your hometown card is valid, you can just walk into any member library and present your card and borrow items. (Just about everything, although some libraries have restrictions on certain items for residents only, like videos, or rental books).. I started as a library page in a BCCLS library at age 14, working my way up to circulation and in several libraries, until I finished college. That experience led me to my current path of being an elementary school librarian. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5301
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 - 9:05 am: |
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Suzanne and Nancy-
What are the odds we can join the BCCLS? |
Nancy - LibraryLady
Supporter
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 3540
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 - 9:42 am: |
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What are the odds the township residents would be willing to foot the bill? It's very, very expensive. |
jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 679
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 - 10:50 am: |
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This is exactly why we need a vision, strategy and a set of priorities for the town and for iinstitutions like our library. Things cost money and we have to take a disciplined approach. The ad hoc approach to spending has got to stop. Having said that, Nancy, out of curiousity what would it cost? How come libraries like Nutley and Millburn feel it is worthwhile? And does the South Orange library have anything comparable to Nutley's library's strategy, goals and activities listing?
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SOrising
Citizen
Username: Sorising
Post Number: 394
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 - 6:26 pm: |
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Or, more critically, what would the difference between actual/present and projected expenses to join the BCCLS be, LL, very roughly? If not that particular system, the idea of not duplicating services or holdings unnecessarily seems pretty appealing. There's that shared services theme again: pooling resources (in the right way) could increase capabilities and quality of life services.
Can you envision an alternative to BCCLS, LL, that would capture these particular, more cost-effective and increased-capacity virtues? |
Nancy - LibraryLady
Supporter
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 3544
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 7, 2006 - 7:29 am: |
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These are questions that need to be directed to the Library Board of Trustees or the Library Directior. They can be reached at Librarian at sopl dot org. I am a Library Assistant and really don't have access to the answers to these questions off the top of my head. |
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