What is your favorite part of the Library? We’d love to hear from you!

Please give us your thoughts and suggestions.

Our library is a composite of the thoughts and dreams of seekers. Are yours here?

We make it what it is – our dreams for you, our thoughts to make yours better – a Library to give you the flavor, the scent, the drifting vapors of desire and fulfillment that will make your life better. Palisades Park Public Library grows through your cultivation. We hope we can nurture your interests as you help us help you grow, too.

As director of this Library, I have had the great pleasure of seeing the Library through many changes, improvements if you like, that are meant to give clarity to your searches and robustness to your thoughts. Have you found the materials you were looking for? Have we given you what you want from a library?

Let us know!

With best wishes,

Susan Kumar
…encouraging a lifetime love of learning

Children’s Summer Programs

We have over 100 children signed up for the summer reading club. Children of all ages up until 12 grade are able to register. You can read at home or in the library. Prizes will be given out until August 4th. Sign up ends July 27th.

Join us for our many children’s programs.

Story Time and a picture for ages 3 and up on Mondays from 2:15-3:00. After a themed story time by librarian Lauren Frawley, resident artist Steve Cavallo will show participants how to draw something new each week.

Art classes with Steve are for children of all ages on Tuesdays from 1:00-2:00. Children will be allowed to draw whatever they wish and Steve will help them. High school students will be able to join the adult art class.

Sidewalk Chalk Art will meet Wednesdays from 1:00-2:00 and will be for all ages. The program will take place in front of the library and we will supply the chalk. Wear old clothes for all the chalk dust and fun! Weather permitting. If it’s raining or the sidewalk is wet we will be unable to have this program. Parents are required to stay with their children.

Rhyme Time will be Thursdays from 11:00-11:30. Songs, books, and finger rhymes especially for children under 3.

Friday Kids Movies will take place in the community room Fridays from 1:00-2:45 pm.
Movies will be rated G and PG. Children of all ages are welcome. Children younger than 6 must be accompanied by a guardian.

Palisades Park Library ESL Class Learns About Big Cat Rescue

By Darlene M. De Santis – Tech Services, Palisades Park Library

The Palisades Park Library has always presented diverse programming, and in May, Carol Zaccagnini’s ESL class learned about Big Cat Rescue http://www.bigcatrescue.org  a non-profit educational sanctuary in Tampa Florida that provides permanent  homes to tigers, lions, leopards, cougars and other wild cats. The cats are retired performers, former pets, or have been rescued from abusive and neglectful situations as well as the fur trade.

I am an off-site advocate for Big Cat Rescue, and recently visited the sanctuary and shared my experience with the class. As an avid animal lover, with a passion for the big cats, and in particular tigers, my visit to Big Cat Rescue was a dream come true. I support the sanctuary by participating in an ink-jet recycling program, (used ink jet cartridges can be dropped off at the Palisades Park Library for recycling,) updating Big Cat Rescue’s blogs, as well as maintaining my own sites Tiger News http://savethetigers62.blogspot.com/ and the newly created Tiger World News http://tigerworldnews.wordpress.com/

I spoke to the class about the different tours I took at Big Cat Rescue such as the feeding tour, keeper’s tour and night tour, explained the reasons why the cats are at Big Cat Rescue, and how people can help the organization. I also exhibited pictures I took on my visit and provided a flyer with information about Big Cat Rescue.

The dedication and love BCR’s staff has for the cats is overwhelming. It is an extremely well-run and well-maintained facility, and truly, the utmost priority is to provide the best home possible for these animals, and to educate the public as to why these cats are at Big Cat Rescue.

The class was very interested and asked terrific questions, and one student commented on how my love and passion come through while I was talking. That is something that deeply touched my heart because Big Cat Rescue and the cats mean so very much to me.

I was grateful for the opportunity to present this program. It was a great way to inform people of the wonderful organization Big Cat Rescue is, as well as to the serious situations these beautiful cats face in captivity.

For more information about Big Cat Rescue, visit; http://www.bigcatrescue.org and for ways you can help http://www.bigcatrescue.org/donatetigers.htm

The teaching library…

During the school year that is ending soon, the Palisades Park Public Library has been  given the opportunity to mentor high school volunteers gaining community service hours, graduate library science interns for whom public library service is an avenue of choice, and now as well, an artist working as an intern to Steve Cavallo, creating wall space that entrances.

We are delighted with the relationships we’ve built through mentoring and applaud our staff and these unsung students of library science, library services and library space!  The library has become an incubator of sorts, with our staff showing how great a library can be as we improve our library and community space.

Thank you, each and every one of you who have contributed so greatly to the betterment of our Library, for your gifts of time, intelligence, collaboration and perseverance as we step further towards a library that delights!

Library Champions

As BCCLS celebrates its 30th Anniversary, we’d like to invite you to join in the celebration by becoming Library Champions.

 

Library Champions are patrons who love their libraries and want to be in the know about issues that may affect them. Library Champions’ email addresses will be entered into a distribution list. When important library issues arise, BCCLS will email the Library Champions. The Champions can then take appropriate action such as phone calls, emails to legislators or simply talking up the library to their neighbors.

 

Libraries are facing a myriad of challenges and budgets are tenuous at best. We need people to act as our advocates and stand up for the libraries that have come under increased pressure because of the economic crisis, security concerns in the wake of 9/11, Internet access issues and more. Now more than ever, those who believe most strongly in the importance of our libraries are needed to be advocates for us.

 

Please join in this effort.  Visit http://www.bccls.org/champions/ and lend us a hand!

 

Help your library help your community in good times and bad!

Marching into Spring!

One of our goals is to put a book in every child’s hand to promote a lifetime love of reading.  Over 70 new children’s library cards were made in February alone.   We are always working to maintain and update the collection.  This is especially important in the children’s and young adult area.  Suggestions are always welcome to help us improve our collection.  Volunteer opportunities are available for high school students wanting to promote books and reading to our younger users.  Please inquire with Lauren, our children’s and young adult librarian.

This month the Palisades Park Library is showing three exciting art exhibits. Artist Heejung Kim has contributed paintings and drawings by her students, all Bergen county children.  Ranging from watercolors and drywash to acrylic painting, the works of these twenty-three young artists are on display at the north end of our Great Room.  Ms. Kim has exhibited with us many times over the years – this will be our first collaboration with her students.

 

In the main gallery, internationally known artist Ran Hwang has curated a show, starting March 8th, of Singha Kim, an emerging artist.  Ran Hwang had her debut show with us over 10 years ago, and since has exhibited her work in Italy, Spain, France, Japan and Korea.

 

In the southern corridor of our Library, we are showing the wonderful art of Kate Wade, a Bergen county artist.  These pieces are painted in acrylic and watercolor.

 

Along with these exciting artshows, stop by and see the painstaking work of Steve Cavallo and Jooyoung Choi on the murals in the children’s area.  See it all come to life as they work on it Wednesday afternoons at 3pm.

February Endeavors

Palisades Park Public Library, and all NJ public libraries, is concerned about budget constraints in this very difficult economic environment.  Due to these conditions, we hope all the more that our public can see our vision of “encouraging a lifetime love of learning” working for us all.  We hope that you can join us in supporting our library.  Please see the library director, Susan Kumar, with your thoughts and ideas of help.

 

Annual circulation of materials by Palisades Park patrons increased 21% in 2008 over 2007.  And, in January 2009 alone, our circulation increased 60% over January 2008, with all types of materials loans increasing, and with media circulation up the most at 123%.

 

We are proud to introduce a new library card this month!  Steve Cavallo, our resident artist, is sharing his talents with us again, and has created a wonderful depiction of our theme – …encouraging a lifetime love of learning.

 

 

We believe in continuous improvement and not resting on our laurels, but we are proud of the progress we have made!  We are in the process of making Foreign language and an Educational categories within our DVD collection.  Thanks to the several people who asked us where they could find a Foreign Language film, and thus set the wheels in motion for fixing this bit of confusion.  And yes!  this section is already quite substantial!  (We acquire four of the best foreign language titles each month.)

 

Reading Buddies is coming back!  We’re proud that our high school volunteers, the children and their parents are enthusiastic about this program and that we can provide our town with a phenomenal mentoring opportunity.

 

The library staff continues to serve you, our good neighbors and friends.  Please join us in recreating your best wishes and succor.

 

 

January 2009 – Winter’s Treasures

January always brings new beginnings into focus, and with this month arrives 2009, a year we hope will bring out the best in each of us, and bring you to our resources and shelves where treasures await your opening.

 

This year we will be adding several new periodicals to our collection, and enriching the rest of our collection as well.  We will be making space for our new collection in the back of the library, and extending our DVD shelves to accommodate our growing selections.

 

We will be joining with you in implementing some of the great suggestions you make over the year.  Please add your thoughts to ours in our suggestion box, opposite the front desk.

 

Soon, the murals on the Children’s walls will be complete, thanks to the great talents of our resident artist Steven Cavallo and his apprentice, JooYoung Choi.

 

…And we will continue to offer programs and activities that you have expressed interest in, including English as a Second Language, art classes, and computer instruction.  We are also planning a writers’ workshop and a book discussion group that may be of interest to our ESL graduates.

 

Please let us know your thoughts and wishes, so we can get to work realizing them.

 

Our best to you in the New Year!

High-Five December!

We are delighted to offer our third annual Poetry and Art Reception at the Palisades Park Public Library on Friday December 12th at 7 p.m.  We invite you to join us in celebration of the season, of artists and poets, and the joy of our warm community!

 

At this time, more than 59 visual artists and 24 poets will exhibit their talents within our Library.  Those of you who join us will find our brochure with poems and artwork of considerable interest, too.  Music played on our new grand piano, donated recently by Catherine Mascis, will round out our evening wonderfully.

 

We are also excited to offer the Learning Express preparatory exams to our library card holders, in the Library and at home.  Learning Express gives practice tests of all kinds – from SATs to police officer exams to civil service, nursing and teacher exams.  It has helped countless individuals hone their test-taking skills and advance in school, college, and career.  We are confident Palisades Park Library cardholders will also find it useful in getting to the next step.

 

Our library fine amnesty was a success!  The local foodbank will receive our offering of soup, dried foods and stews – hearty foods for the ensuing cold winter we anticipate.  Several library cardholders are back in good stead with their fines eliminated and their capability of borrowing materials from us and all of our BCCLS sister libraries, returned.

 

The renowned Korean artist, Gu Suk Go,  kindly donated his painting of cranes in moonlight to our Library recently.  We are delighted to make it one of the first in our permanent collection of paintings and will put it on display for the public to view soon.

For love of bare November days …

Starting in November our Children’s Librarian, Lauren Frawley, has created a Reading Buddies program in which some of our most dedicated high school students will be helping younger children with their reading skills.  We are very excited about the prospect of the matches – students mentoring their younger friends, and working with them to hone their English language skills as they bond as friends for life.

 

Also starting this month is a beginners’ computer classes for adults.  Our new staff member, Adrienne Coppola, will be instructing a class on Monday and Saturday afternoons.  Adrienne’s interests include social work, working with older people, and working on computers.  We are happy she is joining us for this activity.

 

Palisades Park Library offers many ESL classes for its residents.  Thanks to our devoted teachers and our avid students, ESL is a must program for our Library.

However, in the hopes of providing a more balanced roster of activities, programs and events in our meeting room, we will eliminate two of our afternoon ESL classes, starting in November.  Already, we have a puppet show booked in place of this class for this time slot on our calendar.

 

For love of bare November days, to paraphrase Robert Frost, we are soaking up the crisp air that autumn is ushering in with the premonition of winter freeze.  And we are creating a fun-filled panoply of activities and materials to warm up Palisades Park Library and our BCCLS environment.

 

Speaking of warming up, we would love to get a Friends of Pal Park Library group started – just let us know your interest, and we’ll make arrangements for you to meet and find ways to make our Library the best it can be!  Everyone in Palisades Park is invited to join – if you have ideas, or want to meet new or old acquaintances, if you’re a new member of our community or have been part of our town for ages, please feel free to enjoy what we have to offer and help us make our Library a treasure for all to enjoy.  Recently, at the  BCCLS Annual Friends Breakfast, our director learned of how other towns’ Friends groups are helping their libraries stretch their funds with fundraisers of all kinds, including events the Friends sponsor that include their diverse communities.  Let’s join them in reaching our dreams for Library heaven!