Hackensack, NJ Community Message Boards

More Info. If anyone wants more than this then go to the City Council Meeting on October 21st to have your questions answered by the librarians themselves:


We would like to take this opportunity, first to thank all of you who are standing behind the library as we make our case to the city for JPL's value to the community. The response from you, Hackensack's residents, has been overwhelmingly positive, reflecting the high value you place on the city's local library and its commitment to lifelong learning.


We want to clarify some misconceptions about the library's budget.
New Jersey law (N.J.S.A. 40:54-8) sets the minimum funding for municipal public libraries and for many years, the city has recognized our unique needs as a large urban library and funded us above the minimum rate. Many libraries in Bergen County, in fact, do receive more funding from their respective municipalities than the bare minimum because substantially more funding is required to run a forward-thinking, modern library. 
 

•   Helped over 500 Hackensack residents each year through free individual training sessions to gain knowledge and skills in:
•   computer literacy
•   resumes and cover letters
•   job search and networking skills
•   Added English as a Second Language classes and regular outreach to the significant Latino population of Hackensack
•   Added weekly teen events and activities that provide recreational and educational opportunities for Hackensack youth
•   Updated and increased children's activities to include relevant technology literacy
•   Added weekly "Inspect Your Gadget" classes for hands-on help with mobile devices
•   Created monthly digital literacy classes that expose community members to new and exciting technology tools and resources
•   Started a collection of video games that enables people to try before they buy
•   Upgraded and added additional computers for public use that greatly reduced wait times
•   Installed iPad stations for kids to learn and experiment with the latest technology
•   Greatly expanded classes, events, movie screenings, speaker-led discussions, book clubs, concerts, and creative workshops. By the end of 2014, we expect over 11,000 people will       have attended these engaging programs at JPL.


The library does maintain a state-recommended reserve of 20% of our annual budget from year to year, which is a common and prudent management practice. It is often used to balance the budget, and for emergency repairs that are essential to preserve the safety and beauty of our historic building which is over 100 years old. For example, this past June, a critical part in the elevator broke down and needed replacement--a costly emergency that would have been exacerbated had we not exercised fiscal responsibility and set aside an appropriate sum. Continued budget cuts would force us to drain this reserve to pay for day-to-day expenses otherwise covered under a healthy budget, and we would be unable to weather unforeseen emergencies.
 
Some of the increased appropriation was used to create a Capital Fund three years ago. This fund is restricted to planned building projects (like our lighting ballast replacements and roof replacement last year).


When the library's budget is slashed to the extent that it has been this year, that translates to significant losses for every resident of Hackensack. Numbers don't paint the whole picture. The last four years of generous funding have had a real positive impact on thousands of Hackensack families. The library is part of that family and our mission has and always will be to educate, empower, and enrich the Hackensack community.
 
So again, thank you for sticking by us and hearing us out. We look forward to seeing many of you at the next City Council Meeting on October 21 at 7pm to demonstrate your continued and impassioned support for your city's library.
 
Sincerely,
Your Librarians &
The Board of Trustees of the Johnson Public Library

Your Library Needs Your Help


The Hackensack City Council has cut the Johnson Public Library budget by $239,904 this year in 2014, almost a 10% cut. The Library will receive LESS than what the Library received four years ago in 2010.

If library funding is not restored, programming, services and staff will be cut next year. The current cuts will ultimately lead to the library being CLOSED for one or more days a week. And the library has been warned that there may be more cuts.


SIGN A PETITION AT: http://savejpl.org/?utm_source=Campaign+Created+2014%2F10%2F01%2C+3%3A26+PM&utm_campaign=Save+JPL+Email+10%2F1&utm_medium=email

SUPPORT YOUR LIBRARY AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON October 21st at 7pm, City Hall, 65 Central Avenue

OR CONTACT YOUR COUNCILPERSON, ROSE GREENMAN, WHO WAS APPOINTED TO THE LIBRARY BOARD:

New Hackensack council officially open for business
Friday, July 12, 2013
BY  JENNIFER VAZQUEZ
NEWS EDITOR
Hackensack Chronicle

A packed City Hall witnessed five council members take the oath of office after winning all open seats in the May 14 non-partisan municipal election.

John Labrosse, Kathleen Canestrino, David Sims, Leonardo "Leo" Battaglia, and Rose Greenman, who all ran as the Citizens for Change slate, were sworn in that night.

During the reorganization, council members were appointed as liaisons to the different city departments. Both Labrosse and Canestrino will serve on the Planning Board, assisting in overlooking the downtown's redevelopment projects. Battaglia was named liaison to the Assistance Board. Greenman was appointed to the Library Board while Sims was named Police Commissioner and liaison to the Recreation Board.

Is this the current Hackensack prosecutor? If yes, he has other clients.