The Montclair Public Library is to reopen its Bellevue Avenue Branch June 6 while most other local libraries are curtailing their hours for the summer.
The branch, at 185 Bellevue Ave. in the township's Upper Montclair section, is to hold its "Grand Reopening" June 6 10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. A May 27 release touts a 12:30 p.m. ribbon-cutting as that day's highlight.
Children would have been treated with face painting, puppet shows and storytelling since 10:30 a.m. Live music is to be performed 2-8 p.m. and free refreshments served throughout the day.
The Friends of the Bellevue Ave. Library and the Montclair Public Library Foundation have collaborated to raise the $50,000 needed to keep the branch open for the rest of the year. The Montclair Public Library Board of Directors, citing a fiscal year 2010-11 $800,000 municipal aid cut, closed the 97-year-old branch Jan. 24; resources were then focused on keeping the Main Library, at 50 So. Fullerton Ave., open.
The Bellevue Avenue Branch, however, will be open Mondays only through at least Sept. 3. The Main Library will be closed Mondays only at least through the Sept. 3-5 Labor Day weekend.
"Local Talk" has found Montclair and Nutley - which are keeping their hours the same year-round - the rare exceptions. Most of the other librarians might be signing, "Summertime, and our hours are shrinking."
Many would be paraphrasing George Gershwin's 1935 "Porgy and Bess" operetta lyrics before June 21 - the first official day of summer. The Orange and West Orange public libraries have suspended their respective Saturday or Sunday operations as early as May 28/29 through Sept. 10/11.
Patron and personnel scheduling are the apparent seasonal shrinkage's reasoning. There are fewer students, secondary or collegiate, taking courses in the summer compared to the usual September-June school year. More people tend to take vacation time as well - including library employees.
It is then logical that, between ebbing demand and budgetary concerns, it makes sense for the local public libraries to cut their hours for the season.
"Local Talk" area patrons may want to consider upgrading their municipal library cards for Essex County ReBel or Bergen County Cooperative Library System for use in cooperative lending and computer terminal use. Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Millburn, Montclair, Nutley are under BCCLS.
Please also note that the libraries are to be closed on July 2-4 and Sept. 3-5 as part of the respective Independence Day and Labor Day holiday weekends unless otherwise stated.
BELLEVILLE loses their Saturday hours July 2 through Sept. 3.
BLOOMFIELD loses their Saturday and Sunday weekend hours June 25-Sept. 4.
EAST ORANGE's Main Library is to go to 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday hours June 18-Aug. 27. 21 So. Arlington Ave. is to be open Sat. July 2 but closed Sat. Sept. 3. Its regular 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday hours are to resume on Sept. 10.
East Orange Public Library's Ampere, Elmwood and Franklin branches are to maintain their usual 1:30-5:30 p.m. selected weekday hours. 39 Ampere Plaza is to be open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 317 So. Clinton St. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 192 Dodd St. Mondays and Wednesdays.
All EOPL branches are to be closed Monday, July 4 and Sept. 3-5.
GLEN RIDGE is to close on Saturdays July 2-Sept.3.
IRVINGTON is closed Saturdays July 18-Sept. 3.
MAPLEWOOD's Memorial and Hilton Branch libraries are to close on Saturdays July 2-Sept. 3.
MONTCLAIR's Main Library is to be closed Mondays from June 6 onwards. Its Bellevue Avenue Branch is to be open Mondays 10 a.m.-8 p.m. starting June 6. The Main Library will henceforth be open regular hours - and the Bellevue Avenue Branch closed - Tuesdays through Sundays.
NEWARK, as of noon June 1, has not released its official summer hours. It has been the recent experience of "Local Talk" that the Main Library reduces its Saturday hours to 9 a.m.-1:15 p.m. July 9-Aug. 27. Its current eight branches would concurrently be closed.
It is not known whether the Branch Brook Park, Clinton Hill, North End, Roseville, Springfield, Vailsburg, Van Buren or Weequahic branches will have reduced hours or be closed additional selected weekdays.
Consult www.npl.org for updates.
NUTLEY's hours are unchanged.
ORANGE is closed Saturdays May 29-Sept. 3.
SOUTH ORANGE is to close on Saturdays June 25-Aug. 27.
WEST ORANGE is closed on Sundays May 29 - Sept. 11.
Prospective patrons are to consult their home and cooperating libraries for use and lending terms, changes in hours, reciprocal privileges with local colleges and universities and other details.
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