The general conception of a free public library is that it’s usually a home for thousands of books and tons of reference materials. The advent of the Internet and the computer age has also been expanded to the libraries as well.
However, at the North Bergen Free Public Library, Executive Director Sai Rao and Robert Peirano, an administrative assistant to the township administrator, have been hard at work developing ideas and programs that will expand the horizons of the library, located on Bergenline Avenue.
In particular, the administration of the library is looking to expand its cultural base by offering a variety of exhibits and displays.
“Information comes in many forms,” Peirano said. “It’s not just in books and printed materials. It comes in understanding the cultures of the people who live in the area. And we’re willing to go to great lengths to understand that culture.”
With that, Peirano inquired about the possibility of receiving a grant from the Hudson County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs to possibly develop an art exhibit, focusing on the work of artists who have Hispanic backgrounds.
“I was directed to this grant by the New Jersey Council of the Arts,” Peirano said. “We found out that there was money available for an art exhibit to feature contemporary Hispanic art, completed by Hispanic artists.”
The $5,000 grant is for the fiscal year 2001 and is provided by the New Jersey State Council of the Arts’ Block Grant Program.
Peirano has already secured the services of two highly respected and recognized Hispanic artists from the north Hudson area, namely Anna Yglesias of Weehawken and Raul Villareal of West New York.
The exhibit, which will run from September through October of 2001, will be the first of its kind at the library and will feature only the work of Yglesias and Villareal. In fact, Yglesias will be the curator for the exhibit. “She’s been very instrumental in helping to put the program together,” Peirano said of Yglesias. “We’ve been fortunate to get two Hispanic artists with such great backgrounds.”
Rao is very excited about the project.
“It brings another aspect, another community to the library,” Rao said. “It’s an example of our cultural diversity in the community and it will bring enjoyment to our patrons. We’ve always wanted to bring different programs into the library and we’re pleased that we are getting this opportunity.”
Peirano agreed.
“It’s a great way for our patrons to understand the Hispanic culture,” Peirano said. “It’s very important for the library to try to help our patrons understand the diversity of cultures representing the area. We realize we’re in a vastly diverse cultural area. The library can help bridge the gap.”
Peirano said that next fall’s art exhibit will “just be the tip of the iceberg.”
“It’s a good beginning for us,” Peirano said. “It’s art at this time, but it can expand to music, to other forms. There are also other cultural groups that we’d like to explore.”
Peirano said that the library has already begun programs that will expand other horizons of different cultures. For example, the library is completing a three-week seminar on Feng Shui, the Japanese art of placement. Beginning Nov. 13, the library will feature a presentation on Reiki, which is an Asian healing art, with hands-on presentations.
Peirano said that every application for grants gets the full support of Mayor Nicholas Sacco.
“Mayor Sacco has expressed his interests to expand the knowledge of the patrons,” Peirano said.
Peirano said that because this exhibit has already been scheduled, there is the opportunity for further art exhibits in the future.
“We encourage people to provide us with proposals for future art exhibits and performances,” Peirano said. “We would certainly be interested and I’m sure that we would be willing to do so.”