Local librarians have had to make quite a few adjustments to their services since the start of the recession to accommodate the increasing need for help in this tough economic time.
While many patrons have availed themselves of the free seminars and computer use, some are going even further to take advantage of the libraries.
“Every time you have a problem in the economy, people flock to the library for information on jobs.” – Estela Longo
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“It was unusual to see someone actually having a bath in the library,” she said.
But more than that, librarians are answering many questions about job applications and computers.
“Every time you have a problem in the economy, people flock to the library for information on jobs, information on résumés, how to do résumés,” said West New York Reference Librarian Estela Longo. “Now that we have computers, they even ask for instruction on how to use computers.”
Longo said she often sits with patrons to teach them everything from basic computer skills to how to submit an application online.
“Companies will not accept if you call them or anything,” she said. “They want you to do things online, so the patrons ask us to help them.”
Longo added that she often acts more like career counselor, editing résumés, than a librarian.
“Sometimes, I wind up making corrections or helping them, ‘Look, don’t do it this way; do it that way,’ ” she said.
She noted that people also have been using the library as a starting point for their search for other services, such as legal advice and English classes. “Around here, people need a lot of assistance with their affairs,” she said, “and they come here for that kind of help. It becomes like a social services. It is inevitable.”
Union City’s 43rd Street branch recently hosted a seminar on personal finance that covered mortgage, insurance, and retirement. Mann said she plans on organizing another one very soon.
“We want to be able to do more free programs for the public, knowing that they can not afford to pay for information,” she said.
Free DVDs, no late fees
In addition to providing free access to books, computers, and information, libraries also save their patrons money by offering free movie and music rentals.
“People are getting not only books, but movies and DVDs and things like that from the library,” said Longo. “It is very busy. They go out like hotcakes.” She added that since the recession, the library has stopped bothering with overdue fees.
“We don’t charge overdues anymore because it doesn’t make a difference, or we give them a break,” added Longo.
Mann said that in Union City, the library has actively increased the number of new releases it purchases.
“Because of the recession, we are buying more DVDs and we are buying more DVDs that people want,” she said. New releases for kids can be found at the 43rd Street branch, and for adults, the 18th Street branch. Mann said this is to avoid doubling up on material.
In West New York, Longo said she is reexamining her book selection.
“I am trying to buy more books on current issues and problems people might have – foreclosure, how to get jobs, things that can help them cope with the kind of problems that they are confronted with,” she said.
Kid stuff
Adults aside, the libraries have also seen a growing demand for more children’s services. More kids, accompanied by their parents, have been coming to watch the weekend movies in West New York at 3 p.m. on Fridays and at 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays.
“It is cheaper to come see the movies here than it is to go and spend all that money at a theater,” said Longo.
Mann said that Union City is currently trying out a new yoga program for kids and that the summer reading program will begin soon, on July 6, and run through Aug. 13.
“Every single day of the week, we have an activity planned,” she said.
The fun will include arts and crafts, such as making bracelets and painting wood snakes, games like checkers and Monopoly, and movies.
When staff members at the West New York Public Library are not helping people find books and land jobs, they are working to preserve local history.
Recently, Reference Librarian Estela Longo and a local firefighter have started an initiative to digitize old newspaper clippings. The latest project centers on articles from the World War II era.
“Somebody – we don’t know who – donated three albums of newspaper clippings from World War II, anything that had to do with a soldier in World War II,” said Longo.
The library has had the clippings a long time, but they weren’t preserved well until a year ago when Alan Ballester of the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue got involved.
“Because we don’t have the resources to do this, he very kindly has taken it upon himself to do this in his own time, with his own resources,” said Longo.
Having lived in West New York since he was 9, Ballester said that local history is very important to him.
“A lot of the material is in such bad shape that it is very hard to handle,” he said. “Some just falls apart in your hand.”
In order to save the World War II articles, Ballester has scanned and digitized about two-thirds of them, he said, and from them, created a database of about 1,500 names. The database will help people researching their family histories, he said.
“The biggest thing we feared was that the material would get lost,” said Longo. She added that there is still a long way to go to preserving local history.
“We are trying to accumulate the history and digitize it for future generations,” said Ballester. Longo added that local youngsters often use the historical information on West New York for school projects.
Anyone interested in donated historical matter pertaining to West New York should call (201) 295-5137. – Amanda Staab
Amanda Staab can be reached at astaab@hudsonreporter.com.