Here ya go Frank! Newark library branch is threatened with closing
Sunday, December 28, 2008
BY JEFFERY C. MAYS
Star-Ledger Staff
Emely Fernandez stepped into the Newark Public Library's Roseville Branch last week and immediately received a warm welcome from everyone from the branch di rector to the security guard.

The 12-year-old lives across the street from the library and visits daily to read, study and use the computers. Like a lot of kids in her neighborhood, Fernandez loves coming to the library, but the trips also serve another purpose.

"My mom and dad own a store, and they work a lot. The people here are nice. They always help me with my homework," she said be fore heading off to the young adult section and grabbing a Japanese anime book off the shelf.

A recent edict from the administration of Mayor Cory Booker for all departments to cut 10 to 15 percent of their budgets, however, may spell trouble for the library branch.

An announcement recently went up on the library's website that the branch would be closing Jan. 5. A sign with a similar message was posted outside the door and staff at the Roseville Branch began telling shocked -- then angry -- patrons the doors to the little neighborhood beacon would be closed early in the new year.

Hours also were slated to be cut at two other branches. The Branch Brook and Clinton branches were scheduled to begin operating part- time starting in February when their days of weekly operation would be reduced from six to three.

City officials said the announcement may be slightly premature, but they agreed that times are tough.

The library is being asked to cut $1.2 million from the $12 million budget the city of Newark provides. (It supplements its budget with about $1 million in private donations.)

Library executive director Wilma Grey said closing the branch was a last resort.

"Unfortunately, the global downturn in the economy has taken a heavy toll on everyone, including the Newark Public Library," said Grey. "Adults are using the computers to fill out job applications and look for jobs. Kids use the computers and come in for after school programs. That's where it will really be felt."

After news of the library's closing began to spread, city officials said reports of the closure of the Roseville branch may be premature. Business administrator Michelle Thomas said all departments were given a 15 percent reduction target date in September, but the deliberations for the 2009 budget aren't complete.

The city is facing difficult budget issues. Newark may be on the hook to contribute $22 million into the state pension fund this year. In addition, the mundane ex penses of operating a city are on the rise. Aside from higher gas and fuel prices earlier this year, tipping fees for trash disposal have increased $6 per ton. The city will ask the state for distressed cities aid for the second year in a row.

At the behest of Gov. Corzine, the Legislature is considering temporarily halving the amount of money municipalities have to contribute to the pension fund. If that happens, Thomas said, the reprieve will improve the budget picture. And there also may be other ways to reduce costs in the library's budget, she said.

"The budget process is not complete. We have not yet packed the budget and presented it to the mayor and the council," said Thomas.

Thomas could not guarantee the library won't eventually have to make deep cuts to its budget, or even that the Roseville Branch won't have to close. The library was facing a 3 percent budget cut last year when the city talked of closing one of its 10 branches as it laid off hundreds of city workers.

"The business administrator will recommend budget reductions. Where the cuts will be applied is a decision for the library board to negotiate since we give them a lump sum," said Thomas.

The library's necessity is clear. During difficult financial times, when families are trying to save money, library usage generally rises.

According to the American Library Association, Americans made nearly 1.3 billion trips to the library over the last year, checking out more than 2 billion items. Both library visits and checked out items are up 10 percent compared to the 2001 economic downturn.

Usage at the Newark Public Library, the state's largest publicly funded library, has increased 17 percent this year, officials said.

The downturn in the economy also means a likely decrease in philanthropic donations. Among other cuts the library is considering is the reduction of its $900,000 book budget -- already small for a library system of 1.5 million volumes -- by $200,000.

"It's hitting us from every angle, because we expect philanthropy to be down," said Grey. "We are tightening our belts. Anything we can save on, equipment, supplies, heating costs, travel, we are taking a look at. What we do in the future depends on how quickly the economy bounces back."

The community around the Roseville library is both a community in need and one on the rise. New two and three family homes have sprouted up in recent years, and the waiting list for the nine computers is filled after school and sometimes during the day, said Roseville Branch security guard Caroline McClean and branch manager Patricia Dozier. The closest library is the Springfield Branch which is more than a mile away.

Steven Johnson, 60, came into the Roseville branch one afternoon last week and immediately walked over to the computer sign-in sheet. The unemployed warehouse worker found his last job using these computers, which have special links to job-hunting resources. His home computer was broken.

"This has enabled me to get a job in the past and to get some interviews now," said Johnson who lives a block away and walks to the library. "It's going to be very difficult for me if this closes."

One last visit to say good-bye this week. Sad, spending 3 million dollars to renovate Boys Park and tennis courts, as branch libraries close.

This week visit Roseville Library on 5th Street for one last time.

Drop by the new BOYS PARK on Duryea Street and the new TENNIS COURTS 2nd Street and 6th Avenue.

See the mural of the new NEWARK SCHOOLS STADIUM @ Bloomfield Avenue.

Lunch at Dicky Dees.

Take pictures to send to JOHN.

The magnificent block long NEW First Avenue School behind dicky dees. The old school is now Elliott Street annex.

Two basketball courts @ Sussex Avenue entrance to BOYS PARK. Swings, sidewalks, grass and benches also finished.

Tennis court has a reference to TIKI BARBER and a quote. More sidewalks, benches and swings. Looks like a basketball court being put in place on top of old tennis court.
Should put a reference there to BOBBY MOLINARO.

Dicky Dees hot dogs were incredible. My server was not alive when business moved to present location 41 years ago. Big lunch crowd. Lot of old timers from the old days.

Here are a couple photos courtesy the NPL. They're from around the time the branch was built (1924):

Isn't that the McCree Estate to the right behind
the library?

Domain of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Brown since 1969. We were behind library neighbor roseville Bethesda Church. Very modern looking (for 1960) brick home on other side of library.

Great pictures, John. $1.9 million dollars for BOYS PARK, but not a cent for the library. Don't understand what Tiki Barber has to do with the Tennis Courts. .

He got the new concession stand that is
being erected near the courts. He's trying
to nationally with this new franchise called:
Tiki Bar's. What??

I lived around the corner on Sussex Ave. I had my first real fight in front of the library. Some kid from the third grade harassed me all the way home from school wanting to fight. I finally agreed to meet him at the library an hour later. I went home and asked my brother Ray what to do.
He said "as soon as you step up to him, pop him with all you got." That's what I did. Fight over.

That kid learned something at the library that day.

Did you know Lenny D'Onofrio? Harvey Anderson?

Newark's library branch to remain open
by Chanta L. Jackson/The Star-Ledger
Saturday January 03, 2009, 6:54 AM
At a special meeting held Friday, the Newark Public Library Board of Trustees decided to keep the Roseville Branch open. In addition, the trustees opted to keep the existing hours at the Branch Brook and Clinton branches pending further review of the 2009 budget and action by board.

Hurrah! That visit from the JRS must've done the trick.

Yes Frank, Lenny's father was our landlord until we moved to 447 Orange St. above Nason's meat market. Lenny was one of our Gang. I remember he could really haul on those crutches and I can't count the number of times he whacked me in the shins with them. I don't recall Harvey though.