The evening began with Barbara Stolz of the Kutztown Community Library (KCL) receiving the Linda Baer Friend of the Year Award. This award recognizes the significant and substantial commitment of time, energy, and creativity from a single member of a local library. Along with the award, there is a $100 cash prize sponsored by the Friends of BCPL. Stolz volunteered for over 20 years and served as the Treasurer of the Friends of the Library. She took pride in planning for KCL events, donating money to provide art books for young patrons, and shelving books. Though she stepped down as a volunteer in October 2019, her dedication and continued involvement is recognized by many in the community.
Patti Hutchinson of the Mifflin Community Library received Outstanding Library Staff Member. This award is presented to a staff member at a member library who demonstrates exemplary library service and has an effective and resourceful impact on the community. A staff member since 2003, Hutchinson created Thursday Family Story Time. The evening reading event was dedicated to working parents and their children. In addition, Hutchinson assisted patrons and processed donated items to the library. Though she is stepping down after 16 years of service, she remains a valued member for her community.
friends of the jewish community library
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Established in 1986 as a federated library system, Berks County Public Libraries includes 19 libraries with 23 locations, each independently governed and operated by a local Board of Directors. The County of Berks supports the efforts of these community based libraries through its Library System department and through direct appropriation. As a department of County government, we provide administrative and centralized support services, coordinated outreach services to unserved populations, networked technology and act in liaison with other state and county agencies.
Friends groups provide valuable support services to the Library. They assist in maintaining historical community records, publish newsletters of their activities, develop community calendars, and even sponsor public forums on civic affairs. They also act as our cheerleaders, spreading the word to friends and neighbors about the great services the Library offers.
Join PJ Library to celebrate Havdalah, the symbolic end of Shabbat and usher in the new week. Light the candles, smell the spices and, of course, a PJ Library story and pizza! This event will be held at a private family residence in Nazareth. Address will be provided upon registration. Registration required at jewishlehighvalley.org/pjlibraryevents. Contact: Abby Trachtman ([email protected])
From early on this branch served speakers and readers whose languages included Spanish, Russian, Yiddish, Polish, and other languages. The library's staff has a long tradition of involvement in this community, working with its people to improve services and facilities and to create more opportunities for people to reach occupational and economic success.
By 1915 plans for a Carnegie building were under way. Circulation had grown to over 76,000 and the entire stock of Russian books had been transferred from the Central Library to Boyle Heights. Land was secured by members of the local community and in June, 1916 the new building was completed. A Children's Librarian was added to the staff this year, and children's books were already accounting for one third of the total circulation. Circulation in the first year of the new library was over 106,000, with 6760 cardholders. The new building had five rooms and an outdoor reading room. Two assembly rooms held many classes and meetings. Some of these included a Shakespeare club, a metal workers' association, and lots of neighborhood musical recitals. Children's Librarian Gladys Crowe canvassed the local schools and soon children's materials came to represent half the total circulation.
During the late 1930s came the first reports that the "discipline problem was growing worse. Gangs were disorderly and audacious. One staff member had to be assigned to maintain discipline and the police gave little assistance. Older boys are out of school and unable to get jobs. They come to the library to create disturbances, congregate outside and annoy passers-by. Council has asked for a foot patrol but without success." Circulation declined steadily through the late 1930s followed by a staff reduction for reasons of economy. The condition of the building, due to age and earthquakes, had seriously deteriorated as well. In 1941 a library bond issue was defeated but received a majority vote in Boyle Heights. The library was heavily involved in the campaign to pass the bond issue. Even though it failed it strengthened community awareness of the library and the bond between the branch and the community. In 1942 the library underwent a further decline in use due largely to the transportation of the Japanese and Japanese-American population to concentration camps. The meeting rooms did remain in almost constant use, however, due to classes and meetings related to World War Two, including a group of air raid wardens. By 1943, lack of staff caused little but routine work to be done.
In 1945 Hubert Frazier began an almost twenty year tenure as Senior Librarian and Nettie Peltzman (now Frishman) became Children's Librarian. Nettie had grown up in the area, attending Hollenbeck Junior High School and Roosevelt High School. During her tenure deposits of children's books were placed at many of the local schools and Nettie and a Clerk would visit the schools on alternate weeks to circulate books. A deposit was also maintained at the Variety Boys Club. Under these two librarians' influence the library began to recover from the doldrums of the depression and war. Both became very involved in the Boyle Heights community. Hubert served as secretary and president of the Hollenbeck Coordinating Council, served on the boards of the Los Angeles Music and Art School and Hollenbeck Social Center, and was a member of the Hollenbeck Health Council and Roosevelt Adult School Advisory Committee. Nettie was very active with the schools and also served on the board of directors of the Soto-Michigan Jewish Community Center.
In 1953 there was considerable protest over the transfer of Children's Librarian Nettie Peltzman. School principals, teachers, parents, local organizations and the City Councilman were quite upset. Senior Librarian Frazier saw this reaction as an endorsement of the library's and Mrs. Peltzman's excellent work with children: "Nettie Peltzman's work has been outstanding in all ways. She is an excellent Children's Librarian, a fine community worker, and has made many friends for the library. She will be hard to replace."
Hubert Frazier retired in 1964 after nearly 20 years as Senior Librarian. His legacy was one of increased visibility and respect for the library in the community. This was accomplished through his respect for, and involvement in, the community. Here is an interesting quote from one of his annual reports in which he comments on an increasing discipline problem among young adult library users. "Our rules must be logical and not governed by whim. An experienced librarian should be able to tell if the student comes to the library just to make trouble, or to study. We believe that the modern youngster is pretty fine, we like them and want to help them. We have no feud with them. We should earn their respect by doing all we can to help them." In another report he states "We have the respect of community organizations and the public. Many patrons speak of their pride in their library. We have an excellent, well-trained staff." In still another he writes directly to the library staff: "The Branch Librarian would like to thank the staff for their fine, cooperative spirit and we feel that this attitude is reflected in the relations with the public."
It has been striking, in reviewing annual reports going back to the 1920s, how similar the goals, problems, and concerns were in the past compared to today. The library seems to have gone through a number of cycles of good times and expansion followed by declines and struggles to maintain quality services. Certainly technology and society have changed tremendously during the twentieth century, but many things remain the same: the importance of reaching children, the need to respect, and be involved with, the community, and the necessity of a motivated and well-trained staff. 2ff7e9595c
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