Clubs, movies, and special events ... oh my!

Most people are aware the Matawan-Aberdeen Public Library offers story hours for children, but are you aware we also host a variety of clubs, movies, and special programs for our adult patrons that you are welcome to attend? Our various monthly clubs include a lively Mahjong club, a fun and informative genealogy club, and, of course, a very popular book club. In addition, we are beginning a new Pinochle club this June at the request of one of our patrons who is willing to teach others how to play. Every Monday afternoon, and occasionally on Sundays, we show an assortment of movies ranging from the classics to popular new releases. This summer, in honor of the NJ Summer Reading Program “Novel Destinations,” we will also be showing foreign films one afternoon a week. Look for these to begin in mid-June!

Are you currently working on your resume or searching for a job? On Thursday afternoons in May we are offering a series of webinars by Tutor.com that will help you answer tough interview question and polish your resume. If you can’t make it to the webinar, Lynne, one our own staff members who has years of experience helping people polish their resumes, will be conducting a program titled Writing an Effective Resume. Do you own a Kindle, Nook, or Sony Reader? Or are you thinking of purchasing one? Another staff member, Curtis, will demonstrate how to download ebooks from ListenNJ onto the e-readers during the E-Reader workshop. He will use a Nook for the class but he can answer questions about all the e-readers. Check out our Event Calendar for all the details.

One of my first tasks as the new Adult Services Librarian is to add to our current schedule of programming for adults. Over the summer we are beginning a new series called After Hours at the Library on Friday nights, offering different types of live music after the library closes. Stay tuned for information about our first concert in July! As I continue to develop new programs for the library, I’m reaching out to ask you what types of programs would you like to see us offer. Are you a history buff who would like to hear a lecture about a particular period in history? Do you want to brush up on your computer skills for work or learn how to join your friends on the social networking sites? Let me know! Also, if you have a talent or skill you would share with others, contact me at the library and we can discuss your ideas. I’d love to hear from you!

Hello from the new Adult Services Librarian!

Hello! My name is Jill and I am the new Adult Services Librarian at the Matawan-Aberdeen Library. I joined the MAPL team in March, but my history with the library goes back almost seven years when I initially moved to Aberdeen. One of the first things I did after moving here was to get a library card. I remember how welcoming and friendly the staff was to me on that day. When I began the Master's program in Library and Information Science at Rutgers in 2007, I used the Matawan-Aberdeen Library extensively to find books for both my Children's and Young Adult literature courses. Any books they did not have at the library they were able to locate for me using the inter-library loan (ILL) system. The staff was a tremendous assistance to me during that time!

Prior to and during my time in library school I worked as a scientist for one of the major pharmaceutical companies. While there were many benefits to that position, I missed having a job that made me feel like I was part of a community. This position at the library is a perfect fit for me because not only does it allow me to feel like a part of a community, it allows me to do it in my own town ... and the commute is awesome! In my first few weeks on the job I have met many of the library's patrons and I look forward to meeting many more in the coming months. Please feel free to stop by the reference desk to ask questions, make a suggestion for a program you'd like to see at the library, or just to say "hello."

Have You Met Our New Director?

Stop by Kimberly's office anytime on Friday, October 22nd to introduce yourself, have a cup of coffee and a snack, and share your thoughts on the library, the community, or your favorite book!

Summer Reading Club!

The Adult Summer Reading Club at the Matawan-Abderdeen Public Library started on June 19th and will continue until August 13th. Weekly prizes will be drawn every Monday afternoon, and at the end of the summer there will be a Grand Prize! Patrons can register at the circulation desk. We welcome all of you to sign up!

Budget Cuts: Update

The Matawan-Aberdeen Public Library is now joinging with many other libraries in a statewide advocacy to restore library funding to the state budget. Orange postcards are available to fill out to oppose the reduction in funding. On your next visit, please fill out an orange postcard at either the circulation desk of the children's desk. You can even add a message on the back if you'd like. Then we'll send all of the postcards together to legislators. For more information on the budget cuts, or to email your legislator please go to Save My Library NJ.

Library Budget Cuts

Due to budget cuts presented in the governor's budget address, library funding has been cut by 74%. This means that libraries are in serious danger of offering fewer services inlcuding programming, inter-library loans, and internet service. To find out how to help restore funding or find out more information about these proposed budget cuts, got to Save My NJ Library.

Library Receives Grant

The Matawan-Aberdeen recently received a grant from the State Library to transform the DVD space. Check out the recent article in the Independent to find out more!