Library has 1 million
reasons to celebrate
Manalapan headquarters
reaches milestone in 2001
circulation numbers
MANALAPAN — Pilar Seltzer walked into the Monmouth County Library Headquarters on Symmes Drive on Dec. 21 at 11:30 a.m. and hit pay dirt.
A regular patron of the library for the past four years, Seltzer, a resident of Manalapan, thought she was merely going to borrow her usual fare of library materials.
But in addition to the book she borrowed for her child, We’re Going on a Ghost Hunt, by Marcia K. Vaughan, Seltzer also walked out of the building with a $200 gift certificate for brunch at the Molly Pitcher Inn, Red Bank.
Why?
Because Seltzer was the person who borrowed the 1 millionth item (a combination of books, videotapes, compact discs and audio tapes) this year from the library headquarters.
Surrounded by balloons and well-wishers, Seltzer checked out her book, tipped the scales and won the prize.
She said she was very excited about her prize, as were her children.
"The library staff had balloons and a beautiful cake. My children were so excited with all the fuss. They have always been avid readers, but this will be a most special memory in their minds," Seltzer remarked.
Seltzer said she typically checks out about 20 books a week for her children, Nicole, 6, and Ethan, 4.
"Nicole is working on a goal. Last year she won a prize for having read the most books in her class. She’s trying to win it again," Seltzer said.
Monmouth County Library System Director Kenneth Sheinbaum said that to his knowledge, no library facility in the state has ever loaned 1 million items in a year’s time. Many library systems, including Monmouth County, have achieved this status, but no one building has done it on its own, the director said.
Now that honor belongs to the Monmouth County Library Headquarters.
"This is truly a major event," said Sheinbaum, who has been the director of the library system for 10 years. "Our staff has been working diligently on this project."
Sheinbaum told Greater Media Newspapers that he considers "his" library more like a family.
"We provide personal service to our patrons," Sheinbaum said, adding that the library has many regular customers whom the staff members know personally and make an effort to go out of their way to accommodate their patrons’ needs.
"We’re the busiest public library in the state," he said. "One can only hope that we can do this again, but it’s the first time that really counts. This is really a big deal."
Geri Cohen, supervisor of the circulation department, said everyone has been gearing up for this moment since last year when, judging by her calculations, she believed the library would circulate 1 million items during 2001.
"Our staff has worked extremely hard on this," Cohen said. "Our circulation has just gone through the roof."
Cohen said a new computer system has helped the library staff keep track of circulation statistics in a more organized manner.
Public relations librarian Flora Higgins has been with the library system for 11 years and said library officials were a bit concerned that circulation would drop off due to the increased Internet services now available to patrons of the library.
"We have added so many services that our patrons can use from their homes," Higgins explained.
She described a sampling of services available such as the ability to take the civil service test online, periodicals and reviews of books. These services have been installed over the past year.
"Even with our Web site services, the traffic continues," Higgins said. "The people continue to come. Adults come for recreational reading, students come for research and study, and children come as well."
Public service librarian Judy Tolchin told Greater Media Newspapers that everyone has been very excited about the 1 million items event, anticipating the arrival of the borrower who would finally step up to the circulation desk to check out the 1 millionth item.
Tolchin said Seltzer will be presented with her prize at a special program to be held at the library on Jan. 20.
"This is a very big event for us," Tolchin said. "We want to record this event and celebrate it. It’s a very festive time for us and we’re all quite excited about it."
A beautifully decorated cake, in the shape of an open book, made by Palma’s Bakery in Manalapan, was served to the winner of the prize, staff members and any library patrons who chose to join in the celebration when the 1 millionth item was checked out on Dec. 21.