Librarian to receive national honor

Jennifer Sirak, the children’s librarian at the Lambertville Public Library, was one of 27 in the nation to win a 2005 New York Times Librarian Award.

By: Linda Seida
   LAMBERTVILLE — Jennifer Sirak, the children’s librarian at the Lambertville Free Public Library, is among the winners of the 2005 New York Times Librarian Awards.
   "It’s very exciting," Ms. Sirak said. "It’s a pretty big thing in the library world, and it’s important for Lambertville."
   The newspaper received more than 1,200 nominations from around the United States. Ms. Sirak said she was one of only 27 award recipients.
   The winners will attend an awards ceremony and cocktail reception Nov. 16 in Manhattan where author Alice Hoffman will be the guest speaker. Each of the winners will receive a commemorative plaque and a check for $2,500. The library also will receive a plaque.
   The library’s youngest patrons call her "Miss Jen." She’ll mark her fourth year in the job Dec. 1. This past summer, her programs drew 400 children over an eight-week period.
   "That’s the nice thing about this award," she said. "You are affecting people and touching people so it’s nice to be recognized."
   Christine Miller of Lambertville nominated Ms. Sirak for the award.
   She said, "Jennifer’s always really committed. She puts thought into her programs. As soon as I saw the nomination, it’s the first thing I thought of. I thought of Jennifer immediately. I wanted to put a lot of thought into it because Jennifer puts a lot into her programs."
   Mrs. Miller has taken her children to the library for about three years. Julia and William, ages 5 and 3 respectively, love story time and have learned to love the written word, according to their mother.
   Several years ago "Julia would wake up every day asking if it’s library day," she said.
   Ms. Sirak said she had no idea she was one of the winners until recently when she received a phone call from the newspaper’s assistant director of community affairs.
   "I was totally surprised," she said. "At first I just thought it was a call from The New York Times to talk about their services. Then I had to ask her to repeat herself."
   Despite having only part-time hours, Ms. Sirak gives her job full-time attention.
   "I love this job, and I love this community so it’s easy for me to go above and beyond what would be a regular part-time position because I love what I do 100 percent, and I love the kids," she said.
   In her nomination, Mrs. Miller described the transformation wrought by Ms. Sirak on the second-floor of the Lilly Street mansion that houses the library.
   "There are princess story times when Snow White comes to read and sing," she wrote. "There are magic shows and other events, which inspire the children to use the library and encourage them to read. The summer reading program is called ‘Dragons, Dreams and Daring Deeds.’ It is for preschoolers to high school kids, and the entire program is based with a medieval undertone. The library is decorated with castles and pictures the children have drawn.
   "Jennifer has coordinated a weekly evening program all summer long where different storytellers or magicians come in. She has offered additional summer hours for children to come to the library. Events have ranged from a Harry Potter theme to the Lizard Guys, who bring in various animals related to dragons.
   "There is a treasure chest to pick a treasure from when you have logged enough hours of reading. There is an end-of-the-summer party with T-shirts for the kids who have met their reading goals.
   "The program is highly coordinated and well-run and reminds the children that while it is summer vacation, books can still be a big part of their vacation."
   Ms. Sirak has always loved reading. One of her favorite books, "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe," has been made into a film. She’s planning a program to coincide with its December release.
   "I was always reading as a child," She said. "I was always writing stories. I was always at the library."
   Her grandmother, Eils Moorhouse Lewis of Pennsylvania, is the author of a children’s book, "The Snug Little House." She dedicated the book to her granddaughter when Ms. Sirak was about 7 years old.
   Ms. Sirak, 33, lives in Titusville with her husband, Mark Sirak, and their three children, who range in age from 11 months to 4. Her hours and her days are full, but she wouldn’t change it.
   "I have the best job in the world," she said.