By Andrew Martins, Managing Editor
Five decades of work toward the pursuit of knowledge, reading and learning at the Hillsborough Public Library were recently celebrated during a mid-week trip down memory lane.
During the library’s 50th anniversary event on Wednesday, members of the Friends of the Hillsborough Public Library, township officials, library department heads and staff spoke, laughed and reminisced about days gone by.
“I have been working at Hillsborough Library since 2005. Back then, patrons could only check out three magazines, and they had to be non-current issues. Now we have digital books and magazines, streaming music, leased popular books, and computer classes,” Circulation Services head Ziyan Wang said. “The library has always been a cornerstone in this community and I am happy to be part of the organization.”
Back when the library was first established in 1966, the entirety of its operations fit in a small, single story building on Route 206. It formally became a branch of the Somerset County Library System in 1975 and was intended to serve residents of Hillsborough, Millstone and part of Montgomery Township.
Today, the library now sits as part of the Hillsborough Municipal Building, spanning approximately 27,000 square feet and offering many modern amenities like wi-fi, digital books and other high-tech accoutrements.
“In the 16 years I’ve been at the Hillsborough Library, we have seen a library expansion project, the addition of new collections such as digital books and databases, and an explosion of new services and programs,” Adult Services Librarian Robert Helmbrecht said. “Providing excellent service has always been our top priority, and we continue to look for new ways to make a real difference in our patrons’ lives.”
In 2005, the library celebrated the completion of a $1 million expansion of its facilities as part of an overall $4 million project to expand the township’s municipal building. The project added an approximate 9,000 square feet.
That amount of space, along with the amenities and services that the library provides, has at times gone beyond the regular call of taking out books and enjoying programs.
Mary Nunn, a member of the library’s Children’s Department, said she remembers a time when the Superstorm Sandy brought the community together at the library for basic needs and respite from the storm’s impact.
“We are a place of comfort and connection for our community. I remember during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, we were full to capacity – people were using the internet to find out information about the storm, charging their devices, bringing their children in to use our play area and just touching base with other people in the area,” Ms. Nunn said. “We set up a movie to play in our program room, and offered whatever help we could to those in need.”
Though there are some residents who remember the library for what it once was, for Alan J. Ji, a Hillsborough High School freshman, the library has been a place of learning and inspiration since his family moved to the area when he was two and a half years old.
“The library inspired me (to have) the love of reading, and I will carry that spirit through my life,” he said. “I hope young children will utilize what the library provides to the local community and develop a lifetime passion on reading and information searching.”
For Christine Jansen, who works in the library’s Teen Services department, that kind of connection can mean years of “paying it forward” for other youths in the township.
“Several of the teens who once attended programs at the library are now volunteering their time to run programs for a new generation,” she said. “We plan to continue to inspire more teens to share their specialized knowledge and skills in future programs, so those younger than themselves can discover new ideas and passions, just as the teens did when they were children attending library programs all those years ago.”
Looking forward to the next 50 years, those close to the library plan on staying the course and providing a modern facility that helps all ages enjoy reading and learning while having fun.
“I look forward to a bright future with continued community involvement and being able to provide a foundation for early literacy development with our surrounding community,” Jennifer Capici said. “It’s beyond the shelf and more than books.”
