By Davy James
CRANBURY The Cranbury Public Library has some new blood in the building, as the position of technology services librarian gets a new title and a new employee to fill it.
Douglas Baldwin’s first day as systems administrator started Jan. 7 and so far, he said, it’s been quite a change of pace from his previous places of employment.
”The (Cranbury) patrons have a higher library IQ,” Mr. Baldwin said. “They have less questions and they know what they’re doing. Residents are used to using it on a consistent basis.”
Receiving a bachelor’s degree in history at Rutgers University in 1999 and later earning a master’s degree in history from Montclaire State University in 2005, Mr. Baldwin said he decided to focus more on a lifelong interest for his future career path.
By 2007 Mr. Baldwin said he had a master’s degree in library science from Rutgers University, and had unknowingly been prepping for the career move since adolescence.
”I’d always loved the library as a kid and even as an adult,” Mr. Baldwin said. “It seemed like a great place to be.”
Mr. Baldwin made his way through the ranks, he said, by volunteering at the New Jersey Historical Society Library from 2004 to 2007, working as a library assistant in Bergen County’s Oradell library from 2004 to 2005 and spending his last two years employed at a New York Public Library.
His previous work has prepared him for the technological aspect of the job, he said.
Just a few of his recent projects include digitizing a manuscript about the first female attorney in New Jersey and creating a local historical database for the New York library as well as a MySpace profile for the branch as a way to reach out to youth. Mr. Baldwin said he hopes to introduce Cranbury to the many new facets multimedia has to offer, including video, blogging and social software.
”My broader goal is really to get the community more involved in the library in a digital senseopening up communication and using technology as the vehicle,” he said.
Mr. Baldwin said he is putting his efforts into a spring computer program to provide classes for both children and adults.
Although he is in a role to promote technology in the library, Mr. Baldwin said he personally could never see someone lazily sitting on a beach chair at the shore reading from a computer screen or books losing their aesthetic value.
”These are two different experiences and there’s a place for both of them,” he said. “The role I see in technology is for information seeking.”
Mr. Baldwin said his experience with the town and its people has left him feeling like he’s stepped into a Norman Rockwell picture.
As flawless as Cranbury appears, Mr. Baldwin said, he hopes to someday leave his own impression on the township’s library.
”I do kind of see a need,” he said. “A place where adults and children can do their own thing. I’d like to see if there’s a way to bring in more adults in as well.”
