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Plainfield Public Library May 2021 |
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From the Desk of the Director...
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Things are moving forward at the Library as we get ready to bring our staff back into the building together in the summer. Taking it slow, we are still moving forward. Areas on the first floor will have a new look and an exciting new service. By the middle of May we will have a kiosk that will allow patrons to generate printing through their cellphones as well as pay for fines and services.
We have hired contractors who will be renovating the 1st floor public bathrooms. That project should begin in May. Bathrooms for the public will still be unavailable through the summer but when they are completed, hopefully by the Fall, they will be all new and easily accessible following ADA guidelines.
Our next phase in our reopening plans will include the ability to once again browse the stacks. However, you will still be able to put in requests for curbside service if you so choose. Local History will expand in-person research appointments to Monday through Friday.
Books for school summer reading will be available as always and our Library staff is here to help with any questions about the books or with suggestions. Let us know what you need and like!
We are hoping to expand to a hybrid model for programming and will once again be making use of Library Park for our Fall Harvest Festival. The Children’s Department is planning its summer reading programs as a combination of virtual and in-person activities.
One service that has not changed with the pandemic was digital literacy training. The Literacy Department did a great job of converting all services to a virtual platform. Moving forward, we will be coming back to a hybrid model including more in-person services. Our GED testing has continued during the pandemic so if you or anyone you know needs testing give us a call, we are operating that service as normal.
We are looking forward to welcoming you all back and resuming a more normal life.
Stay safe and well,
Mary Ellen Rogan
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Free Computer Training
Find out more and sign up online.
Find out more and register for our Summer and Fall sessions learning computer skills.
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Don't Get Scammed
Wednesday, May 12
7pm via Zoom
A representative from the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs will speak about how to
avoid getting scammed!
This program is FREE and open to the public.
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Children's Library May Calendar
(Click on the calendar to go to the Children's webpage to find out more.)
For more information on Children's activities or to arrange a Family Visit in person, please get in touch with us at (908) 757-1111 ext.129.
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Genealogical Resources at Jersey City Public Library
Saturday, May 1, 2021
10:30am via Zoom
This Genealogy Club program is presented by Danny Klein, New Jersey Room Librarian (JCPL).
Learn about the resources for family historians available at the New Jersey Room of Jersey City Public Library. The New Jersey Room holds a collection of materials about New Jersey with an emphasis on Jersey City and Hudson County. The collection, numbering about 20,000 volumes, includes both current and historical information. In addition to books, there is a complete collection of Jersey City/Hoboken city directories; a keyword-searchable database of
The Jersey Journal; a high school yearbook collection from schools all over Hudson County, and so much more.
There will be time for Q&A following the presentation.
Co-hosted with the Historical Society of Plainfield / Drake House Museum.
This is a FREE program. REGISTER HERE.
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Saturday Morning History Chat
Surviving the Winters: Housing Washington’s Army During the American Revolution
Saturday, May 8, 2021
10:30am via Zoom
Presented by Steven Elliott
During the American Revolution, Patriot soldiers began the war with inadequate housing for operations in the field as well as winter quarters. Their health and morale suffered accordingly. In this talk, Steven Elliott examines 18th-century military housing practices, refinements in military camp administration, and how army officers sought and obtained lodging for themselves and their men. Decisions regarding military shelters greatly affected strategy, logistics, and social relationships within the army and the civilian populations they encountered.
Elliott’s book, "Surviving the Winters: Housing George Washington’s Army During the American Revolution" (University of Oklahoma Press) was released in March 2021.
There will be time for Q&A following the presentation.
Co-hosted with the Historical Society of Plainfield / Drake House Museum.
This history program is supported, in part, by a 2021 History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands (HEART) Grant from the Union County Board of Commissioners.
This is a FREE program. REGISTER HERE.
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Local History, Genealogy & Special Collections Department Programs
Digital Resources for Local History at Plainfield Public Library
Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 10:30am via Zoom
The Library’s digital collections of historical content has expanded far beyond blueprints and photographs. From early newspapers and city directories to 18th-century scrapbooks and account ledgers, learn about the many digital resources available to historians and genealogists via the Library’s website. Most of these do not require a library card and are free to use from the comfort of your home. This is the final program in our Plainfield Reference series.
There will be ample time for Q&A following the presentation.
This is a FREE program. REGISTER HERE.
Discover Death Dates in the Plainfield Area
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 10:30am via Zoom
Because Plainfield-area newspapers are all computer searchable, local obituaries can usually be found quite easily - without knowing a person’s specific date of death. However, some obituaries were printed with typos and others are not legible enough for the character recognition required for helpful computer searches.
Learn which free online resources may identify a local date of death that will allow you to go straight to the right newspaper issues and find the obituaries you want.
There will be ample time for Q&A following the presentation.
This is a FREE program. REGISTER HERE.
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Adult & Teen Curbside Craft
Infused Herbal Body Oil
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
10am - 4pm
Try making a homemade body care product with natural herbs. We'll be making a body/hair cosmetic oil infused with the soothing properties of the herb Calendula.
• Pick up your Curbside Craft Kit on May 5 at the Library between 10 am and 4 pm.
• Sign into the library's CreativeBug and watch the video at https://www.creativebug.com/classseries/single/make-an-herbal-infused-body-oil
• Then make your own with the supplies provided in the kit. (Note: the oil will take about 6 weeks to mature.)
• Once it's completed, you can use the result to smooth your skin or hair!
If you have any questions about the program, or need assistance accessing Creative Bug or the other resources available for free via our Databases page, please contact the Reference Department at (908) 757-1111 ext.112, or email ref@plfdpl.info , or go to our website and click on "Questions? Ask a librarian" to chat with us.
(As supplies are limited, we'd ask that you please only take one kit per patron.)
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Teen Curbside Craft
Plant A Flower Salad
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
10am - 4pm
Grow lettuce mix and an edible nasturtium flower on your windowsill!
• Pick up your planting supplies & instructions on May 19
• Watch our simple video on seedstarting at our Youtube channel, and plant your seeds
• Water, watch & wait
• Harvest a simple salad!
Questions? Email ref@plfdpl.info or call 908-757-1111, ext. 112 or go to our website and click on "Questions? Ask a librarian" to chat with us.
(As supplies are limited, we'd ask that you please only take one kit per patron.) |
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Teen Writing Circle: Experimenting with Poetry
Thursday, May 20, 2021
4pm via Zoom
Zoom: https://tinyurl.com/plainfield-teen-writes-May21
Are you interested in writing? Did hearing Amanda Gorman speak at the inauguration in January fire you up?
Maybe you already write poems or other creative works and are looking for others to share them with, or you would just like to get together with others and try writing.
Plainfield Public Library is starting a Teen Writers' group for people ages 11-18! Our first meeting will be via Zoom on May 20th at 4 pm.
We'll warm up by watching/listening to some poetry by Amanda Gorman and a few other young poets, then try our hands at writing some poems of our own and sharing them.
Interested? Register for the zoom. If you can't make it, but are still interested, email Jennifer.heise@plfdpl.info and we'll make sure you're on the list for the next one.
Questions? call us at 908-757-1111, ext. 112; or email us at ref@plfdpl.info, or go to our website and click on "Questions? Ask a librarian" to chat with us.
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Daily Live Serial every Weekday at 2pm.
The Count of Monte Cristo continues & new book this month
Murder on the Links
We're still working on
The Count of Monte Cristo (it's a long book, and at the time of writing we were up to chapter 111 of 117!) every weekday at 2-2:30pm. Please pop over to join us if you can, or catch up with the recorded episodes at your leisure over at our Facebook channel's Live Videos page.
Once we've finished
TCoMC, the next up will be
Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie. We'll trail the new book on our Facebook Page when we know it's about to get started, so check back in with us.
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There's still (just) time to submit your tax returns if you haven't aready done so!
The Library can help by providing free computer access, printing & scanning, and WiFi throughout the parking lots and Library Park, as well as access to basic tax forms and general informational asistance (even though we can't actually assist you with the tax return itself).
The AARP can't provide its usual onsite tax aide program because of COVID-19, and instead are offering assistance via remore programs. Please see the leaflet below for details on some other programs that may also be helpful.
For more information or to get help finding a program that may be abe to assist you, please give us a call on (908) 757-1111 ext.139.
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Our Current Opening Hours
Just a reminder that from March, we made some changes to our schedule to make the Library more accessible to those who can't make it in during our daytime hours.
The Library Building is currently open to the public from 12:30pm-6:30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, alongside our existing opening schedule of 10am-4pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Our hours for Curbside pickups and Children's Library appointments have been adapted in line with this, offering Tuesday and Thursday schedules that extend our availability into the early evening. Please see the graphic above for full details, or give us a call to find out more, at (908) 757-1111.
These join our limited in-person Circulation hours on Wednesdays and Fridays.
We're hoping to include positive changes to services in June, but since we have to keep a careful eye on how conditions are shaping up in the wider world, we'll make more announcements about changes nearer the time & hopefully feature these in our June newsletter.
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Library Hours
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Please note that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, most Library services are virtual.
Currently, the exceptions to this are our Curbside Pickup and limited Computer and Browsing services providing access to specific and limited services. Additionally, some Circulation Services are available at certain times during the week. Please see the graphic featuring details on In-Person Circulation Services. Please see the graphics immediately above this section.
Services for family visits to the Children's Library are available by appoinment only.
Please see details at
http://www.plainfieldlibrary.info/Departments/Childrens/childrens_appointments.html
Services for local history & genealogy research visits to the Plainfield Room are available by appoinment only. Please see details at
http://www.plainfieldlibrary.info/Departments/LH/LH_main.html
Please refer to http://www.plainfieldlibrary.info/Services/InPersonService.html for full details of currently-available, in-person services and additional information.
Library Opening Hours:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 10am-4pm
Tuesday and Thursday: 12:30pm-6:30pm
Please also note that the Library will be closed on:
Monday, May 31st
in observance of Memorial Day
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Donate to the Plainfield Public Library
The Library needs your help!
To make a donation online via Paypal, please click on the "Donate" button below. For more information or to contact the Administration office, call 908-757-2305.
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