Our Renovations Are Complete! Come Help Us Celebrate!

The Matawan Aberdeen Public Library

would like to invite you to an Open House

to celebrate the completion of the Library’s recent renovation.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015, 6-7:30pm

165 Main Street, Matawan

 

Please join us for light refreshments and a tour of our new and improved space.

 

No RSVP required.

Open to the public – all are welcome.

MAPL Improvements are Coming Soon!

As the planning continues and our excitement about the upcoming renovations increases, I wanted to share with you some important information regarding the time that we will be closed. We have had to extend the closed dates just a little bit... 

The Library will be closed from Saturday, October 17, through Sunday, November 1. Unless there are unforeseen complications, we plan to reopen at 9am on Monday, November 2.

If additional delays are necessary, the news will be posted on our website, our Facebook page, and the library’s voice mail message.

Materials due during our closed dates will have due dates extended to November 2. No late fines will be charged.

Materials cannot be returned during our closed dates – the book return in the parking lot will also be closed.

Because we are a part of the Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium, you may use your MAPL library card at many other libraries (including Old Bridge, Sayreville, Keyport and Red Bank) to use a computer or check out materials. The full list of LMxAC libraries can be found here: http://www.lmxac.org/info/member-libraries/. When using another LMxAC library, that library’s policies apply.

Starting on Monday, October 10, patrons will be unable to place holds (online, in person or on the phone) to be picked up here at MAPL. You may place a hold and request to pick it up at a neighboring library (see list in link above). We will resume taking holds on Monday, November 2.

If you are concerned that a hold you are placing now may arrive while we are closed, either wait to place the hold after we reopen, or select another library for pick-up. Unfortunately, holds that arrive during the renovation will not be processed until after we reopen.

The improvements planned for MAPL include new flooring, new paint, and some surprises in both the Reference and Children’s areas. We hope that you will visit us in November to check out all of the changes. We will also be hosting an Open House before the end of the year.

I can be reached at (732) 583-9100 or kpaone@lmxac.org if you have any questions. We thank you for your patience during this transition time and we are sorry for any inconvenience. We look forward to welcoming you back in November!

Improvements are Coming to MAPL!

Happy September!  I hope that your summer was wonderful and that you are enjoying every last minute of the warm weather and sunny skies. While you prepare to get back into a regular school/work/autumn routine, we are preparing to make some changes here at MAPL. 

In mid-October, we will begin a renovation project that will effect almost all of the areas of the library (except the meeting room space that was recently renovated!) -- we'll be changing out the flooring, getting a fresh coat of paint, re-arranging the Reference room, and making some fun changes in Children's.  All of these improvements will leave MAPL feeling fresh and new, more inviting, and more user-friendly.

Of course, in order to do all of this work in the safest way possible, and with a minimum of interruption of our services, we will need to close the library for a period of time. MAPL will be closed from Saturday, October 17th through Friday, October 30th. If all goes according to schedule, we plan to re-open on Saturday, October 31st to welcome you back with a Halloween treat!

We realize that this will inconvenience some of our patrons, and we are terribly sorry for that, but fortunately, we are part of a wonderful consortium of libraries (Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium), and your MAPL card affords you access to materials, computer use, and Reference and other services at 28 other libraries! Check out the list here: http://www.lmxac.org/info/member-libraries/. Don't let the name fool you -- Monmouth County is also represented and your MAPL card is valid in Keyport and Red Bank (as well as just over the county line in Old Bridge and Sayreville!).

You should also keep in mind that while our building will be closed, our website is available 24/7. All of our amazing electronic resources will be available to you from home, work or school, as always.

Also, no fines will be charged during the renovation.  The book drop will be closed, but no fines will accrue.  You can enjoy a little extra time with our materials. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 732-583-9100 or kpaone@lmxac.org. We thank you in advance for your patience, and look forward to welcoming you back after our improvements are complete so you can enjoy the new MAPL!

What Are You Reading This Summer?

After working with teens for many years and being very involved in teen book selection committees, I always tend to look for teen books to occupy me during my very limited reading time.  This summer, I decided to branch out a little and read some "Adult Books."  I notice now, though, that I really haven't strayed too far from my comfort zone.

First, I read In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume. True, it is a book published for adults, but the author is best known for her children's and teen books. This book takes place in Elizabeth, NJ during the early 1950s when there were three plane crashes within the city limits over the course of just a few months. (I liked the book, but my favorite Blume book will always be Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.)

Next, I read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. I wasn't aware that Zevin had written anything for adults -- I knew her as the author of the teen books Elsewhere and Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac.  A.J. Fikry is a cantankerous but somehow lovable bookstore owner whose life is changed forever when a series of events makes him an adoptive father, and later, a husband.  It's a really fantastic book for bibliophiles.

And, right now, I'm reading The Ocean at the End of the Lane by the wonderful Neil Gaiman. I haven't read much of Gaiman's adult fiction (save Good Omens with Terry Pratchett and Stardust which are both wonderful) but I've loved his picture books (The Wolves in the Walls, for example) and his books for middle grade readers (Coraline and The Graveyard Book) and his graphic novels (The Sandman series)...  His books are always creepy, but always well-written and they make you think long after you've turned the last page.  I have to say that this one sort of crosses the boundaries -- it could be a teen book: the protagonist is young, there is magic and mystery -- but I'm only on page 50 so there may be more mayhem coming that pushes it more into the adult realm.

All of the books I mentioned above are available at MAPL (or easily requested from another library in LMxAC) if you're interested!  Let me know what you've been reading lately -- share your faves in the comments.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Blogging Blues... and REALLY COOL STUFF AT MAPL!

I am a fan of blogs.  There are some that I read occasionally, a few that I try to keep up with regularly... I like the idea of having a blog myself to post about library goings-on, but when it comes down to it, I'm terrible about keeping up with it. I apologize to those of you who might be interested in reading my blog (okay, that would be my dad and maybe a handful of others) and are continually disappointed when you see that my last post was made months ago. I will continue to try harder. My latest plan is to put "DO BLOG POST" on my calendar at least once a month. Let's see if that helps.

I hope that you are enjoying your summer so far. We have seen SO much activity at the library and have had numerous wonderful programs.  Last night, we hosted our first ever Open Mic Night.  It was a big success for our first time -- we had 25 guests and 11 performers and I think that everyone involved had a really great time!  My thanks to those brave souls who got up in front of our modest crowd and performed.  (See some highlights below.)  We hope to see you at an upcoming event soon! Have a great August! 

Thank you!

Many thanks to those of you who completed our survey this spring!  The data collected is currently being reviewed, and will be included in our Strategic Planning process as we determine the direction that the Library should take over the next several years.  Your input is very important to this process! Once we have some clear goals, we will be sharing with you the results of our work and yours.  

WE NEED YOUR INPUT -- YOUR FEEDBACK MATTERS TO US!

The Matawan Aberdeen Public Library is currently undertaking a strategic planning process to set goals and make plans for the future of our library. We are seeking input from members of both communities to help us make decisions about the direction the library should take.

Visit our website, www.matawanaberdeenlibrary.com, to complete our online survey (or go to the direct link: http://svy.mk/1MVVV8C) – it will only take about 10 minutes of your time, but your comments and suggestions will be invaluable to us. If you do not have access to a computer, stop by the library to complete the survey on one of ours, or to pick up a paper copy. The survey will be open until April 30. 

Since our last strategic plan was put in place, we created a space for teens, our lower level meeting area was fully renovated, many wonderful new electronic resources have been made available, and new and varied programs for children, teens and adults have been offered. Your input will help us to continue to provide resources and services that our community members seek. 

Thank you in advance for your assistance!