About Our Library
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History
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The Brielle Public
Library started out on the front porch of the home of a local resident,
Mary Williams Strong, who ran an informal lending library using her own
collection of books. Around 1930, the library received its first
appropriation from the borough for the purchase of books and materials and
was moved to a larger space provided by the borough.
The Brielle Library
Association was formed in 1950, as a private association, but its aim has
always been to provide free public library service to the residents of
Brielle. Soon after incorporation, the library was moved to the basement
of the Borough Hall, where it remained until a new building was provided
by the Borough in 1988.
On February 29,1988, the new
Brielle Public Library was open for business.
We have always been a very
active library but the move from 1,600 square feet to over 6,600 square
feet in our new building, made circulation and library use soar. We are
finally able to offer programs for children and adults, provide shelf
space for our growing collection and take better advantage of our
memberships in the Montmouth County Library system and The Central Jersey
Regional Library Cooperative.
In 1989 we added a
computerized (CD-ROM) catalog of holdings of the Monmouth County Library
System. We have computerized our cataloging of library materials, and have
supplemented staff requirements with a library aide program that empolys
the services of over 20 volunteers.
In 1995 several new and
exciting projects were completed. Our library holdings had been converted
to Machine Readable Format. We had purchased a new Computer File Server
with a Novell Network along with a CD-ROM server. The service housed the
MOLLI system. MOLLI allowed library patrons to have swift access to the
library holdings and provides the electronic check-in and check- out of
library materials. We also purchased 3 486 diskless workstations.
In the
beginning of 1996 we also added a Pentium Computer for our public access
to the internet through MELON. MELON was an internet provider service
funded by a grant from the state and Monmouth University to Brielle Public
Library and 15 other libraries in Monmouth County.
In 1997 the Brielle Library was able to establish the Jean H. Wetzel Memorial
Endowment Fund through the generous contributions made by her husband, Bruce,
in her memory. Jean Wetzel was a former Library Trustee and Treasurer of the Library.
1998 Saw the process of replacing the MOLLI cataloging system with Athena, a more feature friendly windows-based cataloging and circulation system to ease our check-outs.
Many of the computers were upgraded and more computers were added for public use.
In 1999 the MELON internet was replaced with a faster service provided through the Monmouth County Library system.
In late 2000 the Brielle Public Library began a Library expansion project to be completed in 2001.
The children's program was expanded with our children's librarian here on staff both Tuesdays and
Thursdays. The extra day of programs has been enthusiastically received by parents and children alike.
The new library reading room expansion project has been completed.
The new reading room added 925 square feet to the existing facility and will allow the library's
collection to grow uninterrupted for many years to come. New reference shelving, video shelving and
displays have been erected along with new furnishing for the reading room.
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Entrance To The Library Reading Room
Entrance To The Library
Exterior View Of New Library Reading Room
(Completed May 2001)
Cutting the Ribbon On The New
Library Reading Room
Starting on the left - Richard Bidnick (Librarian), Ann Scott (Brielle Councol), Tucker Nicol (Brielle Mayor), Leonard Lenzen (Brielle Council), Rick Majos (President Brielle Library Trustee).
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