The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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Ridgewood NJ, Since Governor Phil Murphy lifted his stay at home order, many businesses find themselves slowly starting to reopen. While barbershops and child care centers can soon resume operations, institutions like libraries have been overlooked and remain closed.
Continue reading Governor Murphy Needs to Reopen libraries Now !
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Ridgewood NJ, we have said it from the beginning and after all this , it’s all about books. COVID-pandemic created a massive need to e-books while people were sheltering at home :
Continue reading COVID19 Lock Down Proved it’s all About Books for the Ridgewood Public Library
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Ridgewood NJ, Bookends Bookstore Sets Up A Go Fund Me :
In the 35 years since we opened, we have worked hard to be the bookstore we felt this community deserved: A lively bookstore, with events, book clubs, a passionate staff, a well-curated selection, and a meaningful place within the community. Over the years, we have proudly created jobs, brought the world’s best authors to New Jersey paid our fair share of taxes, supported small and independent publishers and voices, given back to nonprofits and schools, and built a community.
Every milestone that children achieve is celebrated and applauded by both teachers and parents alike, especially now that technology provides easy and simple means to document these events through videos and pictures. The same technology could help in aiding and assisting eager parents and teachers in teaching children how to read.
photos courtesy of the Ridgewood Public Library
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Ridgewood NJ, Local History Librarian, Sarah Kiefer, gave a behind the scenes tour of the Library’s archives including a look at the newly restored Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps. Participants also learned how to research their homes, find information on ancestors, and Ridgewood History. For more information on our hidden archives contact Sarah Kiefer at skiefer@ridgewoodlibrary.org.
Continue reading Behind the scenes tour of the Ridgewood Library’s Archives
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Ridgewood NJ, tonight at the Ridgewood public library ( Wednesday, Feb 12 @ 7pm! ) Beloved Hawes Principal Paul Semendinger will share his moving new novel, “Scattering the Ashes” Book sale & signing to follow. All are welcome.
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Ridgewood NJ,Mary Higgins Clark, ‘Queen Of Suspense’ And NJ Resident, has died , she was 92. Over the years she made many local appearances in the Village particularly at Bookends.
Some of Clark’s novels that were based around New Jersey included “The Cradle Will Fall” (1980), Saddle River, “While My Pretty One Sleeps” (1987), Ridgewood. “All Around the Town” (1992), Ridgewood, “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” (1995), Ho-Ho-Kus, Hackensack, Old Tappan, Englewood Cliffs and Oradell. “My Gal Sunday” (1996), Bernardsville.
Continue reading Mary Higgins Clark, ‘Queen Of Suspense’ And NJ Resident, Dies
file photo by ArtChick
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Ridgewood NJ, There’s no secret to how to get smarter. You read a lot it’s that simple .There’s a whole host of people who have excelled , from Warren Buffett and Bill Gates to Richard Branson and Barack Obama, who will tell you the same thing. In the old days it was often said you can tell the second you enter a room if anyone there has ever read a book before.
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Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Library expansion is a hotly debated topic in the Village . The debate seems to rage over what is needed and what is realistic vs. inappropriate extravagances like massive circular stairways ,a huge performing arts center and other vanity projects .
photo by ArtChick
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Ridgewood NJ, Resident Steve Kim summed up the prime issue from most of us when it comes to the Ridgewood Library, what about the books?
Continue reading The “library should promote literacy foremost”
” When Jeff Voigt said that he moved to Ridgewood because of the library, I thought we should nuke the library on the spot. “
Dear VC
Thank you for having a session on the Library.
Some key points…
* How could RPL ask for $3.7 million when the cap is $200/psf and the building is noted as 34k sf?
* Most don’t want the prominent stairs. Don’t take my word for it. Do your own research. You are signing off on the project after all.
* Teen center should be much bigger if that is a key reason for the reno.
* We should find a more flow effective way of ushering light into the place. The light fixture is better these days.
* Library is about reading and learning. Books are core to that process. It is about books, then other elements and aspects work around it.
* Auditorium expands to alleviate a few standing rooms only shows makes zero sense.
Thank you.
Steve Kim
Ramon M Hache Susan Traina Knudsen Michael Sedon Bernadette Walsh
(Jeff blocked me, so can’t be linked)
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Ridgewood NJ, Pretty Combat: Nonsense, Shenanigans, and Tactful Life Domination by Ali Farrell (Goodreads Author), Jennifer Boucher, Nicole Parmiter, Tiffany White (Editor).
Serial entrepreneur, Ali Farrell, dives into the science behind using mindset for success in this no-nonsense (ok, a little nonsense, but factual) “how-to” guide.
Continue reading Pretty Combat: Nonsense, Shenanigans, and Tactful Life Domination
but what about the books ?
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Ridgewood NJ, resident Steve Kim turned up some interesting information thru a series of OPRA requests on the Alan Gray’s open public sessions as well as focus groups and individual interviews with community stakeholders going back to 2012 on the needs and wants for the Ridgewood Public Library .
Kim’s OPRA requests seem to point to a predetermined design , based not on the unique character of Ridgewood but of a standard favored by Liberian’s nation wide.
As previously reported critics have been assailed by various ‘Library Trustees”, who claim the architects have build hundreds of library’s and “know best” . Really ,how many have you built for Ridgewood and how many books do you read?
Continue reading Ridgewood’s Further Adventures in Library Planing and Construction
by Steve Kim
Ridgewood NJ, If you want more details on how the Library renovation discussion has evolved over time… past Library Board minute excerpts:
* Minute excerpts from 2015…
Reissue of Architectural Schematics RFP Ms. Greene reported:
Ms. Greene recapped that in late summer 2014 the Library issued an RFP for architectural schematics and received proposals from three architects. At the October 2014 meeting, the Board authorized the use of up to $70,000 from Library reserve funds to select an architect.
