December 8,2016
Boyd A. Loving
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Councilman Jeffery Voigt announced during Wednesday evening’s Village Council Work Session that the Ridgewood Public Library plans to undertake a massive $5 million renovation, and will close for at least one (1) full year to facilitate construction.
The planned renovations will focus on changing the facility to be more in line with the Library’s new focus as a “community center,” this according to Voigt.
Good, who reads books anyway. When I travel everyone is using a tablet. Books are only for old people, and soon they will be replaced by the younger trendy set.
The old fashioned library will go the way of the card catalog. I want to be entertained when I go to the library by shows that I can WATCH. I want groups for a gab fest.
Will the word “library” be removed from the name of the facility? It already has so many fewer books….
Nancy Green running amok
Insanity
This is just fucking insane. The current library is a Taj Mahal of sorts. $5 million? What the fuck are they thinking over there? And where will their many patrons go for service while the facility is closed for “a year or more?” Will taxpayers be stuck with paying unemployment or full salaries for all of the people who work there during the closure period? This is simply nuts. Someone needs to put the brakes on this plan immediately.
I hope that not a single dollar of tax revenue is going into this complete waste of money. Look at the list of Library brass and you’ll see all of our favorite characters from the bad old days.
The Library Board of Trustees must be drinking the same money grows on trees flavored Kook Aid they’ve been drinking over at the BOE.
Agree. We need to find ways to move forward and modernize without destroying everything that currently exists. The only complaint I have with the current library is parking. Doesn’t seem too outdated if you can’t even find an open spot.
The library always gets what they want. Why is that?
Stop this outrageous Expense NOWis
This is Insanity. Imagine.the cost overruns and .Impact to the User community,,oh yea,, those folks who actually pay the Bills here.
Students ,Elders ,..Print Book Lovers Glen Rock Library will get hammered…Impact to Two Communities./.Parking there quite limited
Stop the Presses..literally..
The library has about as much relevance today as a travel agent, a record store, or a pay-phone. It no longer can be justified with patrons mostly consisting of kids being tutored and an assortment of the bored and lonely.
Oh wow. The library in Ridgewood is one of the biggest ones in any town that I have seen. Why on earth are they spending 5 mil and closing down for a year? What exactly are they doing to it? putting in a theater or gym or something? There are plenty of gyms, a movie theater an art gallery and a pool at the Y! It appears that it serves its purpose as is and except for the parking, which is not the greatest, its fine. Who is funding it?
2.34. We have met the enemy and he is us (taxes and how easily we roll over like Fido)..woof woof..means No….they actually think we are stupid enough to swollow this rediculous proposal.Contractors love muni projects..gut the two downstairs bathrooms and call it a Library renewal well done..it’s a place for books and for people to meet get computer training..leave it be..
Gail Campbell
President
Arlene Sarappo
Vice President
Daniel Cummings
Treasurer
Christine Driscoll
Secretary
Jean Cleary
Member
Janis Fuhrman
Member
John Saraceno
Member
Paul Aronsohn
Mayor of Ridgewood
Albert Pucciarelli
Mayor’s Delegate
Dr. Daniel Fishbein
Superintendent
Linda Diorio
Superintendent’s Delegate
Ex Officio
Paul McCarthy
Friends
Betsy Giordano
Foundation
Nancy Greene
Library Director
2016 Board of Trustees Schedule of Meetings
Umm…wasn’t this sinkhole just upgraded…?
seriously- what is rhe source of cash for funding this ??!!!!
Those of you who say the library is unused obviously don’t go there. It is a treasure we are lucky to have.
That being said, the focus should be on a traditional library. What it needs is more books and educational resources. If you want a community center, build a community center.
The place is still in a flood zone. Buildings in that area should be razed and the place left to nature. If we’re spending millions, let’s build higher. But let’s not spend millions because this is NUTS. Yes, people read books! What are all these idiotic comments about? Frankly, if it’s not for books, who needs it at all?
5:57, somebody somewhere needs to update that list…Aronsohn stopped being mayor on July 1 and the rest is also probably wrong also. Let those bozos put up the $5 mill…but even then, to close for a year?
What is the Library’s mission? Not to provide book circulation.
It will be a building with computers and tablets. And lots of empty space for clubs.
Why renovate? Just get rid of the books and racks and they are good to go.
I was there a few months ago. Parking hard to find, not many patrons. They need to find out who is using the place. Maybe a core few people who go a few times a week. Most of us just don,t go.
I’m at the library once a week and it is always busy. This is a shame that it will be closed for 1 year and a huge loss to the community if it happens. More screen time is not what the younger generation needs.
Closing for a year is insane! And who is paying? Ridgewood has enough stuff to pay for, let the Friends of the Library cough it up. And someone has to support the employees while they are out of work. Yes, they can collect state unemployment but not benefits. And, though the state is paying the unemployment, the charges automatically increase the rate that Ridgewood has to pay for all it’s employees–not just the library workers. Ridgewood residents should be allowed to vote this down.