The South Orange Public Library expanded and downsized within weeks of each other.
On Nov. 29, the library joined the Bergen County Cooperative Library System, a consortium of libraries in Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic Counties, which gives South Orange patrons access to a vast digital collection.
Just a couple of weeks later, the SOPL closed in preparation for its move to temporary headquarters on Walton Avenue while the main building undergoes renovations. SOPL Director Jill Faherty said it was good timing for library users, who will be without a physical library until the temporary location opens on Jan. 25.
“We were only open for about two weeks after we joined, so we haven’t taken full advantage yet,” Faherty said in a phone interview with the News-Record on Jan. 13. “But it allows patrons to use other libraries in the meantime.”
SOPL was independent before joining BCCLS; it did work with ReBL, a smaller inter-library loan system. But Faherty, who took over as the head of South Orange’s library in July 2021, had been looking to join a consortium for a while.
“It’s much more beneficial to be part of a larger system,” she said. “There’s more depth and breadth in the collection. It’s a game changer as far as what patrons can experience.”
South Orange Library cards can now be used in person at any of the other 77 BCCLS libraries, including in nearby Maplewood, Millburn and West Orange, but the biggest advantage that SOPL gains is the 60,000-item strong digital collection. Patrons can check out ebooks and audiobooks on their own devices using the Libby app.
“I wanted to expand that for our patrons because we couldn’t possibly offer that on our own,” Faherty said. “Digital materials tend to be pricier, and in some cases they expire after a certain period of time based on the pricing model. Ebook and audio usage has grown a lot.”
The pandemic aided that growth, but Faherty doesn’t think the 2020 library closures are the only reason digital material use has exploded in the last few years. It’s become more convenient across the board.
“Audiobooks have always been popular, but now you don’t have 12 CDs to switch between,” Faherty said. “You can just pull it up on your phone. Maybe people don’t have as much time to read or they’re commuting. I was walking my dog before and listening to an audiobook. I think it’s popular for busy lifestyles.”
There’s also the experience: according to Faherty, a narrator can turn a book from good to amazing.
The timing of joining BCCLS was also on Faherty’s list of pros when searching for a consortium to join; she also looked at several others in the state. Combined with the ability for school libraries to use it and local patrons already being somewhat familiar with the system, choosing BCCLS was easy.
“I was wary of about closing temporarily without an alternative,” Faherty said. “I didn’t want to not have any option, because that’s not fair to the community. This allowed us to launch before we closed, and patrons can go to other libraries to seamlessly pick up physical materials. They have access to more than they had before. So even though we downsized, by joining BCCLS we actually expanded.”
SOPL will be undergoing renovations for at least two years through the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act; the finished product will feature a children’s room twice the size it is now, a new teen room and a maker space in addition to other upgrades. Until then, a slightly smaller collection of physical materials will be at 298 Walton Ave. and eventually at the Baird recreation center. Programming will be held in alternate locations in the community. Volunteers from the Friends of the South Orange Public Library will be delivering books to patrons as well.
The library will be hosting a moving sale from Jan. 19 through Jan. 21, where everything from book duplicates to art to old furniture will be on sale to the public; the funds will go toward the completion of the renovations. During the sale, Faherty and SOPL staff will be giving tours of the library as it is now and sharing detailed plans of what will come.
“We’ve heard from patrons that they want to take a little piece of the library home with them, and help it move forward,” Faherty said. “So we can let things go and move on, but also show how the library was.”
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