Caldwell College Service Learning Project ROCKS!

Poet Marcia Ivans played to a FULL HOUSE last month, thanks to Caldwell College students (l-r) Marina Vasilic, Kathleen Hastings, Brian Singer, Krista Ruggero and Diana Lopez, shown in this picture with Ms. Ivans. And, what better time than now - Thanksgiving! - to express our gratitude to Caldwell College, and Professor Mary Ann Miller, for allowing us to be part of this collaboration for the past three years. Talk about "win win"! And, as we shared with the students working with Ms. Ivans, as well as those working with poets Laura Freedgood and Jessica de Koninck, maybe they will consider a catering or bakery business on the side? What GREAT cookies and treats were provided for the reception! Forget about saving calories pre-holidays -- absolutely delish treats to accompany brilliant poetry in October and November.

Happy 70th Birthday Shop Rite!

Did you see the fabulous Nic Corbett article in the Star Ledger this past Tuesday? Click here if you didn't.

At the right is one of the fabulous "Then" photographs shared with our community thanks to The Collerd Archives, which, when paired up with the "Nows" created thanks to Stephen's Eagle Scout project, will have many talking and walking down Bloomfield Avenue with a different view.

The exhibit is on display in The Gene and Kathryn Collerd Local History Resource Room, and make sure as you come in and enjoy the exhibit you refer to our "Gallery Guide" -- created by a number of us who worked on the archiving the Collerd Collection over the past three years. We hope you will add to the stories we have collected, and that you will most definitely join us on Friday, December 17, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. when Gene Collerd, Jr. and his wife Elizabeth join us to officially open our Local History Collection to the community.

We are so delighted to share with you "Then and Now" and cannot wait for you to see what other parts of our communities' history can be found right in your own library, in your own back yard.

The Caldwell Public Library MUSEUM!

Halloween was a VERY busy day at the Caldwell Public Library as volunteers from the Caldwell Fire Department transported our October exhibit of "The Great Fires and Firefighters of Caldwell" to its permanent home on the walls of the Caldwell Fire House. And, an hour later, Eagle Scout Candidate Stephen Cristiano, with the assistance of fellow Scout Christopher White and Assistant Troop Leader Bruce White hung an exhibit a long time in the making: Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell: Then and Now. My suggestion? Although it will be on display in The Gene and Kathryn Collerd Local History Resource Room from now until December 31, 2010 -- STOP what you are doing, and, check it out. The "Gallery Guides" accompanying the exhibit should be finished momentarily -- so set aside some time to step back in time, and remember, enjoy, appreciate. Thank you Gene. Thank you Stephen. What better way to celebrate 100 years of Scouting than this exhibit, this project?!

Join us tomorrow (Tuesday, October 26th @ 7 p.m.) to hear from PHIL SIMON!

Phil SimonTechnology Consultant and Author of "The New Small: How a New Breed of Small Business is Harnessing the Power of Emerging Technologies” will be our first speaker for the 2010-2011 Speakers' Series presented by Caldwell College, Mount Saint Dominic Academy and The Caldwell Public Library.

He will share his wisdom with us tomorrow evening, Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at 7 p.m. in the Alumni Theater at Caldwell College.

Immediately following there will be a Q & A session along with a book signing with books available for purchase.

Simon will be speaking about his upcoming third book “The New Small: How a New Breed of Small Business is Harnessing the Power of Emerging Technologies.” The New Small shows how a new breed of small businesses is using emerging technologies in fascinating ways. Simon profiles 11 small businesses from a wide variety of industries. His book shows how these companies are using emerging technologies to save money, grow their customer bases, win the war for talent, and create meaningful jobs. If you want to know more about Phil in advance of tomorrow evening, check out his website - http://www.philsimonsystems.com/.

Free and open to the public.

For more information, please contact Karen Kleppe-Lembo at (973) 226-2837; klembo@caldwellpl.org or Colette Liddy at (973) 618-3209; cliddy@caldwell.edu

It's not easy being Green - but Green was the word of the day this past week-end!

As in what was happening ON the Green as well as the Green Fair!

While my husband & I were visiting our daughter for “Parents’ Weekend” my colleagues were extremely busy upholding our library mission statement – in ever-changing, expanding and creative ways. The fall means not only our traditional “Always the First Sunday in October” Street Fair but also the CMA (“Caldwell Merchants Association”) Fall Fest with Scarecrows and pumpkins and more community fun. We at the Library felt the best way we could be supportive was to extend our hours on Saturday so that we were open for the duration of the Fair (noon to four). Our bathrooms were valuable – but apparently so was our electricity! So, once again, the library is happy to report that “in a pinch” as well as for daily consumption, the library can serve you. (Special thanks are due to Marsha, Emily and Nicole, for adding extra hours to your days, for the benefit of your community.)


Sunday meant the annual “Green Fair” as conceived and created years ago by the Caldwell Environmental Commission. Caldwell College provided a lovely venue – and large enough to accommodate all the vendors and tables and non-profits – including the Caldwell Public Library. Again, my colleagues – in this case our teen library assistants, Emily and Mary-anna – “tabled” (as the college kids call it now, I learned this week-end!). And, I understand they tabled very ably. The Library recycled and reused by sharing some materials from our “Book Sale” shelves – as well as provided an environmental bibliography.


Thanks to all who attended both events and to all who worked so very hard on both events. (With my own personal thanks to my colleagues who made it possible for the library to have such a rich, and relevant, role as well.)



-Karen

93 years later, Andrew's Library is still going strong!

Have you been to the Caldwell Public Library lately? There's a lot to see! We are almost finished with a renovation to bring back the historic simplicity of this "Carnegie gem." (The Caldwell Library is one of the libraries funded by a grant from Andrew Carnegie.) As one of four libraries in New Jersey to be awarded a "SWAT" makeover award, and then with the generous support of the Women's Club of Caldwell, we are especially proud that we have accomplished so much and spent so little! We added doors to existing bookcases, cut a table top into shelves for the Children's Room, and moved things around to make the best use of our space. Our October 2010 exhibit, "The Great Fires, and Firefighters, of Caldwell" is waiting for you to come in and experience (complete with Gallery Guide and stunning bookmarks!). And, for the first time, photos from the Gene Collerd Collection are on permanent display. We are so proud to be your library. Come by and tell us what you think!

Do you remember where you were July 14, 1974?

The Great Fires, and Firefighters, of Caldwell! Do not miss seeing our exhibit of great photographs of the fires of, and firefighters who serve, Caldwell shared by members and friends of the Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department ("CVFD"), along with many Gene Collerd photographs. Join us for our "debut" between noon and 5 as the Library will be open during the Rotary/Kiwanis Street Fair on Sunday, October 3, 2010. A reception for our great Fire Department will be held here on Friday, October 22, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. Please join us Sunday, as well as on the 22nd - and tell all your friends to check out the exhibit which will be on display in The Gene & Kathryn Collerd Local History Resource Room from Sunday, October 3 to Saturday, October 30, 2010.