Over the past few weeks, the Library has begun using our new logo which appears on our website and social media and will pop up soon in other locations.  The Board of Trustees, the Staff Marketing Committee and Aviate Creative LLC worked hard on creating a new emblem that relates to our historic building, but with modern flair.  It was modeled after the stained glass windows in the 1917 wing of the Library that face South Street.  While our new logo depicts the Library’s initials, MMT, the windows depict the initials of the famous American authors Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, James Russell Lowell, William Cullen Bryant, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., and John Greenleaf Whittier.  They were all pallbearers at the funeral of Nathaniel Parker Willis, the grandfather of Grinnell Willis who donated the funds to build the 1917 Library.  The windows honor Willis’s grandfather, a famous mid-19^th century poet and essayist.  We’re excited to be honoring our past with this beautiful new contemporary design.

by Chad Leinaweaver

This summer, the Library received a CARES (Corona Aid Relief and Economic Security) Act Mini-Grant for our Spanish Language Outreach and Children’s Outreach Technology Project. This Mini-Grant allowed us to further expand possibilities for both Spanish-speaking, English-speaking and bilingual children. This project is supported with funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the New Jersey State Library.

Similar to other communities across the nation, both Morristown and Morris Township have seen large increases in the number of Spanish-speaking residents over the past decade. Though we have long purchased Spanish language adult books and eBooks as well as Spanish language children’s books for new readers to discover, we felt the next step in our efforts to provide beneficial services to our Spanish-speaking patrons was to expand our literacy efforts with a technology component. Thus, we purchased a new computer learning station from AWE Learning for our young patrons in the Children’s Room.  AWE Learning is a known leader in partnering with public libraries to provide educational computer stations that aid young children with early literacy and Spanish language literacy.  Various programs on these stations such as “Telling Time Games” and “Spanish School Bus” and about 40 others provide early literacy instruction in Spanish, while over 30 others such as “JumpStart Preschool” and “Monster ABC” provide for early literacy instruction in English, geared toward preschoolers who visit the Library with their families.  The bilingual software allows non-English speaking parents to share in the learning experiences of and with their children.  The learning station has additional educational modules, including “After School Edge,” focused on aiding children in their first years in grade school which includes “1st Grade Math” and other elementary age programs, as well as “Robo Garden,” which provides over 200 coding activities to aid young children in learning technology concepts. 

The Library has made a concerted effort to bring additional technology into the Children’s Room beyond the AWE Learning Station.  This effort has included purchasing mobile tablets known as Launchpads, electronic read-along book/devices called Wonderbooks, STEM programming, STEM kits and other technology-based items as part of a multi-year plan to provide new resources to our pre-K through grade 12 patrons. Come by our Children’s Room and check out all these exciting new offerings for yourself!

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On or about August 24 through approximately September 3, the Library will be painting the 2006 Media wing, both inside and outside.  The Children’s & Teen Rooms and Media Dept. and the collections in these areas including: Adult, Teen and Children’s DVDs, CDs, fiction and nonfiction books will be closed to the public for some of this time.   The 1917 and 1930 wings of the Library will remain open and staff will be able to assist with retrieving items in the closed areas for patrons. The History Center will be open (by appointment only call 973-538-3473).

Please contact the Library at 973-538-6161 if you have any questions.  We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience.

We are excited to announce a new Mobile app, so you can bring the Library with you in your pocket!

Our consortium, Main Library Alliance (Main) has been hard at work with SOLUS to create this dynamic app that delivers advanced functionality, and gives patrons easy access to the diverse shared collection of resources in our consortium. The app also includes a digital library card with linkable accounts, downloadable electronic resources, full-catalog searching with the ability to place holds, multi-language support, curbside pickup, self-check-out and more.

This is the icon you’re looking for.

You can download the app from the Apple and Google Play App stores by searching “Main Libraries.”

Once downloaded, the app will guide users through a one-time login, then take them directly to their local library environment from that point on.

From July 6th – September 6th

Thank you everyone for participating in our Adult Summer Reading! Congratulations to our winners, and we can’t wait to see you all next year! 

Join us for Adult Summer Reading fun! For every book you read, or program of ours that you attend, you can fill out a raffle ticket for a weekly chance to win a Grab Bag of Books, AND the chance to win our grand prize at the end of the summer: a gift certificate to a local business. 

There are two steps to participate:

1. Sign up for our Summer Reading
2. Fill out a raffle ticket anytime you finish a book or attend a program
3. Profit!

Sorry, that’s three steps.

You can sign up in-library by visiting our Circulation or Reader’s Advisory desks and a staff member will help you sign up. To fill out the raffle tickets in-library, visit our Circulation room, where the tickets will be on a display table near the doors onto South Street.

If you prefer not to come in, you can also participate remotely! Use this google form, which both signs you up for Summer Reading and functions as a raffle ticket — fill it in whenever you complete a book (audiobooks count too!) or attend one of our programs (Zoom programs count too!)

Happy reading!

We also have Summer Reading Programs for Kids and Teens.

HOURS

Mon.–Thur., 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Fri., 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Sat., 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (Jul/Aug – 10 a.m.-2 p.m.)
Sunday 1-5 p.m.

• Patrons are asked to limit their time in the Library to 45 minutes per day. 
• There will be no access to individual study rooms or the lower level meeting room at this time. 
• Please utilize hand sanitizing stations when entering and leaving the building and practice social distancing while on Library property. 
• Returned collection items should go into the Library’s book drops and should not be returned to staff or public desks.  
• A limited number of public computers will be available for use. 
• Wi-Fi is available throughout the building and on the Library grounds and parking lot. 
• Wireless printing is also available to be picked up curbside or in person through the PrinterON App or website.  For more information see the Library website or contact the Reference Department at (973) 538-2592.
• The North Jersey History & Genealogy Center will be open by appointment only. Patrons interested in utilizing NJHGC materials should call (973) 538-3473 or e-mail njhgc@jfpl.orgto set up an appointment.
• Curbside Pick-up will continue to be offered as an option for patrons, you can view information on Curbside pick-up here. 
• Fines resumed as of January 15th, 2021.   
• Our Library of Things is once again available!

• Please note that patrons can also access the Library from Home. 
  • Resources from Home for Adults
  • Resources from Home for Teens
  • Resources from Home for Kids
  • Resources from Home for Parents and Educators

Our county consortium, Main, has switched from RBDigital to an app called PressReader.

PressReader provides unlimited access to over 7,000 of the world’s top newspapers and magazines! These titles include The Guardian, Bloomberg Businessweek, Los Angeles Times, Daily Mail, L’Équipe, Der Tagesspiegel, Libération, and many more. The app also allows you to translate articles into 18 different languages, so you can read international news and magazines in your native language.

You can access by downloading the app to your preferred device through this link or by using your devices’ App or Play store. Our patrons can now sign into PressReader using their library card number and PIN, and check out what they have to offer!

You can also check out PressReader’s how-to video playlist and get to know them a bit!

Let us know what you think about PressReader by connecting with us on social media, email, or giving us a call to share your impressions. Your feedback is important as Main decides whether or not to continue using PressReader in 2022, and we will pass on your thoughts to them.

Dear patrons,

The board of Main, our consortium of libraries in greater Morris County that administers our online catalog, has decided to allow fines to begin to accrue on items checked out and now past due.  Thus, beginning January 15, 2021, the Morristown & Morris Township Library will resume collecting fines on our items. Our staff will begin to again accept cash and checks as methods of payment for future fines.  Please note that some Main libraries began accruing fines on their items as of January 1, 2021, so any items checked out from other libraries may accrue fines for items due since that time.  For any Morristown & Morris Township Library items, patrons will not be charged before January 15. If you have any questions or concerns about your account or your items, please contact our staff at the main Circulation desk at 973-538-6161 or via email at circ-mmt@mainlib.org.

Our online catalog system will be down from January 8-12 in order to bring the records of  two new Main members, Bernardsville Library and the Hunterdon County Library system, into our system.  The addition of these two new members will provide additional resources for patrons to borrow and utilize.  The Bernardsville Library has been our partner in borrowing for years through the Morris-Union Federation (MUF) and more recently Main has shared costs with the Hunterdon County Library in acquiring online databases.  For more information on these new Main libraries, please see: https://www.mainlib.org/press/

Thank you for your continued support of our library!

Best,

The Morristown & Morris Township Library Staff

Our county consortium, Main, is switching from RBDigital to an app called PressReader in January.

PressReader provides unlimited access to over 7,000 of the world’s top newspapers and magazines! These titles include The Guardian, Bloomberg Businessweek, Los Angeles Times, Daily Mail, L’Équipe, Der Tagesspiegel, Libération, and many more. The app also allows you to translate articles into 18 different languages, so you can read international news and magazines in your native language.

You can prepare for access by downloading the app to your preferred device through this link or by using your devices’ App or Play store. On January 1st, our patrons will be able to sign into PressReader using their library card number and PIN, and check out what they have to offer!

In the meantime, you can also check out PressReader’s how-to video playlist and get to know them a bit!

Let us know what you think about PressReader by connecting with us on social media, email, or giving us a call to share your impressions. Your feedback is important as Main decides whether or not to continue using PressReader in 2022, and we will pass on your thoughts to them.