Montville Library to Improve Programming

The is hoping to bring new programs to library patrons in the near future and is forming an advisory committee to examine which programs the library should host.

Shashi Jain, a 64-year-old Montville resident who has lived in the township since 1981, shared some of her requests for programs and services that she felt the library should offer during Monday night's Montville Township Library Board of Trustees meeting. Jain said the library is the center of the community and, as such, she felt bussing should be available to and from the library.

She also said she has visited several surrounding libraries and taken a close look at what they have to offer so that she could come back to the board with suggestions. She said her friends have had to go to other libraries to attend classes not yet offered in

"My friends have gone to Kinnelon to get courses on art and sculpture," Jain said.

Jain noted that the library has offered some courses of interest to her, but that many of the courses are not ongoing. Library Director Allan Kleiman said the library is working on attracting more continual programs to the library, and that thanks to some people who have already come forward to offer their time, plans are already in motion for new programming.

"We have had several people come in to talk to us about programming," he said.

Library employees have also volunteered to help with the task.

"We have a staff member who has stepped up to the plate," Kleiman said. "All of this should be happening soon."

An advisory group is expected to be formed within the next two weeks, Kleiman said, which will be tasked with developing program ideas. But board Chairman Howard Chesler also cautioned that the library has tried to avoid offering some of the more physical programs because they are already being offered by the township.

"There are some programs that are run by the town which we do not try to duplicate at the library," he said.

Several board members inquired about the costs to run library programming. Kleiman said the library is allowed to charge patrons fees which go towards offsetting the costs of the programs, but not to make a profit from the fees.