There's Plenty to Check Out at Local Libraries

On a recent Wednesday night, John Dillon and Hildburg Kautsch are laughing and reminiscing at a table in the Caldwell Public Library. It is clearly a celebratory occasion as they crack open a bottle of Iceland's finest spring water and offer up a toast.

But what could they possibly be celebrating at the library?

Kautsch, who came to the U.S. several years ago, has been meeting with Dillon for tutoring sessions nearly every week for more than two years. Kautsch's husband was recently offered a job in Germany so she and her family are returning to Europe.

"Sitting here on the last meeting, it's such a pity," Kautsch said.

Kautsch is one of over half a dozen students Dillon tutors at the Caldwell Library.

"I searched for someone who teaches English [and went] to every place you can imagine," Kautsch said. "I went to the [Caldwell] Community Center and they said, ask in the library. I went in and they said, one moment, here's John's telephone number!"

English tutoring programs are just one of numerous resources available to local residents at both the Caldwell and West Caldwell public libraries. 

For residents of the Caldwells with any inquiry or technological need, there's likely to be a solution at the local libraries. Both offer Internet access, DVDs, CDs, periodicals, programs for children as well as adults, art exhibits and, of course, those countless stacks of books.

To honor the resources of libraries across the country and encourage new registered borrowers, the American Library Association recognizes September as National Library Card Sign-Up Month.

Though the month is winding down, area residents have been taking advantage of the resources available at both public libraries, particularly since the start of the economic downturn. Both libraries have seen an increase in the number of users over the past several years.

According to Caldwell Public Library Director Karen Kleppe Lembo, the number of library cardholders at the Caldwell Public Library tripled from 2005 to 2009.

"We've never seen the traffic higher," said Kleppe Lembo, who has been at the library for 10 years. "The number of cards that we're giving out is unlike anything I've ever seen."

West Caldwell Public Library Director April Judge reports a similar trend. As of August 31, 2010, the West Caldwell Library had 9,181 registered borrowers, an increase of 673 borrowers since last August.

"The West Caldwell Public Library has become a community center," said Judge. "It's not just a library. People come here to socialize and to see one another."

For Mindy Coby, the West Caldwell Library has become a place of tranquility in the midst of a busy schedule. Coby will often visit the library with her two daughters, Lindsay, 9, and Lara, 6, to do homework and use study rooms for tutoring. 

"There was one night where we were rushed so we said, 'Let's just go to the library and see if we can get everything done faster,'" Coby said. "I found that their homework takes half the time here than it does at home with no distractions."

After the girls finish their homework, they will play games on the computers and thumb through novels that catch their eye. 

Both libraries offer loads of educational entertainment for area children. The summer "Make a Splash" reading program recently concluded, but there are plenty of programs geared toward children scheduled for the fall months. Among them are storytime, arts and crafts sessions and book groups.

The fall calendar also includes many special events for area adults. In October, the West Caldwell Library will offer its "Read Across West Caldwell" program. Earlier in the year, staff and committee members selected The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken, by Laura Schenone, for members to read and discuss as a community. 

The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken traces the story of Schenone's search for her family's best ravioli recipe. In the process, the writer travels through her past and discovers her ancestry. The program will include book discussions, a lecture by the author, a presentation on Hoboken-native Frank Sinatra, and a screening of On the Waterfront.

 At the Caldwell Library, a photographic retrospective, "The Great Fires, and Firefighters, of Caldwell," debuts on Sunday, Oct. 3. Featuring a collection of photos from the Gene Collerd collection, as well as friends and members of the Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department, the exhibit will chronicle the valiant efforts of local firefighters over several decades. 

With plenty of other community-based programs scheduled throughout the fall, it is likely that membership at both libraries will continue to increase long after National Library Card Sign-Up Month concludes.

"The library is like the show Cheers," Kleppe Lembo said. "People come in and people know everybody. That's a really important thing that we can't lose."