Wall Library Marks Golden Anniversary

Celebrating its 50^th anniversary this month, the Wall Public Library has come a long way since it first opened on July 15, 1961.

The library was first located in the New Bedford School, the little red schoolhouse currently occupied by the Board of Education. When it opened in 1961, it had a budget of $3,000, a collection of 1,200 books, and operated 10 hours a week. Its first annual report in 1962 reflected more than 450 borrowers, and a circulation of 3,600 books. 

Today, the Wall Public Library – at 2700 Allaire Road in the municipal complex -- is open 59 hours a week, has over 23,000 borrowers, an annual circulation of over 250,000 items a year, and a collection of over 120,000 items. 

"The odyssey over the past 50 years of the Wall Township Public Library from a little red schoolhouse to one of the busiest branches in the Monmouth County Library System is truly remarkable," said Renee B. Swartz, chair of the Monmouth County Library Commission.

A 50^th anniversary celebration is planned for Saturday with author visits, face painting for children, a performance by ventriloquist John Pizzi at noon and a concert by the Jazz Lobsters at 2 p.m. County, local and library dignitaries are scheduled to be on hand for the event.

Before 1961, Wall Township was served by the Monmouth County Library Bookmobile, which arrived once a month and stopped at five Wall-area locations.

Following a stint in the New Bedford School, the library in 1967 moved to leased space on Atlantic Avenue and Route 35. It moved again in 1976 to the Old Mill Plaza complex on Ocean Road and Route 35. Finally, a building fund was established in 1986 resulting in the move to the current facility in 1990.

Cecelia Murphy, 26-year veteran library clerk, said the shelves were only half full when the library first moved into its current location. Now, she said, more than 120,000 items fill the library shelves.

“Look how we’ve grown,” Murphy said.

As one of the 13 branches of the Monmouth County Library, the Wall Library also has use of over 1.5 million more items which include books, videos, DVDs, MP3s, large print books, books on compact disc, music CDs, circulating magazines, e-books and more. Wall Township became the sixth branch of the Monmouth County Library system in 1969.  

"The library's dedicated staff and supporters have continued to fulfill the vision of their founders to provide the best services possible to all their residents, be they toddlers or senior citizens," said Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian Burry, liaison to the county library system.

The Wall Library staff said they are proud of the facility’s ability to keep pace with major technological advances, checking out its collection of more than 5,000 DVD titles more than 52,000 times last year.

“We have transitioned from VHS movies to DVD. We’ve moved from a paper card catalog to a computer-based system,’’ said Carrie Kupselaitis, Library Clerk for nearly 22 years.  “We have an active library website.  We offer free Internet access and a wireless hotspot.”

“When the economy changed, we noticed many more people in the community taking advantage of all that the library has to offer.  Everything we provide is free or very affordable,” said Kupselaitis.

That fact isn’t lost on many of the library’s patrons.

 “This is one of the first places I come when I get back from my winter in Florida,” said Joanne DeFusco, of Old Mill Court.  “I have been coming to this library for 22 years.”

The McBride family of Spring Lake Heights takes advantage of the many activities available for families with young children.

“My children all participate in the summer reading program. It’s great because they can log the information right onto the computer,” said their mother Lori McBride, who was at the library with four of her six children, aged 4-10.  “We are here throughout the year, for story time, to take out books and rent movies.”

“The library is an awesome resource for our community,” said Cathi DeGenova, of Oakwood Road.  “We are here all the time.”