Ocean County Library is a public library system that serves 32 municipalities out of the 33 municipalities of Ocean County, New Jersey. Beach Haven on Long Beach Island is not a member municipality. The Headquarters branch is in Toms River. It also offers Outreach services to life care centers, Books by Mail and Home Borrowers services for the homebound, and a volunteer program. There are active Friends of the Library groups associated with individual branches. There are approximately 380,000 registered borrowers, and 290,000 bibliographic records in the catalog. Annual circulation was near 4.4 million in 2014. All library locations have free wireless access to the Internet and internet terminals for public use.
History The Ocean County Library opened its doors to the public on September 19, 1925. Its location was a small cottage, known as the Lonan Building, on the grounds of the County Courthouse. The service area encompassed 30 of the 33 county municipalities. Dover and Lakewood Townships, and Beach Haven Borough, having municipal libraries, were excluded.
The cottage was open to the public one day a week, while a Model T panelled truck took library service to the rural portion of the 28,000 population by stopping at schools and “stations” which were located in post offices, stores and enclosed porches of private homes. During World War II, there was even a station at a Coast Guard Station.
A Dover Township referendum vote in 1976 increased the Library's geographical service area to 31 municipalities. Bishop Memorial Library on Washington Street in Toms River became part of the Ocean County Library, but continued to serve Dover residents until both floors were converted to use by the Children's Services Department in 1978.
Needing more space, the library was moved to temporary quarters in the Robbins Street Firehouse before moving to the East Wing of the Ocean County Courthouse in 1950. In 1962, the Library moved to 15 Hooper Avenue, a building that had been a gymnasium for St. Joseph's School, and is now the Ocean County Probation Office. From this location, the Library expanded into the "White House" on the corner of Hooper Avenue and Water Street and, in 1978, into the Bishop Building.
On October 13, 1981, the Ocean County Library opened the doors of a building at 101 Washington Street, facing the County Courthouse. This building surrounded and included the former Presbyterian Church of Toms River as a meeting room. The church cornerstone was laid in 1853. The church moved to a new location in 1970 leaving the building empty. The building was purchased by Dover Township and was incorporated into the library in 1981. The church steeple was badly damaged over the years and was removed as part of the expansion of the Toms River Branch in 2005. The former church with a newly constructed steeple is now a coffee shop open during most library hours. "Freeholders dedicate library's new steeple." Asbury Park Press, May 12, 2007.
The Bishop Building, named after the writer and adventurer Nathaniel Holmes Bishop, was re-dedicated in October, 1984 to house a non-circulating local history and research collection. On September 18, 1997, a new computer training lab was dedicated in the Bishop Building. In 2006, all services formerly available in the Bishop Building were moved to the main building. The genealogical and historical research collection was moved to the Wheeler Room and the computer training lab was expanded and re-established as the Technology Lab with all new equipment. The future use of the Bishop Building includes plans as a venue for community events and training center for the library staff."New life for an old library building." Asbury Park Press, April 12, 2007.
On January 28, 2006, a major renovation and extension of the Toms River Branch opened. The building is now doubled in size. The $12.9 million construction project began in October 2002, when ground was broken on a expansion of the original library building. "Ready to begin a new chapter." Asbury Park Press, January 27, 2006.
Over $600,000 was devoted to original art installation in the new building. The art includes "Buzzy" and "O" steel sculptures by Michael Allen Malpass of Brick, New Jersey, "Sandbar # 1" and "Sandbar # 2" suspended textile atrium sculpture by Joanie San ChiricoJoanie San Chirico public commissions of Toms River, "Reflections of the Ocean County Library," an bas relief sculpture in bonded bronze created by Toms River sculptor Brian Hanlon, a terrazzo floor in the atrium by Michele Oka Doner of New York, "Acqua Viva," "Drifting," "Sunyata" and "Embryo," four oil paintings of jellyfish by Helaine Rainier of Toms River, New Jersey, and a large mostly argon light sculptureArtist's "Reception Enlightens Library Patrons." The Jackson Times, August 11, 2006. Accessed July 2, 2007. called "Woven Light" by Chris Freeman in the Hugh B. Wheeler Room."Art a stroke of genius in library transformation." Asbury Park Press, January 21, 2006.
Ocean County Library was significantly impacted by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. The Bay Head Reading Center was closed until June 2013 for repairs. The Upper Shores Branch in Lavallette reopened in early September 2013. The library hosted many events to help Ocean County residents impacted by the storm including hosting resources expos where governmental and nonprofit groups could meet and assist storm survivors.Ocean County Library 2013 Annual Report
Elaine McConnell retired after 25 years as library director at the end of August 2009. Susan Quinn was appointed Library Director August 17, 2009.
Branches and Reading Centers
Branches Barnegat Branch Bay Head Reading Center Beachwood Branch Berkeley Branch Bishop Building - CLOSED (local history and genealogy collections moved to the Toms River Headquarters branch) Brick Branch Island Heights Branch Jackson Branch Lacey Township Branch Lakewood Branch Little Egg Harbor Branch Long Beach Island Branch (located in Surf City) Manchester Branch Plumsted Branch Pt. Pleasant Boro Branch Pt. Pleasant Beach Branch Stafford Branch Toms River Headquarters Branch Tuckerton Branch Upper Shores Branch (located in Lavallette) Waretown Branch Whiting Reading Center (located in Manchester)
Membership Free membership is available to residents of Ocean County (except Beach Haven residents)Hammerdorfer, Karen. "Library still relevant in hi-tech era." Ocean County Observer, February 27, 2005 as well as those who go to school in Ocean County or who own property in Ocean County. Ocean County Library card holders can obtain free Burlington County Library cards and free Monmouth County Library cards. Since Lakewood joined the county library system on January 1, 1999,Lakewood Branch profile only Beach Haven maintains an independent municipal library in Ocean County.Sudol, Karen, "Beach Haven Happy with its Little Old Library." The Press of Atlantic City, March 11, 1996.
Anyone who has a valid Burlington County Library card is also eligible for a free Ocean County Library card under a reciprocal borrowing agreement. Anyone who has a valid Monmouth County Library card is also eligible for an Ocean County Library card.Reciprocal Borrowing at OCL Many Monmouth county towns are not what Monmouth County Library calls member municipalities.Member or NonMember towns Monmouth County Library Anyone who lives in a nonmember Monmouth County municipality must pay for a Monmouth County Library card before they can obtain a free Ocean County card.
Youth Services
Each branch of the Ocean County Library offers children's materials from classics to new titles in a variety of formats. Youth Services staff organize programs for children from birth through 6th grade, including a Summer Reading Club, which encourages reading during the months that children are away from school. In 2007, an online option for participating in the reading club was offered for the first time. The reading club is supplemented by programs corresponding with each year’s summer reading theme. The programs are organized both by library staff and outside performers. Recent outside performers have included Dr. Loretta Long (Susan from Sesame Street)."Children learn acceptance from a familiar face." Asbury Park Press, June 10, 2007 Many programs are designed and created by library staff including crafts,Scully, Paula, "Library crafts make rainy day diversion." Ocean County Observer, July 19, 2007 cooking programs,Sastrowardoyo, Hartriono B. "Library teaches little ones to play with their food." Asbury Park Press, June 30, 2007. reading programs that match teens with younger children,"Reading program a learning experience." Asbury Park Press, June 28, 2007. and computer classes. Programs continue year round for all ages including outreach to schools and to those homeschooling.Weaver, Donna. "County parents find N.J. friendly for homeschoolers." The Press of Atlantic City, September 14, 2007.
Each branch also has a "Teen Advisory Board" (TAB). TAB was created in 1988 and offers teens chances to create and run their own program or event (with approval).
Events and programs The Ocean County Library system has offered many free author events, luncheons, and book signings, featuring authors such as Peter Maas, Sandra Brown,Donohue, Jeanne Dewey, "Bestselling Author Brown Wows Crowd at Book Signing." The Press of Atlantic City, September 21, 2000. David Baldacci, James Patterson, Robert Pinsky, William Wegman, several Sesame Street cast members, Malachy McCourt,McLaughlin, Bill. "The world, explained with thick brogue Actor, author McCourt holds forth on LBI." Asbury Park Press, March 20, 2003. Barbara Taylor Bradford, Nora Roberts,"To call Nora Roberts a prolific writer would be an understatement." Ocean County Observer, October 23, 2005 Chris Elliott, Anne Perry, Anne Lamott, Laura Lippman, the TV Chef Robert IrvineFood star in Toms River. Asbury Park Press. September 26, 2007 and others.
The library has also hosted many free concerts featuring music of different genres."This summer, the Ocean County Library is doing something purely musical." Ocean County Observer, May 1, 2005. National acts such as Steve Forbert, Ron Sexsmith, Marshall Crenshaw, Glenn Tilbrook (of Squeeze),Junior, Chris M., "He's booked for the night, Glenn Tilbrook coming to Ocean County Library in Toms River." Asbury Park Press, May 13, 2005. Graham Parker, NRBQ,Fine, Eric, "Rock, Folk or Blues: NRBQ does it all." The Press of Atlantic City, February 7, 2003. and Julius LaRosa have appeared as well.
Additionally, events on topics from art demonstrations, Barnegat Bay ecology, local history, Meet the Mayor, sessions of the National Issues Forum, history of Television and other popular culture topics, cooking demonstrations, medical and legal issues, small business workshops and many other topics are presented at the different library locations. The Library has partnered with corporations such as HBO, Showtime, CBS, Scholastic, The Sesame Workshop, Viacom, and many others to produce special events.
Awards Ocean County Library won one of the John Cotton Dana Library Public Relation Awards for 2007 in recognition of their continuing “Hurricane Katrina--Partners in Caring" project. According to the citation, Ocean County Library has raised more than $120,000 in cash to help Hancock County Library in Mississippi. The Hancock County Library system was almost completely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.Winners of the 2007 John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Awards
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