Library Features: What's New @ The Library
East Brunswick Public Library Holds Library Card Design Contest
East Brunswick Public Library needs your help—specifically your artistic skills.
The library is asking the community to come up with artwork to be used for special, limited edition library cards. The design should feature some aspect of the library or reflect what the library means to the artist.
The contest is open to artists in three age groups: kids (12 and under), teens (ages 13-17) and adults. Three winning designs will be selected. The winners will be announced next year as part of the celebration of East Brunswick Public Library’s 50th anniversary.
The complete rules and entry form can be found here and at the library. Completed submissions can be dropped off at the Youth Services, Teen or Circulation Desks.
September Is National Library Card Sign Up Month
There are many different cards that you have in your wallet—credit cards, insurance cards, even a gift card. But do you have a library card?
There are many different cards that you have in your wallet—credit cards, insurance cards, even a gift card. But do you have a library card?
This September, East Brunswick Public Library joins libraries across the country in celebrating National Library Card Sign-Up Month. If you don’t have a library card, this is the perfect time to get one.
“For nearly fifty years, East Brunswick residents have been coming to the library to check out books, get their reference questions answered and attend events and programs,” said Jennifer Podolsky, library director, “But as a modern public library, we offer our library cardholders so many other great services.”
East Brunswick Public Library offers more than just traditional library materials. Some of the library’s most popular services include:
- Hundreds of thousands of movies, full music albums, audiobooks, graphic novels and more available on demand from hoopl digital
- Health and wellness information from the consumer health librarians of the Just For The Health Of It program
- Access to over 150 popular magazines on your phone or tablet from the streaming service Zinio
- Business support and professional career services offered through the Business Resource Connection
- Digital video editing in the EBPlay Media Lab
- Borrow museum admission passes to museums like The Academy of Natural Sciences and Grounds for Sculpture
- Loanable technology like iPads and Chromebooks for children
“We’re lucky to have the support of the community and residents of the township, as well as the Friends of the East Brunswick Library and the East Brunswick Library Foundation. They allow us to provide so many different services and materials to the community,” added Podolsky.
East Brunswick Public Library cards are available to all individuals who reside or own property in East Brunswick Township. Residents applying for a library card can get one at the library in person during normal library hours with current proof of residency or a current tax bill on property owned.
In addition to using the library card at the East Brunswick Public Library, it can also be used at the twenty other libraries that are part of the Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium. A complete list of libraries can be found here.
As incentive for new library card holders, there will be a prize drawing for anyone who signs up for an East Brunswick Public Library card during the month of September courtesy of the East Brunswick Friends of the Library.
EBPL Celebrates Banned Books Week
East Brunswick Public Library (2 Jean Walling Civic Center) celebrates the freedom to read this September 25 through October 1 with Banned Books Week. Bringing together the book community—librarians, publishers, teachers, book sellers and educators—Banned Books Week focuses on efforts to remove or restrict access to books in schools and libraries.
East Brunswick Public Library celebrates the freedom to read this September 25 through October 1 with Banned Books Week.
Bringing together the book community—librarians, publishers, teachers, book sellers and educators—Banned Books Week focuses on efforts to remove or restrict access to books in schools and libraries.
“Events like Banned Books Week reminds every one of the importance of access to free and open information,” said Jennifer Podolsky, East Brunswick Public Library director. “Books that have been challenged remain available throughout the country thanks to community members that stand up and support the freedom to read.”
Books that have been banned across the country aren’t just controversial titles like “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Books that have been frequently challenged include classic novels like “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury and “Gone With The Wind” by Maragret Mitchell. Even beloved children’s book series like “Captain Underpants” and “Harry Potter” have been challenged in some places.
East Brunswick Public Library has put together a display of books in the library’s collection that have been banned or challenged in other parts of the country. The books feature special labels that explain what the book has been challenged over.
As part of Banned Books Week, the library hosts a lecture with Kevin Mulachy on banned films on Tuesday, September 27 at 7 pm. He is a Humanities Librarian specializing in cinema studies at Rutgers University.
The presentation will discuss the censorship of films in the United States and abroad, as well as provide a perspective on why censorship is so common. This lecture is free and open to the public.