Library Events: March 25-30

Tuesday, March 26
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Family Movie and Craft (Register – Community Event Room) 
856-794-4244 ext. 4246

Wednesday, March 27
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ESL “Drop-In” Conversation Class (Community Event Room)
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Book Club discussion of “Little Bee” by Chris Cleave (Community Event Room) No registration required. If you're interested in the book or the book club you're welcomed to drop in!

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Teen Book Discussion, ages 13-18 (Register – Teen Room) 
856-794-4244 ext. 4246
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Book Discussion, ages 9 & up (Register-Children’s) 
856-794-4244 ext. 4246

Thursday, March 28
5:30 p.m. Vineland Library Board of Trustees meeting (Community Event Room) 

Friday, March 29
Library CLOSED for Good Friday

Library Events: March 18-23

Monday, March 18
4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Friends of Vineland Library host a fundraiser at Larry's II
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Bay Atlantic Symphony hosts a musical lecture “Folk Literature in Composed Music” (Community Event Room)


Tuesday, March 19
10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Toddler Time, ages 2 (Register – Children’s) 
856-794-4244 ext. 4246
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Farmworkers Support Committee (Community Event Room)
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Pajama Family Night (Register – Children’s) 
856-794-4244 ext. 4246

Wednesday, March 20
10:30 – 11:15 a.m. Preschool Story Time, ages 3-5 (Register – Children’s) 
856-794-4244 ext. 4246
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ESL “Drop-In” Conversation Class (Community Event Room)
4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Teen Saint Patrick’s Day Potluck, ages 13-18 (Register – Community Event Room) 
856-794-4244 ext. 4246

Thursday, March 21
5:00 – 7:30 p.m. Writer’s Society with author Maxine Mulligan (Community Event Room)
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Book Discussion, ages 6-8 (Register-Children’s) 
856-794-4244 ext. 4246

Friday, March 22
10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Baby Time, ages 6 – 23 months (Register – Children’s) 
856-794-4244 ext. 4246

Saturday, March 23
1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Pokémon Club, ages 7-16 (Register – Community Event Room) 
856-794-4244 ext. 4246

New Jersey Tax Forms

New Jersey no longer sends out the state tax forms to libraries. NJ Tax booklets and forms were scheduled to be mailed during the week of December 31, 2012, to every New Jersey household that filed paper returns without using tax preparation software last year. If you used an accountant, online tax software, or company such as Jackson Hewitt or H&R Block, then you might not get the NJ state tax booklet this year.

If you have not received your booklet by the third week in January 2013, or if you do not expect to receive a booklet and need to obtain one, please see go to the NJ State Taxation website.

NJ Division of Taxation - State Income Tax Forms

www.state.nj.us

gross income tax forms

If you have any questions, please call the information desk: (856) 794-4244 ext. 4243.

Chinese Whiskers by Aiyar Pallavi

While Chinese Whiskers can be appealing to both cat lovers and readers interested in Chinese socioeconomics and politics, I really feel it mostly appeals to feline fans. Two cats, the main characters, each speak to us in their point of view about their lives and experiences closely preceding the 2008 Beijing summer Olympic Games. Soyabean and Tofu begin life under drastically different circumstances, but come together when adopted by a foreign family living in China. Tofu begins life as a stray cat that lives in a dumpster. Soyabean’s life begins living with a grandmother who adores cats, but wishes to adopt him, her newest kitten, out. Once they come together they become caught up in exposing a poisoning scheme, and seeing that those responsible are brought to justice.

The tale touches upon the unfairness of the class structure in China. Tofu is rounded up to be euthanized when a disease believed to be caused by cats sweeps Beijing. When she is able to escape, she becomes acquainted with several poor workers who are hungry and making little money building the Olympic villages. Tofu relates to this man and wishes there was something she could do to stop injustice dealt to the poor by the hands of the extremely wealthy. Tofu and Soyabean both take down two rich, conniving men who threaten the lives of millions of cats in China; therefore, bringing hope to the impoverished people who constantly are brought down by rich companies and manufacturers.

Although the cats spend most of the book dealing with these problems, I still think it appeals more to cat lovers. Being someone who loves cats, it was a little hard to think too seriously about the story because it was told through the eyes of cats. Other bits cat lovers will enjoy is that the cats’ intense interest in the poisoning scheme involves cat food, and that there are cat gangs that roam the streets. Who couldn’t smile at a “devious” gang of cats whose main worries revolve around food? I recommend this book to anyone looking for a tale of an unlikely hero.

Interested in Chinese Whiskers? Call (856) 794-4244 ext. 4243 to put it on hold.

Kelly’s Book Review

Upcoming Changes here at Vineland

NEWS ABOUT THE NEW THREE-CITY LIBRARY ALLIANCE

The Public Libraries of Bridgeton, Millville, and Vineland are forming a new alliance in order to assure excellent library service for the residents of the three cities.  Forced by recent events to replace the old CLUES system, staff and Trustees of the three libraries took several weeks to study all the modern library computer systems on the market and to compare and explore their many features. Once a front runner was selected, the three library directors negotiated an excellent price.

At the center of the alliance is a brand new software product called Sierra, created by Innovative Interfaces, Incorporated. The three libraries are among the first in the nation to showcase Sierra, which features a more user-friendly format than the system used by CLUES.

Annual costs for Sierra are also less than for the CLUES system, which is being abolished by the Freeholders and the County Library Commission in what they call a “money-saving initiative”.  Earlier this year, County officials maintained that abolishing CLUES and moving all the local libraries to a group in Gloucester County known as LOGIN would save the County budget a great deal of money.  Because there was no such savings  to be had by the municipalities,  the three city libraries objected strongly to the abolishment of CLUES,  which had provided the basis for reciprocal county-wide borrowing enjoyed by  all local residents for over two decades.

Now, it seems, the County Library may not be saving anywhere near what they’d hoped by joining LOGIN. But the three city libraries – after purchasing Sierra -   will be definitely spending less than they did for CLUES and also less than they would by following the County Library to LOGIN.   They intend to use the money saved in order to purchase more library materials for local residents.

Staff members at the libraries in Bridgeton, Millville, and Vineland are excited about the catalog-searching features of Sierra and expect it to be well received by library users inside the library and from their personal computers at work, school, or home.  In addition, Sierra offers many upgraded staff-friendly features that make behind the scene tasks like cataloging books and other materials easier and quicker. 

Officials of the three municipal libraries believe that better service will be provided  by creating  the  new alliance  than by following the County Library to the Gloucester group.  They feel that a locally-based service is a better way to serve the needs of more than 114,000 people who live in the three cities. Maintaining shared service among the three city libraries will improve patrons’ access to locally owned library materials. For most patrons, the changes will look like business as usual, since the three libraries will continue to share many services as they have done for decades. However, during the transition from one system to the other, there will be periodic service interruptions.

Details of the new alliance are being worked out, including choosing a name that describes the level and scope of services being offered.   There is work underway now to get ready for the switchover to Sierra. In order to clean up the materials and patron records – the major database used by the new software – the three city libraries will restrict some services for a short period of time. Vineland Library has prepared a FAQ – a list of Frequently Asked Questions – that describes the changes for our patrons.  The new system will be fully operational within a few months.

Changes at Vineland Library

FAQ about Changes at VPL and the end of the County-wide CLUES Card

The Libraries of Bridgeton, Millville, and Vineland are forming a new shared services group because the Cumberland County Library decided to end CLUES and join another group called LOGIN - in Gloucester and Salem Counties.  The County Library’s move – paid for by the Freeholders and the County Library Commission using county tax revenue - unfortunately puts an end to the county-wide CLUES library card and the cooperative shared services we have all enjoyed for over twenty years.   

1.    Where can I get a card?

1.    Bridgeton residents can go to the Bridgeton Public Library (BPL) for a free card and Millville residents can go to the Millville Public Library (MPL) for a free card. When supplies are available, Bridgeton and Millville residents will be able to apply for cards from BPL and MPL here at the Vineland Public Library (VPL).

2.    Residents of Cumberland County who do not live in Bridgeton, Millville or Vineland can get a card at the Cumberland County Library (CCL). VPL cannot issue CCL cards because our computer systems are now incompatible.

3.    All residents of Cumberland County can get a free card at the CCL, even if they also have card from BPL, MPL, and VPL.

2.    Will I have to pay for a VPL card?

1.    If you don’t live in Cumberland County, yes – just like always.

2.    If you live in Cumberland County, but not in Vineland – We don’t know yet. The specific borrowing policies have not yet been worked out by the Boards of the three municipal libraries.

3.    Which services will be limited?

1.    Inter-library loan (ILL) and book reserves are suspended now until the new catalog is in place.

2.    Once the old catalog stops working (on or about October 29), borrowing will be limited/suspended until the new catalog is working.

3.    All computer sessions will need to finish 30 minutes before closing each day due to the loss of our county-wide time management system.

4.    Why are the municipal libraries forming their own shared services group?

1.    Libraries are funded though property taxes. Cumberland County residents who live in one of the 11 townships do not pay to support the libraries in Bridgeton, Millville, or Vineland.

2.    VPL cannot use Vineland tax money to provide a free service to non-taxpayers without an inter-local service agreement based on mutual benefit, like the former CLUES system which County officials terminated. We are forming a new legal service agreement with the other two cities that will allow the three of us to share services.

3.    The CLUES system was abolished by the County Freeholders and the County Library Commission, not by anyone associated with the libraries in Bridgeton, Millville, or Vineland.  It was done over our repeated claims that abolishing CLUES is not in the best interest of local library users.

4.    Patrons with concerns about this should address the Freeholders.  

5.    Why isn’t VPL joining LOGIN too?

1.    The costs for Vineland to join LOGIN were high and the actual benefits few.

2.    LOGIN uses another version of the CLUES catalog, which has a lot of problems. We wanted to get a better and less expensive catalog.

3.    VPL wishes to remain partners with BPL and MPL, who are also NOT joining LOGIN.

4.    Residents of the three municipalities are all entitled to a free card from the Cumberland County Library, so we are not denying any services to our own residents by not joining LOGIN. 

5.    At the same time, our residents will continue to receive the free services of BPL, MPL, and VPL without our resources having to be shared across the 25+ members of LOGIN in three different counties.

6.    The three municipal libraries are creating the new group in order to continue quality library service for our patrons. This is a response to the Cumberland County Library and the Freeholders attempting to move all local libraries to LOGIN, which we feel will not meet local needs as well as we can. We believe our new shared services group will increase access to our materials and services for our patrons who live in Bridgeton, Millville, and Vineland, who pay for those libraries.  

6.    How long will the switchover period last?

1.    We are not sure how long the process will take. There are staff and Trustee committees working on the policies for our new consortium and attorneys working out the legal issues.

2.    Some service-related issues are in the hands of LOGIN and the County Library; and some depend only on our new catalog system.

3.    As we learn more and as more issues are finalized, this FAQ will be updated.

7.    Does this mean I can’t use the Cumberland County Library anymore?

1.    Vineland residents and those of the other cities are entitled to a free card from the Cumberland County Library, because that library’s services are still available free to them as County taxpayers. All County residents pay to support the County Library.

2.    There will be only minor changes in actual local library service once the changeover is complete, except that VPL will be paying considerably less for its catalog than we would if we joined LOGIN.  That money not paid to Gloucester County will allow us to offer better service here in Vineland.

3.    In order to use the Cumberland County Library as well as the Vineland Public Library, a person will need two library cards.