The Roselle Public Library had a busy 2009 - in fact, the busiest in almost 20 years.  Circulation of books, DVDs, magazines, and other materials hit 62,552, a 7% increase over 2008 and the highest number since the late 1980's.  Over 5500 residents have library cards, and the collection reached an all-time high of 60,290 items. New items added to the collection equaled 5234, the most ever.

Richetta Wilson Lobban recently joined the library staff as senior library assistant in our Technical Services Dept., replacing Helen Conway, who retired after 17 years of service.  Ms. Wilson Lobban is halfway through her master's degree program at Rutgers , with coursework in archive management.  A long-time resident of Roselle and a former employee of the Summit Public Library, Ms. Wilson Lobban will also take on the task of organizing Roselle 's local history materials.  The Library recently received donations of the records of the "Sing Out Roselle" club from the 1960's, as well as some high school newspapers from the late 1930's.

The Board of Trustees of the Library reorganized in January for the coming year.  Eudora Winston and Elaine Rittinger were sworn in to new five year terms, and Richard Villeda was sworn in to an unexpired term.  Anthony Esposito was re-elected as president of the board, as were Maureen Donnelly as vice-president, Elaine Rittinger as secretary, and Eudora Winston as treasurer.  Dorothy Mayner was elected to her first term as assistant treasurer.  The Library board meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7:15 pm in the Library.

The member libraries of LMxAC announce their newest enhancement: ChiliFresh Reviews. LMxAC libraries are the first in New Jersey to bring this service to their customers. ChiliFresh Reviews adds social interaction to the online catalog by allowing library patrons to read and write reviews. When you search for a title, author or subject in the iBistro catalog, you will now have the opportunity to write your own review or to read reviews already posted from local library users as well as those from libraries throughout the  United States ,  Canada ,  United Kingdom ,  Australia ,  New Zealand and Hong Kong . 

As with other types of review sources, reviews are ranked by the number of stars. Reviews can be sorted by most useful (based on reader's reactions to the reviews), newest, oldest, highest-ranking and lowest-ranking review.  Those browsing the online catalog can even read reviews of other titles by the same reviewer.

So if your library is an LMxAC member and you are looking for a book that you can't put down,  just finished a selection that you absolutely loved, or want to warn others that a new release is not all you expected it to be, simply go to your library's online catalog and join our readers' forum. Book lovers are looking forward to reading your reviews!

LMxAC membership includes libraries in Carteret, Dunellen, Edison, Jamesburg, Kenilworth, Long Branch, Manville, Matawan-Aberdeen, Metuchen, Middlesex, Middlesex County College, Milltown, Monroe, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Old Bridge, Perth Amboy, Piscataway, Plainfield, Plainsboro, Red Bank, Roselle, Roselle Park, Sayreville, Somerville, South Brunswick, South River and Spotswood.

Books can be hundreds of pages long with heavy covers.  Today, you can do housework or lounge in the yard and listen to a book which is just the size of a pack of cards, or download your reads to your own listening device.

The Roselle Public Library recently added Playaways to its collection of offerings.  The self-contained units are 2” by 3.5”, run on a AAA battery, and need simply a standard set of earplugs to listen with.  The starting collection is popular fiction, such as mystery writer Alexander McCall Smith, with more to be added each month.  Playaways are free to users, and circulate for two weeks like books.  You can provide your own earphones, or buy a reusable set from the Library for $1.00.  If the battery wears out while you are listening, please replace the battery for you and the next listener.

A wider variety of books can be downloaded from our website, as well.  Go to www.lmxac.com/roselle, and scroll halfway down to the ListenNJ logo.  This service, provided through our membership in the Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium, will allow you to download books to a variety of listening devices, at no charge.  Downloads do expire, however, so be sure to connect when you are ready to read.

The Roselle Public Library seeks to meet your reading, listening, and viewing requests.  The Library is open four nights (including Fridays) until 8 pm , and Saturdays 10 am to 4 pm year round.  Call the Library at 908-245-5809 for more information.

Ever want to treat your spouse to some classic movies?  Need to make sure that the money you give your children goes for printing a report, and not for a bag of chips?  The Roselle Public Library has the answer for you.
The Library is now offering gift certificates to its patrons.  Essentially pre-paid cards, the gift certificates can be used to rent DVDs and videos, pay for computer print-outs, or redeem for fines.  The certificates come in $10 or $20 amounts, and are good for a year.  They are also only good at the Roselle Public Library – don't try spending them anywhere else.

The Roselle Public Library is now open on Friday nights until 8 pm , and until 8 pm on Monday through Wednesday nights, as before.  Call us at 908-245-5809, or stop by the library at the corner of Chestnut Street and West Fourth Avenues.