JACKSON – After three years of hard work by the Jackson Friends of the Library, the Jackson Branch of the Ocean County Library has a new electronic sign.
On Aug. 17, members of the Friends held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new sign at the library, 2 Jackson Drive, off West Veterans Highway.
The Friends support the library beyond what the library’s regular budget allows. In the past, the Friends have purchased sculptures, benches and a sundial for the library.
The Friends also promote community awareness of the services the library has to offer, according to the organization’s president, Rochelle Blum.
“In these times that are changing, there is so much technology assistance, career assistance, resume writing and programs that are pulling all ages in (to the library) and we are very proud of what this library does,” Blum said.
Messages on the new electronic sign may be changed by computer from inside the library. The sign is visible to motorists on West Veterans Highway.
“My two words of the day are ‘persistence’ and ‘perseverance.’ When we had board meetings and were ready to throw up our hands, someone, somehow said, ‘OK, let’s just see what this month will bring’ and so over three years later this (sign) is what it brought to us,” Blum said.
Susan Hutler, the chair of the Ocean County Library Commission, thanked the Friends and said the group brought “something that is the envy of a lot of libraries” to Jackson.
She said the Friends “are such an integral part of the Ocean County Library family. We appreciate all those programs (that are offered) and the community awareness. The sign is really a symbol of that community awareness.”
Susan Quinn, the director of the Ocean County Library, thanked Blum for her leadership of the organization and said, “it is so nice to have friends.”
“This is such a beautiful municipal complex. I was just looking at the spray park, the library, the police station, the town hall and I was thinking that if somebody is driving down the road and they might be new to Jackson or maybe a longtime resident, I can see them seeing (the library sign and realizing), ‘Oh, there is a toddler time reading story at the library?’ and that would attract them in and they would see this beautiful campus,” Quinn said.
“You cannot do something alone, so thank you for helping us in our mission of connecting people, building communities and transforming lives. You (the Friends) are truly part of that mission,” she said.
Branch manager Pamela Dong thanked the Friends for everything they do for the library.
Following the ribbon cutting of the new sign, Dave Whelan and the members of the sign committee ceremoniously removed the old wooden post from which the Friends previously hung signs that advertised the library’s events.
