Mahwah April 27, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 11 Grand opening planned for renovated public library by Frank J. McMahon The grand opening of the 7,800square foot newly renovated lower level of the Mahwah Public Library will take place on Saturday, April 30. There are parking lots in front of and behind the library building on Ridge Road, with nearly 100 dedicated spaces, including van-accessible and regular designated handicapped parking. Overflow parking is available in the adjacent Center for Food Action and Mahwah High School parking lots. The day’s festivities, which are free and open to the public, will begin with a ribbon cutting on the library’s main floor from 10 to 11 a.m. Refreshments will follow, and tours of the new lower level will be given throughout the day. The library will remain open for business during its regular hours, which are Monday through Thursday from 10 to 9, Friday and Saturday from 10 to 5, and Sunday from 1 to 5. According to Library Director Kurt Hadeler, the new lower level includes a reading lounge, public meeting rooms, a small theater, and access to “lead- ing edge” audio-visual technology. He pointed out the following highlights of the new 7,800 square-foot renovation: a public reading lounge with comfortable furniture, a vending area for snacks and beverages and café-style seating, large and small meeting rooms for library programs and community events, an octagonal mini-theater, audio-visual systems throughout the lower level (including LCDs, projectors, and digital signage software donated by Sharp Electronics), and high-speed Internet access throughout the building, including wireless in all public areas and wired connections in the meeting rooms. “The Mahwah Public Library is dedicated to serving the needs of the community,” said Curtis P. Koster, president of the Library Board of Trustees. “By completing the lower level, the library can now expand its robust selection of community-focused programs as well as offer much-needed meeting space for local organizations.” The completion of the lower level brings the library up to 30,000 square feet, Koster said, explaining that the main floor holds approximately 110,000 CAPS Cares presents Ellen Sabin, author of “The Autism Acceptance Book: Being a Friend with Someone with Autism” on Thursday, May 5, 2011 from 7 to 9 p.m. The event will be held at Northern Highlands Regional High School, 298 Hillside Ave, Allendale. Ellen Sabin will speak about creating acceptance of those affected by autism and the importance of educating neuro typical children and adults about autism. There is no charge for this event, RSVP by e-mail to CapsCares@optonline.net. CAPS Cares is a non-profit organization established by parents of children with autism in Northwest Bergen County. Autism Awareness and Acceptance Event Rescheduled books and 20,000 audio-visual materials available for residents to borrow and enjoy, while the lower level reflects the library’s ongoing dedication to serving community needs by increasing the amount of space available for programs and events. Koster pointed out that, in 2010, the attendance at library-sponsored programs topped 22,000, a three-fold increase over the previous decade. He said attendance continues to grow. “Offering this amazing breadth and depth of programs for adults, teens, and children is just one of the ways the library remains relevant in our informationcentric society,” said Koster. “Because Mahwah has no central ‘downtown,’ the library has become the town’s meeting place and center for intellectual and cultural enrichment. With the completion of the lower level, we will be able to offer local organizations a wonderful location for their events.” Koster added that use of the lower level rooms will be on a rental basis, with tiered fees for non-profit and forprofit organizations. “The library was especially grateful to receive a donation of leading-edge audio-visual equipment from Sharp Electronics Corporation in Mahwah,” Hadeler added, explaining that Sharp provided six professional 60” LCD display units for the meeting rooms and lobby, two professional LCD projectors for the meeting rooms, and Sharp’s SDSS digital signage system. “There are a number of program and activities that will directly benefit from the use of Sharp audio-visual equipment, including informational lectures for adults, after-school gaming and anime clubs for teens, and dynamic educational programs for younger children. “Of course, the library will be able to offer this leading-edge technology to other local organizations who want to use the space for their meetings and events. The library is even thinking how it can further tie into the community by displaying multimedia art created by local artists.” The lower level construction project was created from an unfinished basement and was funded entirely by savings from library operating funds and without additional municipal funding or public bonds, according to Koster. The project started in 2006 when the library trustees retained an architect and construction consultant. Final plans were approved in 2009, and construction began in early 2010. The library’s history dates to 1912, when the private collection of Eleanor Bugg was made available to select individuals within the community. By 1920, the Mahwah Woman’s Club assumed responsibility for the collection and decided to make the materials available to the entire township. 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