May 16, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 17 Renovated library offers many new opportunities by John Koster The newly renovated and expanded Wyckoff Library will offer residents and guests some facilities that were not available in the past, including additional computer stations, vastly improved electrical circuitry, three meeting rooms with a total of 260 seating spaces, and a children’s program room with 50 more spaces. Library Director Mary Witherell started her tour where the visitor will start, and the new mini-room created by the space between the outer and inner door, which will accommodate small groups and maintain the temperature of the inner library by the use of energy-saving double doors. A right turn will take the visitor to the adult room, which will include the collection of reference books, including the 11th Edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica; books on history, business, science, and travel; and fiction. The space near the wall now contains two sunny, separated rooms with their own doors for private meetings and tutoring, and a sunlit space with comfortable chairs for readers. “It will make space for reading and study as pleasant as possible, with natural light, and we hope people will make use of that space,” Witherell said. The History Room upstairs has been enhanced with improved electronics, including video equipment and an overhead projector. Experts can present full programs in this room, which seats 20. A left turn at the door takes the visitor past the handsome maple racks where best-sellers will be displayed near the entrance and the circulation desk, with the young adult space near the rear window. Comfortable chairs will be available for the reading area with items most likely to interest young adults nearby. The 6,000-square foot children’s room features stan- A newly renovated area in the library. dard stacks with the books of interest to children, and has a special table for youngsters who want to use reference computers. “We wanted to make it comfortable and cute, but not too obviously kiddie,” Witherell explained. She said the room as now configured will allow a great expansion of the traditional children’s activities in Wyckoff. “We can do anything with this base,” she added. The 6,000-square-foot room is named for Helen and Evelyn Rizzo, two women who taught at Ramapo High School, patronized the Wyckoff Library on a regular basis, and, to the surprise of all who knew them, left the library $1.5 million of their joint $6 million estate. The fish tank will be set up again, with 115 gallons of water, which can accommodate one inch of fish per gallon. The fish on display will be fresh-water tropical fish. Just around the corner is the Children’s Conference Room, which has 30 table seats, but can accommodate 50 children. The new room also has a set of kitchen cabinets with a sink and pantry for wash-up after crafts. Downstairs, the stairwell (or the newly installed elevator) leads to a hall that is also a gallery for display or art, a new feature. The gallery was created from part of the James Monroe Room, but the remainder of the room will contain three wall-mounted TVs suitable for games in different modes, a ceiling-mounted projector, and a complete sound system. “This is going to be the youth center of the library, and the teenagers will love it,” Witherell predicted. The James Monroe Room will accommodate 90 people, and the adjacent Henry Shotmeyer Jr. Room will accommodate up to 150 and will be used for performances. The newly renovated and expanded library has taken interior space from 13,250 feet to 25,000, with a few perks besides added room. The number of computer stations for all purposes has been increased from 11 to 42, with computers for the youngsters alone now at 11 McIntosh units suitable for gaming or research. Each of the library tables in the computer section will have four electric outlets in the center of the table for youngsters who bring their own electronics. The new look of the library, with high ceilings, restful carpet colors and décor, lots of natural wood, and lots of natural light promises decades of quiet enjoyment by children, students, adults, and seniors, and a greatly improved venue for education, social, and recreational programs right in the heart of Wyckoff.