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Ocean County Library is a public library system that serves 32 municipalities out of the 33 municipalities of Ocean County, New Jersey. Beach Haven on Long Beach Island is not a member municipality. The Headquarters branch is in Toms River. It also offers Outreach services to life care centers, Books by Mail and Home Borrowers services for the homebound, and a volunteer program. There are active Friends of the Library groups associated with individual branches. There are approximately 380,000 registered borrowers, and 290,000 bibliographic records in the catalog. Annual circulation was near 4.4 million in 2013. All library locations have free wireless access to the Internet and internet terminals for public use. ==History== The Ocean County Library opened its doors to the public on September 19, 1925. Its location was a small cottage, known as the Lonan Building, on the grounds of the County Courthouse. The service area encompassed 30 of the 33 county municipalities. Dover and Lakewood Townships, and Beach Haven Borough, having municipal libraries, were excluded. The cottage was open to the public one day a week, while a Model T panelled truck took library service to the rural portion of the 28,000 population by stopping at schools and “stations” which were located in post offices, stores and enclosed porches of private homes. During World War II, there was even a station at a Coast Guard Station. A Dover Township referendum vote in 1976 increased the Library's geographical service area to 31 municipalities. Bishop Memorial Library on Washington Street in Toms River became part of the Ocean County Library, but continued to serve Dover residents until both floors were converted to use by the Children's Services Department in 1978. Needing more space, the library was moved to temporary quarters in the Robbins Street Firehouse before moving to the East Wing of the Ocean County Courthouse in 1950. In 1962, the Library moved to 15 Hooper Avenue, a building that had been a gymnasium for St. Joseph's School, and is now the Ocean County Probation Office. From this location, the Library expanded into the "White House" on the corner of Hooper Avenue and Water Street and, in 1978, into the Bishop Building. On October 13, 1981, the Ocean County Library opened the doors of a building at 101 Washington Street, facing the County Courthouse. This building surrounded and included the former Presbyterian Church of Toms River as a meeting room. The church cornerstone was laid in 1853. The church moved to a new location in 1970 leaving the building empty. The building was purchased by Dover Township and was incorporated into the library in 1981. The church steeple was badly damaged over the years and was removed as part of the expansion of the Toms River Branch in 2005. The former church with a newly constructed steeple is now a coffee shop open during most library hours.〔( "Freeholders dedicate library's new steeple." ''Asbury Park Press'', May 12, 2007. )〕 The Bishop Building, named after the writer and adventurer Nathaniel Holmes Bishop, was re-dedicated in October, 1984 to house a non-circulating local history and research collection. On September 18, 1997, a new computer training lab was dedicated in the Bishop Building. In 2006, all services formerly available in the Bishop Building were moved to the main building. The genealogical and historical research collection was moved to the Wheeler Room and the computer training lab was expanded and re-established as the Technology Lab with all new equipment. The future use of the Bishop Building includes plans as a venue for community events and training center for the library staff.〔("New life for an old library building." ''Asbury Park Press,'' April 12, 2007. )〕 On January 28, 2006, a major renovation and extension of the Toms River Branch opened. The building is now doubled in size. The $12.9 million construction project began in October 2002, when ground was broken on a expansion of the original library building.〔( "Ready to begin a new chapter." ''Asbury Park Press,'' January 27, 2006. )〕 Over $600,000 was devoted to original art installation in the new building. The art includes "Buzzy" and "O" steel sculptures by Michael Allen Malpass of Brick, New Jersey, "Sandbar # 1" and "Sandbar # 2" suspended textile atrium sculpture by Joanie San Chirico〔(Joanie San Chirico public commissions )〕 of Toms River, "Reflections of the Ocean County Library," an bas relief sculpture in bonded bronze created by Toms River sculptor Brian Hanlon, a terrazzo floor in the atrium by Michele Oka Doner of New York, "Acqua Viva," "Drifting," "Sunyata" and "Embryo," four oil paintings of jellyfish by Helaine Rainier of Toms River, New Jersey, and a large mostly argon light sculpture 〔(Artist's "Reception Enlightens Library Patrons." ''The Jackson Times,'' August 11, 2006. ) Accessed July 2, 2007.〕 called "Woven Light" by Chris Freeman in the Hugh B. Wheeler Room.〔("Art a stroke of genius in library transformation." ''Asbury Park Press'', January 21, 2006. )〕 Ocean County Library was significantly impacted by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. The Bay Head Reading Center was closed until June 2013 for repairs. The Upper Shores Branch in Lavallette reopened in early September 2013. The library hosted many events to help Ocean County residents impacted by the storm including hosting resources expos where governmental and nonprofit groups could meet and assist storm survivors.〔(Ocean County Library 2013 Annual Report )〕 Elaine McConnell retired after 25 years as library director at the end of August 2009. Susan Quinn was appointed Library Director August 17, 2009. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ocean County Library」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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