5/27/2011 - Celeste Riley Meets With Library Directors

Celeste Riley Meets With Library Directors

Assemblywoman Celeste Riley met with library officials from the New Jersey State Library, the New Jersey Library Association, directors of Cumberland County libraries and the chairwoman of the Cumberland County Library Commission to discuss the dramatic budget cuts that libraries are facing.

State aid to libraries was cut in half last year, Bridgeton Public Library faced closing as did the Cumberland County Library. The library officials requested restoration of per capita state aid to the 2010 appropriation level, library emergency and incentive aid to provide workforce transitional assistance and virtual library aid to provide
e-government services 365 days of the year to New Jersey residents.

Assemblywoman Riley stated, "Libraries are not just places to organize books - they are also integral parts of the community.  Closing any library would have a negative impact in the surrounding community.  Meeting locations, computer access, and assistance with vital information that libraries provide, especially during these hard economic times, are necessary services and I want to see libraries remain an essential part of our towns in the future."

Assemblywoman Celeste Riley meets with library officials from New Jersey State Library Association. Pictured above (from left) Jean Edwards, Acting Director of the Cumberland County Library, Irene Percelli, Director of Millville Public Library, Gail Robinson, Director of Bridgeton Public Library, Assemblywoman Celeste Riley, Kathleen Peiffer, Associate State Librarian and Pat Tumulty, Executive Director of the New Jersey Library Association.
Assemblywoman Celeste Riley meets with library officials from New Jersey State Library Association. Pictured above (from left) Jean Edwards, Acting Director of the Cumberland County Library, Irene Percelli, Director of Millville Public Library, Gail Robinson, Director of Bridgeton Public Library, Assemblywoman Celeste Riley, Kathleen Peiffer, Associate State Librarian and Pat Tumulty, Executive Director of the New Jersey Library Association.