Did you know that 40,000 people visit Disneyland every day? That's pretty amazing, isn't it? What's even more stunning is that on a typical day, more than four times that number – 160,242 people visit New Jersey's libraries. This week, National Library Week, libraries across New Jersey are participating in “Snapshot: One Day in the Life of Your Library” – our most important library advocacy event of the year. Participants collect and compile information, comments, and photographs from events in a typical library day. The results not only provide indisputable proof that libraries consistently provide invaluable services, but they also are an important tool in crafting the story of local libraries in the 21st century, and in educating decision makers at the federal, state, and local level of our value to the community. Bloomfield Public Library has chosen April 12, 2011 as our snapshot day. "Each day libraries across the state provide accurate information, employment help, assistance with navigating government websites, and a rich cultural experience to New Jersey’s residents. Snapshot Day allowed us to highlight the activities that occur on a typical day in our libraries and gave our customers the opportunity to describe the prominent role libraries play in their lives," said Norma Blake, New Jersey State Librarian. Patricia Tumulty, Executive Director of the New Jersey Library Association, said: "In these difficult economic times we are trying to figure out what would happen if we had no libraries in New Jersey by taking a snapshot of the incredible things that go on every day in New Jersey libraries." Many libraries will be using the statistics and comments they gathered at a local level. They will include photos, quotes and comments from their customers in their newsletters. They will share results with mayors, freeholders and other government officials. They will print photos and send them to their elected officials to showcase what is happening in their library on a daily basis.
Please visit the Bloomfield Public Library on April 12, 2011 and tell us how much your library means to you.
