Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Somerset County Library System Initiates Heirloom Seed Saver Exchange Program at Peapack & Gladstone Library

The Roman philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero said, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”

By visiting Peapack & Gladstone Library located at the Municipal Complex on School Street, SCLS patrons will be able to “check out” Cicero’s definition of everything. In addition to the library’s normal compilation of movies, books, and music, free seed packets are now available as part of the System’s inaugural Heirloom Seed Saver Exchange Program.

The goal of SCLS’s Heirloom Seed Saver Exchange Program initiative is to promote community food grown in Somerset County and to help pass on gardening heritage. Following the completion of the growing season, patrons are encouraged to return the seeds to the library for redistribution and replanting the following spring.

Books and articles on managing and maintaining fruit, vegetable, and flower gardens are available at all 10 branch locations. For additional information about this program, please call (908) 234-0598.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Somerset County Library System Receives National Recognition for Cutting-edge Technology in Library Services

The Somerset County Library System (SCLS) was recognized at the 2014 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Las Vegas for its use of ‘Cutting-edge Technology in Library Services’. The award was presented by the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy and the Library & Information Technology Association.

Richard Loomis, Digital Services Manager, attended the session to receive both the award and to speak further on SCLS’s ‘Cut-rate Digital Sign Boards’. These digital sign boards can be seen around the 10 branch system - being used to promote library events and general information about the library.