Who may use the Washington Public Library?
How long may I borrow a book or video?
What if something I want is not in the
collection?
Do you have any special collections?
How many computers are available for public
use?
Do you have wireless Internet connections
available?
Who may use the library’s computers?
Can I search for a Washington Public
Library book from home?
What kinds of special programs does the
library offer?
What are your most popular items?
Who may use the
library? Any resident of Washington Borough is
eligible to use the library for free.
Business owners with local businesses and other property owners are also
entitled to cards, because they pay borough taxes. Most out of town borrowers must pay a small
fee each year, because they do not pay taxes in the borough. Borrowers participating in reciprocal
borrowing with Hackettstown Public Library may use this library without the
fee; the Hackettstown Public Library extends the same privileges to our
citizens.
How long may I borrow a book or video?
Books, magazines and audio books
(tapes and CDs) are lent for 2 weeks at a time, but before the book is overdue,
you may call and renew over the phone, unless there is a waiting list for the
book.
Videos (videocassettes and DVDs) are lent for 1 week at a time.
Fines for books, magazines and books on tape are $.10 per day.
Fines for books on CD, DVDs and videocassettes are $1.00 per
day. Fines must be paid before anything
else may be borrowed on that card.
What if something I want is not in
the collection? You have two choices:
1.
Fill
out a request form and ask the library to add it to the collection. If it is a fairly new item that falls within
the collection development criteria (and most requests do), we will attempt to
buy it. If not, there is always the
second option.
2.
Fill
out an interlibrary loan request form, and let us try to borrow it from another
library. Books more than a year old are
easily borrowed this way. All
interlibrary loans are at the discretion of the owning library, and we must
accept their conditions of use. However,
if you are often in Hackettstown or
Do you have any special collections?
Yes, several. They include
·
The
New Jersey Historical Collection, including microfilm of the Washington Star and Star-Gazette from 1868 and the Bathgate genealogical collection.
A digitized version of the Star
from 1868-1923 is also available on in-house Internet computers.
·
The
Emma Campbell Groves Collection of items celebrating African-American history
and culture.
·
The
Hans P. Meichsner Fine Arts Collection of books pertaining to American
illustrators and painters.
How many computers are available for
public use? There are now 14 computers in the public
area:
·
10
with both the Internet and Microsoft Office 2003, (thanks to a state grant from
the Department of Community Affairs), running Windows XP
·
2
with just Microsoft Office 2003,
·
1
with only OPAC software, for searching the library’s holdings,
·
1
with no Internet connection, but connected to in-house databases and the OPAC
(Online public access catalog).
Do you have wireless Internet
connections available? Yes, it has been available since July 2006,
thanks to a grant from the NJ State Library and Highlands Regional Library
Cooperative. Patrons are free to bring
their own laptops to access the Internet this way.
Who may use the library’s computers?
Anyone old enough to read. Minors
must have written permission from their parents or guardians to use the
Internet computers. Computer users must
show photo id when they sign up to use the machines.
Can I search for a 
icon and select the “search catalog” bar. To search for the holdings of other 
icon and follow instructions provided.
What kinds of special programs does the library offer?
Children’s programs include a Wednesday morning preschool story
time during the school year. During the
summer, there is a summer reading program for elementary school children, with
programs in July, but reading for rewards all summer. The library also attempts to procure all or
most of the books on the middle and high school reading lists (that we know
about), and keeps them in a special section during the summer. There are seasonal craft programs for all
ages.
Adult programs include support for the Washington Historical
Society and various craft and informational programs during the year.
What are your most popular items?
The DVD collection is growing, and use is also increasing
greatly, while books on CD are beginning to replace books on tape. Among adult books, fiction is more popular
than nonfiction, but the collection of “how-to” items is always well used.
Watch for a music CD collection to be unveiled later this fall.
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