All of West Milford, indeed all of New Jersey, was affected by Hurricane Sandy. Indeed, as residents of West Milford tried to return to normal lives, many came back to a resource they had previously said was obsolete: their public library. Without power, residents could use their electronic gadgets and the very gear that they said made the library obsolete and unnecessary.
On Friday, Nov. 2, 2012 my youngest child and I went to the library for some books about trains and mysteries for me. The parking lot was packed. The small building was breathing room only. People were sitting on the floor, leaning against walls and filling any available space, seeking temporary refuge from their homes that had no power. Most were using either library-provided computers or wi-fi, relying on their tiny public library to connect them with the rest of the electronic reliant world. The staff, many of whom still had no power in their own homes, went above and beyond, trying to assist people.
It is clear that West Milford needs a new library, one that can support the size of West Milford. I am asking residents to support a new library facility. Become a library champion or a friend of the library. Get your library card and use it. To paraphrase a popular credit card company, your library card and the resources it provides is priceless.
Gillian Buonanno
West Milford
(Gillian Buonanno is also director of the Wanaque Public Library)