Library director reports programs, winter reading and adult-education partnership; trustees discuss outreach for Lew Street branch

Library Director January Adams told the Franklin Township Public Library Board of Trustees on Jan. 22 that adult and youth programming continues but branch usage varies, and trustees discussed stepped-up outreach to boost visits at the Lew Street branch.

In her operations report, Adams said the library hosted a First Steps Basic English course, a collaboration with Literacy Volunteers of Somerset County, the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board, Raritan Valley Community College and the Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission, and that the course concluded after several dozen students improved their English skills. She also said the library’s winter reading challenges began Dec. 23 and remain active.

Adams summarized recent program attendance and noted routine seasonal declines in December. When trustees asked about finances and budget pacing, Adams said the year-to-date figures placed the board about one-third through the budget year and spending below proportional levels: "You would be at the 33.3% of the budget year, and, overall, we were ... at 28.76," she reported.

Trustees spent substantial time on the Lew Street branch, where board members and community volunteers said foot traffic remains lower than expected. Trustees and attendees noted that the branch does not have a dedicated exterior entrance, requiring patrons to enter through the main building and sign in before reaching the library area. The lack of a separate door and the building’s visitor sign-in procedure were described as practical and security obstacles that could discourage parents with young children and teens.

Trustees and guests proposed several outreach steps, including reissuing a postcard to nearby residents, surveying students through schools to learn what programs would draw them, coordinating with the youth center to notify parents at drop-off times, and experimenting with targeted programming and incentives for teenagers. Trustee Tianna Gresham described the branch’s busiest window as late afternoons and early evenings and suggested weekday programs and incentives for teens to increase attendance. "It's very popular around, like, 5:00. And between, like, 5 and 7-ish, that's when it's a lot of kids there," Gresham said.

Board members agreed to continue tracking attendance and to consider outreach measures before proposing structural changes. One trustee urged the library to investigate whether adding a dedicated entrance opposite the handicapped parking would be physically and procedurally feasible; trustees noted both building modification constraints and security tradeoffs.

Ending: trustees accepted the director’s reports for filing and asked staff to continue collecting usage data to inform future outreach and any facilities changes.