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PALS Plus director and library leaders tell Passaic County commissioners libraries are lifelines for residents
Summary
PALS Plus Executive Director described examples of how county libraries assist job seekers, seniors, people re-entering society and residents without home internet access; presenters said libraries are increasingly focused on technology access, social services partnerships and defending free access to information.
Luca Manna, identified in the meeting as Executive Director of PALS Plus, and Mary Martin, described as director of the Waunakee Public Library and president of PALS Plus, told the Passaic County Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 21 that the county's library network provides essential services beyond books, including tech access, job support, outreach to shelters and services for people re-entering the community. "We're no longer just buildings filled with books, but we're vibrant, accessible resources that serve to educate, inspire and empower everyone," Manna said.
Manna offered multiple examples of library services: staff helping a recently released person prepare a résumé and apply for jobs, libraries supplying wireless hotspots to women's shelters, staff delivering books to nursing-home residents, and volunteer tutoring that helped a reader develop into a dedicated consumer of historical fiction. He described libraries as a place for job help, college and financial-aid applications, telehealth assistance and basic digital literacy. "Technology is no longer a luxury. It's a necessity for people. And libraries step in to bridge that gap," Manna said.
The presenters also highlighted libraries' role in crisis support and local partnerships. Manna cited partnerships with the Passaic County Department of Health, LIHEAP and DCHA and said libraries have hosted early voting and local literacy and social-services providers. He noted increasing demand for digital materials and a decade-long growth in digital usage.
Manna said librarians are also confronting book-banning and censorship issues at the front lines of free access to information, and he thanked the commissioners for sustained funding support. He encouraged continued county support and invited commissioners to visit local libraries. County officials did not record a formal action or funding vote in the transcript excerpt; the presentation was received by the board.
