Core Values

Our Vision

Where our community gathers, connects, grows, and discovers.

Our Mission

The Demarest Free Public Library is a welcoming community partner offering programs and services that encourage lifelong learning, foster creativity and exploration, and inspire connections.

As a member of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS), the library adheres to the directives of that group’s mission statement:

BCCLS empowers our member libraries by providing a collaborative framework made stronger by the uniqueness of its members. We demonstrate our commitment to collaboration through cost-effective resource sharing, shared professional development, and the fostering of initiatives to facilitate a forward-thinking public library system.

BCCLS Mission Statement

Our Goals

2024 Accomplishments

1. Optimize available space in the community to meet evolving needs.
   • Finish the renovation of the adult floor.
     • We have completed our upstairs renovation project, which included the addition of a new community room, a staff break room, an updated circulation area, and newly designed workstations.
     • A few improvements were made to the staff and patron bathrooms.
     • Completed the installation of new carpeting upstairs
   • Complete project to rearrange adult collections for better browsing flow.
     • Added a new Mystery section to the Adult Fiction area.
     • We have weeded all the audiobooks from our collection.
     • Continued modifying spine labels that required correction or re-cataloging.
     • Altered the layout of our collection to ensure a more positive experience for patrons and for staff when searching for holds.
   • Continue to enhance children’s non-fiction collection.
     • Expanded the variety of the current juvenile non-fiction collection and added updated materials to replace outdated books on ever-changing topics.
   • Revise categorization of children’s materials to facilitate locating items based on reading level.
     • We created a section for Easy Readers with color coded spine labels to be able to differentiate between each level.
     • We created a series section to separate serialized titles from the rest of Juvenile Fiction.
2. Increase public awareness and use of the library’s services and programs.
   • Continue to improve website accessibility and navigability.
     • Website updated with the latest WordPress platform in early 2024.
     • Continue to promote our social media presence online in order to enhance
       engagement rates compared to last year.
   • Increase marketing avenues.
     • Established a consistent outreach schedule on Facebook and Instagram to maximize community engagement with new programs and services.
     • Launched Fiero Code, an online learning platform that allows youth to develop coding skills using their Demarest library card, both locally and remotely.
     • Revamped the design and style of our adult newsletter to make it clearer and more reader-friendly.
   • Continue to work with Friends group and TAB on fundraising opportunities.
     • We successfully organized a book donation drive for the Friends of the Demarest Library, which received an overwhelming response from the community.
     • At Demarest Day, we hosted a booth where we assisted attendees with signing up for library cards and provided information about our services, answering any questions they had.
     • Support the Friends of the Library by promoting their efforts at every library event in Demarest.
3. Build a foundation to strengthen the library’s role within the community.
   • Work with neighboring towns and libraries to collaborate on cross-market
     programs.
     • Invited several youth educational programs into the library hosted by Teterboro High School to showcase different avenues of work in STEM fields.
   • Continue collaborations with Demarest schools and institutions.
     • As part of our outreach efforts, we collaborated with the Demarest co-op school to host story times throughout the year.
     • Continued to engage with local volunteers, providing them with meaningful opportunities to contribute by assisting in organizing library materials, crafting projects and some programming.
     • We resumed popular programs, such as the Kids Chess Club, collaborating with local residents to bring them back after a hiatus.
     • We made the brand-new community room available to various local organizations, including the Demarest PTO, the Garden Club, and the Girl Scouts, fostering collaboration and community engagement.
   • Support the Friends of the Library in their fundraising efforts.
     • Throughout the year, we actively promoted Friends of the Library events on our social media platforms to increase visibility and engagement.
     • Additionally, we provided the Friends with access to library spaces for their events whenever needed, supporting their initiatives and strengthening our partnership to benefit the community.

• 2023 Accomplishments
  1. Optimize available space in the community to meet evolving needs.
     • We weeded our media and large print collections and continue to update weak areas in adult non-fiction and juvenile Early Reader books.
     • We increased our OverDrive Advantage Plus collection and changed our purchasing strategy to decrease waitlist times.
     • We began creating monthly displays in the main reading room.
     • We moved magazines and newspapers to the main reading room.
     • We improved browsing in the children’s room with new and expanded sections.
     • We replaced the Stelfox St. doors.
     • We replaced the floors and baseboard trim in the children’s room.
  2. Increase public awareness and use of the library’s services and programs.
     • We experimented with new programs for adults, offering lectures on health, gardening, sustainable living, genealogy, financial planning, and history; concerts; food tastings; author talks; and take-home craft kits.
     • We ran a Peeps diorama contest for families and kids and a pumpkin decorating contest for adults and kids.
     • We offered special seasonal children’s programs including a teddy bear sleepover, Dog Man Days of Summer, a teddy bear picnic, and a Halloween costume swap.
     • We hosted several well-attended programs for teens, including a Super Bowl party, a Dungeons & Dragons club, and a Halloween movie night.
     • We offered many opportunities for teens to volunteer, including Teen Advisory Board storytimes, crafts and activities; a robotics course for kids; an AI presentation for adults, town events, and a Back-to-School Night Babysitting fundraiser.
  3. Build a foundation to strengthen the library’s role within the community.
     • The Friends of the Demarest Library received 501(c)(3) status, began their membership drive, and sponsored the children’s holiday party.
     • We held art exhibits from the Demarest Middle School and the Art School at Old Church, a pirate-themed storytime with Haworth and Closter Libraries and NVD High School students, and a penguin visit from Jenkinson’s Aquarium with Cresskill Library.
     • Our Youth Services Librarian visited the County Road School for special storytimes, hosted field trips for second- and fourth-graders, attended the Demarest Middle School graduation, and represented the library at the town’s Halloween Parade.
     • Our summer reading program featured weekly storytimes with local community leaders and the collaborative creation of a quilt.
     • We held author talks with two authors from Demarest.

• 2022 Accomplishments
  1. Optimize available space in the community to meet evolving needs.
     • We have worked to update our adult collections in weak areas, particularly parenting and large print.
     • We added a new VOX book collection in the Children’s Room to help new readers.
     • We have increased our purchasing of eBooks and digital audiobooks on Libby to meet demand.
     • We purchased new, updated computers for the Children’s and Teen Rooms.
  2. Increase public awareness and use of the library’s services and programs.
     • We worked with the newly-established Teen Advisory Board to create new programs.
     • We hosted several popular teen movie nights.
     • Our Teen Advisory Board organized many well-attended storytimes, parties, and other programs.
     • We established a regular Korean- and Hebrew-language storytime.
  3. Build a foundation to strengthen the library’s role within the community.
     • We have worked towards establishing a Friends of the Library group.
     • We participated in the Summer Concert Series, Demarest Day, and the borough’s Halloween Parade.
     • We worked with community members to offer programs in the Demarest Community Spotlight series, including Yoga with Anat Lavie, a concert from Rhoda Tillack and her daughter, and a local history lecture from Mary Anne Clarke, Borough Historian.