HPL Recent Events - 2021
2021 Recent Events |
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HPL Book Club / Thank you, Ellie Rock!
After more than 10 years of leading the HPL Book Club, Ellie Rock is stepping down. Ellie has been a superb leader in every way - She has found some of the most thought-provoking and engrossing books to be discussed, always comes prepared with information about the books as well as the author, and knows how to lead a lively book discussion while including everyone. This, coupled with her unbridled enthusiasm for reading has made the HPL Book Club our most popular and long-running event. Ellie's last Book Club meeting is on Monday, Jan. 4th. Email us if you would like to join the Zoom meeting. The Book Club meetings will continue to be on the first Monday of each month. The next meeting is on Monday, February 1st. With heartfelt thanks for all you have done, Ellie, we wish you all the best. |
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Arnold Lesnever Retiring
After 15 years of service to Hopewell Public Library as our head of Information Technology, Arnold Lesnever retired on December 31, 2020. Arnold leaves with quite a legacy. In 2008, he managed the conversion of the library's card catalog from paper to computerized database. Thousands of author, title, and subject index cards were digitized with minimal interruption in access to the collection or inconvenience to patrons. It was Arnold who found and suggested we use the open-source integrated library management system called "KOHA," which we still use today; when Arnold discovered KOHA, it had only recently been introduced into the U.S., and HPL was one of the first libraries in New Jersey to adopt it. Because the software itself was free, the system saved the library thousands of dollars up front; then Arnold worked with the New Jersey State Library to get HPL onto the statewide JerseyConnect system, where the library's data is securely hosted today. After automating the library's collection and patron databases, Arnold set up the library's email hosting and WiFi. Many Hopewell residents attended Arnold's computer classes, held weekly at the library for more than a decade. This is the second time Arnold has retired. He joined HPL as an IT volunteer in 2005, after working for more than three decades. Arnold has a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering and worked in the Research Department of Western Electric/Lucent. Instead of retiring to the golf course, Arnold brought his expertise to Hopewell Public Library, and guided us into the computer age for another 15 years! As much as the library's staff and patrons have admired Arnold's knowledge, thoroughness, and ingenuity, we also appreciate him for his warmth, humor, and gentlemanly manner. He's one in a million, and we'll miss him terribly. There is nothing we would rather do than host a lavish retirement party in his honor, but, understandably in the year of Covid-19, this was not meant to be. So while you won't be able to raise a glass and congratulate Arnold on his second retirement, please do feel free to drop him a note, care of the library, before the end of the year. On behalf of the Staff and Board of Trustees, we extend Arnold our sincerest thanks for his service to the library and community and our best wishes for a happy and healthy retirement. |
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