[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 95 (Thursday, June 21, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1124]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING THE MORRIS COUNTY LIBRARY ON THEIR 90TH ANNIVERSARY

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                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 21, 2012

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Morris 
County Library located in the Township of Whippany, Morris County, New 
Jersey who are celebrating their 90th anniversary.
  The staff of the Morris County Library (MCL), through their dedicated 
hard work, has made the library a vibrant source of pride and activity 
for the local community. Following the passage of a bill in 1921 by the 
New Jersey Legislature to establish county libraries, the Morris County 
Library was formed in 1921 by a public vote. With over 10,000 books 
catalogued and a new book car to help their books reach the public, the 
library opened its doors in Morristown in 1922 to serve Morris County.
  The MCL continued to grow in its early years and by 1927 established 
a children's book section, which by the end of the year, saw every book 
in circulation checked out. The MCL also opened its resources to the 
local community with donations of books to the State Hospital at Morris 
Plains, Civilian Conservation Corps and the Morris County Jail. The MCL 
played a significant role in our nation's defense during World War II 
by becoming a federal depository for government publications, as well 
as boasting a large collection of books on U.S. defense.
  The MCL grew with the times, instituting an automated book catalog 
and circulation system in 1970 and a completely computerized catalog in 
1987. This growth meant that a new building was required to contain the 
resources and accommodate the future growth of this Morris County 
institution. An architectural plan for a new library was unveiled in 
1991 and by 2001 the new Morris County Library building in Whippany was 
dedicated. The new library contained group study rooms and public 
meeting rooms which instantly received high demand from the public. 
Their computer rooms also were capable of hosting training courses on a 
wide variety of subjects.
  Today, the Morris County Library serves 487,000 people with their 
collection of over 247,000 books and sees 521,000 borrows per year. In 
2011 alone, their reference desk answered 63,815 questions, several for 
my office! The meeting rooms of the library have also seen significant 
use hosting thousands of meetings a year. The MCL continues to partner 
with community organizations such as the AARP, Carol G. Simon Cancer 
Center and the U.S. Veteran's Administration. The MCL has seen a number 
of awards during its history, including the NJ Library Association 
Swartzburg Preservation Award and Librarian of the Year from the New 
York Times.
  The significant resources held in the library and these community 
partnerships would not be possible if not for the commitment shown by 
the staff of the Library. Their work on behalf of literacy and their 
community has made the Morris County Library a vital institution in 
Morris County and New Jersey.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in congratulating 
the staff of the Morris County Library as they celebrate their 90th 
anniversary.

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