Wednesday, January 06, 2010

LEAVE A LEGACY...BUILD A LIBRARY
campaign news!

Towering above the foundation work, steel is rising and floors are visible! Check out the next photo to see our future Community Room. Aside from relieving our SRO programs, it will offer community organizations and businesses a place for all-day meetings with high tech support and easy access to local restaurants and services! A meeting PLUS coffee at It's a Grind, or a cupcake at Sugar and Sunshine? What could be finer?
9-12-2008 Now clearly visible is the framework on the left front side, opposite the community room, where a dedicated art gallery will be located. You'll park your car in a spacious lot and be treated to a sneak preview through the windows, at our latest art exhibit!
Taking the long view, across the Village Square, the Library looks very much like a sheet of the architect's original sketch book! Impressionistic. And oh, so fine! 10-14-2008 What progress! Rapidly, the skeleton is filling in. Blocks are rising quickly as the race to enclose the building by winter continues! To steal a line from a beloved book, a morning glory (as well as a library) grows in Plainsboro! Enjoy a stroll round the Village Center and check out the library site! If you have children, be sure to look high on the left side of the third floor. You should be able to see a round cut out in the roof! Just wait! That will house a nifty skylight for a magical reading nook in the Children's Room!


11-5-2008 The New Library has rapidly been dressed with block and makes the progress hard to see. BUT INSIDE, studs and ducts are lining up in perfect fashion. It is not hard for those of us with the plans in mind, to envision the final product! Here's a pictorial sneak peek!




You are looking at our future gallery! Imagine that you have just entered the library, turned left, passed the cafe reading area, and are admiring one of our many monthly exhibits! The corner windows on the left, are situated on the front left corner of the building, as you face it.








The second floor will boast "QUIET" for offices, small study rooms, the Health Education Center, reference services and research. Here, one sees the framing, well underway, for offices










Elsie the Cow will be standing about here, overseeing the bustling activity down below. Housed cleverly by the architects of BKSK in our new History Room. Elsie has a unique weathervane. Do YOU know why she points N, S, W, G?
As you leave the library, with a high flying canopy over your head, look out to neighbors around the Village Square! And imagine the Arts Festival, Diwali, Holi, Chinese New Year, ALL bursting out of the Library, and onto the green! We shouldn't even have to run mile long extension cords to power the audio!




12-3-2008 As one watches the building take shape, there is genuine appreciation for the many, many strands that are woven together to create the whole. There are teams of people--architects, contractors, masons, electricians, inspectors-- who must all coordinate their work. There are a myriad of materials, approved and tested for use, arriving, stockpiled, ready for use. And of course there are good days. And bad days. But what is very clear, is that Plainsboro Public Library is blessed with an exceptional team! Here is the latest photographic news:





The bricks that will dress out the cinderblock walls...
The walls, with temporary winterized windows, waiting for the bricks!The stones that will create the entry wall...
AND the pouring of the final concrete slab, to create the floor of the Children's Room--way, way, way up high!
12-17-2008 Time out for thanks to the many, people and teams that are making this magnificent Libary jump off the paper. Pacing the site and watching over every little detail, inside and out, are BKSK Architects reps Erin Carraher and Keith Pitocchi.









Dr. Seuss would have enjoyed today's OObleck falling from the sky. Rain? Snow? Whatever...mixing to make MUD. Check out the vista as you leave the future parking lot, and approach the gallery (two windows) and front entrance (canopy supports in place).


Inside the winterized structure, there is a beehive of activity. Take a look and you will see two floors of action, tools ready for every task, silver ducts waiting to be installed, bathroom plumbing taking shape, and EVEN, the cubby where books can be returned for efficient processing! Yes! Everything's up to date in "Plainsboro City!!!"




2-19-2009 As the building develops, you can begin to see the wonderful possibilities that have been included in the plan. For example, in the front right section of the building will be our future Community Room. In this space, local groups can hold large scale events, community business groups can meet on a regular basis, library programs won't have to be SRO, AND (already gaining speed) groups and individuals interested in developing local theater productions, will have a place to call home, with state of the art av support! If YOU are intrested in drama--give us a call and get involved at the ground level! Here's the vision:

And here's the building progress, with the Community Room coming at you on the right side! (Thanks to Erin Carraher at BKSK for the magic of composite photography! 3-26-2009 Yikes! The Library is turning BLACK!!! But it's all for the good. In preparation for the installation of bricks, a layer of waterproofing is being sprayed on. Next comes a layer of PINK insulation, and finally the thousands of carefully selected bricks will start lining up!! Be on the lookout for the arrival of our expansive glass surfaces as well! Once that is installed, work inside the waterproof structure will zoom ahead!












4-8-2009 As promised, the facade is morphing from its black coat of waterproofing, to its pink coat of insulation....Watch fantasy castle-like vision take over the entire structure....and then...and then...the bricks!











4-23-2009 It may look like nothing is happenng, but peek on the Scudders Mill Road side of the building, toward the front, and you will see that a test window is being installed. This is a vital checkpoint, as there our many, many large expanses of glass in the new building! They must be perfectly set. Other excitement includes the delivery of bricks, which will start marching along the cinderblock walls, once good weather (read that NO RAIN) returns for several days!
It's possible now to imagine the finished product, sitting proudly at the head of the square! Plans for technology, security and furnishings are all set. At 641, intense planning is already in gear for the move--tossing ancient files, evaluating collection materials, planning for the new Health Center and much, much more.












4-27-2009 Drink in this picture of the back side of the building! The march of the The march of the bricks has begun in earnest!!! Estimates project 60+ days to complete the brickwork...given dry weather! Strike up that band! Upward march! Left...right...left...right;"

5-27-2009 Oh so many exciting advances to the facade! Bricks marching along, even on weekends, and window mullions almost complete. Being cognizant that the summer will be focusing on Mother Nature, this photo medley even gives you a longshot from Sudders Mill Road, through some greenery; and two shots looking out the front at the Village Square--all bursting with spring green and out the back, through the protective tarps, toward our future neighbor, the Queenship of Mary Church. For lovers of back hoes and bulldozers, there's a couple of shots to make clear how many contraptions are needed to get cement, to the workers high on the motorized scaffolding! And for those wondering what is going on inside....documentation that even though the building is not yet "sealed," work continues inside as well--witness the electric panel, installed and just waiting for power!!






7-20-2009 We have been waiting a loooonnnnngggg time for glass to be installed! Look at these pics! It's happening. The sealing of the building with windows will enable lots in interior detail, electronic,wiring work to proceed! Enjoy the reflections!


9-10-2009 So many things are bursting into life inside the library. As the glass continues to march around the building, the start of a glorious interior is visible. There are full functioning (and beautiful) lights sweeping up from the ground floor to the second floor balcony. Here's a panoramic shot, as well as a close up to give the idea!












Red will rule at the Reference Desk on the Second Floor! All questions welcomed!!! Yellow will radiate from the Children's Room on the Third Floor! AND, light will stream into the third floor from a skylight! Here's the mock up of the surrounding cylinder that will be filled with electronic light for the reading pit in the Children's Room.
Forgive the instrusion of staff pragmatics, but below is a very exciting, genuine closet for staff coats!!!


10-8-2009 With the building almost enclosed, more and more details of the interior landscape are being installed and "polished"!

11-11-2009 There is great excitement today! For the first time, at approximately 2:50, the protective chain-link fences came down! This means you can step a little closer to see the work that is continuing inside! Millwork is loaded into the community room, waiting for installation. In a short while, carpeting will be arriving. Miles of wire, connecting all three floors to the internet, and bringing in wireless, are already installed in the walls. There is lots of finishing work to do, but we are getting closer and c l o s e r and C L O S E R!

Thanks to the corporations and individuals of Plainsboro, we have raised $1.7 million with a goal of $2 million. Don't be left out! Join the team of supporters who are making this glorious facility possible! We'll update here regularly! week. For more info and forms, see our website at
http://www.lmxac.org/plainsboro/HTML/PPLFrame-Capital.html


Our thanks to the following pace-setting donors, who have laid the foundation for our dynamic campaign:
BUSINESSES
Alexander M. Swan, M.D., FACP, Nephrology, Hypertension
Align Chiropractic
Art Nail Spa
Bagel Street
Bank of America
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Cando Fitness and Koi Spa
Casa Rosario's
Childrens Preferred Care
CME Associates
Comag Marketing Group, LLC
The Digital Group
Easy Street Hair Cuttery
EECP Treatment Center of North America
Elitech, Inc.
Firmenich
1st Constitution Bank
Goldcore Jewelers, Inc.
Harmony School
IH Engineers, PC
Ivy Realty
Kroll Direct Marketing
M3 Realty
MMMassage
McCarthy and Schatzman, P.A.
National Business Parks
Noto Insurance
Novo Nordisk
Patrinely Group, LLC
PDS Consulting LLC
Plainsboro Liquors
PNC Bank
Princeton Courtyard
Princeton Forrestal Village, LLC
Princeton Healthcare System
Princeton Partners
Princeton University
Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals
RE Cap
Romeo's
Salt Creek Grille
Saul Ewing
SES
Shawnee
Smith Pizzutillo, LLC
Sugar and Sunshine Bakery
Tooth Fairy Dental Spa
UPS
Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village
Winston Hotels, Inc
Zargis Medical

INDIVIDUALS
Anil and Reena Arora
Gary Appleby
Bubbarao and Satya Lakshmi Badeti
Benjamin H. and Inha Bae
Jinny and Bill Baeckler
Woon C. and Jieun Bak
Prakash and Shoban Bantwal
Lewis Barringer
Howard Becker
Marjorie Behrens
William J. Bolger
Consuelo A. Bonillas
Deborah Brett
Ray and Gigi Burton
Edgar and Elizabeth Buttenheim
Mayor Peter and Gale Cantu
Iris Chang
Tai Ching Chang
Stuart and Lance Chen-Hayes
Mei T. and David Chiu
Elizabeth Counselman
Stuart and Lance Chen-Hayes
Gay and Russ Culin
Russell and Donna Culin
William Damron and Faye Best-Damron
Dr. Lama and Esme Dayaratna
Elka Dela Llana
George and Joan Denzer
Anjana Desai
Michael Doney
Ilene Dube
Frank A. Dottore
Ed and Marie Farris
James Finckenauer
Diane and Michael Ford
Veronica L Freyvogel
Srinivas Prasad Ganti
Ginger Gold
Hope Goldstein
George and Janet Gordon
Richard Gould
Lee and Robert Gunther-Mohr
Jeanette H. Haggerty
Tom Hall
Dorothy Hanle
Bin He
Virginia Herring
Yvette O. Higa
Lynn Hoff
Gerald and Patricia Hullfish
Mary T. Hunsicker
Nanci and Robert Jacobson
Sapna and Ravindran Jeevan
Minhong Ji
Audrey E. Johnson
Sydney and Jennifer Johnson
Dr. and Mrs. Saul Katz
William Kennedy
Henry Kent-Smith & Barbara Brubaker
Greta Kiernan
Paul and Leslie Kiernan
Kim Klinger
Nilesh and Neera Kothary
Jeanne V. Kuhlman
Anju Lad
Ruth and Julian Levy
Leilani and Miyah Lewis
Dr. Neil and Nancy Lewis
Lennie and Sol Libes
Kevin and Ying Liu
Jeffrey Jian Lou and Huiling Chen
Pat Luther
Avron B. Magram
Phyllis Manuel
David and Rosalie Markowitz
W. Marshall and Cornelia C. Schmidt
Clifford and Sara Maurer
Sonia McDaid
Marion Mezzetti
Shalini-Munish Modgil
Ed Moeller and Betty Harris
Meera Mohan
Dorothy C. Moore
Demirkaya Mustafa
Ravichandran Narasimhan and Neela Narayanan
Theodora Nessas
Victor and Tina Ngai
Jane Nowakowski and Kevin Mulcahy
Joseph S. Orban
Richard and Elizabeth Orth
Phaneendra S. Pannala
Kinner Patel
Shriram Phadke
May Qi
Carol and Don Quick
Dr. P. Radhakrishnan
Revathy Ravichandran
Dr. Frances Reichl
Betty Rimalover
Bob and Robyn Ringler
Karin B. Rosengren
Arthur and Gloria Jean Ryba
Vivek and Neeru Sachdeva
Dr. Shankar Santhanam
Julie and Kevin Sawchuk
C. James and Mary Ann Scheirer
Robert Schwartz
Donald and Francine Shames
K. and Anbuselvi Shanmuganandamurthy
Henry K. Smith
Dr. M. Somasundaram
Tatiana Sougakova and Larry Marfitsin
Paul Spagnoli
Gary Stehr
Brian Stevens
William and Elpia Summerscales
Mei-Li Sung
Claudia, Sophie and Stephen Taran
Chris Tarr
Meghall and Ketan Thakker
Emily and Guy Townsend
Harvey and Jan Trabb
Venkata Vajipeyajula
Veronica Vilardo
Knut Wassermann
Richard and Lori Watson
Donna Weintraub
Ruth and Charles West
Jeanette and John J. Wiegartner
Dr. Barbara Wright
Drs. Jinn and Ze Al C. Wu
Rong Xiao
Cheri and Jeffrey Zaro
Jishen C. Zhao
Bixing Zheng

TRIBUTES AND MEMORIALS

IN CELEBRATION OF NEIL LEWIS' 60th Birthday
Gail and Dennis Alba
Assaf and Francine Amir
Michele Alperin
Benjamin H. and Inha Bae
Sally and Dan Brent
Barbara Brubaker
Peter and Gale Cantu
Hilary Charney
Eve Coulson
Arlene and Stanley Dorfman
Michele and Jeffrey Epstein
Richard and Sheryl Feinstein
Louise and Spencer Forman
Martha Friedman
David and Andrea Gaynor
Linda and Michael Greenstein
Jonathan and Susan Gross
Dany Harel
Harold Heft
Barbara and David Kalmus
Seva and Peter Kramer
John and Jo Ethel Kendall
Henry L. Kent-Smith
Greta Kiernan
Mindy and Corey Langer
Arthur J. Lehrhaupt
Joan and Mark Levin
Amy and Jeffrey Mattes
Nelson Obus
Nancy A. Osborn
David Pallotta
Gilda and Stephen Paul
Melvin and Sydell Ruth Schulman
Steven Sheriff
Assia Shvartz
Michael T. and Stephanie M. Weaver

IN MEMORY OF EVELYN LEWIS

Sally Steinberg-Brent
Peter and Gale Cantu
Martha Friedman and Harold Heft
Helaine and Hanan Isaacs
Rhoda Besso Stein
Michael T. and Stephanie M. Weaver
Drs. Jinn and Ze Al C. Wu


IN MEMORY OF ROSE THOMPSON
American Legion Post 148
Sandra T. Ayres
Mr. and Mrs. James A. Britton
Elain and Richard Davison
Cheryl Foruchtman
Doris and Albert Giangrosso

Gerald and Patricia Hullfish
Jack Kassapian
Neil and Nancy Lewis
Marilyn Murphy
Denzil and Charlotte Rupert
Mr. and Mrs. Donald R. Saunders
Robert and Carol Schwartz
John W. Seiber
Francine and Donald Shames
Rosemarie Shangle-Johnson
Joan Simon
Joseph Stonaker and Julia Bowers Coale
Robert and Betty Thompson
Robert and Martha Watlington
Michael and Stephanie Weaver
Thomas and Patricia Westley
Steve and Stephanie Wincott



IN MEMORY OF CHARLES M. HAYES
Helen E. Cox
The Chen-Hayes Family



IN MEMORY OF DESPINA NESSAS

TheodoraNessas


IN MEMORY OF SUE BERLIN

Hilly Berlin


IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH ORYSHKEVICH


Joseph Oryshkevich

COMMUNITY GROUPS
Ace Hardware
Anonymous Donor
Asian Market
Aspen Home Owner's Association
Central Jersey Chinese American Association Women's Club
Forrestal Village Fountains
Friends of Plainsboro Public Library
Harmony School at Forrestal Village
Lotus Garden
Millstone River School
Plainsboro Public Library
Staff and Patrons of 1st Constitution Bank
Wicoff School
Wicoff Elementary School PTA
Windrows Library Committee
Wireless 'n You

IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS
Ace Hardware
Can Do Fitness Club of Princeton
Deborah Stern
Desi Corner
Dmitri and Caroline Karetnikov

Harrison Conference Center and Hotel

Hermitage Press
It's a Grind
Plainsboro Wine and Liquors
Princeton Partners
Mei-Li Sung
Super Fresh
Tre Piani
UPS
Village Store
Wireless 'n You
Wyndham Princeton Forrestal Hotel and Conference Center

FOUNDATIONS
F.I.S.H.
Integra Foundation
The PNC Foundation
Verizon Foundation
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Weingart Family Fund of the Community Foundation of New Jersey


GOVERNMENT GRANTS
Middlesex County

NJ Department of Treasury
NJ Department of Community Affairs


We urge you and your family, your workmates and ANY group you are a part of, to make a pledge and join in the many ongoing fundraising efforts!

CHANGE FOR CHANGE: Here's a great chance for kids to see that every little bit saved, makes a BIG difference! Get into the habit of bringing your change to the VORTEX at theLibrary, or to the change counter at 1st Constitution Bank at 11 Schalks Crossing Road, or the PNC branch at the corner of Schalks and Plainsboro Road. If you have a large jug of coins, we can give you a tax receipt! Toothfairy Dental Spa kicked us off with their water jug at $1,184.30! Our Kick0ff at 1st Constitution raised $959.63. Every child and parent at Harmony School and Wicoff School have filled their very own cup with coins. Village School has just come on board with cups for every classroom! Our current total is $13,596.32! Would your group like cups, bottles or donation boxes to help with the effort?




MC CAFFREY'S RECEIPTS: Bring them to the Library, put them in the collection box, and we'll turn them into $$, thanks to the generosity of McCaffrey's.

GOOD SEARCH: Why google, when you can Goodsearch. Just log onto goodsearch.com (a yahoo product) and pull down the scroll bar to verify you are searching for Plainsboro Public Library. They'll donate a penny for every search!




GOODSHOP.COM: Check out the details below. You can shop online at over 700 companies, all of which give us a percentage!

SPLASH PARTY!!!!

Special kudos to CAN DO Fitness Club, which hosted a very special celebration for meeting the Change For Change Drive goal of $10,000. Staff and donors truly enjoyed the "payoff" for their diligent work. Now for the NEXT $10,000 in coins! (And if you haven't dropped in to see this facility, RUN there! It is fabulous!)


Sugar and Sunshine Bakery supports Library Campaign with thoroughly modern methods!

Gigi and Ray Burton, owners of Sugar and Sunshine Bakery managed to cover their store AND help the library LAST year during Founders' Day, when they were barely open. THIS year, with goodies already baked, and rain cancelling the event, they preserved their absolute "same day baked" credo by swiftly setting up a cupcake sale through Facebook, and other electronic tricks to say SUPPORT THE LIBRARY, come and enjoy the cupcakes "in house" and the profit will go toward the new library! What special folks! Good old-fashioned hard work wrapped up in an all new tech package! And here's the latest news! The Star Ledger sent their Munchmobile all over New Jersey seeking the best cupcakes. Nine stops, six counties and multiple cups of milk and cofffee later, PLAINSOBORO's own ended in the elite tier. Indeed Gigi's chocolate cupcake was branded "the best chocolate cupcake in the state. Period." Hurry on over!!

Jammie Day at Wicoff
School Rules!

Permission to wear your p.j.s to school? YES! Students at Wicoff School enjoyed a fun filled day of stories and learning in their jammies, for a small contribution! This year's charitable donations, well over $600, went to Plainsboro Library's Change for Change Campaign! If ever there is a question that pictures = thousands of words, Jammie Day is proof! Enjoy a vibrant selection provided by Laura Bruce, administrator in training at Wicoff School! OUR THANKS TO the entire Wicoff School staff, students and families for your great support and esprit!
Clockwise: Arpun Bains from Mrs. McClendon's first grade; Jessica Xu from Mrs. Larsen's Kindergarten class;
Morgan Walters and members of Mrs. Cox and Mrs. Weaver's 32rd grade Team;
Steven Le and Sebastian Smith in Mrs. Perry's kindergarten class!


...and PNC Bank rewards Wicoff 's work!
Branch Manager Nevin Harfouche
promised to match the first $500 of Wicoff School's Change for Change campaign. Against the backdrop of Shakespeare's Henry the Fourth production at the Library, she presented a check to Wicoff teacher Terri McClendon, and students Drew McClendon, Darrah McClendon and Lea Goldhammer. A joyous occasion for all, especially Director Jinny Baeckler.

Central Jersey Chinese American Association Women's Club Contribution

Library Director Jinny Baeckler greeted the Year of the Pig by receiving a personally delivered donation from officers and members of the Central Jersey Chinese American Association Women's Group. The Library is VERY grateful to the organization for both its committment to the Library's cultural programs and its financial assistance with the largest program we have undertaken in our history--building the NEXT great library! (in the photo, left-right: Amy Horng, staff member Wei Gao, Vickie Gao, Director Jinny Baeckler, Winnie Wang, Xinwan Huang and Jane Chen)

HARMONY SCHOOL VISITS the VORTEX!








There was great excitement as the three and four year old classes of Harmony School at Forrestal Village visited the library for a bit of science and a great donation! All together, the children put hundreds and hundreds of coins into the vortex, totalling $162.54! Our thanks to Lisa Forrester, the parents, AND the future scientists!
JOSH LEVY'S SCOUT SERVICE nets $86.30 FOR THE NEW LIBRARY!

Library visitors were delighted to take Josh up on his offer of a cup of tea one recent weekend! The price was right, and the money all went to a great cause--building the new library!
Our thanks to the dynamic rep from local scout troup 759!

THE JOYS OF GIVING!
Check out the size of this donation! Thanks to all the little people who are joining in the Change for Change campaign. Do you have your cup?