Jersey City recently cut the ribbon on the brand new Communipaw Library Branch of the Jersey City Free Public Library (JCFPL) with the City Council and Mayor Steven M. Fulop on hand for the celebration. Located in the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood next to the Liberty State Park Light Rail Station at 295 Johnston Avenue, the facility occupies the first floor of a five-story residential building. The city negotiated a giveback with the developer of the new building and paid $1 to purchase the property.
The Communipaw Library Branch joins the JCFPL, the largest municipal library system in New Jersey with ten branches and a bookmobile. The new facility is designed to be the public innovation hub for Jersey City. What sets the new branch apart is a community-focused commitment to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) learning.
“As we introduce our newest library, the Communipaw Branch, we are dedicated to bridging the gap in access to technology within our community. This branch will serve as a dynamic hub for STEAM learning, equipped with a makerspace that includes a range of tools from 3D printers to a recording studio,” said Jersey City Free Public Library Director Terry B. Hill. He added, “With these tools, Jersey City Free Public Library aims to empower individuals of all ages with the skills and resources necessary to thrive in an increasingly digital world.”
The branch offers several amenities to serve the community including; a makerspace with hands-on tools for experimentation, innovation and collaboration; 3-D printer available to the public with an instructor assigned to assist; multimedia recording studio equipped with a complete A/V technology system in a soundproof room; podcast room allowing small business owners, students, and everyone else to create their own podcasts; community conference room, a multi-purpose, 50-seat room for meetings; and the Children’s Center, a colorful space with hundreds of children’s books, plus a variety of scheduled programming and hundreds of educational games. They will also offer workshops on coding, digital media production, 3D printing and more for adults and children.
“With the opening of this new library branch and all of the innovative tools we are making publicly accessible here, we are going well beyond what traditional libraries offer as part of our ongoing efforts to create a more equitable and connected community,” Mayor Fulop said. “Our goal is to empower residents of all ages to explore new skills and create opportunities that may not have otherwise been available.”
