Services

Our Mission

The Library's primary mission is to encourage reading and to provide for the educational, recreational and informational needs of its users by offering the broadest range of materials and programming to the diverse West Orange community. The Library provides a varied and extensive collection of current fiction, nonfiction, and audio-visual material. It maintains and continues to develop a high quality collection of general reading materials on a wide variety of subjects. It uses state-of-the-art technology to improve access to global resources. It also maintains a distinct collection of materials unique to the Township of West Orange and of special interest to Township residents and community organizations.
 

Membership

Membership in the West Orange Library is available free of charge to anyone who lives, owns property, or attends school in West Orange. If you work in West Orange, you may apply for a Courtesy card which allows for use of the Library with some restrictions. If you wish to purchase a West Orange Library membership, the annual fee is $100. The use of a Library card is limited to the individual named on the card.
 

Our Collection

The West Orange Library maintains an extensive collection of books, audio-visual materials, online resources, periodicals and newspapers. Most of the collection is available for loan. Many back issues of periodicals and newspapers are available online or on microform.
 

Children's Department

The Children's Department is dedicated to serving children from pre-school through the sixth grade. In addition to books, the Children's Department offers many other services and materials, including pre-school story hours, class visits, movies, summer reading activities, help with homework assignments, audio-visual materials, book discussion groups and family programming.
 

Reference Services

Reference Librarians are available to offer guidance in using the library and its resources. Librarians can assist you in locating the right materials in the library or through regional borrowing, suggesting a book, using the online library catalog, basica computer instruction and library technologies, in person research, and with the local history collection.

The Reference Department can be reached directly at 973-736-0196 or by email. The Department is available during regularly scheduled hours of the Library.
 

Reserves & Interlibrary Loans

If you are interested in an item that is checked out to someone else, you can place a reserve on the item. You will be notified by telephone when the item is available and it will be held for you. You can also request an item not owned by the Library. We will either purchase the item or will attempt to borrow it from another library.
 

Local Interest

The library maintains microfilm collections of the West Orange Chronicle (1942 - present) and the Directory of the Oranges (1879 - 1956), as well as online  and hard copy access. The Library Collection also includes many books focusing on the Township and related topics. The Yearbooks from West Orange High School and Mountain High School are available in hardcopy and a selection is offered digitally from our Yearbook Portal on the Library's Website.
 

LibraryLinkNJ

The West Orange Library is a member of LibraryLinkNJ, a statewide library cooperative that helps libraries of all types share resources, maximize purchasing power through the economies of scale, collectively access high quality electronic resources, and implement new services models for 21st century service to New Jersey residents.

LibraryLinkNJ, through its funding by the State Library, also provides statewide delivery of library materials throughout New Jersey and continuing education and technical workshops for librarians and library staff statewide.

Home Delivery

West Orange Public Library offers homebound delivery. We deliver to private residences, apartments, and senior group homes. Deliveries are made every Friday. Please call by Thursday to notify our drivers of any returns you wish them to pick up. 

To register for home delivery call 973-736-0198

Senior Transportation to the Library

The Township provides curb-to-curb transportation, within West Orange, to residents age 60 and over on a call-in basis. Residents must be ambulatory and able to meet drivers at the curb and board the bus on their own or bring an aide with them for assistance. A safety step is now available with assistance from the driver if needed. 

Requests for transportation should be made at least 2 - 3 days in advance. Due to scheduling procedures, make allowance for a 15-minute waiting time for pick-ups to and from appointments. The dispatcher will make every effort to accommodate your needs. Trips to food shopping include drop-offs at the West Orange Public Library and other local shopping plazas.

For more information about Senior Transport visit the West Orange town website or call 973-325-4134