When Susan Briant took over as the library director eight years ago, she knew there were going to be significant challenges. She was charged with the task of reinventing the library for a generation of technology-minded people.
“Technology has really changed since I took over as the director in 2007,” she said. “Almost as soon as I took over as the director, the world changed in a lot of ways. As a result of that change, we had to really reinvent the library to make it appeal to the new generation.”
To do so, Briant begin implementing more technology into the library, beginning with the addition of e-books.
“We really vamped up the amount of digital media we offered,” she said. “It started with the e-books, but it also included audio books and access to databases.”
Briant not only updated the technology the library offered its patrons, but also the technology the staff used as well.
During the last several years, Briant has updated the computer software and hardware used by the library staff, which has enabled the library to offer more to the community.
“We were very limited in what we were able to offer because we didn’t have the means to actually make it happen,” she said. “ But now we’re in a place where we can offer more, and we’re hoping to continue to improve our systems to make the library a viable place for people to come.”
Making the library a viable option for the community is another issue Briant has had to deal with during her tenure. According to Briant, many people no longer feel libraries are necessary, due to the inclusion of computers in nearly every home.
“There is certainly a growing attitude that libraries are fading away and they no longer play an integral role in the community anymore,” she said. “ That’s just not true. Libraries are just as important now as they have ever been. It’s the only building in a community that services every age group. Libraries are still extremely relevant.”
To keep the library relevant, Briant is pushing to continue the updates. The library has added a wealth of teen and adult programs and computer classes, which she feels have been very beneficial to the community.
But, with all the technology updates and added classes, Briant is most excited about the upcoming renovation to the library building. Renovating the library has been an issue in the borough for nearly three decades, and Briant is very excited about what the renovations will mean for the future.
“We are in the process of beginning to think about the renovations,” Briant said. “We’re hoping to expand our teen and children’s sections, which will allow us to hold more programs. We’re hoping to open up the layout of the library to make it more enjoyable for people to come here.”
The renovation plan is still in the preliminary stages, with concept plans being drawn up. There are still no expected dates for decisions, but a special Library Board of Trustees meeting has been scheduled for Aug. 12 to discuss the plans.
“This has been an issue in Haddonfield for a long time,” Briant said. “Along with all the other improvements to the library over the last 10 years, the library renovation is going to change what we can do. We’re in an exciting time and we can now offer a lot to the community.”
