Put Your Idea In Our Head

We seek to constantly improve our services. If you have an idea or suggestion, we invite you to put your idea in our head. There are some things we can change. Others we cannot. There are limitations placed upon the library such as available funding, staff and volunteer time, and laws. We will list the ideas that we receive on this page. If you would like a response or recognition for your idea, please leave us your name and contact information. Anonymous criticism will be accepted and reviewed, but unless you attach your name to the criticism we might not give it much weight. Just sayin. You can also leave a comment through our contact form.

Here are your latest ideas listed from newest to oldest:

• “Would you have a screening room so people can watch movies?”  Now that is an awesome idea…however at this time we just do not have the space.  We can suggest that if you would like some reviews on the movie you are to check out…just ask the front desk…they will be happy to pull up some reviews that might help your decision.
• “Can we place scanning instructions to thumb drive for copier available at the desk?”  Glad you asked…you will find a hand out at the front desk for both printing and scanning.
• “A knitting group, best buys for clothing”  A knitting group has been front and center lately…we are trying to find someone willing to teach a very basic class….so if you know of anyone please have them contact Laura.  The seminar on Best Buys falls under our category of presenting more programs to the community.
• “Flavored lifesavers”  Well that is the easiest request to fill.   Variety is always good.
• There have been suggestions to have musical, craft, art, fishing tournaments, in other words a wide variety of events and activities.   This is something that we are looking into very seriously and hope to be offering ALL of our patrons in the near future.
• “You are as great as the library is.”   THANK YOU! but we still strive to make it better.
• “You should have a homework section instead of just tables.”  You raise a good point, after school the library is very busy and can sometimes be noisy…remember you can always book one of the quiet study rooms for at least 1 hour and if no one else needs it you can reapply.  If you need help, let us know we will do our best to find you a quiet corner.
• “Can you purchase NYC Museum passes that patron can use?”  We currently have a program that includes the Guggenheim, Intrepid, and Grounds for Sculpture.  All you need to do is register online though our website and leave us a refundable $50.00 deposit.
• “Rent DVD/VHS recorders from the library.  Also have laptops and ipads for rent.”  This is something worth considering, however there would be a substantial cost to the library and then if it was damage the repair costs are also something to take into consideration.
• “Suggestion to have middle school/high school students read to our young patrons.”  This is a wonderful idea.  We have tried a few programs in the past with the older students but unfortunately, with their very busy schedules, both academic and sports, the programs sometimes get lost.  We will not give up and will continue to seek opportunities.
• “Advise people not to dog-ear the books.”  We are very fortunate that most of our patron treat our books with great care…but it is always good to put out a gentle reminder.
• We have had many requests for LEGO progams.  As many of you know, we are in the process of collecting your old LEGOS.  With your help we will be able to look into some fun programs.
• “Can you supply video game goggles that make you feel like you are in the game?”  Although this would add a lot more excitement to the game….unfortunately, this would be a health issue if many people were sharing the glasses. 
• “Stop being AWESOME!!!!!”   Well Thank You but that is one request we will just have to ignore….our goal is to be MORE AWESOME!!!!!!
• “I like the books in the children’s room but I want pizza parties for kids.”  Who doesn’t love a good pizza.  We will pass this on to Miss Cindy and see if it is possible to run a special program.
• “Have the movies go out for a month.”  We have decided to circulate our movies for only a week due to popular demand.  This allows more patrons to have the opportunity to watch them.  Of course, when you are taking the tv series, we do  have you 4 weeks.
• “Can you offer more programs for children during the summer?”  We are always investigating programs that will be fun and educational for our younger patrons especially during the summer.  If anyone has any specific ideas we would love to talk to you next time you visit the library. 
• “Can we have a kids movie night?”  Currently we offer a foreign film series in the evening sponsored by THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.  Perhaps we can speak to them and inquire about having “Family Movie Night” that can be enjoyed by the entire family.
• “Is it possible to offer an evening Yoga Class?”  This is a great idea, we understand not everyone is available during the day, it is something that would have to fit the schedule of the instructor…but certainly something we will investigate.
• “Can we do a Sand Art project?”  We are always looking for fun and easy projects to do on our Maker Space Wednesday workshops.  Keep your eye on the website calendar.
• “I would like to have a Halloween Costume Party.”  This sounds like a very fun idea….since it is now December, this gives us the time to possibly put a plan into motion.  Always watch the website for upcoming events.
• “Can you please add Nutrition books to the Children’s Section?”  This is a very important topic and we have asked Miss Cindy to please look into adding to our collection.
• “Can you please order more video games?”  Laura is always adding to our collection….if you have specific suggestions please talk with her.  Remember you can always use your library card and order through the BCCLS system.
• “Can we have more science books?”  It makes us very happy when our patrons are looking for more science….we will pass this request on to Miss Cindy…if you have any special suggestions for us stop in and see her.
• “Can we have a LEGO building tournament?”  Funny you should ask about this we are CURRENTLY collecting LEGOS now.   Please tell your friends and donate some old LEGOS and we will get this started.
• “Will you have any classes on How To Make A Book?”   This is a wonderful idea…keep watching the website for our Maker Space Wednesday programs…you may just see a class available.
• “Are there children’s book in the book sale?  “Yes!  Thanks to all of our patrons generous donations..you should always check our sale section outside the Children’s Room as we are always adding more books.”
• “Can we have Anime Drawing Classes?”  That is a great suggestion…if you  have any suggestions on a teacher, please contact Dave at the library.
• “Have movies stay out longer.” Our feature films and dvds may be borrowed for 1 week and our television sets may be borrowed for 4 weeks. Believe it or not, many libraries enforce shorter loan periods than this. We try to strike a balance between giving you time to watch the item and keeping your wait short.
• “Let Woodcliff Lake residents get books from other BCCLS libraries.” Yes, that would be awesome. Unfortunately, Woodcliff Lake does not support a library or library services in the same fashion as members of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System. Hillsdale Library, and most other municipal libraries are funded almost entirely by municipal tax support. If Woodcliff Lake were to provide a comparable level of funding for library services perhaps something could be worked out. A referendum to do just this was voted down in 2004. Please contact the library director if this issue is a concern for you.
• “You should have a homework section instead of just tables.” We are not sure what you are envisioning. Please be more specific.
• “Rent DVD recorders to convert VHS tapes to digital.” We are experimenting with a product now. If it works we will set up a workstation in the library.
• “Can you purchase NYC museum passes that patrons can take turns using?”  – (anonymous)  Why yes, we actually will be rolling out this service in a few weeks. The Friends of the Library have graciously funded passes to the Guggenheim, The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, and Grounds for Sculpture. Stay tuned!
• “Advise people to not dog ear books.” – (anonymous) We know, we know… There are many things that people should not do with public library books. We would ask that sticky notes not be used. Coffee and tea spills are frequently a problem. But the big no-no is taking them to the beach. We hate sand in the jackets. 
• “You should have a book of the month. Have kids from any town write a summary about a book of your choise (sic) and win prizes.” – Mary Bisharah. Mary, this is something we can consider. We do encourage kids to participate in our summer reading programs. The children do give oral reports on two books and receive prizes.
• “You should have little snacks for FREE!” – Cassidy Smith. Well, actually, from time to time we do place Life Savers at the main desk. Because mints are awesome! The way some of the adults take fist fulls you might think they were snacks! We do try to discourage eating within the library to cut down on crumbs and the “ick” factor.