Due to the dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases recently, the Friends of the Library have decided to suspend operations. As a consequence, the Library must stop accepting donations at this time. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

THE LIBRARY IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE NOW OFFERING COMPUTER USE, FAX, AND NOTARY SERVICES BY APPOINTMENT.

For instructions on how to make a reservation for computer use, click here.
For instructions on how to make an appointment to fax an item, click here.
For instructions on how to make an appointment to have an item notarized, click here.

CONTACTLESS CURBSIDE SERVICE HOURS ARE NOW OFFERED FROM 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, MONDAY THRU FRIDAY, AND SATURDAY FROM 9:00 AM -1:00 PM.

For details on how to take advantage of this service, click here. If you have any questions, contact our Reference Department by phone (609-581-4060, Ext. 2) for more information.  Due to the high volume of calls, you may not be answered immediately.  Please leave your name and phone number, and we will return calls in the order in which they are received.

Our outdoor book drops are open for returns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For the safety of our patrons and staff, returned materials are quarantined for a minimum of 72 hours, and then disinfected before being placed back on the shelf. We ask for your patience and understanding as items will remain on the cardholder’s account during this period. Patron’s will not be charged fines or fees for the time their items remain in quarantine.

Although the building itself is open only by appointment, access to online and digital resources remain available. Each day, we continue to update and increase the material we offer remotely – virtual tours, children’s programming, reader recommendations and more are just a click away. We have added many links to websites for children, teens and adults, and staff are available to answer your questions and concerns via email between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M., Monday thru Friday.

WI-FI is available from the parking lot and surrounding grounds – no password is required.

Please check our website or Facebook page frequently for updates as more information becomes available.

NJ Career Network Job Seeker Community

L2B Initiative Showcases Calendar of Free Online Events for Business Community

In the wake of the economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, L2B (Libraries to Business) announces the launch of its website, www.libs2b.com, a clearinghouse of online events and resources for the small business community. L2B seeks to connect individuals, small business owners, and entrepreneurs to assistance and development organizations that have shifted in-person meetings to online webinars. All events listed on the calendar are free of charge, do not require membership in order to attend, and are not limited to a certain geographic area. To get further information, to view the calendar and other resources, or to list your organization’s business or workforce development events to the L2B calendar, please visit: www.libs2b.com.

Teen Book Reviews

This year’s Summer Reading Program looked a little different than other years, so we had teens write book reviews for the Library website for volunteer time. To check out reviews from teens and our Teen Librarian, check out Teen Book Review.

STEMNauts Virtual Tutoring

For more information concerning COVID-19, click here

Additionally, the New Jersey State Bar Foundation has created an information and resource page for legal matters connected to or impacted by the current COVID-19 crisis.

Virtual Tours

We have a new page highlighting virtual tours and extra online access while we are closed.

Recommended Reads

Each week, we will provide suggested readings for adults, young adults and children to enjoy.  All titles are accessible via our eLibrary.

ADULT: “The Top 40 Traditions of Christmas: The Story Behind the Nativity, Candy Canes, Caroling, and All Things Christmas” by David McLaughlan – Christmas traditions form the foundation of the holiday season—and this book considers the “story behind the story” for 40 favorite customs. Familiar things like Christmas trees, candy canes, Santa Claus, and lighting displays have little-known histories or deeper meanings that make them worthy of contemplation for those of us who celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Top 40 Traditions of Christmas provides that intriguing information for the most beloved songs, movies, articles, characters, and activities of the season.

TEEN: “Let It Snow” by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle – A trio of today’s bestselling authors brings all the magic of the holidays to life in three hilarious and charming tales of love, romance, and kisses that will steal your breath away. In this trio of interconnected novellas, a massive snowstorm on Christmas Eve acts as a catalyst for romance in the lives of three teens. The ill-timed storm buries the residents of Gracetown under multiple feet of snow and causes quite a bit of chaos. One brave soul ventures out into the storm from her stranded train, setting off a chain of events that will change quite a few lives. Over the next three days one girl takes a risky shortcut with an adorable stranger, three friends set out to win a race to the Waffle House (and the hash brown spoils), and the fate of a teacup pig falls into the hands of a lovesick barista. Tender without being mushy, these carefully crafted stories of believable teen love will leave readers warm inside for the holidays.

CHILDREN:  “A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple, Mayflower, 1620” by Kathryn Lasky – From the diary of twelve-year-old Mem, short for Remember, comes the story of her family’s trip on the Mayflower in 1620 and their first year in the New World. Mem relied on her sense of humor and her hopes for a better future to get her through the two months on the journey, and the disappointments and hardships that endured after their arrival.

Kids

New Jersey Covid-19 Child Care Tuition Assistance for School-Aged Children

While in-person services are limited, we are scheduling virtual events and activities.  Please check them out on our calendar.

If you are looking for Biblioboard graphic novels or Tumblebooks, free access to these services ended 8/31/20.

For all other information, please check out the Children’s Page.

Interested in local history?

Be sure to check out Tom Glover’s Hamilton Scrapbook website for fun and interesting facts concerning the history of our town and the surrounding communities.

…..that’s what Hamilton Free Public Library is all about.  We take our role as a central meeting place in the township quite seriously. And we feel a responsibility to our patrons and others who may be less fortunate than ourselves. Therefore, we offer you the following opportunities to “pay it forward”.   We are a…