Permanent seating area and garden in front of Main Library is named after Montclair resident and donor
MONTCLAIR, NJ (October 17, 2022) — Today the Montclair Public Library formally dedicated the Kathryn Perino Outdoor Library, a permanent seating area and garden in front of the Main Library. Kathryn Perino (1939-2019) was a Montclair resident for 30 years and a teacher in the Union City school system. Funds from her generous bequest to the Library helped fund the creation of the new space earlier this year.
“I never met Kathryn Perino but I feel like I know her now,” said Library Director Janet Torsney. “We are so honored and grateful that she chose to support her library in this way. As a long-time high school teacher, I thought she would appreciate how this outdoor library is especially welcoming to teens.”
A bronze plaque in the new space reads, “This outdoor library is made possible by a bequest from Kathryn Perino, a lifetime teacher, reader and patron of the arts.”
The outdoor library includes accessible tables, seating, and umbrellas, as well as an expanded WiFi signal radius and bandwidth. Later this fall, two of the umbrellas will use solar energy to provide charging stations for personal devices such as tablets and phones. The outdoor seating and free WiFi are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and are not dependent on the operating hours of the Library. They are well-suited for individuals and small groups who do not want to enter the buildings but still want a quiet place to study, work, or browse the web.
In addition to the estate of Kathryn Perino, this project was made possible by the generous support of the Hyde and Watson Foundation, the Montclair Public Library Foundation, LibraryLinkNJ, and the Montclair Foundation.
The dedication event occurred at the beginning of National Friends of Libraries Week (October 16-22), which recognizes and celebrates library supporters as exemplified by Kathryn Perino. Those interested in supporting the Library in various ways can learn more about the Montclair Public Library Foundation, Montclair Library Friends, and Friends of Bellevue Avenue Library.
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Photo Caption: Family of Kathryn Perino and MPL staff and supporters attended the dedication of the Kathryn Perino Outdoor Library on October 17.
About the Montclair Public Library
Founded in 1893, the Montclair Public Library serves the residents of Montclair, New Jersey. It has two facilities: the Main Library at 50 S. Fullerton Avenue and the Bellevue Avenue Branch at 185 Bellevue Avenue. The Library has been changing lives every day for over 125 years through words, ideas, and community building by providing unlimited opportunities for lifelong learning, discovery, and community engagement. Visit montclairlibrary.org for more information.