Welcome the spring and summer weather with Union Public Library’s new Seed Library! You can come to the library and “borrow” seed packets from us: You’ll be able to check out up to 3 seed packets per household per month. All we ask is that you harvest and “return” the seeds to the library when and if you can. We encourage all patrons who are interested to come check out our seeds; whether you’re a seasoned gardener, never tried to grow something in your life, or somewhere in between. Some of our seeds do require being planted outside, while others can grow in a pot or tray, so just choose the ones that fit your needs best! Availability We currently have the following seeds available: Basil Cucumber Lavender Pea Sage Summer Squash Sunflower Swiss Chard Wheatgrass Wildflower Checkout At this time, there are no holds for anything in the Seed Library and it is entirely first come first serve. You can find the seeds, and the agreement form, on a table by the circulation desk/entrance at both the Main and Vauxhall library. Please limit yourself to no more than 3 seed packets per household per month. Below is a document that has planting directions for the various seeds in our collection. If you have any questions, concerns, or donation inquiries, please email: lot@uplnj.org

Listen to and interact with authors to learn the story behind the story. Union Public Library presents free, live streamed virtual author talks each month featuring bestselling, award-winning, and highly acclaimed authors from around the world.  The featured writers and thought leaders will cover a wide range of fiction and nonfiction genres including historical fiction, contemporary fiction, romance, OwnVoices, poetry, business, personal growth, social justice, history, art, culture, and more. Each talk will be a live, one-hour interview with a bestselling author and a professional moderator. Questions will be a mixture of those prepared by the moderator and those submitted by participants during the event. The events will be completely virtual so people can watch the talks wherever it is convenient for them. All events are closed captioned, and will be available for on-demand access. A complete list of events and registration information is available on Union Public Library’s virtual author talk series website at https://libraryc.org/uplnj.Funding for this is made possible in part by the Friends of Union Public Library

Check out our newest collection that we call Library of Things. Visit our webpage to find out about our collection of non-traditional items that can be borrowed with your Union Public Library card.

Enjoy access to The New York Times, courtesy of Union Public Library. Whether you’re managing finances, tackling tough parenting problems or simply looking to make sense of this moment, rely on our original, quality journalism to lead the way. It’s an essential source for fearless reporting, varied perspectives and practical advice on nearly every topic — from the vital issues shaping our world to the simple pleasures that make everyday life better. Start Exploring Today How Do I Access The New York Times Onsite? Any patron inside the library at 1060 Stuyvesant Ave. or 123 Hilton Ave. is welcome to log in to the NYT while on premises using the library’s WiFi. Once connected to the Wi-Fi, register or log in here at nytimes.com/register How Do I Access The New York Times Offsite? Union Public Library cardholders can click here for offsite access. You will log in to the NYT using your library card number and then will redeem a code. You will have 24 hour access to The New York Times using the same code before being asked to redeem another.

Union will break ground on a new Public Library building this spring! The Township along with the Library Board of Trustees recognize the need for a 21st century library that allows our community to connect, explore and discover. The new library will be built at the former Main Library site at 1980 Morris Ave and is expected to be completed in 2024. Preliminary plans for the new building include a black box theater space, an educational center, meeting rooms, and an arts center. The building will serve as a community hub. According to Union Business Administrator Don Travisano, taxpayers will not be impacted by construction costs, as proceeds from the PILOT program put in place for the Vermella project will cover the costs of the new library. 3D sketch video of new Main Library building, January 2023 View the Library Q&A session from October 28, 2021 During this period of transition, operations and layouts will be altered. However, library staff will continue to provide the services and resources that patrons have come to expect. What to expect: We ask residents for patience during this transitional time, and encourage everyone to visit the Library website for the most up-to-date information. For more information please email unionpl@uplnj.org or call the Main Library 908-851-5450.

The library now circulates video games for Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch! Union Public Library cardholders may checkout up to 2 video games at a time for a loan period of 14 days. Due to the limited supplies, video games cannot be renewed. Please return video games on time, so they can be made available for the next patron. Late fees will be charged at $1/day. Currently, video games are only available at the Main Library. This collection was started thanks to the generous donation from the Friends of Union Public Library and the Union Township Education Association. Click here to view our catalog, or see below a current list of our circulating video games.  Playstation 5 Demon’s Souls Spider-Man: Miles Morales Sackboy: A Big Adventure Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart WWE 2K22 Lego Star Wars: Skywalker Saga Elden Ring Uncharted: legacy of thieves collection  Dying light 2. Stay human  Battlefield 2042 Deathloop  Playstation 4 Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy Ghost of Tsushima Gran Turismo Sport The Last of Us Part II NBA 2K21 Ratchet & Clank Spyro Reignited Trilogy Horizon Zero Dawn Grand Theft Auto 5 Gran Turismo 7 Kingdom Hearts lll Kingdom Hearts I.5 + II.5 remix Life is strange. True colors  Farcry 6  Nintendo Switch Animal Crossing Kirby Star Allies Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Luigi’s Mansion Mario Kart 8 Deluxe  Minecraft Dungeons: Hero Edition Pikmin 3 Deluxe Pokemon Shield Pokemon Snap Splatoon 2 Super Mario Odyssey Super Smash Bros.  Minecraft Lego Star Wars: Skywalker Saga Pokémon legends : Arceus  Hot Wheels Unleashed Just dance 2022  Metroid : dread Mario Party : superstars WarioWare : get it together!  Xbox Series X F1 2022 FIFA 21 Forza Horizon 4 Madden NFL 21 Control: Ultimate Edition Red Dead Redemption II Shadow of the Tomb Raider NBA 2K22 NHL 22 Elden Ring Call of duty Vanguard Guardians of the Galaxy Halo infinite  Forza Horizon 5 Updated on 7/24/22

In January 2019, the American Library Association (ALA) passed a resolution that asserted overdue fines are a barrier to equitable access and encouraged libraries to eliminate them. The ALA is our largest professional organization and we give serious consideration to their resolutions. The Library Board of Trustees and staff desire to remove this barrier to its resources and to provide more equitable library access to everyone in the community. In going fine free, we are joining the ranks of many other public libraries across the nation. In the lead up to this decision, we carefully reviewed studies and articles about eliminating fines. ​Libraries that have adopted fine-free policies found that: ​Library card registrations increased. Borrowing of materials increased. More library items were returned. Students returned to the library to use homework resources. Staff time was redirected from fines-handling to patron-focused services. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS  What Is Fine Free?  Fine free means that there will be no late charges on most materials.* The Union Public Library wants to ensure that ALL of our town has access to our resources in the most equitable way possible. Fines tend to penalize the most vulnerable individuals or families who can’t afford them.  *Due to a limited supply, late charges will still accrue on Video Games and Museum Passes Why Eliminate Fines?  Research shows that overdue fines are not effective in encouraging the return of library materials. Instead, fines can quickly become a barrier to using the library. Our hope is that by going fine free we will encourage prior users to come back to the library and attract new users to experience everything our library has to offer.  Won’t This Prevent People from Ever Returning Their Items?  Late fines are not effective. Studies show that small fines have no impact on return rates and that those with late fines are less likely to visit the library again. Libraries who have removed late fees report few adverse effects on material return rates. The public library model is based upon a trusting relationship between borrowers and a valued community resource. Union Public Library trusts that borrowers will return items on time, so that others may use them.  Will There Be Due Dates? Every item checked out will still have a due date. Please remember that someone else may be waiting for an item, so bring it back on time.  What Happens If I Have Overdue Books?  […]