Library board chief retires again

For the past decade, Joan Oberer successfully led the West Milford Township Public Library board of trustees as president.

She took that position after her 2013 retirement from the West Milford Township School District, where she had served for 40 years as an elementary school teacher, then principal of Westbrook School and Marshall Hill School.

She recently left the library board after almost 20 years with a new retirement goal: to finally “relax,” she said.

During a “surprise” reception after her last official library board meeting Sept. 12, the Children’s Room of the library was named in her honor. Present were Mayor Michele Dale, Township Council members, friends, family and the entire library board.

“I was shocked, humbled and very appreciative of having been given this honor,” Oberer said. “My name may be on the wall above the door of the Children’s Room, but it represents the names of so many amazing people who accomplished so much together.

“As things turned out, the presidency of the library board and the construction of the new facility is what I did after retirement from the school system,” said Oberer, who with her husband, Ernie, has made West Milford home for 46 years. They raised two children here.

A collective legacy

When she was elected as library board president in 2014, Oberer and the board largely focused on building the new facility. After three years of meetings, decisions and challenges, the new building opened in June 2017.

One big challenge in the creation of the the West Milford Township Library and Community Center was funding, she said

With the community having voted against additional funding for a library in the mid-1990s, Oberer and other board members knew they had to do things differently.

“We had to convince taxpayers that we would not raise taxes or ask for more funding to accomplish this goal,” she said. “From my early days on the board as treasurer, the library reorganized accounts and worked hard to conserve resources, which went into a capital account to provide the basis of our endeavor. There were also economic challenges, the transition to the internet and new technology, the pandemic, and library leadership transitions.

“Progress toward that goal was slow but steady, but then the board developed another idea.As the newly elected board president, I made a presentation to the Township Council, asking them to consider making the construction of the new building a joint effort.”

The building was proposed as a larger library as well as to provide much-needed meeting rooms and event space for all groups to use, with shared costs, she said. The Township Council unanimously supported the proposal, and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was created to define cost percentages. It still exists today.

“The West Milford Library and Community Center is a learning and cultural center that provides outstanding opportunities for all community members,” Oberer said. “This accomplishment was only possible with the hard work of many people. The former mayor, Bettina Bieri, always had time and expert advice for all of us. The Finn family agreed to sell the land needed to expand the municipal complex.

“There are so many others whose dedication never wavered and brought the new building to the finish line. Named and un-named, there are so many who made this happen and are so deserving to share this honor. I wish I could name everyone as the project was a true collective effort; it is an exceptionally lengthy list of people.

She said then-library director Ricardo Pino was instrumental in the construction of the building.

“Former library board president, the late Doug Ott, worked with me side-by-side through absolutely everything: the good, the bad and the impossible! Gene Valenta canvassed this entire community, seeking support and contributions from businesses and community members.

“We had the full support of the library board members like Jim Rogers, Andy Gargano, Nancy Gridley and Gillian Hempstead; Dan Novak, representing Dr. Alex Anemone and the entire school system, which gave us so many reasons to keep going. Also, council members Marilyn Lichtenberg, Aida Eric, Mike Hensley and Lou Signorino attended many meetings.

Oberer recalls township employees offering their expertise, tireless help from the Friends of the Library under Marty Tappan, and the Battinelli family, who donated the landscaping.

“Meeting by meeting, decision by decision, challenge by challenge, it all came together thanks to so many individuals and groups,” she said. “My name is now visible on this wall, but have no doubt, the names of many - visible or invisible - also belong there.”

Her gratitude extends to her family and husband, a commercial landscaper contractor who physically built ball fields for the community and donated his profits so children could play baseball.

Ernie Oberer Field, behind Westbrook School, was named for him for his many years of volunteerism.

At the same time, Oberer began the Ladies Auxiliary, which started and expanded the concession stands across West Milford.

Educator, administrator, leader

Oberer graduated from William Paterson University with a bachelor’s degree in education and, several years later, a master’s degree in administration and supervision.

She received a Doctor of Education degree from St. John’s University, majoring in educational leadership, and earned the coveted Certificate of Merit-Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence.

“In kindergarten, I decided that I wanted to be a teacher. I loved everything about school from day one, especially the books,” she said. “When I saw the library - full of so many books and adventures, it became even clearer for me. Sharing the love of learning, especially through reading, has been the focus of my life, my professional career and so much more.”

In 1983, when there was little technology around and no cell phone communication, Oberer was named by the West Milford School System and the Passaic County Education Office as the first Passaic County Teacher of the Year from West Milford.

Her application stood out because she was teaching computer science to first-grade students in Upper Greenwood Lake School.

“Dr. Oberer is one of the most dedicated people I have ever known. Her commitment to the library was evident from my first meeting with her,” said Karyn Gost, the library director. “As Dr. Oberer was instrumental in building our beautiful new library, it is very fitting that the Children’s Room is named after her. It seems just right.

“Our library is in a much better place because of Dr. Oberer’s initiative, dedication and perseverance. Looking around the space here and seeing the fruits of her and the board’s labor, I am incredibly impressed and thank her for her 20 years of service to our library and I will miss her. I deeply appreciate Dr. Oberer’s willingness to share her vast knowledge with me, taking the time to answer my questions and offering me great support as I navigated my first year here at the library.”

Challenges, opportunities

According to Oberer, many people would ask why West Milford needed to build a new library when all they felt they needed was Google.

“Well, it took patience and determination but one by one, we explained that the library was changing right along with technology as computers were becoming more a part of the library itself.”

In addition to the new building, she noted that the pandemic was “challenging to all of us in so many ways.” Initially, the library closed but eventually it provided contactless pickup of books and other items.

“When we did finally open to the public again, the board had taken over a dozen precautions to protect all patrons and staff,” she said. “Some changes like clear dividers, self-opening doors, contactless check-out stations, grab-and-go activities, are still in place protecting us all.”

“Also, with the departure of Ricardo Pino in March 2020, we needed to hire a new director during the pandemic. Again, incredibly challenging. However, over a year ago, we brought on another competent and dedicated director, and the library is flourishing under the leadership of Karyn Gost. She and her team are further growing the library into the learning and cultural center we all dreamed it could be.”

“Today, with Karyn Gost and the present library board trustees under the new president, James Rogers, with the support of an amazing and dedicated staff, the library is an active place with offerings for all the community to enjoy. I know they will continue to march boldly toward that goal.”

On her service to the library, Oberer reflects, “I have worked with so many amazing people. I am most proud of the fact that all building decisions were unanimous. Even though many discussions were lively, and some groups were very divided in other ways, this was something the entire community supported - eventually. We always managed to come to a good compromise that proved beneficial to West Milford’s growth and success.

“For me, it was always about teaching, growing and learning and always about the children. The library provided that and more to all parents who want their children to succeed.”