The Library Collection
The main purpose of the Richard A. Mola Public Library is to purchase and maintain a collection of print, nonprint, and audio-visual materials for adults, young adults (teens), and children in various genres, including books, newspapers, magazines, and DVDs.
Except for those items held in the Local History Archives, materials in the collection are available on loan to patrons of the Library.
Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS)
In addition to materials from the Library Collection, patrons have access to collections and services from the Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS), which consists of 78 public libraries in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Passaic counties.
BCCLS was established in 1979 and is supported by an annual grant from the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Through the reciprocal borrowing agreement, an Elmwood Park patron holding a valid identification card may borrow directly from any other participating library in the BCCLS system on a personal (rather than institutional) basis.
The BCCLS Consortium uses technology to connect member libraries and provide seamless access to collections. Authors, titles, and subjects can be searched in any order or combination within seconds. A request is filled by a participating library, delivered within days, and the patron is notified.
JerseyCAT
Every effort is made to obtain books the library does not own through interlibrary loan.
When a request cannot be filled within BCCLS, a librarian will assist the patron in obtaining materials through JerseyCAT—a free statewide interlibrary loan program offered by the New Jersey State Library. JerseyCAT allows member libraries to obtain materials from other participating libraries throughout New Jersey.
