On Friday, October 30, two events overlapped on the new Stafford Branch calendar. From 10 a.m. to noon, the Children's Halloween Parade for ages 2 to 5 was showing "This event is full" with a wait list. From 12:30 to 4 p.m., Mah Jongg met upstairs in Meeting Room C, and the listing said only to bring current-year cards and game sets. No sign-up was needed.
That pattern holds through November. At the Ocean County Library's new branch at 179 South Main Street in Manahawkin, most of the regular adult programs are drop-in. Storytimes and tween workshops need registration, one child at a time. For anyone in Beach Haven West planning an off-season week around the building, that difference matters more than the square footage.
Twice the Room, and a Calendar to Fill It
The branch opened to the public at 11 a.m. on Monday, October 5, after a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting. The SandPaper's opening-day report describes the 19,700-square-foot building as nearly twice the size of the old library on North Main Street, which closed May 1. According to the same report, the project cost $13.2 million, and nearly $5 million of that came from the second round of the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act. The building on South Main is the branch's third home. The branch started in 1980 in a second-floor room at 94 Stafford Avenue, and ten years later it moved into the former Manahawkin Baptist Church building on North Main.
The extra space goes straight into programming. The old branch's meeting room was in the lower level, and Tim Hart, the county and Stafford Township historian, put it plainly when he spoke to The SandPaper:
"At least now when I make presentations, I won't be doing it in the basement."
The new building has a first-floor main meeting room that splits into sections, plus a second-floor Meeting Room C. Those rooms host the recurring groups below. The branch page lists hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Because of the three late nights, an evening program can fit after a workday on the mainland.
The Adult Week, Without a Sign-Up
The Stafford events calendar shows these recurring adult programs during the first weeks of November. Each listing either says "drop-in" or asks for no registration.
| Day | Program | Time | Room | What to bring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Bayside Ukulele Group | 3:00–4:30 p.m. | 1st Floor Main Meeting Room | Your own ukulele; all levels welcome |
| Thursday | String of Purls knit/crochet | 1:00–3:00 p.m. | 1st Floor Meeting Room B | A project, or come to learn |
| Thursday | English Conversation Group | 7:00–8:00 p.m. | 2nd Floor Meeting Room C | Nothing; new members welcome |
| Friday | Mah Jongg | 12:30–4:00 p.m. | 2nd Floor Meeting Room C | Current-year cards and game sets |
| Saturday | String of Purls knit/crochet | 10:00 a.m.–noon | 1st Floor Meeting Room B | A project, or come to learn |
Tech Help Tuesday is the exception. It runs Tuesday, November 10, from 2 to 4 p.m., and the listing asks you to call the Stafford Branch Reference Desk to reserve a timeslot.
String of Purls is the one group with two slots, a weekday afternoon and a Saturday morning. Thursday has the most going on. On Thursday, November 5, the knitters meet at 1 p.m., the makerspace runs a "Radical Robots" open session from 2 to 4:30, and the English Conversation Group meets at 7. The library notes that schedules can change, so check the online calendar before you go.
The Children's Calendar Fills Up First
Most of the children's programs work the other way. Through mid-November, these Stafford programs require registration:
- Baby Storytime, Tuesday, November 10, 10 to 11 a.m., ages birth to 11 months. Register each child individually.
- Tween Crafternoon: Fall Craft, Thursday, November 12, 4 to 4:45 p.m., ages 9 to 13.
- Tween/Teen Tech Explorers: Ozobots, Tuesday, November 17, 4 to 4:45 p.m., ages 9 to 17.
The Halloween parade had a wait list, so it's worth registering for these early. A few children's activities are walk-in. On Monday, November 9, the children's department runs Veterans Day card-making all day for ages 0 to 12, and the cards go to local veterans. The same afternoon, teens can drop in for Calming Coloring, making fall bookmarks in the makerspace from 2 to 4. On Friday, November 6, the Children's Room hands out free Book Bundles for ages 0 to 12, first come, first served, and supplies are limited.
The Sensory Space, on the first floor in the Children's Department, has no registration but does have limits. Visits last up to 30 minutes, first come, first served, and a caregiver must be present. The SandPaper describes the equipment: an Everbright wall of rotating, color-changing dials, a Surfpro projector that throws interactive games onto the floor, and a tactile fiber-optic wall panel. The space opens at 9:30 a.m. most days and stays open until 8:30 p.m. on the late nights. One evening session is already posted for Thursday, December 17, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.
Sparks's Lab Takes One Step Before Your First Visit
The makerspace, Sparks's Lab, falls in between. Its open hours run late morning most weekdays and are listed as "self-led use of eligible equipment." The afternoon sessions have themes such as Maker Monday, Perler Bead Buddies and Building Day. Under the Sparks's Lab FAQ, which applies across the library system, you sign a Maker Agreement and verify your identity with an Ocean County Library card before using the lab. Children under 9 must stay with a parent or caregiver.
The 3D printers come with their own rules. The FAQ limits free prints to one per customer per month, each under four hours, using library-supplied PLA filament. The system's equipment page lists Bambu Lab X-1 Carbon 3D printers, a Cricut Maker 3, heat presses, a button maker, an embroidery and sewing machine, and a serger across its makerspaces. That list covers the whole system, though, so call the branch at (609) 597-3381 to ask what is set up in Stafford before you plan a project around one machine. The calendar has also listed Sparks's Lab tours, which are an easy first visit before you sign the agreement.
Booking a Room Takes Even More Notice
If your group outgrows a drop-in table, the reservation page sets the lead times. Study rooms need at least 24 hours' notice and are booked in two-hour blocks. Meeting rooms need at least 72 hours. Staff review each request, and confirmation usually takes two to three business days. Neither type of room can be reserved more than 90 days ahead. A book club planning a first winter meeting in a study room should ask about a week in advance, well ahead of the 24-hour minimum.
One Parking Lot, Several Errands
The building sits on the same property as Ocean County's Southern Service Center at 179 South Main Street. The county directory lists the County Clerk, Surrogate, Consumer Affairs, the Veterans Service Bureau, Senior Services, Human Services, the Fire Marshal, nutrition services and Meals on Wheels at that address. County Commissioner Jennifer Bacchione, the library liaison, told The SandPaper the location was chosen on purpose. "We wanted to have it next to the county resource center," she said. "The county can meet the many needs of our residents in one spot, whether it's the library, Meals on Wheels or the county clerk." So a stop at the Clerk's office can end with an hour of String of Purls down the walk.
The Friends' Book Sale Ends November
The Friends of the Stafford Library, who sponsored the sold-out Halloween parade, are also behind the branch's late-November book sale. The Friends' book sale runs Friday, November 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the first-floor main meeting room, and continues Saturday, November 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in main meeting room A. To join or renew with the Friends, use the library's membership form and choose Stafford Branch. A Friends representative will follow up.
At John Terebey, we keep track of what's opening and what's changing around Beach Haven West, from the new library on Route 9 to the bayfront. If you're wondering how the area's winter routines and recent openings affect your home's value, request a free market consultation and home valuation with our team.
