Atlantic City Heritage Collections

The library's William K. Cheatham Building (Main Library) – which opened in 1985 at 1 North Tennessee Ave. – will receive extensive exterior repairs and upgrades in 2022 as part of the Atlantic City Free Public Library Tennessee Avenue Improvement Project. The library has received grant funding from the first round of the New Jersey Library Constru...

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Mayor Don Guardian and the City of Atlantic City, and the Atlantic City Free Public Library will continue a holiday tradition by turning an Atlantic City Convention Center ballroom into a Winter Wonderland for children on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Tickets are free and required to gain admission into the event.
This fourth annual holiday event, which is for Atlantic City children ages 3 to 12, will be held in the Convention Center’s Hall A. All children attending the event must be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets are limited and will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Tickets will be distributed at City Hall, located at 1301 Bacharach Blvd., at the following dates and times: Dec. 2 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; Dec. 3 from 2-4 p.m., and Dec. 4 from 4-6 p.m.
Tickets will be distributed only to adults, who must show a proof of Atlantic City residency and photo ID.
This year’s Winter Wonderland will include magic shows, rides, games, moon bounces, toy giveaways, face painting, arts and crafts, cookie decorating and more.
The Atlantic City Winter Wonderland is presented by the City of Atlantic City and Atlantic City Free Public Library, and sponsored by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and Atlantic County Toys for Kids Program. Also, 95.1 WAYV, 99.3 The Buzz, 96.1 WTTH The Touch and 100.7 WZXL will have giveaways.
For more information, please call the City of Atlantic City’s Recreation/Community Affairs Department at (609) 347-5643.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library will hold a special Women’s History Month program – Barbara Hudgins: A Lifetime of Service – on Monday, March 30, at 5:30 p.m. at the Main Library.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Hudgins becoming the first woman elected to the position of Council-At-Large in Atlantic City. She held that position from 1990-2001.
Hudgins will discuss the challenges of women in politics, and she will reflect on some of her greatest accomplishments.

The Atlantic City Arts Commission will present the Jacob Lawrence Centennial Exhibition this September to commemorate the 100th birthday of the famed Atlantic City-born artist. The exhibit will be on display all month on the first floor of the Atlantic City Free Public Library, with a special reception scheduled on Lawrence’s birthday, Sept, 7, from 2-4 p.m.
It will feature 14 pieces of Lawrence’s art – including three original lithographs and an original poster. One of those originals – “The Builders, The Family” (pictured to the right) – was part of Lawrence’s iconic “Migration of the Negro” series, a set of 60 narrative paintings that garnered him national acclaim at the age of 23. The series focuses on the Great Migration, the multi-decade mass movement of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North that started in the 1910s.
“Lawrence’s work was incredibly important and his Migration of the Negro series made a huge impact in the art world,” said Valeria Marcus, an Atlantic City Arts Commission member who coordinated this exhibit. “That series put him on the map and helped him secure a place among the century’s greatest artists.”
The exhibit will also showcase newspaper clippings about his life. Also, the Arts Commission worked with Pennsylvania Avenue School staff to have some of its students create Lawrence-inspired paintings. The students’ art will be displayed in the library’s second-floor meeting room throughout September.
The following organizations and people contributed to make this exhibit possible: Atlantic City Free Public Library, Atlantic City Housing Authority, Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, Terry Dintenfass, Inc., African American Heritage Museum, Stockton University, The Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University, Pennsylvania Avenue School, Dr. Richlyn Goddard and Joanna LaSane.
Lawrence was born Sept. 7, 1917, at 1522 Arctic Ave. in Atlantic City. He resided in the city before moving as a child. On a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a 16-year-old, Lawrence developed a love for tempera paints after admiring 16th century Italian paintings.
The African-American experience was seen in every thread of Lawrence’s paintings, especially his “Migration of the Negro” series. He was the first African American given a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City in 1941. The collection is now held by the Phillips Collection and MOMA.  The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Whitney Museum, Brooklyn Museum of Art and Reynolda House Museum of American Art are among the museums with permanent collections of his work. One of his paintings also hangs in the White House Green Room.
Lawrence was named Fortune Magazine’s most influential artist of the 20th century. He received many other accolades throughout his distinguished career, such as the Julius Rosenwald Fund fellowship, Simon Guggenheim post-service fellowship, National Institute of Arts and Letters citation grant, Ford Foundation grant, NAACP Spingarn Medal of Arts, Founder’s Day Award from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Algur H. Meadows Award for Excellence, the Washington Medal of Merit and numerous honorary degrees.
Lawrence spent parts of four decades teaching art, with his final stop coming as a tenured professor at the University of Washington, Seattle from 1971-83. He resided in Seattle until his death in 2000.
Contact Marcus at (609) 674-1482 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

In an effort to assist teachers, students and parents with virtual learning, the Atlantic City Free Public Library has added World Book to its premium eResources. World Book will be available — all day, every day — to library card holders who have Internet access.

World Book’s digital databases are designed for every stage of a student’s educational journey and ideal for reinforcing knowledge and instruction with trustworthy activities, relevant content, assessments, and tutoring. The library will offer three of the World Book products: Kids, Student and Timelines.

Kids: Kids is an ideal learning resource for elementary-aged students with image-driven navigation and inquiry-based activities. The site features easy-to-read articles that can be read aloud or translated and a wealth of engaging games, science projects and activities. Encourage self-direction with visual navigation in Explore, independent learning with WebQuest and compare and contrast skills with Compare Animals and Compare Places. Additional teaching tools for educators and parents make this a complete solution for early learners. (Recommended ages: 6-10).

Student: World Book’s beloved Encyclopedia comes to life in a digital format, perfect for elementary and middle school learners to access information from trusted sources. A one-stop shop for cross curricular learning, Student includes translations to 100+ languages, a Biography Center, current events, research guides and seamless integrations with Google Classroom and Microsoft OneDrive. The My Research and Citation Builder features assist learners in organizing and analyzing their findings. (Recommended ages: 8-16).

Timelines: A growing collection of 650+ unique Timelines, spanning the arts, science and technology, society and culture, sports, world history and geography, and more. Create, customize, collaborate and share your timelines, which is great for visual learners to put events into context and for classroom instruction to introduce a subject. (Recommended ages: 8 and older).

World Book databases are located on the library’s premium eResources page.

While much of the sporting world will be focused on the 2014 FIFA World Cup beginning this June, the Atlantic City Free Public Library will be staging a soccer competition of its own.
The library will hold a World Cup Gaming Competition at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, at the Main Library. Gamers, who must be at least 18 years of age to participate, will play FIFA 14 on Xbox.
Gamers will compete in groups for their chance to be crowned the library’s World Cup champion.
Space is limited. Call (609) 345-2269, ext. 3077, for more information.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library now offers a charging station after being selected as a contract award winner for funding under LibraryLinkNJ’s “Powering Up: Library Charging Stations Incubator Project.”
Those who visit the Main Library will be able to charge their smartphones, laptops and tablets for free in a Kwikboost Charging Station, which features eight secure, ADA-compliant lockers equipped with 16 connectors and fast-charging technology.
In addition to being a convenient way for the public to quickly charge their devices when they visit the Main Library to borrow materials, attend a program or use the public computers, the charging station can also benefit residents during times of crisis – such as during a bad storm that knocks out power in surrounding areas.
During Superstorm Sandy, many libraries were open – unless they were flooded or without power – and where people went to access computers, use free WiFi to contact relatives and insurance companies, fill out forms, and charge the batteries in their handheld devices and laptops. Fiscal stakeholders, organizational partners and community members now recognize libraries as partners in disaster preparedness.
This project is supported by funds from LibraryLinkNJ, the New Jersey Library Cooperative, which is funded by the New Jersey State Library.

Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, public access to the Atlantic City Free Public Library facilities will remain unavailable until further notice. The library had been tentatively scheduled to reopen to the public Jan. 19.
“The safety of our public and staff is paramount, and we regret having to step back in our plans to reopen our facilities,” Library Director Robert Rynkiewicz said. “There are encouraging developments in the fight against COVID-19. We look forward to the day we will open.”
The library will continue to provide access to many of its resources and services:
• Contactless Curbside Pickup Service: Library members will be able to pick up materials – books, DVDs, CDs and craft kits – at the Main Library or Richmond Branch Library as part of the contactless Curbside Pickup Service. To request materials, library members can call (609) 345-6115 from 9:30 a.m.1 p.m. or 2-4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or log in to their account at www.acfpl.org.
• Internet access: The library’s free WiFi will be available to those outside of the Main Library and Richmond Branch Library locations.
• Programs: The library will offer virtual programs, including English as a second language, Black Stories Matter Book Club, Spanish conversation classes, Film Society, tai chi, story times, children and teen book talks, gaming competitions and take-and-make crafts.
• NEW! Mobile printing: The library now offers mobile printing at the Main Library. Print from your smartphone or tablet. The first five pages (black & white) are free. Color printing also available. Learn more about this service.
• Digital materials and premium eResources: Those who have a valid library membership card or eCard have access to a wealth of digital and online resources that can be enjoyed on a computer, tablet or smartphone. Cardholders can instantly download eBooks, music, movies and more through the library’s hoopla, Overdrive and Axis360 services. Most of the library’s premium eResources will be available to cardholders, including Heritage Quest, Job & Career Accelerator, Learning Express Library, Live Homework Help powered by Tutor.com, Newsbank, Reference USA, Rosetta Stone, Teen Health & Wellness, and World Book.
• Apply for an eCard or renew current membership card: Atlantic County residents are invited to apply for a library eCard. Online applications are available through the library’s website. Library membership online renewal forms can also be found on the library website.
• Help from a librarian: The library will have staff available Tuesday through Saturday to answer questions and provide assistance. To reach a librarian, individuals can submit a request through the library’s website or call the Main Library.
• Dropboxes: Library members who have items to return are asked to place them in a dropbox located outside either library location. The boxes will remain open all day. Overdue fines will not accrue while the library is closed.

Please follow the library on social media or visit the library website for updates.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library will host a virtual panel discussion – “Shining the Light on Domestic Violence” – on Friday, Oct. 22 from 1-3:30 p.m. via Zoom. A Q&A will follow the discussion.

The panelists will be: Donna D’Andrea, Domestic Violence Response Team/Legal Services Coordinator at Avanzar; Naomi Jones, PhD, Senior Director of Outpatient Services at Jewish Family Services; Susan Korngut, Esquire; Tamu Lane, Author and CEO of TKLANE, LLC, and Ann McGlynn, Atlantic City Police Dept. Detective. Child abuse and domestic violence advocate Valeria Marcus will be the moderator.

Registration is required. Click here to register online; or, call Melissa McGeary at (609) 345-2269, ext. 3075, or Marcus at (609) 674-1482.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This event was first observed in October 1981 as a national Day of Unity, started by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library will celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with a read-in program Saturday, Jan. 16, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Main Library.

Special guests — including Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian and Councilman Kaleem Shabazz — and Atlantic City Free Public Library staff members, are scheduled to read some of Dr. King’s work and stories inspired by him. Selections will include: “I Have a Dream” speech, “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” and “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech.

The program is free and open to people of all ages. Please call (609) 345-2269, ext. 3050, for more information.

 

The Atlantic City Free Public Library offers a free Walk-in Job Skills Labs to library members who need help with job-related tasks. We’ll provide refresher tips for your job search. The lab is held Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the first-floor Learning Center (next to the Help Desk).

Library members can receive personal assistance from a librarian. Staff members can guide you through the process of searching for jobs on the web, creating an email address, updating your resume, or completing an online employment application, though they won’t enter your information This service is offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Also, an online guide that highlights many of the library’s job-related resources is available. To view the guide, visit library’s website — www.acfpl.org — highlight the Learn tab and click on Jobs.

For more information about the library’s Walk-in Job Skills Lab or job-related resources, please visit the Main Library Help Desk or call (609) 345-2269.

Director Royston Scott will show “The Sara Spencer Washington Story,” a documentary about the Atlantic City icon who became one of America’s first black female millionaires, at two Atlantic City locations on Saturday, Feb. 23, in celebration of Black History Month.
The 28-minute documentary will be shown in the Main Library meeting room at 1 p.m. and at the African-American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey (Noyes Arts Garage) at 3 p.m. There will be a Q&A session with Scott, who also wrote and produced the film, following both of those showings.
In the documentary, interviewees recall the life of Washington, an African-American woman who became a phenomenal success selling her line of hair products door-to-door in 1920s Atlantic City. Her business – the Apex News & Hair Company – survived The Great Depression and became a million-dollar empire. Washington gave tens of thousands of black women the opportunity to become self-sufficient.
Washington has been called one of the most important business executives in the black community. She was honored at the 1939 New York World's Fair as one of the “Most Distinguished Businesswomen.” She was also an active member of the Atlantic City Board of Trade.
The film won a slew of awards, including Best Short Documentary at several film festivals throughout the nation, in 2017-18.
Please call (609) 345-2269 for more information.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library will hold a Meet the Author program featuring Leo B. Schoffer at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 21 at the Main Library. Schoffer will discuss his book “A Dream, A Journey, A Community: A Nostalgic Look at Jewish Businesses In and Around Atlantic City.”
The book talk is being held in celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month.
Schoffer wrote his book as a tribute to the individuals and families whose hard work became a realization of the American Dream in the Atlantic City area. This book was honored as a winner in the General History category by usabooknews.com, the review website for mainstream and independent publishing houses.
Schoffer will also sign copies of his book. The program is free and open to people of all ages.
He is the Founder of Schoffer Enterprises, specializing in industrial and commercial real estate development. Schoffer grew up in Egg Harbor Township and Margate.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library and Literacy Volunteers Association Cape-Atlantic are now offering a second adult literacy class for individuals who need help with their reading and writing skills. The new Monday class is for adults on a first grade reading level or lower, while the Tuesday class is for adults reading at a fifth grade level or lower.
A Literacy Volunteer will teach the classes at the Main Library (One North Tennessee Ave.). Both classes take place from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in the Main Library meeting room.
Registration is required and on a first-come, first-served basis. Space is limited. Call (609) 383-3377 to register. The classes are free.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when the Atlantic City Free Public Library joins the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries nationwide to remind parents, caregivers and students that signing up for a library card is the first step on the path to academic achievement and lifelong learning.

There is nothing more empowering than signing up for your own library card. Through access to technology, media resources and educational programs, a library card gives students the tools to succeed in the classroom and provides people of all ages opportunities to pursue their dreams and passions.

Libraries offer everything from early literacy programs to virtual homework help, helping transform lives and communities through education. At the Atlantic City Free Public Library, you’ll find a wide variety of educational resources and activities, including story times, arts and crafts, book talks, a Summer Reading Program, gaming programs and much more.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library, along with libraries everywhere, continue to adapt and expand services to meet the evolving needs of our community.

Those who have a valid Atlantic City Free Public Library card — or the library’s new eCard — have access to a wealth of digital and online resources that can be enjoyed on a computer, tablet or phone.

This spring the library began offering hoopla, a digital media service allowing people to download or stream eBooks, audiobooks, movies, music, TV shows and comics, to their computer, tablet or phone. Hoopla features more than 700,000 titles. In addition to hoopla, the library continues to offer library card holders access to Overdrive, which features a vast collection of eBooks and audiobooks. Hoopla and Overdrive items can be downloaded 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

To sign up for a library card or to learn more about the library’s resources and programs, please visit www.acfpl.org.

This year, DC’s Wonder Woman is embarking on a mission to champion the power of a library card as Library Card Sign-up Month Honorary Chair. In her new role, Wonder Woman will promote the value of libraries and encourage everyone to get their very own library card.

Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. During the month, the ALA and libraries unite together in a national effort to ensure every child signs up for their own library card.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library invites city residents to get their library card in September, which is Library Card Sign-up Month.

Your library card provides you with access to countless FREE resources. From classes and computer access to programs and free books, movies, and music, your library has something for everyone. You can even use it from home at www.acfpl.org

Visit the Main Library or Richmond Branch Library to sign up for your library card; or, apply for one online.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when the Atlantic City Free Public Library joins the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries nationwide to remind parents, caregivers and students that signing up for a library card is the first step on the path to academic achievement and lifelong learning.

There is nothing more empowering than signing up for your own library card. Through access to technology, media resources and educational programs, a library card gives students the tools to succeed in the classroom and provides people of all ages opportunities to pursue their dreams and passions.

Libraries offer everything from early literacy programs to virtual homework help, helping transform lives and communities through education.

The Atlantic City Library, along with libraries everywhere, continue to adapt and expand services to meet the evolving needs of our community. To sign up for a library card or to learn more about the library’s resources and programs, please stop by the Main Library or Richmond Branch Library, or visit www.acfpl.org.

This year, Marley Dias, founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks, author and executive producer, is taking on a new role as honorary chair of Library Card Sign-Up Month. In her new role, Dias will promote the value of libraries and encourage everyone to get their very own library card. Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year.

On June 24, as part of 48 Blocks, Stockton University’s South Jersey Culture & History Center is inviting the community to bring historic photographs, postcards, and documents to 1-of-6 locations throughout Atlantic City - including either Atlantic City Free Public Library location - to be scanned and photographed and immediately returned to the owner, along with a digital copy on a USB flash drive.  The digitized items will become part of the city’s historic archive and will be featured in exhibits and activities for future cultural events in Atlantic City.

In addition, while folks are having their items scanned and photographed, they are welcome to share stories of places, people, and events from the City’s past.  Call Lisa Honaker at 609.652.4760 or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to schedule a 10-minute appointment at the location you prefer.  Walk-ins also welcome.   To prepare for your visit, consider the question:  What’s gone that you miss?

Locations:
Ward 1:  10am-1pm, Oceanside Family Success Center, 201 Melrose Ave.
Ward 2:  2pm-5pm, Atlantic City Free Public Library, 1 N Tennessee Ave.
Ward 3:  10am-1pm, MLK School, 1700 Marmora Ave.
Ward 4:  2pm-5pm, 2125 N Riverside Dr.
Ward 5:  10am-1pm, Wonder Bar, 3701 Sunset Ave.
Ward 6:  2pm-5pm, Richmond Ave Branch, AC Free Public Library, 4115 Ventnor Ave.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library has made children’s books available at select city barbershops this winter after being named a recipient of a Fade to Books grant in 2017.
The New Jersey State Library, in partnership with the Long Branch Public Library and the Bridge of Books Foundation, launched a grant opportunity for public libraries to join with their local barbershops in an effort to spur young boys to read. Fade to Books recognizes the role of the barbershop as a community gathering space and the role of the barber as a mentoring figure for young men and boys.
Barbers encourage their young clients to select books to read as they sit in the waiting area, during their haircuts or at home. Children are allowed to keep the books they take from the Fade to Books display at the barbershop. Readers can earn points toward a discounted haircut by reading, and they’ll be invited to a special Fade to Books celebration this spring at the library.
Three Atlantic City barbershops are participating: Just Cutt’ n Up at 528 Atlantic Ave.; Casino City Barber & Salon at 1724 Atlantic Ave. and Wally’s Barbershop at 3911 Ventnor Ave.
This project is supported in part by funds from the New Jersey State Library and in partnership with the Long Branch Public Library and Bridge of Books Foundation.
Atlantic City barbershops that wish to be considered as future Fade to Books sites can call Wendell Cherry at (609) 345-2269.