We are about to celebrate Black History Month with a series of events that honor the contributions Black Americans have made, and are making today.

Black History Month celebrations began in 1976 as an “opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area throughout our history.” That goal is as true now as it was them. And that's why February's programs at the library emphasize not just that history, but also contemporary achievements.

To complement these events, we've created a Black History Month reading list, a curated guide to fiction and nonfiction titles for adults, teens, and children. For your convenience, the brochure's last page lists major upcoming Black History events at the library. I hope you'll join us for them.

As to our tomorrows: We are very excited about our future as outlined in this Executive Summary of our Three-Year Strategic Plan. I am grateful to all who took the time to help us formulate this vision. Thanks to the community's responses to our surveys, interviews with stakeholders, and conversations with customers, we were able to create this plan to guide us in becoming an even better contributor to the quality of life for all Hoboken residents.