The Jersey City: Past and Present Project was initiated with the support of Separately Budgeted Research grants from New Jersey City University (NJCU) and from the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program, Title V, Higher Education Act. It also received a Special Projects Grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of Cultural Affairs in the Department of State. These grants helped sponsor the necessary research, writing and technical development of the web site, bringing together the resources of both the community and the university.

The content of this web site has drawn heavily on the resources of the Jersey City Free Public Library and the Joan D. Lovero Collection in the New Jersey Room. We sincerely appreciate the efforts of all of the present and former library staff who have assisted us in so many ways, especially Department Head Cynthia Harris, Bruce Brandt, and Charles Markey. We further acknowledge the contributions of Eleanor O'Hara, former library public relations officer, grant-writer, and New Jersey Room advocate. Our web site is deeply indebted to former Chief Librarian Joan D. Lovero whose vision, dedication, and professionalism transformed the New Jersey Room collection into a unique repository for contemporary and historical information about Jersey City and Hudson County.

The project was also enhanced from our collaboration with the following Jersey City institutions: the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy, Inc., the Jersey City Museum, the Jersey City Central Railroad Terminal at Liberty State Park, and Fusion Inc.

We extend our appreciation to those at NJCU who through their advice and assistance made the technical processes of this project happen: Carlos R. Morales, Instructional Designer and Assistant Director of the Center for Instructional & Technological Innovation (CITI) and Roberto Romero, Multimedia Technician; Ronald Bogusz, Director of Publications and Special Projects; Ruddys E. Andrade, Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs; Phyllis Szani, Director of Information Technology Services, and Julio Velasco, Assistant Director of ITS and Web Coordinator; Ashraf Elbaz and Khaled Mussa of the Guarini Library's Technological Services; and Charles Pratt, Director of Academic Computing. Our gratitude is also extended to the following for their administrative guidance: Dr. Larry Carter, NJCU's former Vice President for Academic Affairs and Grace Bulaong, director of the Congressman Frank J. Guarini Library.

We also recognize the writing contributions of entries by: Ellen Wayman-Gordon, NJCU director of Public Information; Dr. Barbara Petrick; Cynthia Harris; and William J. La Rosa, director of the Hudson County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.

Our special thanks to Joanne Z. Bruno, Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs, who believed in the project at the outset and led us to the right resources for its development.

Patrick Shalhoub, Project Administrator
Carmela A. Karnoutsos, Historical Researcher