North Jersey libraries chosen to receive grants from $87.5M NJ construction fund – NorthJersey.com

Several libraries in North Jersey moved closer to fulfilling their wish lists of improvements after their projects were slated for funding from the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced that 38 projects from across the state were recommended to the Legislature to receive approximately $87.5 million in construction funds. They were selected from 129 applications reviewed by a committee of experts from various state agencies. 

The Garfield Public Library is one of 38 libraries from across the state approved for funding for improvements from the Library Construction Bond Act.

Libraries in Garfield, Leonia, Paramus, River Edge and Wallington in Bergen County, Paterson, Ringwood and Totowa in Passaic County, and Dover, Lincoln Park and Parsippany-Troy Hills in Morris County, were picked in the first round of funding, and are in line for funds totaling $9 million. Also chosen were libraries in Newton, Bayonne, Maplewood and Jersey City. 

The New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act, which was approved in November 2017 by voters across the state, earmarked $125 million to fund critical improvements to New Jersey public libraries. Applicants for funding had to identify a 50% match for their proposed projects.

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Garfield Public Library Director Mary Jo Jennings said she was “ecstatic” about the news that Garfield was on the list of libraries to be recommended. 

She is looking forward to the library receiving half of the $261,000 – the other half to be matched by the municipality — that the library needed for updating the downstairs restrooms and redoing the front desk to make it compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act and friendly for young children. 

Jennings couldn’t be happier, she said, “because I am now going to get an ADA-compliant circulation desk so there’s not going to be such a barrier between us and the handicapped or the short people, my little humans won’t jump up and down to see what is happening at the desk,” Jennings said.

The legislation for the funding was introduced in the state Assembly on Monday, but a companion bill in the Senate has not been introduced. Once the appropriation bills in both houses are approved and signed by the governor, the State Librarian will be sending grant award letters to the successful applicants.

The second round of libraries to be awarded funding is scheduled for the first quarter of 2021.

Here are the amounts recommended to the Legislature:

  • $3,080,875 to the Sussex County Library System in Newton
  • $2,999,530 to Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library in Morris County
  • $1,525,475 to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library in Wallington in Bergen County
  • $1,200,000 to the Dover Free Public Library in Morris County
  • $1,100,000 to the Lincoln Park Public Library in Morris County 
  • $734,812 to the Paterson Danforth Memorial Library in Passaic County
  • $507,000 to the Paramus Public Library in Bergen County
  • $292,750 to the Ringwood Public Library in Passaic County
  • $263,159 to the River Edge Public Library in Bergen County
  • $139,705 to the Totowa Public Library in Passaic County  
  • $130,404 to the Garfield Public Library in Bergen County
  • $90,000 to the Leonia Public Library in Bergen County

Ricardo Kaulessar is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com

Twitter: @ricardokaul