The Assembly has passed the "New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act," which would authorize a referendum for a bond sale that would fund dollar-for-dollar matching grants to local communities seeking to build or expand library facilities.
State lawmakers are hoping voters will find it in their hearts, and their pocketbooks, to say yes to expanding and equipping public libraries, hard hit in recent years by relentless budget slashing.
"Some libraries have been forced to shutter or reduce their hours due to a lack of funding," says Assemblyman Troy Singleton (D-Burlington), one of the sponsors of a measure calling for a bond issue to raise $125 million for library capital projects.
The Assembly has passed the "New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act," which would authorize a referendum for a bond sale that would fund dollar-for-dollar matching grants to local communities seeking to build or expand library facilities.
The last time the legislators approved new borrowing for library facilities was back in 1999, long before emerging technology rendered many traditional library services outdated or obsolete.
That $45 million bond act helped underwrite 68 projects statewide, generating roughly $260 million in economic activity.
Demise of Trenton's libraries leaves void | Editorial
This latest bill, which still has to pass the state Senate and win buy-in from the governor, would direct the state librarian to work with the president of Thomas Edison State College to create a set of requirements for the grants, as well as to prepare a list of eligible projects.
If the bond issue ultimately passes, which we would like to see happen, Trenton should be a prime beneficiary of any grant money the initiative makes available.
The city's public library is one of the oldest in the state, with its original 50 books purchased by Benjamin Franklin in 1750. The venerable facility has struggled to stay alive in the face of branch closings over the past few years.
Trenton is far from alone in its need. More than 50 percent of public libraries in the state say they need to expand facilities to meet consumers' demands, particularly when it comes to updated technology.
If we lose libraries, we lose a piece of America's soul.
More than 43 million people visited New Jersey's public libraries in 2015. They came not just to borrow books, but also to hear lectures, attend concerts, learn a new craft or pursue an old hobby.
"Libraries are community centers. They are places where people go for information and to engage with neighbors, said Thomas Giblin (D-Essex and Passaic), one of the bill's sponsors.
In a world in which social media contacts have replaced face-to-face exchanges, the assemblyman added, libraries provide a meeting ground where social interactions flourish.
In addition to helping libraries thrive, the proposed bond sale would also create construction and trade jobs in a state that has not fully recovered from the recession of 2008.
The legislature has its collective hands full this week with budgetary matters, but this bill is well worth lawmakers' time and consideration.
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