Library System: Records, 1958-2013
RECORD GROUP: Other County Records
RECORD SERIES #: 8200
SERIES: Library System: Records
DATES: 1958-2013
VOLUME: 3 cubic feet
The series provides a substantial amount of information pertaining to the development and use of the Monmouth County Library over several decades, including public programs, the many branches and member libraries, increasing technological services, and the Bookmobile which became the basis of the Extension Service.
125 Symmes Drive
Manalapan, NJ 07726
Phone: (732) 308-3771
In January 2014, librarian Beth Miller, at the Eastern Branch, transferred 19 boxes of documents from the Government Documents Repository, comprised of various county and state departments. Of these, two boxes of Library documents – primarily news releases – were separated and added to the Library records in 2018.
In June 2014, Elsalyn Palmisano loaned the Archives a folder of documents on the library’s history, including several pertaining to the dedication of the new headquarters in Manalapan dedicated on April 5, 1987, and photocopies of selected items were added to the second Historical Materials folder, Box 2, Folder 39.
1922 | Resolution for County Free Libraries passed by Board of Chosen Freeholders |
1923 | Monmouth County Library operations began in basement of Court House (present Hall of Records) |
1924 | 110 active book stations |
1925 | 11,710 borrowers were registered |
1938 | Library moves to 69 West Main Street, Freehold |
1939 | Library began direct bookmobile service |
1940 | Library moved to 80 Broad Street in Freehold occupying the downstairs of the building |
1941 | Bookmobile service discontinued due to wartime shortage of gas and manpower |
1946 | Bookmobile returned to service when driver John Taylor returned from army. |
1953 | Bookmobile service became available at night once a week |
1955 | Special children’s section added |
1957 | Library took over the entire house at 80 Broad Street, Freehold |
1959 | Large bookmobile was purchased and used for member library visits for direct service |
1961 | Friends of the Monmouth County Library Association formed; bookmobile services increases to visit each stop twice a month |
1962 | Beginning of Branch System when township of Ocean Library Committee received $50,000 grant from state to build a library building |
1963 | Plans began for a large reference facility; a second bookmobile was purchased and service increased to 51 stops twice a month |
1964 | Monmouth County Library was designated an Area Library |
1965 | Board of Chosen Freeholders announced plans for two separate main libraries within 2 years at a cost of $1,000,000; Allentown became a branch; bookmobiles, extension collection, art department, processing and technical services moved to 41 Marcy Street, Freehold |
1966 | New Ocean Township library opened-600 patrons registered on first day |
1967 | Groundbreaking for Eastern Branch took place; Oceanport became a branch |
1968 | Marlboro became a branch |
1969 | Wall Township became a branch |
1970 | New Jersey State Library micro-automated catalog installed |
1971 | Headquarters moved to 25 Broad Street, Freehold; Hazlet and Holmdel became branches |
1972 | Sunday programming began at Eastern Branch with jazz and classical concerts |
1974 | Film department became a regional film center for Monmouth, Ocean, Mercer and Middlesex Counties; Howell became eighth branch |
1976 | Renee Swartz appointed member of state library advisory council; 81 twice-a-month bookmobile stops; Manalapan joined as ninth branch |
1979 | Renee Swartz became a delegate to White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services |
1980 | Computer terminal for reference searches installed; cassette players and tapes for blind and electronic information transfer for the deaf made available |
1981 | Manalapan Township presented county with 18 acre site on Symmes Drive for Headquarters |
1982 | Colts Neck became tenth branch |
1983 | Manalapan moved to new location |
1984 | Groundbreaking for Headquarters on Symmes Drive in Manalapan |
1985 | Bar-coding began, including 900,000 volumes, video and audio cassettes |
1987 | Headquarters moved to new building |
1988 | Groundbreaking for 10,000 square foot building at Eastern Branch; New building for Wall Township underway |
1991 | Chinese language collection began |
1993 | Requisition department filed 118,437 requests; job and career information center opened at Eastern Branch |
1994 | Wall and Howell opened new buildings; Marlboro and Allentown expanded |
1996 | Connection to internet and full text periodicals completed at all branch and member libraries; annual archives and history day event launched on October 12 at Headquarters |
1997 | Monmouth County Library designated by New Jersey State as a hub library for county; Construction for addition began on Headquarters; Monmouth County Library homepage on the world wide web posted |
1998 | Eastern Branch chosen as best public library in Ocean and Monmouth counties; Headquarters expansion completed; 4,298 children joined Vacation Reading Club |
1999 | New library built in Colts Neck |
2000 | SIRSI automated catalog system installed |
2002 | Online Renewal System introduced; member store in extension implemented; Eastern Branch again selected as best public library in Monmouth and Ocean counties |
2003 | More than 3 million items circulated for first time at Headquarters and 10 branches |
2004 | Groundbreaking for major expansion at Eastern Branch; Library introduced online book clubs that deliver book chapters to patrons via email; Teen Advisory Board established at Headquarters |
2006 | New Jersey History Room at Headquarters renamed the Ted Narozanick Room, after the retiring Freeholder |
Box | Folder # | Title | Dates |
1 | 1 | Monmouth County Library Commission: Minutes | 1967 |
2-12 | :Meetings | 1967-1977 | |
13 | :General | 1966-1989 | |
14 | Monmouth County Library: Annual Report | 1999, 2002 | |
15-27 | Department Report | 1965, 1967-1971, 1973-1979 | |
28 | Monmouth County Library: Catalog | 1967 | |
29 | Department Head Meetings | 1985 | |
30 | Financial Reports | 1968-1976 | |
31 | Registration Breakdown/Circulation | 1968-1972 | |
32 | Bookmobile | 1960-1991 | |
33 | Censorship and Controversial Books | 1975-1999 | |
34 | Monmouth County Library: Directory | 1980 | |
35 | Floor Plans Branches | 1965-1988 | |
36 | Freehold Building | 1969-1976 | |
37 | Monmouth County Library: General | 1968-1993 | |
38-39 | Historical Materials | 1958-1987 | |
2 | 40 | Manalapan Building | 1974-1983 |
41 | Monmouth County Library: Memoranda | 1967-1968 | |
42 | :Policies and Procedures | 1965-1978 | |
43 | :Staff and Business Related Articles | 1977-1999 | |
44 | :Survey | 1985 | |
45 | Headquarters/Manalapan | 1986, June-1988, Oct. | |
46 | 1989, Feb.-2001, Apr. | ||
Libraries in Towns | |||
47 | Allentown | 1980, Dec. 11-2001, Mar. 22 | |
48 | Asbury Park | 1966, Nov. 10-1999, Apr. 30 | |
49 | Belmar | 1972, May 10-2000, Jan. 19 | |
50 | Brielle | 1989, Oct. 25-2002, Aug. 31 | |
51 | Colts Neck | 1973, Aug. 31-2001, Apr. 13 | |
52 | Eatontown | 1977, May 11-1977, Nov. 6 | |
53 | Fair Haven | 1977, Jan. 31 | |
54 | Farmingdale | 1990, Aug. 23 | |
55 | Freehold | 1968, Jan. 16-2000, Oct. 20 | |
56 | Hazlet | 1963, Sept. 5-2002, Dec. 6 | |
57 | Holmdel | 1962-2002, Dec. 28 | |
58 | Howell | 1983, Nov. 2-1990, Dec. 28 | |
59 | Interlaken | 1972, Oct. 15 | |
60 | Keansburg | 1989, Nov. 17-2003, Aug. 5 | |
61 | Keyport | 1972, Jan. 30-1977, Jan. 9 | |
62 | Little Silver | 1968, Feb. 1971, Apr. 14 | |
63 | Long Branch | 1970, Dec. 7-1983, May 27 | |
64 | Manalapan (Western Branch) | 1968, Aug. 29-2003, Sept. 10 | |
65 | Manasquan | 1993, Nov. 11-2002, Jan. 17 | |
66 | Marlboro | 1986, Apr. 9-2000, July 19 | |
67 | Matawan | 1965, June 10-1979, Oct. 16 | |
68 | Middletown | 1971, Feb. 7-1996, Nov. 6 | |
69 | Millstone | 1999, Nov.-2002, June 27 | |
70 | Monmouth Beach | 1992, Mar. 25-1995, Nov. 6 | |
71 | Neptune | 1988, July 17-2000, June 17 | |
72 | Oceanport | 1969-2001, Apr. | |
73 | Ocean Township | 1973, Oct. 31-2003, Oct. 7 | |
74 | Red Bank | 1970, Jan. 30-1979, Oct. 19 | |
75 | Roosevelt | 1968, May 23-2000, Oct. 5 | |
76 | Rumson-Oceanic | 1968, Jan. 16-2001, Sept. 19 | |
77 | Sea Bright | 1975, Nov. 28-2000, Oct. 11 | |
78 | Sea Girt | 1972, Feb. 24-2000 | |
79-81 | Shrewsbury (Eastern Branch) | 1967, Nov. 24-2002, June 18 | |
82 | Spring Lake & Spring Lake Heights | 1996, Juen 21-1998, May 14 | |
83 | Tinton Falls | 1976, Dec. 5-2001, June 16 | |
84 | Union Beach | 1971, June 4-2001, July 13 | |
85 | Wall | 1969, Mar. 26-2001, Aug. 2 | |
86 | West Long Branch | 1970, Oct. 28-2001, Feb. 21 | |
Other Records | |||
87 | Libraries (non-specific), various subjects | 1973, May 9-2003, Jan. 6 | |
88 | Copies of clippings in album | 1964, Apr. 16-1965, Oct. 20 | |
89 | Friends of Monmouth County Library Association | 1964, May 15-1976, Oct. 20 | |
90 | Ocean County libraries | 1985, Mar. 2003, Feb. 22 | |
Photographs (stored in vault) | |||
1 | Photo Album | 1973-1974 | |
2 | Photo Album | 1975 | |
3 | Monmouth County Library Week Album | 1976, Jan. | |
4 | Photo Album | 1976, Mar.-1976, July | |
5 | Photo Album | 1976, July-1976, Dec. | |
6 | Manalapan Construction Photo Album | 1984-1987 | |
7 | Binder of Negatives | ||
8 | Photographs/Negatives |