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Even before there was a Roselle, there was a library available to the residents of this area. The Clio Literary Society, a women's club with an educational emphasis, established a book collection of about six hundred items, which could be borrowed by local residents for a small charge. That was in 1889, five years before Roselle was established. The books were housed at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Miller Moore, club members.
In 1898, the library, having grown larger and more popular, was moved to the Roselle Casino, a community building (not a gambling establishment) closer to downtown. The collection probably appealed mainly to adult literary tastes, and had little of interest to children.
As Roselle grew and the school became more populated, the demand for children's resources also grew. In the spring of 1914, representatives of the Clio Club and the Chestnut Street Parent Teacher Association met to discuss common goals. Out of those meetings came the formation of the Roselle Library Association, a private group which would run a more broadly-based library. The Clio Club donated its collection of sixteen hundred volumes, a bequest was received from a local resident, and a new home was found on West Second Avenue . The library opened for business in May 1914.
The library was tiny: 2200 books, nine seats, and open just ten hours per week. People paid dues to belong, and the borough made a small contribution starting in 1915. It was popular, however. Within two years, the members moved the books to the other side of Chestnut Street to larger quarters. The new space could seat nine children and twelve adults, and held 3700 books.
Almost every public library in New Jersey started as a private, or association, library, and then was "municipalized" at an election. The voters of Roselle elected to make the library a municipal department on November 6, 1917 , and on January 1, 1918 , the Roselle Public Library came into existence. The vote was 389 yes, 186 no, or better than 2-1 in favor.
The continued popularity and growth of the library led the library trustees to begin agitating for a building of their own in the early 1920's. In 1926, the borough did purchase the Williams property on Fourth Street , and hired an architect to draw up plans, but the mayor and council were unwilling to commit more money to the idea.
Finally, the Federal Public Works Administration offered nearly matching funds to construct a library in 1935. With the help of the state's senators in Washington, plans were secured from noted library architect Alfred Morton Githens, and the library built. The new building opened to the public on November 11, 1937 , as a memorial to the residents of Roselle who had died in the Great War.
By the late 1950's, the building was becoming cramped and worn. The meeting room was turned into a work room. The ventilation system did not work as well as had been planned. The director had no office. Bookcases were added here and there to accommodate the growing collection. The trustees again began to talk about additional space.
It was not until the early 1980's that such space was provided. A 1600 square foot addition was constructed on the west end of the building, to complement the original 5400 sf. The new space added restrooms, an access ramp, and additional shelving. However, the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1989 and the advent of computers quickly made the building obsolete again.
Now that we are in the twenty-first century, the trustees of the Library are working closely with Borough officials to make the library the object of civic pride that it was many years ago. The latest books, convenient access to information, space to meet and discuss, a place to maintain our history, a room just for children - these are all ideas for an expanded Roselle Public Library. Soon, we will be adding to this history when we move forward with a major expansion of the building.
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