I think the library's a nice little idea, but do we really need two libraries?" said Councilwoman Victoria Rau at a recent workshop meeting of the council. "Monmouth County library is just up the street — it's a great facility."

Rau proposed closing the library and moving some borough employees into the building, which is nearly contiguous to borough hall.

Rau, a newcomer and one of three Republicans elected to the governing body in November, said the council owed taxpayers to at least have a discussion about closing the library as a low-cost option to alleviate overcrowding in the current borough hall.

Rau presented the council with copies of a library Board of Trustees report that detailed the state of the library, which has just more than half the number of members as the Monmouth County Library Eastern Branch located just to the north in Shrewsbury.

The local library has 2,388 members, all borough residents. But the county branch library, counts 4,899 Eatontown resi-

dents among its membership, according to the report.

The report also shows that, by far, the most popular service — more than book rental — is its DVD rental service.

"I think one of the tell-tale signs is the number of DVD rentals is around 19,000," said Councilman John Schiels, a Republican, who added that he had some financial concerns about the library and its accounting.

The idea of closing the local library also seemed to have the ear of Councilman Carl Sohl, a Democrat.

"I think it warrants a look at it," Sohl said.

But Mayor Gerald J. Tarantolo, a Democrat, said if the council decided to proceed, it should do so with caution. Tarantolo said that it seemed only fair that the council have a discussion with the librarian to "get a complete overview" of the library's services and where it stands financially and culturally.

"The library has been there forever," he said. "It's an institution, and you just don' t get rid of an institutions without real good reasons."

Borough Attorney Gene Anthony said before any action was taken, the council needed to discuss the library's legal arrangement with the borough. Anthony said that would take place in a closed-door session.

Keith Brown: (732) 643-4076 or kbrown@app.com