The Borough Council's six members have said they would support the library if the public approves it.

Most of the residents who asked questions during the 70-minute public comment period that opened the meeting asked about how the building would look, where individual services and collections would be located, and how the size of the 15,000-square-foot new building would compare to the current 6,330-square-foot library at 2484 Plainfield Ave.

Anthony Mondoro, a borough resident and former councilman, said he was concerned that the lot was not big enough to house the proposed building. The new library would have 22 parking spots, with a walkway leading to overflow parking at borough hall. The new library would also have an upstairs meeting room that can hold 90 people.

"The meeting room holds 50? 90?' he asked. "Where are they going to park their cars?'

Sundra Randolph, the director of the library, said the overflow parking would be ample, and she said more often than not, the 22 spaces would be plenty.

"If you don't come when there's a children's program here, 20 parking spaces is more than enough,' Randolph said.

The project's engineer and construction manager were also on-hand to answer residents' questions.

Those who spoke Thursday were largely supportive of the proposal. But Eric Aronowitz, president of the library's trustees, said he had hoped for a larger crowd.

During the election, voters will also have a chance to leave comments on the library or any other borough issue. Borough officials have said those comments will be important as they make their decision forward.

If the proposal is approved, officials said Thursday that construction could start as soon as this year and be complete by next spring.

But nobody Thursday was counting their chickens yet.

When a resident asked Randolph if she had a "wish list' of items the library would need to furnish the inside of the new building, Randolph said no.

"If the building goes forward, we will make a wish list,' Randolph said. "We haven't made a wish list because we don't know if the building is going forward.'

Jared Kaltwasser: (908) 707-3137; jkaltwasser@mycentraljersey.com