« Mayor: Other factors affected deal on WT library | Main | Clock ticks for uptown library »

March 11, 2009

Phillipsburg Free Public Library eyes regional consolidation

Sunday, March 08, 2009
By SARAH WOJCIK
The Express-Times
PHILLIPSBURG | Mayor Harry Wyant is gauging the interest of nearby township officials in establishing a regional library.

The suggestion comes as the Phillipsburg Free Public Library faces negotiations on a 19-year-old agreement between the county and Phillipsburg, allowing residents who pay a county library tax to use the local facility without charge.

Wyant said he does not want the agreement changed and is skeptical of joining the Warren County library system.

"We run a very good library. We run a very efficient library," Wyant said. "When things are working very well, why mess with it?"

A regional library would include Lopatcong, Pohatcong and Greenwich townships, Wyant said. Joining with Phillipsburg would require these townships to secede from the county system. Wyant said Greenwich Township is the only municipality that has not yet expressed an interest.

Warren County freeholders want the agreement reworked before its expiration in December. Freeholder Everett Chamberlain has criticized the agreement for being inequitable.

If the federation agreement is terminated and Phillipsburg refuses to join the county system, residents of the surrounding townships, who make up 55 percent of the facility's usage, would no longer be members.

In the event of a consolidated regional facility, Wyant said, taxes would not increase for township residents who already pay a percentage of their tax to the county system.

Phillipsburg Library Director Ann DeRenzis said while leaving the system would eliminate some inter-library loan opportunities and purchasing power, joining forces would involve re-examining staff, policy and operation.

"Changes in municipal services just don't happen overnight," she said. "This is a serious decision."

While about 56 percent of the funding for the Phillipsburg library comes from the county, more than half of its usage comes from county library taxpayers.

DeRenzis said she has particular concern for the elderly who use the library, with almost 200 more coming from surrounding townships than from within town. She said the library has become a close-knit community with members scattered throughout the region.

"This is hard for us because we see the human part of this," she said.

With the current economic climate, DeRenzis said, she wonders how wise a decision it would be to change the agreement this year. Within a couple of years, "it could be a different story," she said.

Chamberlain said he is hoping Phillipsburg decides to bring the town's library into the county system.

"The ball's in their court," he said.

Reporter Sarah Wojcik can be reached at 610-258-7171, ext. 3631, or by e-mail at swojcik@express-times.com.

Posted by tumulty at March 11, 2009 9:35 PM

Comments

Post a comment