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November 18, 2009

Bridgeton Public Library stays dry with a little help from its "Friends"

nj.com

By Matt Dunn
November 16, 2009, 7:32PM
BRIDGETON – The leaky roof of the Bridgeton Public Library will be repaired, thanks to the efforts of the library’s many “Friends.”

City council gave permission Monday to contract for renovation work to the public library in Bridgeton, after reporting that the “Save the Library!” group, along with the “Friends of the Bridgeton Library” group, has raised necessary funds for the repairs.

Norma De Noble, vice president of Friends of the Bridgeton Library, said over $31,000 was raised by private donors towards repairing the library’s leaky roof.

“People were very generous. We’ve had people donate as much as $5,000 toward the fund,” she said. “Our number one priority is to get the roof fixed so that there no more leaks.”

The Bridgeton library, located on East Commerce Street, is comprised of the former Cumberland National Bank building — constructed in 1816 — and an annex which was built onto the original structure in 1967.

The Bridgeton Historic District Commission previously gave permission for repairs on the roof, which De Noble said she hopes to get underway before winter.

A major concern is the library’s collection of Lenni Lenape artifacts.

The City of Bridgeton agreed Monday to insure the construction “of no less than $1 million in liability and workers compensation coverage.”

To learn that the fundraising target for the roof construction has been met is good news to supporters of the library.

Less than two weeks ago, library backers expressed concern to city council over whether the library would receive proper funding with a change in administration in Trenton, in the departure of Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine after his defeat by Republican governor-elect Chris Christy.

The library’s board of directors contemplated closing the library earlier this month, but decided to delay the closing.

Raising money for further renovations to make the library handicap-accessible and more energy-efficient are both part of the future plans of “Save the Library!” and “Friends of the Bridgeton Library”.

Without knowledge of next year’s funding situation, the future of the library may not be set in stone; but, at least one battle has been won in the present.

“The response to our campaign was phenomenal,” De Noble said Monday.

Posted by tumulty at November 18, 2009 2:24 PM

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