New Scotch Plains Public Library Project
Summary
On June 2, 2021, Scotch Plains Township and the Scotch Plains Public Library Board submitted a grant application to the State for a new public Library of approximately 27,000 square feet. Grant funds have been made available through the Library Construction Bond Act passed by New Jersey voters in November 2017, which authorized $125 million in state bonds to support the rehabilitation and construction of modern and technologically efficient Library facilities. Libraries can be awarded up to half the cost of rehabilitation or construction through the grant program. A total of $37.5 million is available to be awarded in this 2021 round of grant applications while $87.5 million was available in the first round in 2020. The cost of our new Library is projected to be approximately $13 million and we are seeking $3.5 million through the grant to offset the cost of the project. It is expected that we will hear back from the state on the grant by the Fall but no official date for award announcements has been made.
The existing Scotch Plains Library is a 14,000 square foot building built in 1968 that is operating beyond its capacity and no longer meeting our growing community’s needs. It is not economically feasible to renovate or expand the existing building. The new 27,000 square foot Library will augment existing services to address its expanding role as a community-focused facility offering more programming, resources, and improved information that will ensure the well-being and success of our community now and well into the 21st Century.
The library will occupy the first two floors of a new three-story building and will be entirely self-contained and independent. It is a standalone building program and the municipality will use the third floor for township offices. Cost estimates associated with the grant application are strictly for library uses and are discreet and separate from any costs associated with municipal functions or township offices.
As seen in the proposed site plan below, the new Library will be located off of Bartle Avenue and Forest Road where the library is currently located. The Township considers it crucial that the Library be located in the downtown area. Our plans also include an outdoor plaza that will be part of the library’s main entrance sequence off Bartle Avenue. The plaza expands the space that the library will have available for its activities and outdoor programs.
Economic Impact/Benefits of New Scotch Plains Public Library
Public libraries play a significant positive role in supporting businesses and economic development in their communities. The proposal for a new Scotch Plains Public Library is part of the larger vision of stimulating economic development downtown. The new Library will be one of the key catalysts for the revitalization of downtown Scotch Plains by becoming the hub of our downtown and creating a more vibrant Township center. The programs and services of the new Library will attract residents and visitors from the broader area generating much-needed foot traffic downtown thus spurring economic development and attracting investment downtown. Studies show that proximity to a Library increases spending at the businesses located near the Library.
The new Library will be dedicated and designed to incorporate not only traditional Library services, but also 21st Century Library services. The new Library will be an integral piece of our redeveloped downtown, conveniently located within walking distance of many of our local schools, businesses, residential areas, and new residential units being planned for construction through redevelopment. People want to live and spend time in vibrant areas and the new Library will make our downtown more attractive and vibrant, incentivizing new development. Visitors could travel to the Library by car, public transportation, or as pedestrians, including seniors, millennials, veterans, and low-income families who will reside in these new developments.
The presence of a new Library will also increase local property values and the economic development it will incentivize will lead to the expansion of our tax base. The Library will also be a key partner in economic development efforts by providing resources to local entrepreneurs such as technology, databases, and reference materials. The Library will provide employment and job-related programs to assist persons seeking employment that may not be tech savvy or are on the opposite side of the digital divide. The new building will have a dedicated space for the use of computer technology by adults, coupled with Wi-Fi and high-speed Internet. There is also a large, flexible and divisible multi-purpose room that can be sub-divided to offer related programs such as job fairs, resume writing classes, and SAT prep to address the growing career and educational needs of our community.
Libraries foster human growth and development by promoting early literacy, school readiness, technological skills, and providing resources to meet and develop workforce skills. Simply put, the educational and programming opportunities in the new Library will create a smarter and better educated workforce, building a stronger economy in the long-run.
Programming and Resources in the New Scotch Plains Public Library
The Library’s mission is to provide our entire community with resources and services to enhance life-long learning. Expanding our facility will further this mission by providing a greater opportunity for civic, educational, and informational initiatives that a 21st Century community requires. More comprehensive programming in areas such as career counseling, preventative health, financial literacy, computer skills, after-school activities, summer learning activities, and a Memory Cafe for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment would also be offered.
Due in part to its location, a large number of school age children use the Library every day after school. The existing building does not have the capacity to adequately serve these students.
The new building will expand our ability to provide programs and services to our younger patrons. An important function of libraries is to instill in young children a love of reading and learning. The new Library building will greatly increase our ability to offer educational and entertaining programs for younger children. The new building will include a space dedicated for community teens. The dedicated teen space will encourage teens to socialize, read, learn, and participate in our programs.
Currently, the Library has a strong health literacy initiative. We have curated both print and online consumer health resources and regularly do wellness programming, such as partnering with our Township Health Department to provide free blood pressure screening or “Storytime Yoga” for young children. A larger building with multiple and flexible program spaces will enable us to expand the scope of our health literacy initiative, having a positive effect on the quality of life in our community.
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The existing Library only has limited technical infrastructure available for patrons consisting of wireless and wired networks to support both staff and patron resources. The new Library is designed with current technology, which will be easily adaptable to future technology developments. The new Library will provide separate computer areas for adults, children and teens with a separate tech lab space that will enable the Library to conduct age appropriate computer and internet instructional programs. The open floor plan will facilitate better Wi-Fi signal and a secure network will be installed throughout the building. Further, the building expands the space available to the Library for storage of data and server equipment. The Library currently provides a very robust offering of electronic web-based services, some of which depend on in-house equipment.