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East Greenwich puts library referendum vote on hold

East Greenwich Library.jpg
The East Greenwich Library is now housed in the first floor of the former Samuel Mickle School. (Photo courtesy of Susan Breen )
Caitlin Wills/South Jersey Times By Caitlin Wills/South Jersey Times Gloucester County Times
on July 11, 2013 at 6:00 AM, updated July 11, 2013 at 6:06 AM

EAST GREENWICH — A referendum for the East Greenwich Library Association to withdraw its partnership from the Gloucester County Library System could find its way to the ballot later this year, but not just yet.

The township committee was scheduled Tuesday night to vote on a resolution putting the referendum to voters in November, but the resolution was tabled until the July 23 meeting.

“The GCLS cannot control the vote. It is completely up to the residents of East Greenwich," said Nancy Polhamus, reference librarian and public information officer for the Gloucester County Library System. "It would certainly change the library services the township receives and again, it is entirely up to the voters what type of services they want to have.”

According to Susan Breen, the East Greenwich Library Association president, residents would not be paying any more money then they already are now — in fact, she says that they would be paying less. Lyman Barnes, Gloucester County Freeholder and library liaison seems to think differently.

“The numbers just aren’t there," Barnes said. "I’ve never seen anything that would suggest that they even have that money in their budget. Before they even have an idea to withdraw, the township needs to have a fully funded municipal budget, to fully fund a new library. The want may be there, but the funds just aren’t."

Breen said that unfortunately, the referendum was not up to par with certain regulations and needs to be re-addressed at the July 23 township committee meeting.

“It’s a shame it has to come to this,” said Breen. “It was only four and a half years ago that the GCLS Commission agreed to accept our library as a branch and now they plan to close the library. We have concluded that the only financially feasible way to keep a library in town is to withdraw from the county library system.”

Barnes, again, thinks differently. In accordance with New Jersey state library laws, if the township withdraws, they need to be able to provide a library to the residents.

“I think they are going to have a hard time providing that when they barely passed their budget,” Barnes said. He thinks the attendance is something that needs to be addressed as well.

“Last year, they had about 900 visits and the nearest library, had about 3,700," Barnes said. "It’s a small group of people who are really passionate and it is a part of history. I appreciate that, but as much as they are passionate, their past just doesn’t suggest that a new library would make sense.”

The East Greenwich Branch of the Gloucester County Library System is a 2,500 square-foot building that was deemed to small to handle the types of programs the other county library branches provide. Built in 1928, the building is owned by the East Greenwich School District, which is leased by the county library system for $1 per year.

If approved, the township would begin its change status as of January 2014 and would officially be replaced by the municipal library as of January 2016.

Contact Caitlin Wills at cwills@southjerseymedia.com

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

Gloucester County Library: lease on East Greenwich branch will not be renewed

East Greenwich residents express desire for library to remain open

East Greenwich Library building too small to be successful, Gloucester County library system says
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