Members of community reflect on Cranbury Public Library triumphs
By: Jessica Beym
The noise level at the library rose well above a whisper last week. But only for a day.
Dressed in a black tuxedo, Library Director Howard Zogott had to shout to be heard above the music, small talk and the laughter of friends and families who joined in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the library on March 31.
Tables and chairs were moved into the halls of the Cranbury School, clearing an empty space to accommodate the guests. While the crowd began to gather, the Gourgaud Gallery Group, a classical music group, performed various 19th century pieces in the back of the room.
After an hour of socializing, snacking and reflecting on memories, the crowd turned its attention to Mr. Zogott.
Quoting a 1906 article of The Cranbury Press, Mr. Zogott shared the plans for the opening night of the Cranbury Public Library, held on March 20 of that year.
"It is the purpose of the Society to make the ‘Opening Night’ an event of much interest and of much pleasure in our village," the Rev. Adolos Allen wrote in the article.
"Not unlike our purpose tonight," Mr. Zogott said, as he told the crowd to imagine what the Village Improvement Society of 1906 would think of the library today, with more than 30,000 books, access to videos, magazines and computers and 2,000 active library cards in a town of about 3,400 people.
When the Cranbury Public Library first opened, it was located in a small room in The Cranbury Press building on North Main Street. The room had been an ice cream parlor the summer before, Mr. Zogott said.
After thanking staff, friends and the community for joining in on the celebration and for their dedicated use of the library, Mr. Zogott introduced a few other members of the community to reflect on the triumphs of the Cranbury Public Library in its 100 years.
"Any institution who has served the community for over a century deserves a birthday gala," said Frank Brennan Jr., the president of the library board of trustees.
Mayor Tom Panconi, who has lived in Cranbury with his family since 1998, said the 80-year relationship between the library and the Cranbury School has served the community well. The library is one of 10 in the state that serves as a public library and as a school library.
"Not too many towns in New Jersey have that, and we’re fortunate," Mayor Panconi said.
Leslie Berger, the president of the Princeton Public Library and the president-elect of the American Library Association, echoed the same sentiment.
Ms. Berger said that in 1896 there were only 971 public libraries in the country and by 1903 there were 2,300. Cranbury was quick to follow.
"That says a lot about your community and what you value, because those values have not changed all that much today," Ms. Berger said. "A free public library supports democracy and lifelong learning and those are still very important principles."

