By Davy James, Staff Writer
JAMESBURG — The fate of the Jamesburg Public Library will be in the hands of voters on Tuesday.
Voters are being asked to end municipal support of the library. If approved, the borough will contract with Monroe to use that township’s library, which would save Jamesburg about $30,000, borough officials say. The referendum is necessary because the public library was created by referendum in the 1960s.
The Jamesburg library will receive $185,614 from the borough as part of the 2008 municipal budget. That works out to $123 for each of the approximately 1,500 cardholders it has on record, according to library representatives.
Library officials said the importance of the library can’t be measured financially, while officials say the borough will gain expanded services while also saving a substantial amount of taxpayer money.
”The library helps keep the integrity of Jamesburg,” said Carole Hetzell, president of the library board of trustees. “We have something that belongs to us and not Monroe.”
Jamesburg Mayor Anthony LaMantia said the borough would lose a minimal amount of identity while gaining extra savings and services that are more expansive than what Jamesburg can offer.
”We would be giving our students and residents more research and availability than they could ever get in the Jamesburg library and no one should be arguing that point,” Mayor LaMantia said. “From an educational standpoint there’s more availability with two computer systems in Jamesburg versus 40 computer systems in Monroe. There’s more research availability and more programs, with access to the programs as a Monroe resident would receive.”
Currently, only Jamesburg residents who are Monroe Township High School students have full privileges in the Monroe library, while Jamesburg cardholders have limited privileges.
Should the Jamesburg library close, residents would get the same privileges as Monroe residents, including the ability to reserve books and enter into programs, computer classes and discussion groups. Currently, Jamesburg residents are automatically put on a waiting list for all programs, with Monroe residents having priority.
Ms. Hetzell said the library budget is expected to increase by 1.6 percent this year, which would increase by approximately $3,000.
”This is what I call being pennywise and pound foolish,” Ms. Hetzell said. “People don’t want to lose the library. They like that it’s within walking distance and that if they come to look for something they can usually find it and if it’s not on-site we can get it for them.”
Under the proposed interlocal agreement, the borough would pay $110 per cardholder, about what it costs Monroe per cardholder. The per-cardholder fee would increase for borough cardholders only if per-cardholder costs increase in Monroe, Jamesburg officials said.
”We feel we’re not getting proper figures from (the library board) and we’ll be getting more savings than what they’re saying,” Mayor LaMantia said. “I would say saving $30,000 is the most conservative estimate.”
Mayor LaMantia said the library would not provide him with the addresses of active cardholders so he’s unable to get an accurate number of residents who actually use the library. He said that he spent much time researching over the last two years in the library and never witnessed more than a handful of people using it at a given time. He said library officials have inflated the amount of actual cardholders by issuing cards to preschool students whose parents already have cards, which is why the borough isn’t able to get accurate figures.
Ms. Hetzell said many people in town she spoke with weren’t aware of the numerous services the Jamesburg library offers, such as free DVDs, audiobooks, and story hour, and those residents remarked they would be coming in to pick up a card.
If the library is closed, a walkway would be put through the park for access to the Monroe library, in addition to free public transportation being provided and a bookmobile that would visit Jamesburg. Ms. Hetzell said a large number of residents would stop using the library under such circumstances.
”I haven’t talked to one parent willing to let their kids walk through the park or wait around to take a bus,” she said. “Parents know that when kids are in our library they’re safe.”
Mayor LaMantia said that during tough economic times the borough needs to look at every avenue for savings, especially in the face of cutting services to residents.
”The ramifications of the library staying open is cutting services,” Mayor LaMantia said. “Every small municipality is in a bind and you have to start cutting services somewhere.”
Ms. Hetzell said the council is unwilling to look at other avenues for savings and that the council should look at eliminating staff in the Police Department or Borough Hall instead of losing the library.
”The library is a local resource that’s easy to attend,” she said. “It’s more of a threat than a reality to cut services like garbage pickup.”

