Councilwoman calls for boro library to be closed Rau: Residents prefer to use the Monmouth County Library BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer Acouncilwoman is proposing that the Eatontown Public Library on Broad Street be closed permanently to create additional space for borough employees. Councilwoman Victoria Rau said at the March 4 municipal meeting that the library is "underused" and opening the building to borough employees would help alleviate crowded conditions at borough hall. She explained that the Monmouth County Library in Shrewsbury is in "close enough" proximity to the borough to serve the residents. "Although the library is a nice place, the borough is looking for space for employees," Rau said. "Do we really need two libraries? "The Monmouth County Library is just up the street, and it's a great facility," she said, explaining that she believes residents prefer the "larger" Monmouth County Library to the borough library. "I think we should have a discussion on whether it's a good idea or a bad idea," she said. Rau explained in a proposal presented to the Borough Council that the county library has more registered Eatontown residents than the borough library. Approximately 2,400 residents are registered at the borough's library and some 4,800 residents are registered at the county library, according to Eatontown Business Administrator George Jackson. "It looks like the county library has double [the number] of our residents," Jackson said. Councilman Carl Sohl agreed with Rau's proposal to close the borough library. "We only have 14,000 people in town," Sohl said. "If we have 4,800 [at the county library], do we really need the borough library here?" Jackson explained to the council that the borough is paying a fee of $320,000 a year for residents to be members of the county library for free. If the borough does not pay its yearly fee, residents will have to pay $100 to become members of the county library. If the borough is already paying a fee for residents to join the county library, Rau said having a library in the borough is "redundant." Rau presented a chart at the meeting, showing that residents most often borrow DVDs from the borough library. She explained that DVD rentals are a function more suitable for a video store. "I think one of the tell-tale signs [of the lack of use at the library] is that the biggest volume in the library is DVD rentals," Councilman John Schiels said. Schiels suggested that council conduct a study to determine how often residents use the borough library. Mayor Gerald Tarantolo agreed with the idea of a study. "Another factor is that the library has been there forever," Tarantolo said. "It's an institution. You don't just get rid of institutions without real good reasons." Closing the library and using it to expand offices at borough hall will save the borough a significant amount of money, Rau explained, adding that constructing a separate addition at borough hall to house employees will be costly. Tarantolo said that before a decision is made, the council should discuss with the librarian the usefulness of the library. "I think before we make any decisions, it's only right that we sit down with our librarian and get an overview from her of the operation," Tarantolo said. "The implication is that we must look at everything with regards to appropriations. "The reason Councilwoman Rau brought it up is because we have redundant systems, the county system and our own system," he said. "The library has been around for a long time, and I'm sure that it will draw reaction from our residents who use the library quite frequently. "It's something that we really have to look at carefully before we make any decision," Tarantolo added. Borough Attorney Gene Anthony explained at the meeting that before any discussion can take place regarding the library, the council needs to explore any legal ramifications surrounding the potential closure of the library. The library began as a literary society in the 1900s and was fully incorporated later in the century, according to Amy Garibay, director of the Eatontown Public Library. The library was originally located in what is now the borough recreation department in borough hall. The library opened at its current location, the site of the former Eatontown post office building, in the 1980s. "The library is something that is very near and dear to the hearts of the Eatontown residents," Tarantolo said, adding that the proposal needs to be analyzed "extensively."