FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 29, 2009

   Freeholders elevate West Long Branch library 
Status change expands county system and saves town money

FREEHOLD, NJ – The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders passed a resolution last week that allows for the elevation of the local West Long Branch library to county branch library status in January 2010. 

If all goes as planned, the West Long Branch library will open for its first day of business in the new year on Monday, Jan. 4 as a county branch library.  Work to fully integrate the computer and administrative systems will take place on Saturday, Jan. 2 as staff completes the transition. 

The move will provide an increased level of service and access to resources to residents and is contingent on the approval of a local ordinance in support of the change as well. The ordinance is slated for a vote by the West Long Branch council at the conclusion of a final public hearing on Dec. 30.

"Branch libraries in the county system have incredible resources and services available to them," said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the library system.  "West Long Branch's elevation to a branch library will centralize administrative services, ordering and processing of books, movies, and a wealth of other materials, and provide West Long Branch residents with unlimited access to the largest circulating public library collection in the state." 

The change in the library's status makes way for the town to yield an estimated annual savings of more than $200,000.  Residents of West Long Branch approved a non-binding referendum in November to support the change to the library's status. 

"The county's library system has the lowest tax rate of any large public library system in the state," Burry said. "This change to the West Long Branch facility will expand the highly effective and long-standing county library tradition." 

The county library headquarters is located in Manalapan. Libraries with branch status in the county system currently include the Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury, Allentown, Colts Neck, Hazlet, Holmdel, Howell, Marlboro, Ocean Township, Oceanport and Wall.

Towns with member status of the county library system include Atlantic Highlands, Brielle, Eatontown, Fair Haven, Interlaken, Keansburg, Little Silver, Manasquan, Monmouth Beach, Neptune City, Oceanic (Rumson), Sea Bright, Sea Girt, Tinton Falls, Union Beach and West Long Branch.

Residents of towns that are not members or branches of the county library system who would like to have borrowing privileges at county libraries may purchase a county library card annually at a cost of $100. 

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