PASSAIC PUBLIC LIBRARY
PASSAIC PUBLIC LIBRARY IN THE NEWS
The purpose of this page is to provide the public with a fair appraisal of the facts based on the information available. In cases where the newspaper article runs juxtaposed to the opinion of the Library Director and Board of Trustees you will see a highlighted box.
The following excerpts were taken from a Herald News interview titled
Q&A with Passaic City Council
printed Wednesday April 25, 2007
The following question was one of several questions asked of Passaic City Council members
The Passaic Public Library has had to cutback on services and proposes to shutter the Reid Memorial Branch on 180 Third St. in Passaic, of which portions of the collection would be moved to the Boys & Girls Club. Library officials said that to keep the branch open would mean spending money on costly repairs to the building's roof and foundation. Do you support the library board's plan for the Reid?
Jonathan Soto reply:
For the safety of the kids, that building is an old building and it would take federal money that isn't coming to the cities to repair it. I am more nervous about the hazards in the building. Let's get the kids to a better building; to a new building.
Marcellus Jackson reply:
The situation with the Reid Library is still premature. I know there is the Community Development Block Grant program we are seeking money for and we are allocating to the Forstmann. There's money that's going to be allocated to the Forstmann and to the after-school program, but were talking dollars and cents and it's going to be tough to not only fund the library but a lot of other things.
Giovanni Regalado reply:
I believe that our children need more than one option when it comes to libraries. If the Reid Memorial Branch is closed, this will mean that children will have to wait for parents to take them across town to the library or they won't go at all. Reading is essential in the advancement of our children's education. Limiting their resources will be limiting their potential. I don't want to be responsible for crime soaring, gangs growing and children being left behind because they didn't have the resources needed to keep them on the right track. I would like for anyone on any board or council to stand up if they are in support of closing the Reid. Then, I will ask them to take responsibility of the ensuring ordeals that their decision will cause to be. And then, I will ask how many of their children attend our schools and use our libraries. I bet you I will get some interesting answers! If portion of the collection is moved to the Boys & Girls Club, will they remain free to the public or just available to only paying members of the club? We should not have to force our children to go to a club that many of their parents cannot afford. While they are there, their psyches will be damaged. They will look at the other children participating in the club and wonder: "Why can't I?" We don't need to feed a self defeating attitude.
Gary Schaer reply:
I have followed the discussions closely and to the best of my knowledge, the Library Board has not yet recommended any course of action and they are still discussing the matter. There are many factors that come into play for the Library Board and for the City to consider, most especially the needs of the community in that part of our City.
Information which the Library Board has released suggests that estimated costs to repair Reid are over $150,000. Also, the building is not handicapped accessible and does not provide Internet access or adequate parking. I have also been informed that an average of just 31 books per day are borrowed from Reid. The key question remains: Can funds to serve the community be better spent while at the same time serving the educational needs of all residents?
Until the Library makes its recommendation and shares their analysis with the Mayor and Council, I believe it would be premature to finalize a position on maintaining Reid. I think that all of the facts surrounding this issue are still not yet known. Any decision regarding Reid's future must first and foremost understand the true role of Reid as an institution that serves the entire community.
Chaim M. Munk reply:
The Library Board is working on all options to find the best solution for the residents in the area. In fact, for the first time in Passaic, the Library Board has invited the residents of the area to come and voice their concerns, so that the Board has the best interest of the local residents as how best to proceed
Maritza Colon-Montanez reply:
I grew up utilizing the Reid Library Branch. However, the structure is essentially the same as it was when I was a child more than 30 years ago. Today, children need Internet services and parents require parking spaces. Further, the costs associated with repairing Reid are not consistent with my philosophy of keeping city expenses low. I support the Library Board’s decision to move the facility to the nearby Boys and Girls Club, which many of the children already utilize. My experience on the Board of Education has shown me the importance of modern technology to our children’s learning experience and Reid does not currently provide that service.