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.
An unlikely champion - Editorial
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A PUBLIC library is one of the most valuable assets in any community. On Sunday, Passaic Mayor Samuel Rivera finally understood that and promised to keep the Reid Memorial Library alive. The Reid library may become Rivera's lasting legacy to the people of Passaic.
The 104-year-old branch library is in need of repairs. It needs a new roof, it needs updating -- it needs a champion. When Rivera met with The Record editorial board at the Reid, he was surprised to find the library had not been flooded by torrential rains, and that it was not in such dire straits that it should be shuttered. He was rightly concerned there was no accurate assessment of the repair costs. He pledged to The Record that he would reach out into the business community and raise private money to restore the library.
Rivera made public that pledge on Sunday and said that a private foundation is being formed to raise the needed funds. That is an extraordinary first step. But it is only a first step.
A report by LAN Associates says at least $1 million is needed to repair and restore the building. That is no small sum. Nor are the costs limited to replacing the roof, adding an elevator and returning a skylight to its original condition. The library needs new books, a broader collection that represents the current cultural mix of the Reid's neighborhood.
The mayor must champion the entire Passaic library system. The City Council has not been such a champion. There was a failed attempt to privatize the library and if it were not for the concerted efforts of both The Record and the Herald News, the Reid would most certainly have died an inauspicious death.
Rivera is a pragmatic politician. There is the old saying, "You can't fight City Hall." City Hall, though, cannot fight the will of the people.
The Reid can become a magnet for Passaic families. If its second-floor community room is accessible by elevator, it can be used for a variety of events -- from lectures to concerts. The second floor also could house a state-of-the-art computer center for children. All it takes is imagination and money.
Rivera will have to shake a lot of trees to find at least $1 million. Additionally, the library should aggressively seek grants and other sources of revenue.
Most everything in Passaic is political. The library board is not immune to politics. Rivera's Sunday announcement should be the first salvo toward changing the priorities of that board. Loyalty to the mayor and council members is not enough of a qualification to serve on the library board; an unabashed passion for a vibrant, library system is. If the board is not up to the task of rebuilding and restoring the Reid, then it should be replaced.
It does not matter whether Rivera is motivated by politics or a love of the Reid library. What matters is Rivera finally is motivated to save the Reid.