Renovation Of Freehold Public Library To Be Topic Of Open House

FREEHOLD, NJ — The Freehold Public Library is inviting the community to an open house this Sunday to discuss its renovation plans.

The open house is Dec. 4 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the library at 28 1/2 E. Main St.

The library has been awarded a grant to make certain accessibility improvements, and mechanical and structural improvements and will discuss those pre-renovation plans.

But it is also an opportunity for residents to learn more about the historic Carnegie library and its role in borough life.

Featured guests who will make presentations from 3:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. are:

• Kevin Coyne, borough historian, on the library's historical significance.
• Brianne Van Vorst, Historic Preservation Commission, on the architectural significance of the library building.
• Kathy Mulholland, library director, on re-imagining the library and its place in the community, while preserving the historic building.

From 3:45 p.m. to 5 p.m. there will be a meet-and-greet, light refreshments, building tours and a door prize will be announced.

According to the borough website, the library has been in continuous operation since 1904. Built using funds provided by industrialist Andrew Carnegie, the structure is of the neoclassical style popular for public/government buildings of the day.

As of 2021, the library is embarking on a renovation project that will increase accessibility and public space, while maintaining the building’s “Classic Carnegie Library” look and feel, the borough website says.

According to a Dec. 2020, Patch article, the Freehold Public Library received a grant from the state to modernize it. As part of the $889,000 grant, the library would improve accessibility through wheelchair access, ADA-compliant restrooms and designated handicapped parking, among other improvements.

The Borough of Freehold has committed to provide the required 50 percent matching funds, according to a Borough Council resolution of March 2020.

An original Carnegie library, the E. Main Street location has remained “substantially unchanged” since its construction in the early 1900s, according to Library Director Kathy Mulholland. The renovation project will focus on updating building systems and making accessibility modifications to the existing structure.

“Priorities of the renovation are to create a space that is accessible, welcoming, comfortable and safe for the entire community; allow for efficient and flexible use of interior spaces; equip the facility for sustainable and beneficial use well into the future; and preserve the historic and charming aesthetic of the building,” Mulholland said in a previous statement.

According to the past article, full renovation plans include:

• Wheelchair access to the entire facility
• Two new ADA-compliant restrooms
• A kitchenette for staff/programs to use
• HVAC improvements throughout the building
• New ramp, deck and lobby for wheelchair lift and a new entrance at the upper level
• Designated handicapped parking adjacent to library
• Relocated staff office and repositioned circulation desk
• New teen room public space reclaimed from storage/utility areas
• Safety improvements to front entrance (preserving historic character)
• Remodeling and new shelving in children’s room
• Updated electric service throughout with improved lighting and public access to outlets
• Designated conference/study room
• Additional shelf capacity, especially for children’s, teen and adult fiction collections

Visit the library online for more information.

Parking for the open house or for library use is available at Market Yard in the rear of the building.

The Freehold Public Library serves as the free public library for the municipality’s residents. For more information, email help@freeholdpubliclibrary.org or telephone 732-462-5135.