Hoboken Library To Close For Month And A Half

HOBOKEN, NJ — The Hoboken Public Library's main branch in the center of town will close for seven weeks while it undergoes renovations, officials said Wednesday. Some library services will be available elsewhere, a spokesperson said.

The building at 500 Park Ave. will close on Aug. 13, the library said in an announcement.

The Hoboken Free Library opened in 1897 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The renovations are meant to keep the library's historic character and introduce new features, the announcement said.

"The project marks a milestone in the Library's Capital Master Plan, established in 2017 to guide its long-term investment in its facilities and future. It is made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust and the Library’s careful stewardship of its capital investments," the library announced.

The first floor and mezzanine will reopen Oct. 4, and the second and third floors will reopen on Oct. 5, the announcement said.

While the main building is closed, the following locations will remain fully open and accessible:

●Grand Street Branch (124 Grand St., second Floor of the Multi-Service Center)

●The Learning Center (401 Harrison St.) will host adult computer access during the closure.

●Library Lockers: Patrons can order a book through the BCCLS system and it will be placed in any of the library's three sets of lockers around town: outside the Main Library, at the Grand Street Branch, and at the Hoboken Historical Museum.

Storytimes will move outdoors to parks, weather permitting, and children's and teen programs will continue at the Grand Street Branch and at partner locations throughout the city, the library said.

“This renovation reflects years of planning by the Library Board of Trustees and the generous support of the New Jersey Historic Trust,” said Library Director Jennie Pu. “This project will deliver spaces worthy of a building and a community that has loved its library for over 130 years.”

The renovation, designed by Clarke Caton Hintz, a New Jersey architecture and planning firm with expertise in historic preservation, blends the Library’s original elements with accessible, modern features, the announcement said.

The project includes the restoration of the building's original plaster walls with a historic paint scheme that revitalizes the Library's original character.

The pressed-metal ceilings, cornices, and frieze tiles will be restored through a painstaking process of salvaging existing materials, repairing them, and creating others. Flooring, millwork, and bookcases will be returned to their original appearance. The project has been phased to align with available funding and minimize disruption to library services.

Among the most significant improvements is the modification of the mezzanine level, which will feature a new vertical platform lift to provide access between the first floor and mezzanine.

“The Hoboken Public Library is one of our community’s most valued public spaces, and the next phase of their renovation keeps us focused on both the people we serve today and those who will rely on the library tomorrow,” said Hoboken Mayor Emily Jabbour.

Find out more at hobokenlibrary.org/renovation.