Grassroots Group Plans To Protest Bellevue Library Branch Closing Tonight

A recent budget-cutting decision to close the historic Andrew Carnegie-funded Bellevue Avenue Library branch in Upper Montclair has met with heavy opposition from an ad-hoc citizens group which plans to protest the action at tonight's Library Board of Trustees meeting.

In response to the actions by Montclair Public Library’s board, the “Save Our BAB Library” group said, “We are devastated, deeply troubled and very upset to learn that the library’s cost-cutting plans involve closing the branch library, which has been heavily used for nearly 100 years and serves as an affordable outlet for expanding knowledge and educational opportunities for area residents, including everyone from students to seniors.”
 
The group went on to say that: “The Bellevue Avenue Library is a key anchor of the community and is located in an ‘educational zone’ that is surrounded by no less than three schools (Mount Hebron Middle School, St. Cassian Elementary School and Lacordaire Academy)."

Meanwhile, tthe Montclair Public Library's Board of Trustees also has issued a statement explaining its budget determinations for 2011.

The board's statement says the following: "It was with profound regret that the Board of Trustees of the Montclair Public Library voted last week to severely curtail hours at the main Library and to indefinitely close the Bellevue Avenue Branch. In light the of proposed $800,000 cuts to the Library's 2011 allocation, and accumulated cuts since 2008 and increased fixed costs in the aggregate approaching 50 percent, the Trustees were unanimous in their conclusion that these measures had to be taken.

"Every possible scenario was reviewed in detail. Among several unpalatable options taking into consideration the interests of the whole Township, as well as to maintain the Library’s state certification, the Trustees concluded that closing the Bellevue Branch was unavoidable.  The decisions were complex and interrelated and required the Board of Trustees to look at services and staffing and the cost structure of the Library.

"Library leadership evaluated several budgetary scenarios early on. When it became clear in recent weeks that the 2011 cuts would be twice what was anticipated, the Trustees had to act quickly to make difficult decisions in order to preserve the viability of the Library in Montclair.  Every passing day would only put the Library further and further into the hole if cuts were not made quickly.

"For now, the Trustees look to supporting the Library’s professional leadership and its staff as they work diligently to provide meaningful services to the community, even with such limited means. We also look forward to working with the Montclair Public Library Foundation and, indeed, with all interested institutions and individuals, in securing private support and, we hope, an eventual return to previous levels of municipal support."

All this comes just ahead of the board's meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Montclair Public Library's auditorium.