Springfield Library Board Rejects Proposed Merger With Millburn

In an April 16 letter to Library Board President Abby Gorin and other Millburn officials, the Springfield Library Board of Trustees said they are not interested in pursuing a proposed merger between Springfield's and Millburn's libraries. Springfield's board argues that the proposed shared location at the site of the former Saks store on Millburn be difficult to fund, inconvenient for Springfield patrons and overly burdensome for Springfield's tax payers.

Representatives from Millburn's public library outlined the proposal to Springfield Library board members and officials at the Springfield Library Board of Trustees meeting on March 18.

While Springfield library Board members said they are amenable to commissioning a feasibility study on the project, they do not believe that funding for such a study is available. John Rasimowicz of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs said that SHARE Grant funding for libraries has been frozen as a part of Governor Christie's deficit cutting measures.

 "It is uncertain when, or if, funds will be released," Rasimowicz said in an e-mail excerpted in the Springfield Library Board Letter.

The letter also mentions the expense Springfield has undertaken to keep Royal Ahold from building a Stop & Shop supermarket on the former Saks property.

"Condemnation of this property is not an issue we wish to explore and is a burden that can not be placed on Springfield taxpayers," Springfield Library Board of Trustees President Cheryl Mullman said in the letter.

The library board argues that moving would be an inconvenience for Springfield residents.

"The existing Springfield Library is centrally located for our residents," Mullman said in the letter. "The library is within walking distance to four schools and located across the street from a large garden apartment complex where many senior citizen patrons reside. The Saks site is located at the outermost border of Springfield and is not in walking distance for any Springfield school children."

While Springfield's board is not interested in merging branches, they would like the libraries to share in other ways. The letter suggested a reciprocal borrowing agreement that would allow residents of both towns to borrow from both libraries.

"In light of pending state cuts, we may find the need to strengthen those relationships and find new ways to provide interlibrary loan and delivery services, purchase in groups to obtain discounts on databases and other library materials, and to provide professional development opportunities for our collective staff," Mullman said in the letter.