Newark Public Library facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Newark Public Library
Location	Newark, New Jersey, USA
Branches	7
Collection
Size	1,691,042
Access and use
Circulation	164,022
Population served	281,402
Members	72,605
Other information
Budget	$11,351,129
Staff	98
Website	www.npl.org

James Street Commons Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Location in Essex County, New Jersey Show map of Essex County, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
NRHP reference No.	78001758
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	January 9, 1978

The Newark Public Library (NPL) is a big library system in Newark, New Jersey. It has many programs and events for everyone. With eight different spots, it's a special Statewide Reference Center. This means it helps other libraries across New Jersey. The library has lots of art, books, and history exhibits. It also offers fun programs for all ages. Famous author Philip Roth's personal book collection is kept here.

Library Locations

The Newark Public Library has several branches around the city. Some branches, like First Avenue and Madison, closed in 2010. The Clinton Branch is also permanently closed. The Roseville Branch is currently closed for a short time.

Here are the main library locations:

History of the Library

The Newark Public Library started a long time ago. In 1847, a private group called the Newark Library Association began. Later, in 1887, the people of Newark voted to create a Free Public Library. The first person to lead the library was Frank Pierce Hill.

The first Free Public Library opened in 1889 on West Park Street. It had over 10,000 books from the old Newark Library Association.

The Main Library Building

As the library grew, it needed a bigger home. A new building was built at 5 Washington Street. This is where the main library is today. The building was designed by Rankin and Kellogg. It looks like a beautiful old palace from Florence, Italy, called the Palazzo Strozzi. The library was also meant to be a museum, a place for talks, and an art gallery.

In 1902, John Cotton Dana became the new director. He believed libraries were very important for learning. He started collections of books in different languages for immigrants. He also created a special "Business Branch" for people in business. This was the first of its kind in the country! John Cotton Dana worked at the library until he passed away in 1929. He also started the Newark Museum inside the library in 1909.

After Dana, Beatrice Winser became the director until 1942. In 1930, the library even had a book truck. This truck brought books to children all over Newark. The library also started its New Jersey Collection in 1929. This collection later became the Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center.

The library kept growing through the years with many different leaders. In 1963, it became a Federal Regional Depository. This means it helps store government documents.

The Newark Public Library was one of the first U.S. libraries to start lending books to other countries again after World War II. This helped reconnect libraries around the world.

The library faced challenges in the 1960s. It was almost closed two times. Once, the mayor, Hugh Joseph Addonizio, was involved. This was also during the time of the 1967 Newark riots. But the library stayed open with help from federal money. In 1969, people in the community worked together to get more funding. This saved the library from closing again.

In 1989, the library opened the James Brown African American Room. It helps people learn about African American history and culture. Also in 1989, La Sala was created. It has the largest collection of Spanish-language books in New Jersey.

In 2002, the library worked with a Latino community group. Together, they created the New Jersey Hispanic Research and Information Center (NJHRIC). In 2018, the library launched a digital collection online at digital.npl.org.

Philip Roth Personal Library

Philip Roth Personal Library

Philip Roth, a famous writer, gave $2 million to the library when he passed away in 2018. He also gave a large part of his personal belongings. This collection includes his letters, photos, old scrapbooks, furniture, and even his typewriters. It also has over 7,000 books from his own library. Many of these books have notes written by Roth himself! He said he did this because he was thankful to the city where he was born. The Philip Roth Personal Library opened to the public in 2021.

Main Library Departments

The Main Library has several special departments:

• The Reference Center helps you find information on almost any topic. It's a statewide center for libraries needing help with art, business, music, patents, and government documents.
• The Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center focuses on New Jersey history. It has unique collections about Newark and New Jersey, like books, photos, and old records.
• The New Jersey Hispanic Research and Information Center includes La Sala Hispanoamericana. This is the biggest collection of Spanish-language books in New Jersey. It also has the Hispanic Reference Collection and the Puerto Rican Community Archives.
• Special Collections has amazing art collections. These include fine prints, old medieval books, and even unique shopping bags.
• The James Brown African American Room was made to share and save the history and culture of African Americans.
• Other areas in the main library are the Children's Room, Teen Room, LGBTQ Center, and Special Services Room.
• The Philip Roth Personal Library opened in 2021.

Library Architecture

The Main Library building has four floors. It was designed by John Hall Rankin and Thomas M. Kellogg. They were inspired by the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, Italy. They wanted the building to be more than just a library. It was also designed to be a museum, a place for lectures, and an art gallery. This way, it could offer cultural and educational experiences in a beautiful setting. The building has an open center area with arches and colorful mosaics. These go up to a stained glass ceiling four stories high.

Library Leadership

On July 9, 2020, Joslyn Bowling Dixon was announced as the new library director. She started her role on August 3, 2020.

Library Board of Trustees

The library is overseen by a Board of Trustees. As of January 2021, the board members include:

• Dr. Lauren Wells, President
• Dr. Anasa Maat, Vice President
• Dr. Rosemary Steinbaum, Secretary
• Dr. Timothy J. Crist, Treasurer
• Ms. Antoinette Richardson (Alternate for Ras J. Baraka, Mayor of Newark)
• Ms. Nicole Johnson (Alternate for Roger León, Superintendent of Newark Public Schools)
• Mr. Miguel Rodriguez
• Mr. Domingo Morel
• Mr. Hassan Abdus-Sabur

Main Library Building Changes

The Main Library has been updated many times over the years. New parts were added in 1922 and 1931. In 1927, a beautiful painting called The Fountain of Knowledge was added to the second floor. This painting is still there today! In 1949, a new building for maintenance was added.

In 1952, a big renovation project updated the building. This included covering the second-floor mural. But from 1987 to 1988, another renovation took place. This time, the mural was uncovered and restored.

In 2006, the lobby was renovated with new front doors. In 2010-2011, new carpet and paint were added. The Philip Roth Personal Library opened in 2021.

Special Programs

Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers

Rutgers University-Newark and the Newark Public Library work together on a special program. It's called the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers. This program helps people talk about and understand racial inequality in cities like Newark. It uses things like spoken word poetry and art to share ideas.

Philip Roth Lectures

Since 2016, the Newark Library has hosted an annual lecture series named after Philip Roth. Famous speakers have included Zadie Smith, Robert Caro, Salman Rushdie, and Nikole Hannah-Jones.

See also

In Spanish: Biblioteca Pública de Newark para niños