We received the following update (11/15/08).

Hoboken Library to restore hours cut during hiring freeze In September, the Hoboken Library Board of Trustees was forced to reduce library hours, cutting back Saturday morning and Wednesday evenings, due to a shortage of personnel. This was caused by hiring freezes, departure of staff for other jobs, and the late approval of the Hoboken budget, and inadequate funding.

As a result, the Friends of the Hoboken Public Library initiated a petition to the Mayor and City Council, urging them to take action to restore the reduced schedule of operations and fund the library to levels mandated by the state.

The president of the library board, Arturo Martinez, has thanked the Hoboken public as well as the Friends for their efforts, which gathered dozens of signatures, letters and calls, in view of negotiations with the city that have resulted in restored funds and the lifting of hiring freezes. The library will therefore hire personnel already budgeted.

The statement from Martinez follows:
“I wish to thank the Friends and members of the Hoboken public for voicing their concerns and support regarding the operation of our library. I’m happy to report that the City administration has agreed to fully fund the library and to lift a hiring freeze which will enable the library to fill staff positions necessary to both restore the hours that had been cut and to apply for full funding from the state. I therefore ask the Friends and the public to stop the petiti on effort since remedies have been taken by the City of Hoboken. The library will immediately advertise for qualified staff to fill the empty positions and hopes to restore the hours cut as soon as possible, probably within a month.
“I particularly thank the state fiscal monitor, Judy Tripodi, for her understanding and support of the library in its efforts to better serve the Hoboken community.”

Services provided by the Hoboken Library are in danger. The City of Hoboken is mandated to fund the Library by its citizens. However, they have yet to do it at the mandated level - even before the uncovering of the city's budget problems. Inadequate funding is putting at risk Hoboken's eligibility to be enrolled in BCCLS (the local inter-library loan system), as well as the Library's ability to receive State grants and aid. Hours have already been shortened.

Please stop by the library to sign the petition at the front desk and call the Mayor and your City Council members and tell them we need Library services restored. These days the Library's free services are needed by our community more than ever."

Hoboken Public Library
Friends of the Hoboken Public Library

City Hall:
Phone: 1 201-420-2000
Email: info@hobokennj.org