MILLVILLE -Not a book was returned or checked out, but “a lot of wonderful people” still may have had their best day ever at the Millville Public Library on Saturday.
At long last, as many noted with relief, the efforts of scores of people over two decades paid off with a ground-breaking ceremony for a $6.5 million library expansion and modernization.
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Actual work doesn’t start until this autumn, but the tough part always was raising money. And that work is complete, Cumberland County Commissioner James Quinn said.
“And a lot of work and a lot of wonderful people made this become a reality today,” said Quinn, a former city commissioner. “But I want to thank you all. What a tremendous turnout and the love that people have for this library.”
Joni Carley, whose family foundation pledged $1 million six years ago, provided one pair of hands turning over ceremonial sand with ceremonial gold shovels to start the event. Her mother and foundation co-founder, Marie Carley, and other relatives also attended.
The catch to the project always was that the library had to match, dollar for dollar, any New Jersey funding that might come forth. The Joseph L. Carley Foundation made the goal feasible with its pledge in May 2015.
New Jersey came through with the matching grant in 2020. Millville, earlier this year, put in a final $771,000.
Afternoon heat pushed the event crowd indoors quickly, where Jacalyn Carly Schaperexplained how her family came to make its donation. The pledge came a year before the Carley Foundation shut down itself after three decades in operation.
In all that time, Schaper said, family members never had done an official foundation visit to the Buck Street library. The foundation was “late to the game” because other causes and groups just were easier to identify for its support, she said.
“I guess we just assumed it was a building with a lot of shelves filled with old books,” Schapersaid. “End of story. That visit was humbling.”
Schaper said the family noted all the non-book lending uses going on, from space set aside for separated families to meet, to Scout meetings, to helping people do job applications online.
“Our belief in this project remains steadfast,” Schapersaid. “Our belief is grounded in the absolute conviction that this library is key to all things needed for a forward-looking and economically strong community. It is here where ideas are to be found and to be discovered. Where ideas can be quickly discussed. It is a safe place. Children and youth are safe here. It is a sanctuary from difficult home situations.”
Quinn, who was master of ceremonies, and library trustees President Ethan Aronoff recalled approaching family matriarch Marie Carley about the project.
“So, about five or six years ago, we were knocking on Marie’s door,” Quinn said. “ And she’s, ‘What do you want?’ We said, ‘Money.’ She said, ‘Come in. We’ll see what we can do.’”
Talking to Marie Carley, who attended in a wheelchair, Aronoff said one of her daughters had told him that her mother was decisive in approving the million dollars.
“And I have to tell you,” Aronoff said. “It’s made a huge difference.”
Aronoff also singled out “another famous Millvillian,” former newspaper reporter Joyce Vanaman. Although not born here, Vanaman married a local businessman and spent most of her life living and working in Millville.
Vanaman died in January 2019 at the age of 89. Her will included a large donationfor the library project.
“Joyce was a proponent of not only the library, but the city of Millville,” Aronoff said. “And that showed through in her work and how she conducted herself and how she talked to people like Jim (Quinn) and I.”
Aronoff also singled out U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew for his work, while a state senator, in revising legislation that authorized a library construction bond referendum. As first written, Millville’s eligibility for a grant appeared uncertain.
Board member "Jean Curnow and I arranged a meeting with Sen. Van Drew and he corrected it,” Aronoff said. “So, I wanted to give him credit for that. It made a huge difference, as we’ll see as time goes on.”
The referendum passed andNew Jersey eventually approved the library for about $3.26 million.
State Sen. Michael L. Testa took part in the ground breaking. He and Assemblymen Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan afterward presented a Legislative commendation to the library.
Testa agreed with Schaper on a library’s modern merits. “And someone just recently asked me, in fact it was today, ‘Are libraries still relevant?’” he said.
“And I said the libraries of the future, and you hit on every single point, are really going to be the hubs of the community,” Testa said. “Whether it’s going to be because of a lack of broadband access in certain communities. You know? People are very surprised to hear in the Legislature that there are communities right here that still have a lack of broadband access.”
The Cumberland County Improvement Authority will be the project manager for the construction.
The library, at 210 Buck Street, opened in 1963. The building will add on 10,500 square feet, more than doubling in size. It also will get an elevator.
Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey more than 30 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer forThe Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times. Have a tip? Reach out at (856) 563-5252 or jsmith@thedailyjournal.com or follow me on Twitter, @jpsmith-dj. Help support local journalism with a subscription.
