A $36.6 million State investment to revitalize Montclair's libraries.
Share Your Thoughts →A professional capital needs assessment found at least $14 million in deferred maintenance, aging infrastructure, and ADA accessibility gaps across both library buildings. These are not cosmetic issues. They affect safety, accessibility, and the library's ability to serve everyone who walks through the door.
The CAFE program allows Montclair to do far more than patch aging systems. It allows the community to reimagine what a public library can be, a place to learn new skills, make things, gather, and participate in the cultural life of the town.
The State of New Jersey is providing $36.6 million in tax credits to fund this project. Without this program, the full burden of these repairs and improvements would fall on Montclair residents. CAFE allows the Township to leverage State dollars so that local funds go further.
Every improvement is aimed at making the libraries more functional, more accessible, and more welcoming, for families, seniors, students, people with disabilities, and residents without access to technology at home.
The Cultural and Arts Facilities Expansion (CAFE) Program is run by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA). It uses transferable State tax credits to help communities make major investments in cultural and civic facilities, libraries, museums, performing arts centers, and similar public institutions.
Montclair applied through a competitive process and was awarded $36.6 million in tax credits. Those credits are tied directly to the approved library project and cannot be redirected to other municipal needs.
Here is how the funding works in plain terms: the library receives the tax credits after construction is complete. To fund construction in the meantime, the Township of Montclair issues bonds. Those bonds are repaid using the proceeds from selling the tax credits, which are distributed over five years after the project is finished.
For roughly every $1 the Township commits, Montclair gains about $4 in total project value: an approximately $37 million library for an estimated $8 million in local Township contribution.
Funding sources:
The Montclair Public Library Foundation is the philanthropic partner in this project. The Foundation will conduct a capital campaign to raise funds that complement the State tax credit award and the Township's financial contribution, lessening the local tax burden and enhancing the project. The Foundation has committed to raising private funds as part of the project's approved funding structure.
Philanthropic support will inevitably shape the look and feel of the finished library buildings. In the CAFE application, the big picture and purposes of the renovated spaces are painted in broad strokes. Philanthropic dollars will determine the details. Better materials. Higher-quality equipment. Nicer finishes. The inclusion of artworks and beautification. Little details that make it specific to Montclair. Spaces that function well but also feel inspiring.
Montclair is a crown jewel town. It is one of the most educated, culturally engaged, and civically active communities in New Jersey. Its residents read voraciously, support the arts, and use their library at rates that far exceed most comparable communities. In 2025 the library welcomed nearly 200,000 visitors and circulated 400,000 items. More than 45,000 people attended a program, class, or event at the library. This community deserves a library that matches its ambitions. A facility that is not just functional and modern, but genuinely beautiful, a public institution that residents feel proud to walk into, proud to bring their children to, and proud to show visitors.
Together, this partnership between the community, the township, the State, and the Foundation makes possible something extraordinary; a modern library system designed to serve Montclair for generations to come.
If you are interested in learning more about making a gift to the campaign, contact Mary Packer, Executive Director of the Montclair Public Library Foundation, at mary@montclairplf.org or 973-744-0500 ext. 9000.
The renovation covers both library buildings, the Main Library at 50 S. Fullerton Avenue and the Bellevue Avenue Branch at 185 Bellevue Avenue. The spaces described below are part of a vision for a modern library and cultural center: a library that reflects how people are changing the way they work, gather, learn, create, and connect. This vision imagines rooms for quiet study and lively collaboration, for hands-on making and cultural programming, for children, students, job seekers, artists, and lifelong learners alike. It is a starting point, not a finished blueprint. Community input and the design process ahead will shape and refine the vision.
First, the essentials: this will still be a library, and books and reading remain at the center of everything we do. What we're changing is the building around them.
The Main Library is enormous, but it was designed in the 1950s around an older idea of what a library is: a warehouse for books, with row after row of fixed stacks, an open floor plan full of dead zones, and a disproportionate share of space closed off from the public. A modern public library is no longer a place built mainly to store books; it's a place designed for people. So we're reclaiming that underused space and rethinking our shelving to hold a versatile, actively circulating collection, organized around how people actually browse and read today. The result keeps books and reading front and center, with room to also gather, learn, create, and connect.
The Main Library will undergo a full gut rehabilitation of all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Every floor will be rebuilt from the inside out. The building will be reorganized around new program spaces while retaining its collections and core library services.
A fully equipped teaching kitchen and cafe designed to support cooking classes, cultural food demonstrations, nutrition education, and community meals. The space hosts instructor-led programs, hands-on workshops, and youth and adult classes, with flexible cafe seating for social interaction and everyday use. Food becomes a cultural medium here, letting participants explore global traditions, family heritage, and community storytelling through hands-on culinary arts, from culturally significant recipes to intergenerational cooking and food history. It treats cooking not simply as a practical skill but as a form of artistic expression and cultural learning accessible to all ages, with equipment such as an induction cooktop designed to seat roughly a dozen students safely at a time.
The auditorium is an existing space that will be substantially upgraded as a venue for live performances, author talks, film screenings, lectures, civic forums, and large public gatherings, with multiple staging formats and high-quality audiovisual presentation. As the library's signature cultural space, it anchors a broad range of arts and humanities programming, including literary events, musical performances, panel discussions, and community arts presentations. It serves as a central gathering place where residents experience cultural content, engage in civic dialogue, and share in artistic experiences. As the primary indoor performance venue in the facility, it is essential to delivering accessible, high-impact cultural programming.
Gallery spaces for rotating exhibitions, presentations by local and regional artists, historical and archival displays, and community storytelling projects, with professional-quality installation for framed artworks, photography, interpretive panels, and mixed-media exhibits. It accommodates both curated shows and community-driven displays throughout the year, woven into the everyday experience of the library rather than cordoned off. The gallery gives residents direct access to artwork, historical narratives, and thematic exhibitions that reflect Montclair's diverse cultural identity, showcasing local artists, community history, and student work. By offering a public platform for visual expression and cultural storytelling, it strengthens community engagement with the arts.
An outdoor terrace built to host readings, acoustic music, art talks, small performances, workshops, and informal community gatherings, with seating, power access, lighting, and visibility to surrounding program spaces. It works both as a spillover area for indoor events and as a standalone venue for intimate outdoor programs across the year, supporting storytimes, yoga, seasonal classes, and poetry readings. The terrace extends the library's cultural programming into an accessible, comfortable open-air environment for those who prefer to participate outdoors. A durable, year-round canopy is envisioned so that rain is never a deterrent.
A large, multi-use outdoor plaza designed to host festivals, concerts, author events, civic gatherings, performances, book fairs, and seasonal cultural celebrations, with flexible open space for stages, vendor setups, and audience seating. It functions as the Main Library's primary exterior event venue and as a public cultural square for events too large to hold indoors. It supports concerts, multicultural celebrations, literary festivals, arts markets, and community storytelling, making cultural participation visible and accessible to the entire neighborhood. The plaza reinforces the library's position as an inclusive cultural anchor in Montclair's downtown.
A fully equipped makerspace for hands-on making, fabrication, digital design, prototyping, and creative technology instruction for adults. It includes workbenches, hand tools, 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC equipment, electronics stations, and design computers, plus shop-class woodworking equipment, supporting structured classes, open lab hours, and community-led projects. Modeled on full-service fabrication labs with a wood shop, vinyl cutter, resin and filament 3D printing, an electronics workbench, and a laser cutter, it gives residents access to tools that are typically unavailable or unaffordable for individuals. The lab doubles as a cultural production studio for sculpture, mixed-media work, printmaking, wearable art, and object-making, strengthening Montclair's creative economy and opening pathways into trades and emerging creative industries.
Technology-enabled classrooms used by the Adult School of Montclair and community partners for courses, arts workshops, digital skills classes, and community learning, with flexible setups for instruction, small-group activities, and partner-led programs. They provide dedicated space for cultural education, including arts instruction, creative writing, digital media lessons, ESL, and humanities programming. The rooms expand the library's ability to offer accessible, structured cultural classes for residents of all ages.
A computer lab supporting digital literacy instruction, creative software access, research support, and computer-based learning, with computers, peripherals, and hands-on instruction for guided or independent use. It provides equitable access to digital arts tools, media-creation software, and research platforms that are essential to today's cultural and creative activities. The space supports digital art, graphic design, media editing, and other technology-based learning that directly contributes to cultural engagement, equipped with adaptive technology and bilingual capacity.
A public-facing production studio that supports printing, scanning, design work, exhibit preparation, document creation, and media finishing for patrons, artists, students, nonprofits, and community organizations. It offers advanced tools, including wide-format printing, high-speed scanning, binding, cutting, laminating, and design workstations, used to create posters, brochures, signage, portfolios, and materials for arts events and exhibitions. Community members can produce exhibit signage, event posters, program brochures, art prints, and interpretive materials, with production support for library-led exhibitions, public art initiatives, and community arts groups. Functioning as a micro production lab, it expands equitable access to professional creative and finishing equipment for small business owners, job seekers, and anyone who needs it.
A silent room for reading, research, writing, and independent study in a distraction-free environment, with soft seating, laptop desks, natural light, and focused space for extended work. It supports sustained engagement with literature, humanities research, and individual creative work. By offering a dedicated quiet space, it lets patrons participate more fully in the cultural and intellectual life of the library, an alternative to commercial coworking spaces and crowded cafes.
A research space providing access to local history materials, architectural records, preservation documents, maps, drawings, and special collections, with study space and reference assistance focused on Montclair's built environment and community history. Built around the library's extensive deed collection, it preserves and provides access to the community's architectural and cultural heritage through documents, plans, photographs, and archival materials. A digital preservation lab supports digitization of historical collections, and residents can research the history of their homes and neighborhoods while engaging with materials that support exhibits, preservation efforts, and cultural learning.
A dedicated cultural space celebrating jazz as a literary experience, honoring one of Montclair's most significant artistic legacies. It houses a curated print collection of biographies, histories, criticism, and cultural analysis that will grow over time. Designed as an intimate environment for discovery and reflection, the room lets patrons explore jazz through reading, research, and personal study. This literary model supports music appreciation, cultural education, and intergenerational learning, strengthening the library's role as a steward of local creative heritage.
Sound-isolated studios equipped for podcasting, music recording, voice work, and digital media production, supporting both independent projects and instructor-led programs with recording tools, editing software, and a controlled environment for high-quality audio and video. They expand community access to creative media production, from podcasts and music to oral histories, interviews, and digital storytelling. The studios support artistic expression, cultural documentation, and media education, helping residents produce original content and preserve community voices.
A vibrant teen cultural hub for reading, creative collaboration, digital media, gaming, group study, and youth-led activities, with flexible seating, collaboration tables, program zones, and technology for both independent use and structured programming. Intentionally designed as a safe, welcoming environment, it gives teens a place to gather after school, work on projects, attend workshops, and explore new interests. The wing celebrates youth expression and community identity across a full spectrum of arts engagement, from literary discovery and digital media creation to collaborative arts projects, writing clubs, and visual and performing arts workshops, all designed for and with Montclair's teenagers. By providing a cultural home for one of the most underserved age groups in public cultural spaces, it helps teens build confidence, find community, and engage with literature and the arts in ways that are meaningful and developmentally responsive.
A hands-on workshop where children explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math through creative projects, guided discovery, and play-based learning. It is equipped with child-friendly robotics kits, simple circuits, building materials, digital devices, and artistic tools that support open-ended experimentation in both structured classes and drop-in learning. Children tinker, solve problems, create art, and collaborate, moving from early coding and digital design to crafting, storytelling, and engineering challenges. By embedding art directly into STEM learning, the lab helps children develop the creative confidence to become lifelong participants in the arts.
A flexible room for storytimes, children's performances, hands-on arts activities, and family programs, supporting both structured classes and informal learning for groups of children and caregivers. It provides a dedicated environment for early literacy, music and movement, storytelling, and family-centered arts programming. Young children engage with books, language, and creative expression in a developmentally appropriate setting, while families gain consistent access to cultural programs that build a foundation for lifelong participation in the arts.
A quiet, controlled environment designed for neurodivergent children and adults who need reduced stimulation or sensory regulation, with soft lighting, textured materials, and acoustic privacy. It supports short breaks during visits, decompression before or after programs, and individualized use for patrons who benefit from a calming space. By providing a regulated place to reset and manage sensory input, the room removes barriers to participation in storytimes, performances, and workshops, ensuring that all community members can take part in arts, literacy, and educational programs.
The Bellevue Branch is a historic 1914 Carnegie library. The project adds 5,600 SF to the building, more than doubling its size, while restoring the historic structure and making it fully accessible for the first time.
For the first time, the branch will be fully accessible. A new ground-level main entrance on the Norwood side, the only location that makes ADA access feasible, connects directly to a new elevator serving every level of the building. The entrance vestibule and lobby double as a flexible welcome space, with room for the Friends' book sale, community information, and stroller parking.
The branch's primary indoor cultural venue, designed for author talks, small performances, art workshops, classes, film screenings, community meetings, and neighborhood programs. Its flexible layout shifts seamlessly between uses, from readings and artist talks to hands-on workshops and community forums, accommodating a wide range of setups and group sizes throughout the year. Projection and smartboard capability support presentations, screenings, and instruction, making this the heart of accessible, high-quality programming at Bellevue.
A dedicated space for teen reading, study, digital activities, and creative hangout time, with flexible seating, work tables, and access to teen collections. It supports everyday after-school needs, homework, and social connection alongside youth-centered programs such as writing groups, art and digital media sessions, book clubs, and cultural discussions that help teens build confidence, skills, and community.
A space for early literacy support, family reading, children's play, and cultural programming for young families, with picture books, early readers, child-sized shelving, and developmentally appropriate seating. It serves as the hub for read-alouds, music and movement, simple art projects, and cultural celebrations that give children consistent exposure to books, language, and creative expression. The redesign responds to steadily growing attendance and adds a sink to support art, crafts, and hands-on activities.
Enclosed classroom space for tutoring, small-group instruction, arts workshops, language learning, homework help, book discussions, and partner-led programs. The space is envisioned to support intimate, hands-on sessions that need a quiet, focused setting, as well as parallel programming so the branch can host more activities at once. Classrooms would be equipped with smartboards, with room that can be set up as a creative studio for art and media projects.
The branch's primary exterior program area, rebuilt to accommodate performances, author readings, neighborhood festivals, small concerts, cultural demonstrations, and civic events, with flexible space for both scheduled programs and informal community use. It lets the library host larger audiences than indoor rooms can hold and serves residents who prefer open-air settings. As the rear green space is reduced, this front courtyard becomes the branch's main outdoor gathering place, anchoring cultural life at the entrance to the building.
This is a multi-year project, with construction anticipated to begin sometime in 2027. Plans are still being worked out, including how and when each building closes and where any temporary services might be located, but our commitment is clear: any temporary closures, relocations, or service disruptions will be communicated well in advance, and we'll work to minimize downtime and do everything we can to keep the library accessible to the community.
The library is selecting an architect through a competitive process. Once selected, design development begins. Community engagement, permitting, and financing approvals all run in parallel during this phase.
Renovation work starts at both locations simultaneously. The Township will have confirmed bond financing in place before this phase begins.
The renovated Montclair Public Library and Cultural Center opens to the public.
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