Northfield mayor proposes joining county library system

Library director supports independent control, fears loss of programming

By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff

NORTHFIELD — City Council will be considering rejoining the Atlantic County Library System to try to save money on operations, facilities and other costs.

Mayor Erland Chau proposed the idea, which was discussed March 2 during a City Council meeting.

On March 9, Chau, Councilwoman Barbara Madden — liaison to the Otto Bruyns Public Library — Councilman Dave Notaro and Library Director Aubrey Hiers met with County Administrator Gerald DelRosso and county Library Director Matt DiBella to find out what benefits the city would realize from joining the county.

Chau said he began talks with the county about 18 months ago as the city continues investigating numerous shared services agreements. 

“Northfield City Council has been actively looking and soliciting various different shared services, including 911, the EMS, Atlantic County court system,” Chau said, noting the city has one of the oldest such agreements in the county, a combined sewerage system with neighboring Linwood.

“As a mayor, I have a fiduciary responsibility as well as a responsibility to the citizens of Northfield to make sure that the money we spend for the library is put to the best usage and that the benefits that we get — the many outreach programs and what services could be provided are very important,” Chau said, noting Northfield withdrew from the county system when the city bonded for and built its own library in the 1980s.

“It’s my position that at one time it was advantageous and beneficial to the citizens of Northfield that we have our own and maintained our own library system,” Chau said, noting he and County Executive Denny Levinson played a large role in making that happen. Levinson was serving on City Council at the time. 

But now, Chau said, the local library can’t keep up with the maintenance and technology needed to support an independent operation.

“If shared services with the county would go forward, they can provide much more than we can because their financial backing is much greater than Northfield’s and that we would have a lot more benefits and services as part of the county,” Chau said.

The Atlantic County Library System has branches in Brigantine, Buena, Egg Harbor City, Egg Harbor Township, Galloway Township, Hammonton, Mays Landing, Pleasantville, Somers Point and Ventnor, while there are independent libraries in Atlantic City, Absecon, Linwood, Longport, Margate and Northfield.

Supporting independence

Hiers said she has worked at numerous independent libraries and feels they better serve their communities.

“I am in close communication with other independent library directors, including Longport Public Library which recently pulled out of the county system in favor of being a municipal library,” she said.

Hiers said independent libraries receive all of the host city’s library tax for use in programming, something she said amounts to about $1,000. She said the county pays about half of that to each branch.

She said independent libraries can individualize services that benefit the community instantly.

Hiers said she spends extra time working in a way she doubts she would be able to do if operating under the county system.

She said the county wouldn’t have to keep any staff members from Northfield, noting it has its own director. But she said she has options and is not worried about her own career. 

Chau said county library officials said they would have no problem hiring the Northfield staff, which includes six part-time librarians. They would have to go through a formal application process. He said as county employees, the staff members would be able to take advantage of openings and promotions.

“They would become employees of the county system. That’s something that in terms of legacy costs and longevity would no longer be the obligation of Northfield,” Chau said.

Chau said the amount of money the city pays for the library is mandated by the state and would remain the same under the county system. The savings, he said, would come in the form of maintenance costs and technology upgrades. While the city would maintain ownership of the building and the county would lease the space, the county would absorb the costs of upkeep and resources. The city would continue paying utility costs.

He said he is awaiting a proposal from the county. 

“Once they have given me back their proposal, which will tell how much money we would save, then I am going to present it to City Council,” Chau said.

Outreach programs 

The mayor acknowledged that Hiers is against the proposal and that the local library is popular mainly due to its outreach programs she coordinates. He said she feels the city would lose those programs but that the county assured him that is not the case.

“She’s very actively involved in providing outreach programs and services to the community. She feels that if we become part of the county we would lose that, and from our preliminary discussions with the library director, he assured us that is not the case,” Chau said. “The only difference is whatever outreach programs we have would have to go through the county director instead of going directly through her,” Chau said.

He said the county would provide a budget specific to Northfield but could not provide any details. He said he would know more when the county submits its proposal to the city.

Chau said the city no longer would be involved in operations and management of the library but could have a seat on the advisory board. The local board of trustees would be dissolved and any other entities in the city associated with the library would no longer have a direct connection.

Chau said the Friends of the Library would be able to continue holding fundraisers to support the local branch, just not at the library. 

“If we became part of county system, that would no longer be allowable but they could be an independent organization that does their own fundraisers and they could deposit their money through the county organization and those funds could be designated only for the Northfield library,” Chau said.

During the meeting March 2, Councilman Frank Perri asked about use of the library’s auxiliary room under the county system and whether the city groups would have to receive permission to use it. 

Chau said there would be no problem using the auxiliary room, where different groups meet throughout the year. 

“They assured me such programs that we have in Northfield, they would have no problems. Any organization that normally would use our auxiliary room would just file an application with the county rather than the local library director,” Chau said. “That type of outreach program would definitely be permissible.”

Councilman Brian Smith said the numbers may determine the outcome.

“Once we have numbers we can do a cost-benefit analysis,” Smith said. “I’m curious to see the results of that.”

Regardless of what the city wants to do, the matter would have to go to a voter referendum and residents would make the ultimate decision.

“If we were to go forward with this shared service, it would have to go before the people of Northfield in a referendum,” Chau said.

That could not happen until at least November.

In the meantime, Hiers said she is working on a bunch of summer programs to be held at Birch Grove Park, saying she doubts that would be possible under the county system.

“I am super proud and really excited” about the programs, she said, noting it’s the “kind of services you won’t be able to get if we are a county library.”

Hiers said she secures on average of about two grants a year to support programming in Northfield, another thing that likely would not happen under the county system or not benefit the city directly.