In 1890, Hoboken was a thriving community of 43,648 with a bustling waterfront and a healthy manufacturing base. The piers were full of commercial and pleasure liners. There were at least 20 major manufacturers, plus three large breweries.
Free public libraries were a rarity at that time, since most libraries were run by private institutions and universities, but the city’s residents felt a need for one.
The wheels for the new venture began to turn in 1889, when Mayor August Grassman appointed a Board of Trustees, with the consent of the City Council, to “receive, hold and manage any device, bequest or donation for the establishment, increase or maintenance of a free public library.”
On Feb. 15, 1890, the Hoboken Free Public Library opened with 3,500 volumes in a rented basement of the Second National Bank, at the intersection of River and Hudson streets. Thomas Hatfield, one of the organizers, was selected as the first librarian, a position he held for 35 years.
Early records indicate that funds from the city operating budget, donations and fund-drives helped to maintain the library. The system was not much different than the one in place today.
Quick expansion
A cramped basement was not enough for the new library, and the board soon began to lobby for its own quarters. The city came to the rescue with a $50,000 bond issue passed in 1893 and the dedication of funds in the budget for the library’s operation.
The Stevens family donated property on Church Square Park, as well as $26,000 toward construction and other expenses. The land was valued at $17,700; the building was built at a cost of $66,300.
Architect Albert Berger, who settled in Hoboken in 1877 after working in Pennsylvania and New York upon his arrival from Germany in 1864, was hired to design the new building.
He conceived the structure – which remains relatively unchanged today – in the Italian Renaissance style, with the lower portion of Wyoming blue stone, and the upper sections of yellow brick with a terra cotta frieze around the building.
An ornamental copper dome, which to this day wins praise from lovers of architecture, was the showpiece of the library, as was its 50-foot flagpole. The flagpole was removed a few years later when the roof needed extensive renovations.
The handsome new library was built in 1896 at the corner of Park Avenue and Fifth Street and dedicated on April 5, 1897. The building also included the Hoboken Industrial School.
Changes over the years
In recent years, some have suggested that a new building would serve the changing needs of a modern library better. But lack of funds and the cries of preservationists who love the old building have put those ideas to rest. While the building, particularly the outer structure, remains essentially the same as on the day of its dedication in 1897, there have been some changes over the years.
Gone are the ornate gas lamps and some of the oak and cypress furnishings which were simply no longer functional. The beautiful original fireplace remains the focus of the second floor, but no one today remembers seeing a fire there.
The roof’s first renovation came about four years after the library was built, when a new roof was added and the flagpole removed. In the early 1950s, due to leaks and water damage, another new roof was installed. In 2003, the roof was again repaired, as was the beautiful cupola. This was among the initial projects of a major capital improvements program costing almost $1 million.
New windows reflect the architectural style of the originals. Also, the entire outer structure has been cleaned, repaired and waterproofed, and fire-preventive measures installed throughout.
Friends indeed
Since 1988, the library has also been the benefactor of funds and volunteer services from the Friends of the Hoboken Library. Through used book sales, concerts, spelling bees and trivia contests, the Friends have provided the library with computers, furnishings, books and other special needs. The group has also sponsored many public programs on subjects as varied as food and health.
It was the Friends who initiated financing for the library’s CD and video film collections, including a special collection of CDs from Hoboken artists. The CD collection includes one of the largest sections of native son Frank Sinatra’s music.
New technology and historic preservation
In 1999, the library joined the Bergen County Comprehensive Library System, giving Hoboken citizens access to the facilities of 72 other libraries.
In 2002, a computer center was opened with a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The library now has 25 computers, programmed for various functions, available to the public.
Preservation of historical records is also a major concern of the Reference Department. It is busy digitizing deteriorating records, including such newspapers from Hoboken’s past as Gleason’s Pictorial, the Hoboken Advertiser and the Hoboken Theater News.
With the extension of the library hours – now open 58 hours a week, including four evenings and a full day on Saturday – the use of the facilities continues to grow each year.
Writers and historians make frequent use of the library’s extensive research facilities and thousands of records on the history of Hoboken. The authors of a new book on Frank Sinatra spent considerable time doing research at the library, and the book, published last fall, includes many photographs from the library’s file.