User:Smallbones/Cape May Lib

File:Cape May County Bookmobile CMCH NJ.jpg

In November 1924, county voters approved a referendum starting the county-wide library. Bess E. McGregor, a librarian from Staten Island, was hired as the first librarian the following April with a salary of $2,000 per year. Two assistants were soon hired and $883 was spent to buy a library truck. Two thousand books were contributed by the state. Books were distributed at about 70 small stations located in schools, post offices, and stores, starting on September 1, 1925.{{cite web|title=Library History|url=http://www.cmclibrary.org/about-the-library/library-history|website=Cape May County Library|accessdate=September 30, 2017}}

In 1926 the library owned 10,679 books. Sarah A. Thomas become County Librarian, starting her 30 years in the post. A 2,000 square foot main branch was opened in December 1927 across from the Court House Building.

By 1959, the collection included 66,418 books and the system had 4,245 registered borrowers. The collection grew to 85,000 books in 1966 and the system included eight member libraries in Avalon, Cape May, North Wildwood, Sea Isle City, Stone Harbor, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and Woodbine. Four of the library stations had survived at Cape May Point, Dennisville, Eldora, and Reed's Beach but all the stations eventually closed.

A new main library building opened on June 27, 1971 in Cape May Court House. A bookmobile served the areas formerly served by the closed stations. The Lower Cape Branch in Villas opened in 1982 and the Upper Township Branch in Petersburg opened in October 1985.

In 2001, the library collection included 180,000 titles, 350,000 volumes, 5,000 videos, 4,000 audio books and 600 magazines. The staff included 20 professional librarians and 45 staff members.

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class="wikitable sortable" !{{User:Doncram/Template:Library color}}|Name !{{User:Doncram/Template:Library color}}|Image !{{User:Doncram/Template:Library color}}|Founded !{{User:Doncram/Template:Library color}}|Built !{{User:Doncram/Template:Library color}}|Location !{{User:Doncram/Template:Library color}}|Description

Cape May City Library |100px | | |110 Ocean Street, Cape May {{coord|39.8676|N|75.4209|W|name=Cape May City|type:landmark_region:US-NJ}} |

Lower Township Library |100px | | |2600 Bayshore Rd, Villas {{coord|39.9115|N|75.2786|W|name=Lower Township |type:landmark_region:US-NJ}} |

Main Branch |100px | | |30 Mechanic Street, Cape May Court House {{coord|39.8676|N|75.4209|W|name=Main Branch|type:landmark_region:US-NJ}} |

Sea Isle City Library |100px | | |4800 Central Avenue, Sea Isle City {{coord|39.8676|N|75.4209|W|name=Sea Isle City|type:landmark_region:US-NJ}} |

Stone Harbor Library |100px | | |9516 2nd Ave, Stone Harbor {{coord|39.8676|N|75.4209|W|name=Stone Harbor|type:landmark_region:US-NJ}} |

Upper Township |100px | | |2050 Tuckahoe Road, Petersburg {{coord|39.8676|N|75.4209|W|name=Upper Township|type:landmark_region:US-NJ}} |

Wildwood Crest |100px | | |6300 Atlantic Ave, Wildwood Crest {{coord|39.8676|N|75.4209|W|name=Wildwood Crest|type:landmark_region:US-NJ}} |

Woodbine |100px | | |800 Monroe Avenue, Woodbine {{coord|39.8676|N|75.4209|W|name=Woodbine|type:landmark_region:US-NJ}} |

Avalon Free Public Library |100px | | | Avalon, New Jersey {{coord|39.8676|N|75.4209|W|name= |type:landmark_region:US-NJ}} |Nice big building attached to an elementary school. Not now part of the Cape May County Library System

{{commons cat|Libraries in Cape May County, New Jersey}}

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