The Bayonne Public Library has announced that it will re-open its building at 31st Street and Avenue C. Library Director Melody Scagnelli-Townley said, “It’s time for the news you’ve all been waiting for! We have a reopening date for the library! Our building on Avenue C will reopen from its renovations on Wednesday, May 1!” She continued, “The temporary Story Court location (16 W 4th St) will be closed on Monday, April 29, and Tuesday, April 30, so that we have time to move our books and technology back to the Avenue C building.” Mayor Jimmy Davis said, “I am very happy that the renovations are finally completed. On behalf of the City of Bayonne, I would like to thank Director Scagnelli-Townley and library staff for maintaining some important library services during the past year at Story Court. I look forward to seeing the restoration of all of our library’s great services in its newly renovated home at 31st Street and Avenue C.”
The main library has been closed for extensive renovations since early 2023. The renovations have included the installation of a new elevator and a new boiler, the reconstruction of the lobby, the circulation area, and the Children’s Room. In the Children’s Room, patrons will see a new ceiling, new lighting, and stadium-style seating for the Story Time area. Elsewhere in the library, new technology, computer carrels, and furniture have been installed.
On April 29 and April 30, both the Story Court and Avenue C locations will be closed to the public. Then, the library will reopen for normal business hours (Monday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at the Avenue C location on Wednesday, May 1. From May 1 onwards, the temporary Story Court library branch will be closed permanently. On Monday, April 29, and Tuesday, April 30, the library staff asks that patrons only return books into the book drop on the 31st Street side of the Ave C building or wait until the reopening on Wednesday, May 1, to return them. Scagnelli-Townley said, “We don’t want returned items accidentally getting lost in the shuffle of moving hundreds of books!”
There will be an official grand reopening ceremony on a date that will be announced. Scagnelli-Townley concluded, “We appreciate your patience while we settle back into our new space. We can’t wait for you to see it!”