Linden Public Library Board

About Us

Linden Free Public Library serves over 30 towns including Linden, Elizabeth, Clark, Roselle, Plainfield in Union County, New Jersey. The library maintains an organized system for collecting, storing, and circulating materials for library patrons so that they can be retrieved when needed. There are active Friends of the Library groups associated with two branches. There are approximately 16,662 registered resident borrowers, 651 non-resident borrowers, and 91, 846 bibliographic records in the catalog. Annual circulation was 47,118 in 2017. The main library offers free wireless access to the Internet and Internet Terminals for public use.

Our History

The library movement in Linden owes its existence to a small group of citizens and the sponsorship of the Linden Rotary Club. The library operated for six months on a voluntary basis and on January 1, 1928 it became a municipal, tax supported institution. Miss Viola R. Maihl, a professional librarian was one of the first acts of the Board of Trustees to organize the library. In December 1939, the library moved to its present building erected with the aid of a federal grant.

Linden’s community and people have been the main concern of the library’s administration. The potential patrons of are all ages and varied backgrounds. These patrons request a vast connection of books, periodicals, CDs, DVDs, and musicals. During this time, in order to serve patrons best, a system was established consisting of the main library and three branches. During this time, the staff consisted of eight professional librarians, eleven clerical assistants, four librarian trainees and part-time pages. In little more than a quarter of a century the Linden Library has demonstrated its effectiveness in the community and gained the confidence of both the citizenry and governing body. Its growth and expansion is the result of long-term planning and a constant study of the changing needs of the community.

Linden Public Library’s mission is to “Satisfy the evolving informational, cultural, educational, and recreational needs of the community, by providing the most modern and relevant resources and facilities”. The new Linden Free Public Library facility opened in June 2010.