About Us

The Friends of the Plumsted Township Library is a member-supported 501(c)(3)  non-profit organization dedicated to advocating, fundraising, and providing support for Plumsted Branch of the Ocean County Library system.

We offer the community a chance to invest in the success of the Library by donating funds or volunteering. We raise money and our voices to ensure a first-class public library for Plumsted.

The Friends of the Plumsted Township Library take an active interest in the development and use of the Library, focus attention on its needs as well as its services to the community, and provide items not included in the library budget. The Friends sponsor programs for children, teens, and adults.

History

The Friends of the Plumsted Township Library were formed in 1974, even though there was no library at the time.  A small group of residents would bring their own books to the old First Aid building on Evergreen Road and loan them out to people.  The community could also get books from the Ocean County Library bookmobile, which stopped in New Egypt once a month if someone placed a request for the stop.

After the Friends group was incorporated, the Ocean County Library System opened the New Egypt Station. The station occupied several locations around town throughout its existence, all of which were just a few shelves in the corner of a local business.  Fund raising started in earnest with the goal of purchasing a building to house a real library.

These fundraisers included walk-a-thons, bake sales and turtle races, raffles, read-a-thons, book sales, dances and more.  In 1981, the dream became a reality.  The Friends purchased the old Bell Telephone switching station on Evergreen Road, as well as necessary building materials. Volunteers provided most of the labor to turn the basically stripped building into a functioning library.  The grand opening was held March 1981.

While the Ocean County Library System provided books and paid the salaries of the library staff, the Friends were responsible for the mortgage and maintenance of the building.  Fund raisers continued along with an annual appeal letter to the residents of the area.  Use of the library continued to grow and soon the Friends realized the "new" library was becoming too small.

Although the Plumsted Township population did not meet Ocean County's criteria for a local branch library, the Friends were determined.  Fund raising continued and town officials were asked to apply pressure on the county library officials.  Ocean County agreed to proceed with plans for a Plumsted Township branch with the proviso that the Friends and Plumsted Township provide half the funding. Groundbreaking for the current library building was held in April 1998.