JFPL History

he first library in Morristown was established in 1792. At that time, a group of interested citizens started the first circulating library with 97 members and 96 books. In 1848 a library was begun for the benefit of the apprentices of Morris County. The beginning collection of 1,500 volumes grew as it merged with the earlier organization. The Morrison Institute founded in 1854. succeeded this library, but existed for only two years when it was destroyed by fire. Half of the collection was saved and passed on to the Morristown Library and Lyceum incorporated in 1866 by a special act of the legislature.

An imposing building was erected on South Street near the Green in 1875. This institution was in the form of a stock corporation, and its certificates were widely distributed among hundreds of stockholders, who were permitted loan of two books at a time for four shares. Those who were not stockholders were obliged to pay $3.00 per year for the privilege of borrowing books. An endowment fund started by the Trustees enabled them to make the library free in l906. On February 12, 1914, the building was consumed by fire. and most of the 30,000 volumes were burned. The final year's report stated that 12,102 persons had taken advantage of the Reading and Reference Rooms, and 28,608 books were issued for home reading.

A new corporation, the Morristown Library, was formed in 1916 to help renew the library facilities of the town. Grinnell P. Willis, whose portrait hangs in the present Circulation Room, presented to the citizens of Morristown the handsome Gothic building which the Library occupies to this day. On December 13, 1917, when the doors opened, the holdings numbered 8,000 volumes. Gifts and bequests enriched the book stock and helped to create a collection not normally found in a small town. reference service and Inter-library loan were an integral part of library service from the beginning. A children's librarian was added to the staff in 1918. The Morristown Library assumed charge of the administration of school libraries, both public and parochial, for many years.

A branch was organized in Morristown High School in 1921. A library station was started in Neighborhood House in 1919 and at Morristown Memorial Hospital and All Souls' Hospital in 1924. Grinnell Willis added a new children's wing to the library building in 1930. Cooperation with the Morris County Library started in 1922 and continued until 1966.

By 1930 both Morristown and Morris Township began to contribute funds to the operation. Income from the Morristown Library and Lyceum provided adjunct financial aid. Library services had to be curtailed when gifts to the library were reduced following the Depression and the Second World War.

In order to provide for the needs of a growing community and to insure adequate financial support, the trustees decided that the Library should be brought under the joint control of the municipalities of Morristown and Morris Township. Following a referendum which the court soon approved, the transfer of all real and personal property, as well as endowment funds, took place on December 1, 1966. The collection was transferred to the new Joint Free Public Library of Morristown and Morris Township, while the land and building were transferred to Morristown and Morris Township to be used for library purposes, The then existing endowment was placed in a trust with the then First National Iron Bank as trustee. The new Joint Library received the income from these funds. In 1983, in connection with the Library building and renovation program, the Morristown and Morris Township Library Foundation was established. The purposes of the Foundation included raising money for the building program and support of the Library. In January 1987, the Court approved the substitution of the Foundation as the trustee of the endowment funds of the Library.

The Library is now managed by a board of trustees consisting of mayors of Morristown and Morris Township and three members from each community approved by its mayor plus the Superintendent of Schools of the Morris School District.

In 1971 the Library joined a local federation with Madison, Chatham, Berkeley Heights, New Providence, and Summit to promote interlibrary loan cooperation. The Morris-Union Federation (MUF), which now includes the Bernards Township Library, and the Drew, Fairleigh Dickinson and Saint Elizabeth Libraries, provides delivery of materials to all these libraries and encourages cooperation.

In October, 1981 the Library joined with 29 other Morris County libraries in the formation of MORE, an organiaztion which allows residents of the County to borrow material from any participating library. All public Libraries in the county are now members, and a county resident may use any county library by using a current valid borrower's card from his or her home library.

In April, 1986, the Library went "on-line" with an automated circulation system shared by the members of MAIN, the Morris Automated Information Network . - ~

In 1979 a substantial endowment was left to the Library by Caroline Foster for certain specified uses for the Library's Local History Collection. Our free service area includes Morristown and Morris Township. Morristown occupies 2.95 square miles, and is surrounded by Morris Township (15.2 square miles). Morristown. the county seat of Morris County. has been the center of the area from the earliest times.

As this area continues to grow, the library must strive to keep up with the demands of the residents of our communities. In 1986 a new addition. doubling the space of the library, was opened to the public.

A scrapbook of Library history dating back to 1917 is kept in the Local History collection.

July 8, 1992

History of the Library