About

The mission of the Hackettstown Free Public Library is to enrich the lives of all members of our community by providing opportunities for learning and entertainment, cultural enrichment, access to information and the preservation of knowledge for future generations.

Adopted July 14, 2014
Board of Trustees
Hackettstown Free Public Library

The operation and governance of the Library is outlined in various Policies, including rules on circulation, library cards, meeting rooms, etc. Click to learn more.

The governing body of the Library is the Board of Trustees, which includes regular trustees appointed by the Mayor, and the Mayor and Superintendent of schools, or their appointed alternates, as ex-officio members. The Board of Trustees consists of seven members with five-year appointments. The final responsibility for the Library operation is vested in the Board. The Board will at all times strive to meet the standards and regulation of the library laws of the State of New Jersey. The Trustees of the Hackettstown Free Public Library meet monthly at the library and members of the public are invited to attend these meetings.

Efforts to establish a reading room or library in Hackettstown actually predate the establishment of the Hackettstown Free Public Library as we know it today. In the years following the Civil War, Hackettstown’s citizens made strides for self-improvement. The Hackettstown Y.M.C.A. was organized in 1868 and located its reading room in the new Cramer building the following year. That was probably in the Ephraim Cramer Carriage Factory on Mechanic Street (now Mountain Avenue). It is not known how long this first reading room operated…

The Hackettstown Free Public Library provides meeting room space as a community service, for purposes that enhance the Library’s mission to enrich the lives of all members of our community with opportunities for learning, entertainment, cultural enrichment, and access to information.

Two quiet pods are provided to the public free of charge and should be used for study, video calls, phone calls, etc. The pods are able to be reserved but outside of reservations, they are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

By law, the Library is required to have a yearly audit done to ensure financial accountability.  Also, according to the New Jersey State Library, all libraries should have an updated strategic plan of three to five years, initiated by the Board of Trustees.