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Library History

History

The first meeting regarding establishment of a library in South Orange was held in 1864  in the house of William J. Beebe, a Tea Merchant and First Library Board President. In 1896, the first dedicated library building (now called the Connett Memorial Library) opened, having been built with funds raised a challenge grant on land donated by Eugene Connett.  In 1926, by public referendum with a vote of 10 to 1 in favor of municipal support, library ownership was transferred to the Village of South Orange.

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