Update on Clifton Public Library Boiler Repair

Justine Tomczak, director of the Clifton Public Library gave The Clifton Times an update on the progress of the boiler repair that has kept the Main Memorial Library at 292 Piaget Avenue on limited hours.

The boiler broke in late November just before Thanksgiving, which has resulted in the building being unheated during the winter months. As the boiler is just a couple of years old and under warranty, the manufacturer has been involved in the repair and now replacement of the boiler. The holiday season, combined with the supply chain slowdown, has meant that the manufacturer has had to wait for the necessary parts to become available, which contributed to the delay.

The good news is that the manufacturer has now received a similar boiler that is being retrofitted for installation at the library, but there isn’t a solid timeline on when it will be complete. Until then, the Main Memorial Library building has a series of large fans moving heat around to ensure that the pipes in the building do not freeze. This has made the building less conducive to having patrons spending large amounts of time, as there is a safety concern with people tripping over the wires or machinery.

As a result, Clifton Main Memorial Library is open only for limited hours and even more limited engagements and the Allwood Branch at 44 Lyall Road has extended hours to accommodate patrons. The Main Memorial Library is open Mondays to Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm and the librarians ask that patrons limit their visits to quick browsing of the fiction area and refrain from sitting, lingering, studying, or public computer use. Patrons can order books through the PALS Plus consortium, a collection of 22 public and academic libraries located in Passaic, Essex, and Hudson Counties, and pick up books at either the Main Memorial Library or the Allwood Branch. In addition, patrons can contact the reference librarians for help and may also use wireless printing. Meetings have been moved to the Allwood Branch and the Clifton Art Center is also hosting more library activities. Please check the library calendar or The Clifton Times for more details on programming at the library.