Why not just change like a gym membership or cable TV? If people really want it, they'll pay for it.

Has any corporation or other been asked to perhaps sponser a branch or branches?
Mike's suggestion of paid membership might also be the way to go and or combine operations with the local YMCA and or schools.

I am sick to my stomach over this decision by Susan and the Board. It was obvious to all in attendance that this vote was decided before the meeting even began. I'm embarassed that I brought my children, got them engaged in the issues, and hopeful that town actually cared at our children are literate. My kids and I will be going to the Shrewsbury library on Friday.....

Another poor example on how this town does not care about the people. Middletown stopped all permits to the residents who were affected by the hurricane 4 monts ago, the mayor wants to spend money to fix up a vacant house in Leonardo that has been vacant for at least 40 years and now the 3 libraries are closing. The money they collected for the sandy relief is 300,000.00 and they will not give it out yet. It's just sitting in an account and it's been 4 months since the hurricane. This town is going down the tubes real fast.

"Lincroft feels robbed". Where does this woman get off speaking for all of the residents of Lincroft? I have many friends in Lincroft who could care less about that branch.

The sky is falling, amageddon is on the horizon, let the trumpet judgments sound! Give me a break! If this was key to your living in Middletown, I guess you'll have to move out. I applaud the fiscal responsibility shown by the board. Bravo! May this be a lesson to all of us to try and live within our means (if only Obama the First could learn from this).

What a sad day this is. I didn't even want to start my daughter day off with this news. She worked so hard to get everyone's attention to this and now shot down! And our taxes just keep going up!!

A few years ago, I donated money to the Middletown Library. The Township of Middletown then SEIZED money from the library under the threat of layoffs. I am outraged that my money was NOT used to its intended purpose (helping the libraries) and instead was used by the Town for other purposes. The branches are closing anyway. That surplus money should have been used for the library and its branches. Or the $200 that I donated should have been returned to me. I find the actions of the Mayor to be completely unethical and will take my anger with me to the voting booth. Time for some new leadership in this town.

Another small sign that America is coming apart at the seams.

All that's needed to fix our monetary woes is a tax on Wall Street transactions. A tax which, with our current bought-and-paid for leadership, will never happen.

Has thought be given to incorporate these soon to be closed branches into the existing local schools libraries? Closing off the existing doorways to the school proper and building an outside entrancd to these adult/child branch library.

Richard, unfortunately there have been no librarians in the elementary schools for over 20 years, and the libraries in those schools are disappearing. Lincroft's school library, I understand, is now on wheeled carts instead of it's own room. It's very sad, as the acting Librarian at the Lincroft branch told me that it's quite busy there after school, as the kids come right across the street. Now they won't be able to do that.

People...the TC is corrupt. They don't care. They're trying to blame the previous library for fiscal mismanagement when it was the TC who STOLE over 800 thousand dollars from the library's coffers.....what do you expect the library to do. How many businesses can exist with almost a million dollar plunder of their funds?

And don't think that these buildings will be turned into anything for the community. The Township has already been to these buildings measuring for carpets and drapes...They are moving the people who work for the Township in Croydon Hall to the Bayshore library because Croydon Hall is being used by the school system, and they have to be OUT.

I'm sure the corrupt Mayor saw this as a two for one deal---"Let's see..How can I steal a million dollars from the library and gain a free building all in one shot...? I got it..." and the rest is history. I wouldn't doubt that this was planned years ago.

There's one way to deal with it...attend the Town Council meetings and ask the Mayor and the TC for answers, and VOTE THE BUMS OUT come November....

Whoa lonnie! Making reckless accusations of criminal conduct is irrsponsible. Are you really accusing the mayor of embezzlement? Maybe you should reconsider the facts. I think you and anyone else could have attended board meetings and Township Committee meetings through this process. During those meetings you could have investigated your imagined web of deceit! I would also recommend a double thick tin foil hat, right marylou?

While there are a lot of different historical milestones along the way, it seem to me this current budgetary concern began when the town was trying to comply with the state mandated 2% cap on property tax increases. Which was transferring $500,000 from the library to the township. I have not seen any justification as for what gave the town the right to transfer that money. I understand that the library may have had to 'live within it means' like other public groups. But if they had their budgets shrunk over time instead of artificially all at once then perhaps there would have been other ways for the library to stave off closing the branches.

I guess I'll be going to the Hazlet Library. Hazlet will love to get my business.

I am so saddened about the Board of Trustees of the library and Susan O'Neal. They certainly had their minds made up before the public spoke. Brock Siebert came off as rude and condescending. Mr. Monaghan was the only one that had anything intelligent to say. Mrs. Breen should have voted with her heart as she realized the loss to our community. Shame on this Board.

Mr. Baker. No matter where you live in Middletown, the main branch of the Library is closer to you than the Hazlet Library. When trying to make a point on the internet, it's always best to use an allusion that makes sense, you know what I mean? Otherwise, people will give less credence to what you post.

How come when you talk to someone from Lincroft they always say that they live in Lincroft they never say that they are from Middletown. Sometimes i think the folks from Lincroft think that they are something special.

Ouch, Tom, that hurts. Why are you singling Lincroft out? Middletown is a very large town with many different communities with their own identities....Belford, Leonardo, Locust, Navesink, Port Monmouth, etc...different zip codes, too. I have heard many people from those sections identify themselves as living there, so this does not apply to only Lincroft. To say that equates to thinking we are special is an unfair criticism. Lincroft is a 30 minute round trip to the main branch, and that is one big reason why the residents there felt they needed to fight for a local branch.

Many from Lincroft diffidently do have an attitude problem. Expansion of recreational facilities will ruin their community, certain kinds of housing belong in the bayshore area, through streets will bring a bad element to their neighborhoods, businesses are eyesores, etc. All comments from Lincroft residents regarding possible changes to their community.

"John Jay. You say that I am making reckless accusations and that I should stick to the facts. Well, as a wise man once said, "You are entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts!" The Mayor's letter that went out to the Township residents on the town's email list and was published in a the patch is a prime example of the TC's own "facts: They are trying to cast blame away from themselves by setting up straw man arguments and red herrings wherever they can. Case in point. The mayor implied that the employees of the library received 6% raises, as if they were being given out like candy, year after year. The fact is that the library personnel did in fact receive a 6% raise, but that was 7 YEARS, and several contracts ago, and the library personnel were the FIRST one's in the Township to pay towards their benefits....2% of their salary, at the time. I love how none of you township "insiders" as well as the mayor, never mentions that fact. The most recent contract that the library staff received was a 0% raise for 2010, 1% for 2011 and 1% for 2012-hardly, what I would call "extravagant", and I'm sure less than what the police and other township employees received. While I hear alot of propaganda to this effect lately, but very little evidence.

The library was voted the best in Monmouth County a few years ago but what will happen next remains to be seen. People of Middletown. DON'T BELIEVE THE LIES"

Well said, Lonnie! Glad you brought up 6% raise inaccuracies from many years ago. Additionally,the inaccuracy the former mayor, Fiore, stated about the double time on Sundays when Sunday staff, maybe 8 people total get only time and a half for the 4 hours the library is open. Poor fact finding on his part. Not surprising when I recall the statement by Settembino when he was a board member that he never needed a lilbrary (or a book either, I suppose) when he was in college. Why are these ignorant people running our town and deciding what is best for us-people who value education and enrichment. Once they decimate the library and build those Taylor Lane condos, Route 35 will look like Route 1 like those northern corridor towns/the Island these tc people came from. We already have the methadone clinic. All we need now is an adult book/movie store with peep shows to complete the ensemble. Something has to be done about this TC run amok-they are ruining the town many of us were drawn to move to. The current mayor's disparaging remarks about the library staff in his Middletown alert shows his lack of professionalism and fairness as the staff has no way to defend themselves. What I hear is that Ms. O'Neal had to vote to close the branches as they gave her that choice or a massive layoff across the board.

Thanks..I wouldn't say it's "fact finding"...he knows the "facts"...I'd say it's fact LEAVING OUT....(accidently on purpose). The sad part is that many people fall for these so called, facts by the Mayor and TC, and blame the library and it's management, when that couldn't be further from the truth....

Ms. Carter- you seem to be a little angry. Maybe YOU should get your facts correct before you write any replies. Firstly, I do not use (Or previously used) the branches to teach. I was a big fan of Navesink Library and have used it for many years. Secondly, I never "bashed" the librarians, only commented about Susan O'Neal's scheduling. As far as me using my cell phone, since I work with students not in school I keep it out in case the district needs to reach me or a parent needs to speak with me concerning their child. Maybe a nice glass of wine and a warm bath chill you out!