Identity area
Identifier
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Other form(s) of name
- Jersey City Free public Library
- Jersey City (N.J.). Free Public Library
- Jersey City. Free Public Library
- JCFPL
- New Jersey Room, Jersey City Free Public Library
Type
Contact area
Type
Address
Street address
Locality
Region
Country name
Postal code
Telephone
Fax
Note
Description area
History
The Jersey City Free Public Library (JCFPL) is the largest municipal library in the State of New Jersey, serving one of the most diverse cities in the country. The Library meets the needs of the community by providing a wide array of programming and resources, and access to a broad range of print, digital, and audiovisual collections. The Library has been a cornerstone of Jersey City’s growing and changing community for more than 120 years.
In 1889, Mayor Orestes Cleveland appointed a board of trustees to found the Jersey City Free Public Library. In 1901, the library opened with 15,515 books, ready to serve Jersey City’s residents. At present, the JCFPL consists of ten locations and a Bookmobile, offering physical and digital collections exceeding one million items. The library staff of 140+ provides the nearly 300,000 residents with information, programs, services, events, and resources for entertainment and lifelong learning. The JCFPL continues to evolve in order to best serve Jersey City’s racially, economically, and socially (incredibly) diverse population.
The New Jersey Room is the local history department of the library, located on the third floor of the Priscilla Gardner Main Library Branch. It contains an extensive collection of books, images, maps, research files and more documenting the history of Jersey City and Hudson County, as well as the state and region.
Formed as a department in 1964 to incorporate the collections of the Hudson County Historical Society and the research collection of William H. Richardson into the existing historical materials collected by the library, the New Jersey Room has served generations of genealogists, students of all levels, historians, creative writers, and casual researchers alike. Whether it be the history of a family, a building, street, or neighborhood, social issues, or the perpetual cycles of redevelopment, the New Jersey Room collection and its dedicated staff are here as a resource to all who have an interest in Jersey City and Hudson County.
Geographical and cultural context
Mandates/Sources of authority
Administrative structure
Records management and collecting policies
Buildings
Priscilla Gardner Main Library, 472 Jersey Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07302
Holdings
Finding aids, guides and publications
Access area
Opening times
New Jersey Room: Monday through Thursday, 9 AM to 8 PM; Friday and Saturday: 9 AM to 5 PM. Walk-ins are welcome, but we recommend calling or emailing to set up and appointment for detailed inquiries.
Access conditions and requirements
Accessibility
Services area
Research services
Reproduction services
Public areas
Control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Created March 11, 2025.
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Maintenance notes
Access points
Access Points
- Education (Thematic area)
- Arts and Culture (Thematic area)
- Industry, Manufacturing and Commerce (Thematic area)
- Genealogical (Thematic area)
- Agriculture (Thematic area)
- Environment (Thematic area)
- Family / Domestic Life (Thematic area)
- NJ (Geographic subregion)