Curbside Pick-up Now Available!

Contact-less Pick Up Begins July 6th!

As you may have heard, beginning June 15th, libraries are permitted to start offering no-contact pick-up services. Please know that we want nothing more than to begin providing access to our physical materials. Like most of our colleagues in NJ, we followed the strict Stay-at-Home orders from Gov. Murphy's previous Executive Orders, and our staff have been working remotely. Now that we have the permission to start a new service AND allow staff back into the building, we are diligently working to create a safe and easy contactless pick-up procedure for our team and our patrons!

This new service will start Monday, July 6th. Interlibrary Loan has not safely restarted yet, this pick-up is limited to items we currently have on our shelf, in the Red Bank Public Library. This includes all of our DVDs, magazines, audiobooks, and all of our circulating print collections. We cannot place holds or obtain any materials from other libraries at this time. Our contactless pick-up service will also allow residents to request items for printing. Patrons will be allowed 10 free black and white copies a day. 

Our Book Drops are open. As per CDC and the Institute of Libraries and Museums recommendations, all returned materials are quarantined for 72 hours, before returning to the shelves. This cause a delay in items being removed from your account. NO fines are being accrued or charged – all fines have been suspended until December 31st, 2020.

More information on how contactless pick-up works is available here. 

Please note the following updates:

  • Contactless pick up of Library Materials and Patron requested print items will begin July 6th.

  • All currently checked out physical material due dates are extended to July 15th.

  • All Library Card expiration dates have been pushed to August 31st, 2020

  • Library programming will continue to be held virtually.

  • Don't forget that Wi-Fi is available during the closure in our parking lot and back yard area.  

  • For questions regarding our digital collections, electronic resources, and digital downloads and any other reference questions, please email redbanklibrary@gmail.com

  • Digital resources remain available 24/7 for patrons' use and are available through the Library’s 24-Hour Library

  • Individuals who live, work or go to school in Red Bank who do not have a library card can still sign up for a Temporary Library Card.

We are excited to announce our Summer Reading Program will be completely digital this year. 

We will be using ReadSquared, a fun and easy-to-use platform where patrons can log reading and activities, complete challenges, and earn badges! 

While we are not yet able to offer in-person programming as part of this year's Summer Reading program, we will be offering a number of programs virtually. We are closely monitoring the situation and look forward to providing in-person programs for patrons of all ages as soon as it is safe to do so.

 Thank you for your patience and understanding during these unprecedented times. We look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Red Bank Public Library's Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Out of concern for the health and wellness of our community and staff, the library will be indefinitely closed to the public starting Friday, March 13 at 5 PM. Staff will be working to make sure all fines and fees will be waived, all due dates for materials will be extended and library privilege will be extended if expired during this time.

This decision will be reassessed on a regular basis, and we will be reopening as soon as we can safely do so. For more information please visit our website and social media pages as we will be offering limited library services, virtual learning, and activities to the best of our ability. Thank you for your understanding.

Local Resources

For updates on the developing situation locally, you can check the following resources:

  • Red Bank Green is covering Borough closures and local government and business responses to the outbreak.

  • The Asbury Park Press is covering closures and news in Monmouth and Ocean County.

Virus Information Resources

The Library encourages its patrons to adopt a skeptical stance to information found online — misinformation spreads very easily in times like these. The Library created a “How to Spot Fake News” resource page several years back, which we have been updating regularly — it’s an excellent primer on basic media literacy.

For information on the disease itself, we recommend starting with the following two sources:

Patron Resources

During this time, we encourage users to utilize the many digital remote services available as much as possible. We provide electronic access to a variety of library materials, including:

We also provide online access to magazine, newspaper, and journal articles, and services like online courses from Universal Class and Rosetta Stone. Additional information regarding our digital remote services can be found on the resources page on our website.

We hope to continue offering programming streaming over the internet via Facebook Live. We have already posted a Story Time, which you can watch here. You can follow us on Facebook here.

The Library has placed a WiFi signal extender next to the windows by the Children’s Room. Anyone wishing to use our WiFi could sit at our backyard picnic tables and get the signal there.

The Red Bank Public will continue to work closely with Borough and County offices to monitor this developing situation. We will continue to post new information on our web site and other communications channels as updates occur. We thank you for your cooperation.

Stay Healthy!

Red Bank Historic House Tour -- POSTPONED

UPDATE: We have postponed the Red Bank Historic House Tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No new date has been chosen, but given the statewide “stay-at-home” order and the necessity of social distancing, we can’t do this safely do this program in the near future. We will update the site and this page when we’ve made a decision!

Red Bank Historic Home 2.png

The Red Bank Public Library will be hosting the First Annual Red Bank Historic House Tour on Saturday, May 9, 11am- 3pm, to celebrate the rich history of the town and its architecture.  Their goal is to raise funds for the Library to finance technological improvements.

There will be nine sites on the self-guided tour, and if the popular History Walking Tours are any indication, this will be a well-attended event.  The 2020 House Tour Event Guide will contain histories and information about each featured house, along with a map of the sites, parking information, and other local points of interest. Each site will be hosted by the homeowners and Library docents who will be able to answer questions and share more information about the history and style of the homes.  This event will appeal to all who have an interest in architecture, design, history, and supporting an important part of the community, the Library.

Tickets can be purchased, until May 8, online at the link below or in person at the Red Bank Public Library (84 West Front Street, Red Bank).  Cost is $30 per person ($25 for seniors and students).  Tickets can be purchased the day of the event at the Library for $35.