Johnson Public Library begins $1M-plus renovation to add teen space, study rooms and conference room

Tara Cooper, director of the Johnson Public Library, told a meeting audience that renovation work began today on the library’s lower level to create a new teen space, three quiet study rooms and a conference/meeting room that will be available to the public.

Cooper said the work includes safety and accessibility upgrades as well as a reconfiguration of staff space. “The renovation will create a new conference slash meeting room that can accommodate up to 25 people…Additionally, 3 quiet study rooms can be used for Zoom meetings, telehealth, virtual court, confidential sessions with our social work interns, job interviews, and, of course, also for studying,” she said.

The project’s construction contract was awarded to H and M Company LLC, Cooper said, with a winning bid of $769,000 that includes asbestos-tile removal that began with abatement today. She estimated an additional $150,000 for furniture and technology. “This was over a $1,000,000 project and the difference the library is paying back with no interest over 5 years of our utility bills,” Cooper said, describing an energy-efficiency package the library completed earlier with support from a utility incentive.

Cooper said the library applied for and received an $800,000 incentive from PSE&G that funded lighting, HVAC and a new boiler as part of recent infrastructure upgrades. She also described a separate, recently completed accessibility project that combined two small restrooms into a single, ADA-accessible family restroom.

The director framed the renovation as part of a broader effort to adapt the century-old building — founded through a bequest from Senator William Johnson — to contemporary community needs. Cooper noted the library’s historical role as a government documents depository and said the institution will maintain its microfilm and historical newspaper collections for genealogical researchers while other depository materials were retired to state centers.

Cooper provided usage figures to underscore community demand: last year the library circulated about 130,000 items, hosted roughly 15,000 program attendees, responded to some 45,000 requests for assistance, added more than 1,200 cardholders, and ran over 1,000 free programs. She highlighted partnerships that bring three to four social work interns to the library year-round through agreements with Fairleigh Dickinson University and Rutgers social work programs.

Cooper said the teen space will be nearly 1,200 square feet and is intended to give adolescents a dedicated place close to the middle school, noting the town lacks other after-school options. She also said the new conference room will help meet demand from small businesses and nonprofits that regularly seek meeting space in Hackensack City.

Cooper estimated that the asbestos abatement will require a short closure but said the library hopes to remain open for most services during construction. She gave an expected completion window of February–March 2026 and directed listeners to the library’s website for bid documents and the full strategic plan.

The presentation concluded with Cooper inviting questions and thanking attendees for their support.