Clark Public Library
🏢 STELLA Library Consortium · Clark, New Jersey
Clark Public Library
Clark Public Library opened on November 1, 1961 — born from a community referendum approved by Clark voters the previous year — and has grown from a storefront collection of fewer than 600 books into a full-service Union County library offering free museum passes, a Library of Things and evening hours six days a week.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9:30am–9pm |
| Tuesday | 9:30am–9pm |
| Wednesday | 9:30am–5pm |
| Thursday | 9:30am–9pm |
| Friday | 9:30am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9:30am–5pm |
| Sunday | 1pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 303 Westfield Avenue, Clark, NJ 07066
Phone: (732) 388-5999
Website: clarklibrary.org
Plus Code: 87G7JMCQ+RX (Clark, NJ)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Clark Public Library
Clark Public Library serves the approximately 17,000 residents of Clark Township, Union County, New Jersey. The library's story begins on November 8, 1960, when voters passed a referendum establishing a free public library by a margin of 3,685 to 976. It opened on November 1, 1961 in a small storefront at 17 Lincoln Boulevard, with a volunteer organizing committee substituting for paid staff in those early months. The first part-time director, Edward Temkin, was hired by the board in 1962. The library relocated to a larger store on Raritan Road in 1963 and then moved to its present home at 303 Westfield Avenue in 1966. Today Clark Public Library is a member of the STELLA Library Consortium and offers residents a robust collection, public technology services, a Library of Things, free museum passes through the Friends of the Library, the Clark Historical Archives and a busy calendar of adult, teen and children's programs.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Established by community referendum on November 8, 1960 — over 60 years of service to Clark Township, Union County
- Free museum passes available through the Friends of the Clark Library for cardholders (Intrepid, Morris Museum, Storm King, Yogi Berra Museum and more)
- Library of Things lending — hotspots, Chromebooks, iPads, VOX books and Tonies available for checkout
- Clark Historical Archives accessible for local and genealogical research
- Member of the STELLA Library Consortium, connecting Clark residents to a regional network of shared digital and physical resources
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Clark cardholders access New Jersey's statewide and STELLA digital collections at no cost:
📚 Services
- Free museum passes (Intrepid Sea Air & Space, Morris Museum, Storm King Art Center, Liberty Hall, Yogi Berra Museum) through the Friends of the Library
- Library of Things: hotspots, Chromebooks, iPads, VOX books and Tonies for checkout
- Public computers, mobile printing (print from your phone) and scanning
- Clark Historical Archives for local history and genealogy research
- Meeting room reservations for community groups
- 65,000+ online database searches annually via STELLA research databases
🎸 Programs
- Adult programs, author visits and bestseller discussions
- Teen events and services
- Children's story times and youth programming
- Summer reading program
- Community events and volunteer opportunities
📍 Nearby Libraries in Union County, NJ
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How did Clark Public Library begin?
Clark voters approved a referendum on November 8, 1960 to establish a free public library, passing it by 3,685 to 976. The library opened November 1, 1961 in a small storefront at 17 Lincoln Boulevard, run largely by a volunteer organizing committee. It moved to its current home at 303 Westfield Avenue in 1966 and has been there ever since.
What free museum passes does Clark Public Library offer?
Through the Friends of the Clark Library, cardholders can borrow free passes to several regional museums and attractions, including the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Liberty Hall Museum at Kean University, The Morris Museum, Storm King Art Center, Eastern State Penitentiary and The Yogi Berra Museum. Availability varies — check at the circulation desk or the library website.
What is the Library of Things at Clark Public Library?
The Library of Things lets cardholders borrow items beyond traditional books and media. Clark's collection includes Wi-Fi hotspots, Chromebooks, iPads, VOX read-along books and Tonies audio figures for children. Most Library of Things items must be returned to Clark rather than other STELLA libraries.
What is the Clark Historical Archives?
The Clark Historical Archives is the library's collection of local history materials relating to Clark Township and the surrounding Union County area. It is accessible at the library and supports genealogy research, local history projects and community memory preservation.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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