Rutherford Public Library — Attraction in Rutherford

The kids' classes are always overcrowded, and finding a place to sit is nearly impossible. They put out six large couches and a bunch of small chairs, but most people end up sitting on the floor, with kids running everywhere. It's especially tough for pregnant women, the elderly, and those with disabilities to find comfortable seating. People tend to reserve the big couches by leaving their belongings on them but never actually sit there. I’ve spoken to the director about this multiple times, and they initially tried a solution by placing signs on the chairs for those who needed them. However, after a few classes, the signs disappeared, and the issue continued. As a heavily pregnant woman with back issues, I didn’t feel comfortable attending anymore. It seemed like they only implemented the signs to temporarily appease me, then let the problem return.

On top of that, the class space itself doesn’t make sense. It’s in an open area, which makes it distracting for others. The toddlers often run off, play with trash on the floor, or wander into open bathrooms and staircases—clearly not the best setup. Sometimes they allow daycare groups to join, making it even more crowded.

Consistency is also an issue. There’s only one music class per week, and often they’ll cancel for a week or even a month. Unlike other libraries, there’s no open playtime available.

Another problem is the clear favoritism in how they handle events, activities, and book displays. Not all cultures and religions get the same attention. When I raised this concern and suggested some ideas, I was dismissed with a “sorry you feel that way” response and a weak apology about putting up the wrong religion for a holiday book display.

Honestly, the library could use some fresh staff. I really appreciated Miss Jolie, who was great with the kids and always friendly with parents. Not all the staff is that approachable, and a change might...

Always loud, lots of children running around, people on calls, even the staff speak loudly and they don’t tell people to be quiet. Staff arbitrarily enforce bureaucratic procedures and cite “policy” that is not written anywhere nor communicated with borrowers. Very small selection of books that seem to get even smaller as time goes on. You find more parents and kids chasing and running around in this library than anyone reading or studying. Go somewhere else if you’re looking for a real library and not...

This library has a great selection for young adults! I am not sure about other books but from what I've seen it's mostly young adult, so maybe that's why there is not a lot of other genres to choose from. However, I heard there is a donation event coming soon, around the end of September. I cant wait to donate the books I have already read for...