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New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act

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Is YOUR library here?

We are excited to see that projects are starting to be completed – or near completion. Please take a look through our slideshow and see the impact the LCBA has had on NJ libraries! And if you’d like to share pictures from your library’s project, send an email to marketing@njstatelib.org

Featured LCBA Projects

Background

On July 21, 2017, Governor Chris Christie signed the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act,  P.L. 2017,  c. 149, which authorized the issuance of $125 million in general obligation bonds to finance capital projects at public libraries. The rules (regulations) (N.J.A.C. 15-24 et seq.) to implement the Act became effective November 4, 2010. The purpose of the program is to fund the construction, reconstruction, extension, improvement, and furnishing of New Jersey’s public libraries.

Amendments to the regulations were proposed in July 2023 to address issues that have arisen in implementation of grant awards in the context of the pandemic and its continuing effects, as well as a drafting error. The impact of the pandemic on local governments and construction costs and availability of workers has been significant. The amendments are designed to remove unnecessary burdens on grantees in planning and executing legislatively approved projects. The amendments were adopted by the State Librarian on September 5, 2023 and became effective October 2, 2023.

Please note that there are no additional funds available for current LCBA projects at this time.

The State Library issued two rounds of grant solicitations, the first in Winter 2020 and the Second in Spring 2021. In December 2022, the Joint Budget Oversight Committee (JBOC) reallocated funds to support two Round Two projects that were previously approved but unfunded.

Round One – Winter 2020

Round 1 of the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act passed both the Assembly and the Senate on November 16, 2020. It was signed by Governor Phil Murphy on November 20, 2020.

Round Two – Spring 2021

Round Two of the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act passed both the Assembly and the Senate on January 10, 2022. It was signed by Governor Murphy on January 12, 2022.

Round Two – Reallocation of Grant Funds

On October 19, 2022, the State Library, through the President of Thomas Edison State University, submitted a request to the Joint Budget Oversight Committee (JBOC) seeking approval of the reallocation of $1,764,447, appropriated to Newark Public Library during the second round of Library Construction Bond Act (LCBA) funding, to two projects which were submitted for consideration during the Round 2 application period, but were not awarded grants due to limited funding. Both libraries were eligible to receive grants under the Bond Act and were included on the alternate list of recommended projects to receive grants in the event that funding became available. On December 30, 2022, JBOC unanimously approved the reallocation request.

On January 27, 2025, the State Library, through the President of Thomas Edison State University, submitted another request to JBOC seeking approval of the reallocation of $5,118,900 of Rounds One and Two funds to the three projects remaining on the Round Two alternate list of recommended projects. On March 23, 2026, JBOC unanimously approved the reallocation request.

Managing Your Grant

Here you can find the resources to help manage your current LCBA grant.

LCBA Contacts

The LCBA program is being managed by the State Library.  Here’s how you can reach us with any questions or concerns:

Grantee Forms

As the nation marks 250 years since the Revolution, the NJ State Library unveils “NJ250: Living Documents, Evolving Rights.” A new digital exhibition exploring how New Jersey’s evolving constitutions shaped, and were shaped by, the fight for liberty.
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