Belmar Public Library

You are at the Belmar Public Library, stop #1 on the Belmar Treasure Trail. This beautiful gem in the center of town got its start in 1911 when several local friends wanted to give young people access to books and educational activities. They opened a small library that was so popular, it needed to move to a larger building just a year later. Then, just two years after that, it expanded again into the Colonial style building you see here, which opened to the public in December 1914. The building was actually made possible through funding by the Carnegie Corporation; that is why it is also known as a “Carnegie Library.” In fact, the leaders at Carnegie were so impressed with the architectural plans for the Belmar Public Library, they adopted them as the standard for future Carnegie libraries all over the United States. In 1935, a portrait of Andrew Carnegie – a copy of one painted by the famed artist Luis Mora – was presented to the Belmar Library by the Carnegie Corporation. Today, the library, which celebrated its centennial in December 2014, features a media center and is also a hub for numerous community gatherings and special activities. Of course, you can’t help but notice our larger-than-life metal guitar on the library’s front lawn. It commemorates a bit of Belmar’s E Street connection to Bruce Springsteen. (Yes, the cross street really is the same “E Street” in Bruce’s song.) Created by sculptor Bob Mataranglo with metal pieces made by Denis Nalepa, the guitar is positioned so you can stand in front of it and take a photo with the E Street sign in the background. Hokey? Maybe. But for us, it’s a keeper!