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SCLSNJ is Branching Out and Joining Main Library Alliance
BRIDGEWATER, NJ – Somerset County Library System of New Jersey (SCLSNJ) is branching out! On November 17, 2025, SCLSNJ will officially become a member of the Main Library Alliance, a library consortium that will dramatically increase the breadth of materials and resources available to SCLSNJ patrons.
The Main Library Alliance, founded in 1979, is a library consortium that serves over 798,000 patrons across more than 100 municipalities spanning Essex, Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Union, and Warren counties with over 3.2 million library items at 57 participating libraries The combined Main Library Alliance collection is almost four times what SCLSNJ currently offers of 850,000 items today.
"This collaboration is about maximizing value and convenience for our patrons, granting them unprecedented access to exponentially more books and materials across New Jersey," said SCLSNJ Library Director, Peter Bromberg. "It's one more example of how public libraries are at the vanguard of resource sharing and smart, responsible stewardship of public money."
Here are the key milestones patrons should be aware of:
November 14, 2025: All library services except for checkout will be unavailable due to an update to our catalog system needed to join the Main Library Alliance. The current SCLSNJ app will be disabled at this time; an announcement about the availability of an updated app will be provided at a later date. Any items returned on this day will remain on a patron’s account until November 17.
November 15 and 16, 2025: All SCLSNJ branches will be closed to the public. Digital resources, like eBooks and eAudiobooks through the Libby app will be available during this time.
November 17, 2025: Patrons will gain in-person borrowing access to all of the participating libraries around the state, as well as a refreshed catalog experience designed for easier navigation and discovery.
Early 2026: SCLSNJ patrons will gain the ability to place holds on materials located in any of the Main Library Alliance locations and request delivery to their preferred SCLSNJ or non-SCLSNJ library location.
A couple of things to note, most patron-friendly SCLSNJ policies, including borrowing lengths, the renewal process, the holds process, and the no fines policy, will remain the same with patrons also keeping their SCLSNJ library card.
About Somerset County Library System of New Jersey
Somerset County Library System of New Jersey (SCLSNJ) partners with you to connect, to explore, to share, and to discover. Together we enrich lives, expand knowledge, and strengthen communities. SCLSNJ serves the following communities in Somerset County: Bound Brook, Branchburg, Bridgewater, Green Brook, Hillsborough, Manville, Millstone, Montgomery, North Plainfield, Peapack and Gladstone, Rocky Hill, Somerville, South Bound Brook, Warren Township, and Watchung. Visit SCLSNJ.org.
About Main Library Alliance
Founded in 1979, Main Library Alliance is a network of 52 public libraries located in Essex, Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Union, and Warren Counties in New Jersey. Main Library Alliance is an independent nonprofit whose mission is to lead and encourage collaboration, resource sharing, staff development, and innovation by providing high-quality, cost-effective shared services to member libraries for their communities. Main Library Alliance helps member libraries and the communities they serve readily access a rich spectrum of resources.