Home
Back to Top

Somerville Branch Updates

Services at the Somerville branch have been suspended while we work to secure a new, permanent home for our community. Here you will find all the essential information from updated event listings and FAQs to official press releases and progress reports on our search. Please check back regularly for the latest announcements and timeline updates.
 

If you have questions or need assistance, please reach out to somerville@sclibnj.org or 908-458-8445.

Somerville Branch Timeline

Date Events Details

September 3, 2026

 Library Director Peter Bromberg sends an invitation to Somerville Mayor Brian Gallagher, Council Liaison Teresa Bonner, and Library Advisory Board President Beth Vroom, to discuss next steps. View email.
September 2, 2026 Somerset County Library Commission meeting; Commission Chair Robert Karpinecz shares a statement about the Somerville branch.  
August 31, 2026 Counsel for the Somerset County Library and Library Commission sends a letter to the Borough of Somerville asserting that we are within our legal rights to decide to relocate staff and services. The letter ends with a request to work together. View letter
August 14, 2026 The Library Commission receives letter from the attorney for the Borough of Somerville dated August 6 via USPS, requesting that the Somerville branch be reopened. View letter
August 3, 2026 Library Director Peter Bromberg and Library Commission Chair Roberta Karpinecz attend Borough Council meeting. Appearance during the meeting's Executive Session lasts less than five minutes before Mayor Brian Gallagher instructs Bromberg and Karpinecz to "get out." View public recording of Borough Council meeting.
August 3, 2026 The Library receives results from mold testing of the basement floor of the Somerville branch that took place on July 30. View test results.
July 31, 2026 Borough Administrator confirms invitation of the Library to the Borough Council meeting. View email.
July 29, 2026 Library Director Peter Bromberg communicates with Borough Administrator Kevin Sluka that we have identified a second location of interest that is vacant, and asks for advice on whether it would be suitably zoned. Borough offers to check with zoning officer but advises that the location in question is in a flood zone and has flooded repeatedly in the past. View text message.
July 28, 2026 Borough Administrator Kevin Sluka invites Library Director Peter Bromberg to attend the next Somerville Borough Council meeting.

"...the mayor wanted to see if you were available on Monday night to chat with Mayor and Council (in executive session) and that way the Council is fully apprised, and we are not having multiple separate conversations."		 View email.
July 28, 2026 Library Director Peter Bromberg acknowledges receipt of test results for upper floor. View letter.
July 27, 2026 The Library receives results from mold testing of the upper floor of the Somerville branch that took place on July 23. View letter.
View test results.
July 24, 2026 The Library proposes issuing a joint statement with the Borough and requests a reply.

NOTE: No reply received.		 View email.
July 23, 2026 Library Director Peter Bromberg, Library Commission Chair Roberta Karpinecz, and Somerville Branch Manager Jen Sulligan attend the Borough's Library Advisory Board (LAB) meeting (aka Library Board of Trustees), to answering LAB member and public questions, and provide written information. View draft LAB meeting notes.
July 22, 2026 12:45 PM The Library issues the press release. View press release.
July 22, 2026 11:29 AM The Library receives a letter from Somerville Mayor Brian Gallagher, responding to the draft Library Commission communication.

NOTE: The letter makes mention of Main Street property as being under consideration, which was only shared internally, with the Library Commission chair, and with the real estate broker.		 View letter.
July 21, 2026 3:48 PM Library Director Peter Bromberg shares a draft press release with Borough Administrator Kevin Sluka for feedback, and subsequently makes edits based on feedback View email thread.
View draft press release.
July 21, 2026 12:11 PM Library Director Peter Bromberg informs the Somerset County Library Commission by email of plans to suspend operations at the end of business 7/31/2026, with a copy provided to the Borough. View email.
July 21, 2026 11:58 AM Library Director Peter Bromberg lets Borough Administrator Kevin Sluka know that we have draft communication ready to go to the Library Commission and County Commissioners, and offers the Borough the opportunity to review and provide feedback. Sluka expresses that there is no immediate opposition from Somerville Borough Council to the accelerated timeline of removing staff from the space and suspending operations at the current location. View text message.
July 21, 2026 8:09 AM Borough Administrator Kevin Sluka lets the Library know that they’ve spoken with zoning officer and advises on zoning requirements for Main Street property.

NOTE: The Library did not make any zoning inquiries. Interest in this property was only shared internally, with the Library Commission chair, and with the real estate broker.		 View text message.
July 20, 2026 11:59 AM Library Director Peter Bromberg communicates with Borough Administrator Kevin Sluka that due to staffing impacts due to staff health issues, and legal liability issues, we need to have staff out of the building sooner than previously discussed, that is, by the end of July. We shared that we were still looking for spaces and that programs would continue in partner spaces across the Borough. We said we’d keep the Borough in the loop and that they should reach out if it’s helpful to chat at any point

View text message thread: message 1, message 2, message 3.
July 17, 2026 Library Manager of Branch Services Lauren Ryan provides feedback to the real estate broker about interest in property on Main Street. View email with real estate broker.
July 16, 2026 The Library meets internally to discuss staff absences and requests for alternate assignments, and concludes that current conditions at the branch preclude appropriate staffing levels to remain open for business. View calendar event.
July 15, 2026 Library leadership visits potential commercial properties for lease in Somerville. View email with real estate broker.
July 14, 2026 Library Director Peter Bromberg and Borough Administrator Kevin Sluka have a two-hour meeting, in which a number of branch facility-related issues are discussed.

Key points:
* The building is not suitable from a health/safety perspective, or generally for providing library services to the community.
* The Library is committed to providing service in Somerville, but needs another space. We need to find another location sooner, rather than later. (End of the year latest, if not Fall.)
* The Library is actively looking for spaces.
* The Library is asking for your help. Can we work together as a team?
* The Library has been trying in good faith to deliver services there since the closing of the lower level in 2025 due to mold, but it’s not working.		 View Bromberg's pre-meeting notes.
July 7, 2026 Library Director Peter Bromberg reaches out to Borough Administrator Kevin Sluka to discuss issues of current space being unsuitable for provision of library services, and requests to meet to discuss and think/talk through options. View email.
July 6, 2026 A Registered Environmental Health Specialist with the Somerset County Department of Health Somerset County Department of Health inspects the Somerville branch in response to an anonymous complaint. The Specialist contacts the Library following the visit to make note of areas needing correction, including: “the emergency stairway in the basement, the moldy window with AC unit, and the bathroom ceiling on the main floor.” This email was forwarded to the Borough, as the building owners, for follow up. View email thread.
July 2, 2026 Library clarifies the timeline for finding potential commercial space for lease in Somerville as being "by the end of the year" View email with real estate broker.
June 30, 2026 Library starts to explore commercial properties for lease in Somerville View email with real estate broker.
May 28, 2026 The Library begins internal discussions about relocating Somerville branch operations by the end of 2026. View internal meeting notes.