First Look At The New Holmdel Library!

HOLMDEL, NJ — Take an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the brand-new Holmdel library, currently in its final stages of construction at Bell Works!

The new library is scheduled to open to the public by the end of November, ideally just before Thanksgiving, said Holmdel Mayor Greg Buontempo. They plan to move all the books over Nov. 17. After negotiating with Bell Works developer, Holmdel made the decision earlier this year to move the Township's library out of its cramped, 3,000-square-foot space in the basement of town hall to an airy, 18,000-square-foot new home at Bell Works. The new library is located inside Bell Works; you park in the front parking lot and walk in the main entrance to access it. You walk through the Bell Works main atrium to get to the library.

There are plans to open a Montessori school next to the library, also inside the atrium, said Mayor Buontempo. The Montessori school will serve the children of employees at Bell Works, and anyone else in the area. Right now Bell Works has just under 1,000 employees on site, but once software company iCIMS moves in later this year, that number could grow to almost 2,000, Buontempo said.

The library was built as part of a $1.7 million deal between Holmdel and Bell Works owner and developer, Somerset Development. Holmdel pushed for the developer to provide library space, and Somerset provided $1 million towards the project. The remaining money was cobbled together by the Holmdel Library Foundation via fundraising and even private donations from exiting Bell Works tenants. There is still some money left to be raised, he said. "It hasn't been easy," Buontempo admitted Wednesday, as he gave Patch a private tour.

But their efforts have not gone in vain: The new space is outstanding and will be an asset to the Holmdel community: There will be free WiFi and computer work stations. The Township is currently building a sidewalk on Crawfords Corner Road, connecting the high school, about a mile away, to Bell Works.

"I envision high school students coming here after class, getting a snack at the new Bell Works cafe, working on a project together and using our computers and Power Point technology," said Buontempo.

To that end, the library has several private "break-out rooms," which feature drop-down screens, computers and projectors for people to collaborate on projects. There is even a large classroom inside the library. Buontempo said he's been in talks with Holmdel schools superintendent Dr. Robert McGarry to bring science and math classes over from the high school for lectures inside the library, where they will meet and receive lectures from employees from Bell Works technology companies.

"We actually have companies at Bell Works right now developing such cutting-edge technology as artificial intelligence and self-driving cars," said Buontempo. "Let's take advantage of that. I don't think anyone else around here is doing something like that: Bridging public schools with private business."

There's also a large children's area in the back of the library, which includes its own circulation desk and a separate room with a full kitchen and sink, ideal for doing arts and crafts, projects and serving snacks.

The library is currently under construction, but imagine it full of books, periodicals and computers, Buontempo said, which it will be filled with in these next coming weeks. The library also seeks to educate visitors about the rich history of Holmdel's Bell Labs site, the 1960s-era AT&T technology behemoth, where technology was developed that eventually led to the creation of the cell phone, fiber optics and military radar.

"We're going to have a radio on display here that was hand-made by Thomas Edison. This is an item that was sought by not just The Smithsonian in Washington, but also the Thomas Edison Museum and instead it was donated to Holmdel," said Buontempo. "This entire place is really a huge accomplishment for Holmdel."

The new Holmdel library will feature:

• Multiple meeting and conference rooms ideal for community and cultural events, with select areas sitting as many as 80 people.
• Free, on-site access to digital research and reference tools such as: Ancestry.com, Morningstar Investment Research Center, EBSCOhost journals, Hoover’s Online, Value Line, Small Business Reference Center, JSTOR Academic Journals and Weiss Insurance Ratings.
• An extensive selection of subscription-based resources for law, medicine, arts, entertainment, employment, grants and politics.
• Access to over 100 magazines, both current editions and archives.
• A comfortable, welcoming lounge areas with access to charging stations.
• A well-curated, relevant print collection with a dedicated children’s and teen wing.
• Various educational programs and services for children, teens and adults.

A permanent exhibit honoring the legacy of innovation at Bell Labs and AT&T as well as the history of Holmdel Township. Bell Works tenants will receive a guest pass to use the library, and New Jersey residents are eligible to apply for a free internet pass to access all online materials. Residents of Holmdel will have borrowing privileges as well as access to online resources with their library card.

Somerset Development purchased Bell Works from Alcatel-Lucent for $27 million in 2013. Currently, Bell Works has signed leases for over 75 percent of its office space. In addition to anchor tenant iCIMS, there's also WorkWave in the building. Other prominent commercial tenants include: Guardian Life Insurance; Acacia Communications, a recognized optical transmissions manufacturer; Jersey Central Power and Light; MetTel, a New York City-based telecommunications firm; McCann Systems LLC, a national audiovisual company; NVIDIA Corporation, a publicly traded multi-platform technology firm; Spirent Communications, an international telecommunications firm; Suttons International, a worldwide logistics company; and the DesignLab, a design-focused co-working space. Bell Works is located approximately one mile from Exit 114 of the Garden State Parkway in Holmdel, NJ.

All photos and reporting done by Carly Baldwin/Patch