Roselle library furniture giveaway off to fast start

When Roselle Public Library officials decided to give away some used furniture, the hope was to remove worn-out chairs and tables before replacement items arrive next month.

Now the delivery of the new furniture - scheduled for the first week of February - can't come soon enough.

That's because more than a dozen people took advantage of the library's "Furniture Giveaway" by claiming many of the available upholstered lounge seats, task chairs and tables within the first hour of the event Monday morning.

"We never expected it to go this fast," Executive Director Amy Cawley said. "I thought this would be a monthlong process because in my experience it takes a while. But apparently there's a need in our community for these things."

Officials initially tried to sell the furniture, most of which dates to when the library at 40 S. Park St. was remodeled in 1997. But no buyers could be found and other libraries didn't want the furniture, either.

So Roselle officials decided to offer the items to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

Mansi Thakar is happy they did.

Thakar, who recently moved to Roselle from California, was able to find a sofa and some chairs for her empty apartment.

"It was perfect timing," said Thakar, who learned about the giveaway while getting a library card. "All we need now is a bed."

Roselle resident Vicki Johnson said Monday morning's freezing weather wasn't enough to deter her from the promise of free furniture.

Johnson said she was impressed by the quality of the two chairs she got for her office.

"Thousands of people have sat on these chairs for years, and they're still standing," Johnson said. "Some of them look like the fabric may be a little thin, but it's nothing that can't be fixed. The frames are in very good shape."

Celia Maria Espinosa said she's pleased the library gave away the furniture instead of throwing it out.

"This is great because there are people in need," the Roselle resident said after picking out two tables and two chairs. "We have empty pockets after the holidays."

The giveaway is scheduled to continue until everything is gone. Of course, not all of the library's old furniture was tagged for removal.

"There are chairs that are hiding upstairs because they are in perfect condition," Cawley said. "We're not giving them away."

As for the new furniture arriving next month, it's part of an ongoing effort to improve the interior of the library. Some rooms in the building already have new flooring and carpeting.

"We're doing small projects bit by bit because that's all we can afford," said Cawley, adding that the library saved money and received donations to buy the new furniture.

Cawley said the goal of the improvements is to ensure the library remains comfortable for its users. "We keep being told how nice we are," she said, "and we want to keep being nice."