The Newburgh Free Library will return to the Town of Newburgh with a new location at 181 South Plank Road Suite #2.

The Newburgh Board of Education unanimously voted in favor of the lease agreement at their meeting on Tuesday, October 10. The lease agreement between ICCL LLC and the Newburgh Library states that the lease will begin on November 1, 2023 and will go till October 31, 2026.

The new lease agreement came into effect following the board’s vote to rescind an agreement with the Newburgh Mall in September. An earlier agreement had been voted on previously by the board of education with the lease set to begin on July 1, seeing the library branch return to the Newburgh Mall.

The library town branch had been active at the mall for a decade before leaving as the casino continued to expand and eventually open. The new location for the library town branch had been slated for the Art & Frameworks storefront on the opposite side of the mall but the tenant of that storefront did not move out. Though several attempts were made by the district leadership to help with the process of getting into the space and help the occupant move, a successful outcome did not come about, thus leading to the rescinding.

Newburgh Free Library Executive Director Ben Gocker confirmed the news of the town branch returning on Monday, October 16. In his statement, Gocker noted that surveys and town halls were held to collect feedback from the community that wanted a location that was convenient, safe and an accessible place to pick up and drop off books.

“Reexamining our commitment to the mall, I decided that it wasn’t our best option to deliver those services within our budget. The new location – near so many amenities – will provide patrons with the option of stopping in to grab a book, browse, or attend a program while also scooping up their dry cleaning, having a coffee across the street, or running to Pat Tarsio Lanes to pick up a spare,” said Gocker via Facebook. “While the ink dries on the lease agreement, we are already busy planning on how best to serve our community. We hope to be open as soon as possible, and we appreciate your patience throughout this process. As we move ahead we will be seeking community input to deliver the best branch possible. And of course, if you’re at the library, stop by, my door is always open.”