The Trenton Free Public Library board of trustees wants the use of money raised by local community foundations, but they will probably never get it if they continue to demand it be provided “with no strings attached”, as some members have requested.
No one in their right mind would provide this group money without a formal agreement – as the Foundation for the Trenton Free Public Library has been requesting for months – given the library’s dismal record in managing its money.
The board of trustees allowed the organization to fritter away millions of dollars with little or no accountability, evidenced by a lack of audits or any other evaluations that would allow donors or local officials to see what’s really going on with the library system.
It’s truly a shame.
The outpouring of public support that followed news of imminent closures and other hardships at city libraries means there are plenty of people who want to help out, like the the Foundation for the Trenton Free Public Library, which has raised $17,000 for the important city institution.
Yet a series of canceled meetings, lack of quorum, and other problems have prevented the group from formally signing a memorandum of understanding with the library board, which would provide sufficient oversight to allow the delivery of the money.
An institution that was recently threatened with the closure of several city branch libraries should be looking for all the help it can get.
That means signing the memorandum as soon as possible.
The Ruins of Trenton 
Thanks. Over the six months that the situation has dragged out, every non-profit organization in the country is under threat, and has used this time to look for resources. Simply put, we’d like to do the same for the Library, the sooner the better.