Perth Amboy Library Services

The Perth Amboy Free Public Library welcomes exhibits and displays that further the educational, informational, cultural and recreation objectives of the Library.
Exhibit space is open to individuals and organizations. Organizations shall designate one person as a representative. Exhibit periods are arranged with the Director and/or Library Staff with final approval given by the Library Director.

Application for exhibits is made on a first-come, first-served basis. The Library shall have the final decision on the content and arrangement of all exhibits and displays. The Library expressly reserves the right to reject any display in whole or in part which it deems in its sole discretion to be inappropriate based upon local community standards. Organizations or individuals interested in exhibiting at the library should read the complete exhibit policy PDF.

To sign up for an exhibit or display, please complete the Display/Exhibit Space Request Application by clicking on the following link: Display/Exhibit Space Request Application

If you can't make it to the Library, have the Library come to you!

The Homebound Program is a resource delivery service that the Perth Amboy Public Library offers to community members who are unable to leave their homes. Care facilities and nursing homes are also welcome to take advantage of this program. The best aspect of this program is that it's absolutely free to join and use!

The program is free to residents of all ages in Perth Amboy who are temporarily or permanently confined to their homes because of illness, age or physical disability. In order to qualify, participants must live in Perth Amboy. Residents who do not currently have a library card will be issued one after successful sign-up of the homebound application. To sign up for the service, patrons can call the Library at 732-826-2600 or fill out the form below.

The Library offers BASIC notary services for the benefit of the residents of our community. Notary Services are available during the Library's hours of operation and are not available in the fifteen (15) minutes after the time of opening or prior to the time of closing. Customers seeking Notary Service should call 732-826-2600 for information on which types of documents we can and cannot notarize and to find out if a notary is available. Notary service is available free of charge. Documents not in a language that the notary can read will not be notarized! Currently read languages include: English, Greek and Spanish.

Bring a valid form of identification.
If you do not have a driver's license, you must bring some other valid form of identification that provides a physical description of the signer. Other acceptable forms of identification are a current passport from any country, written in a language that the Notary can read, a valid non-drivers photo identification card, or a United States military identification card.

Do not sign the document.
If the document is already signed, you will be asked to resign your name in front of the Notary.

Check to see if the document requires witnesses' signatures.
If the document requires witnesses' signatures in additional to yours and the Notary's, you need to bring your own witnesses and they each need proper identification.

The Reference Department of the Perth Amboy Free Public Library strives to effectively meet the goals of the Library's mission statement by providing quality information resources and services to our users.

Reference services include but are not limited to: interlibrary loan requests, computer assistance, research aid, reader's advisory, obituary services and local history research. If you could like to speak with a Reference Librarian, you can reach the Reference Department by phone at 732-826-2600 or email at [email protected].

The Reference Department holds many collections that are used on a regular basis, for example:

• Test preparation materials are available for standardized tests required for college and graduate school admission and career readiness such as the GED, SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT. Career resources are also available for those seeking employment, patrons can always consult our job resource guide.

• Current newspapers (New York Post, New York Daily News, El Diario Home News Tribune, New York Times, Star Ledger, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal) can be found in the Reading Room.

• Back issues of the Home News Tribune and Star Ledger are available on microfilm.

• Historical area newspapers can be found in the Local History Department on the lower level.

• Historical documentary videos produced by which cover biographies of important figures, events and locations

• Additional reference materials can be accessed by searching the Perth Amboy Free Public Library Catalog.

Some reference materials may be checked out at the discretion of the senior reference staff member on duty. Materials may be checked out for one day to anyone with Perth Amboy Free Public Library Card in good standing. The following reference items will not circulate:

• Any item that is on a shelf marked 'REFERENCE' or any item that has a Reference label on the spine
• Any City Directory
• Items in the Local History/Genealogy collection, marked as REFH or REFG (other than City Directories) will circulate ONLY at the discretion of Local History Librarian or the Reference Services Librarian

The Perth Amboy Free Public Library owns microfilm of the Perth Amboy Evening News, The Home News Tribune and the Star Ledger. If you are in the area, stop by the Circulation Desk to search our microfilm collection.

Library card holders may search the Home News Tribune and the Star Ledger online.

The Perth Amboy Free Public Library offers patrons a free obituary research service in connection with our archives collection of local newspapers on microfilm. Requests are responded to as soon as possible in the order they are received.

If an obituary is found a copy will be sent gratis by the means which suits the patron.
Requests may be submitted via the form below or via telephone.

Patrons are able to print documents from any of the 7 workstations, provided they have a valid and current library card or guest pass. Individuals are able to choose between having standard black-and-white printouts ($0.10 per page) or color printouts ($0.40 per page). There is no refund for Printing Services and patrons are encouraged to only pay for what they need.

Money can be added to your account at the Circulation Desk. Library cards and Guest Passes must be present in order to add money for printing.

Please Note: All individuals are responsible for each printed document that comes out of the printer from their assigned computer, regardless of its contents or intentions when printing.

The Library does have two self-service black and white/color photocopiers available for patron use. Black and white copies are fifteen($.15) cents per page and color copies are forty ($.40) cents. Patrons have the option to copy onto letter sized paper (8.5"x 11") or legal size (8.5" x 14").

A coin machine located on the side of each copy machine for payment. Patrons interested in copying a large number of documents are encouraged to inform the circulation desk in advance for assistance.

In February of 2018, Perth Amboy Library Patrons will be able to print remotely from their laptop, tablet or smart phone via Perth Amboy Free Public Library's wireless networK, PA-Library Guest. The same printing charges apply. Please check back or more information about this service.

You can take the library with you anywhere you go with these mobile apps!

Discover, share, and review books with your friends and millions of others. Read thousands of book reviews by your friends and other Goodreads members, keep a virtual bookshelf of what you've read, and build your to-read list as you discover great books on the app.

Bringing you hundreds of thousands of movies, full music albums, audiobooks and more, hoopla is a revolutionary digital service made possible by your local library.

Perth Amboy Public Library cardholders can download and stream a variety of media. You can download audiobooks, ebooks and magazines and stream movies and music at any time of the day, from wherever you are!

eLibraryNJ is a service provided through our membership in the Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium (LMxAC) that allows patrons to download audio books and ebooks in digital formats to computers and selected compatible devices.

When looking for your library, Perth Amboy Public Library card holders need to choose Libraries of Middlesex County Automation Consortium, After selecting it, you will be asked to input your library card number and PIN (if you need a PIN number, please visit our Circulation Department).

For more information including a list of compatible devices, visit the eLibraryNJ Help Pages.

Hoopla Digital provides access to music, ebooks, audiobooks, movies, comics, and television, with currently more than 400,000 titles available across those formats. Library patrons have access to all content instantly, without having to place a hold or wait for a title to become available.

Content can be streamed on a PC or Mac through hoopladigital.com. Borrowed titles can also be streamed and temporary downloaded to iOS and Android devices.

Registration is required. You will need your Library Card number and PIN code in order to register for an account. Users are allowed five checkouts per month. This service is provided via our membership in LMxAC.

The Library offers access to computers that offer access to the Internet, electronic databases, library catalogs, and Microsoft Office. The library also offers free Wi-Fi access during open hours. Free wireless access is available throughout the Library via the PA-Library Guest network. Users of the Library's machines may use their Perth Amboy Free Public Public Library card (Perth Amboy Residents), home Library Card (non-residents in MURAL or LMxAC locations), or Guest Pass (guest passes are restricted to individuals ages 18+). Perth Amboy Residents need to have their library card in order to use a computer.

Non-residents of Perth Amboy and any other community whose libraries do not have an exchange agreement with the City may obtain a Library card for an annual fee of $25. The card is valid for one year from date of payment and allows users full access to the public computers and all Library services.

The Adult Library features 7 Public Access PCs. Session time limits for computer use on the main floor include one hour for the Public Access machines (Internet & MS Office access), and 15 minutes for our "Express" station. If patrons need time above their initial hour can request additional time at the Circulation Desk. There is a total of 2 hours of computer use per day. All patrons under 18 must have permission from a parent or guardian on file in order to use the computers. All Public Access PCs shut down fifteen (15) minutes before the library closes.

All of the Library Computers feature the following software:

• Microsoft Office 2013 Suite including: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access and Publisher.
• Internet Explorer
• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Adobe Reader

All Public Access PCs on the main floor are connected to a printer. Printings costs are $.10 for black and white; $.40 for color.

The computers on the Library's lower level are restricted to users age 13 and under. The session time limit for computer use in the Children's Library is one hour. Patrons are allowed a total of 2 hours of computer use per day.

The Friends of the Perth Amboy Free Public Library have generously provided FREE passes to some of the area's most popular museums! Museum passes offer a great way for family and friends to experience educational and cultural fun.

Contact the Friends: 
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (201) 381-1903

Contact the Library:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (732) 820-2000
Address: 196 Jefferson St.

Passes can be picked up at the Circulation Desk. Patron must present the library card under whose name the pass was reserved. Only Adult patrons who's cards are in good standing will be able to check out Museum Passes. Passes are good for a total of three days and are NOT renewable. Passes can be returned at the Circulation Desk or at the Book Drop after hours.

There will be a $5 amount late fee each day the pass is past due. The maximum fine will not exceed $25.00. Passes not returned within 14 days after the due date, will be presumed lost and borrowers charged the full replacement cost.

Lost museum pass: Full cost of the pass. Replacement costs vary according to the museum and listed on the catalog record for each museum.
Pass Case: $1

• American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY | free admission and 1 free exhibit or show
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, New York, NY | pass admits 4 people (2 adults: 2 children)
• Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park, 37 Christie St. Edison NJ | pass admits 4 people (2 adults: 2 children)

Liberty Science Center Jersey City,NJ | $3.00 discount on admission when you present your Perth Amboy Free Public Library card at purchase

A number of museums in both NYC and New Jersey have free admission days. A complete listing of Free NYC Museums can be accessed on NYCgo. For local museums see below.

• Ferry Slip Museum | 300 Front Street
• Kearny Cottage | 63 Catalpa Avenue
• Proprietary House | 149 Kearny Avenue
• Surveyor General's Office | 260 High Street

• Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University | New Brunswick, NJ
• Cape May County Park & Zoo | Cape May, NJ
• Cornelius Low House/Middlesex County Museum | Piscataway, NJ
• Barron Arts Center | Woodbridge, NJ
• Princeton University Art Museum | Princeton, NJ
• The Center for Contemporary Art | Bedminster, NJ
• Drumthwacket | Princeton, NJ
• Thomas Warne Museum | Matawan, NJ
• New Jersey Vietnam Veteran's Memorial | Holmdel, NJ

As of October 2022, the Perth Amboy Free Public Library completed its ADA compliant Refuge Area Tower with a chair lift that is to all patrons with disability requirements. The lift is safe and easy to use and meets the requirements of Title II of the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you have trouble or need assistance with using the library chair lift, please call 732-826-2600.