Peapack-Gladstone Councilman Conor Sweeney proposed at a Sept. 22 Borough Council meeting to withdraw the borough from the Somerset County Library System, citing concerns over LGBTQ+ books and materials at the local library. He proposed that the borough either partner with the Clarence Dillon Public Library in Bedminster or operate independently.
As reported by the Bernardsville News, Sweeney said, “Let’s get Green Eggs and Ham back in our library,” while holding up a queer children’s book in a video.
Council President Jamie Murphy pushed back against Sweeney’s concerns, saying parents are responsible for choosing reading material for their children and that exposure to diversity can teach children acceptance at a young age. Murphy also noted that the library’s Pride display was not located near the children’s section. Sweeney had protested against the earlier Pride display at a meeting in the summer.
In an Oct. 10 email to Out In Jersey Media, Somerset County Library System Director Peter Bromberg said withdrawing from the system would mean residents would have “greatly diminished access to library collections, programs, research databases, etc.” He added that library staff organize reading materials into age-appropriate sections.
Bromberg said the SCLS has not experienced an increase in challenges to LGBTQ+ books, although he noted a broader national trend. He cited Pen America’s 2026 report, Facts and Fiction, which found that book challenges have disproportionately targeted materials addressing LGBTQ+ people and people of color. Bromberg also referenced a 2026 EveryLibrary Institute review of polling that found most Americans oppose censorship in public and school libraries.
Mayor Mark Corigliano said the borough had no plans to withdraw from the SCLS. “Our residents really like and appreciate our library in its current form,”
In an Oct. 7 email to Out In Jersey Media, Peapack-Gladstone Mayor Mark Corigliano said the borough had no plans to withdraw from the SCLS. “Our residents really like and appreciate our library in its current form,” he said, citing its staff, programs and welcoming environment.
Corigliano described the Sept. 22 meeting as “contentious.” He said the vast majority of residents who spoke supported retaining the SCLS, with some criticizing Sweeney and, to a lesser extent, Councilwoman Jill Weible, for advocating separation from the system.
In an Oct. 11 follow-up email to Out In Jersey Media, Corigliano said Sweeney had not raised the library proposal again since the Sept. 22 meeting. The council has not taken formal action on the proposal, he said, adding that it remains unclear whether Sweeney will pursue the matter further.
Kobe Baker contributed reporting.
