MANALAPAN, NJ - Throughout the last four decades, Renee B. Swartz has been a true library champion and advocate – as she unceasingly guided the development of the Monmouth County Library, founded the New Jersey Center for the Book, and served both the New Jersey State Library and the School of Communications, Information and Library Studies at Rutgers University.

Monmouth County officials gathered at Monmouth County Archives and History Day on October 11 to pay tribute to Swartz’s remarkable public service career. Freeholder Director and Library Liaison Lillian G. Burry presented Swartz with a special proclamation from the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders honoring her years of dedicated service and declaring October 11 as “Renee Becker Swartz Day.” Freeholder Deputy Director Gary J. Rich, Sr. and Monmouth County Clerk M. Claire French, also in attendance, congratulated Swartz on her accomplishments.

The tribute was highlighted by the screening of a special video on the history of the Monmouth County Library, and by the singing of the National Anthem by Eliana Swartz, Renee Swartz’s granddaughter who is a student at the Red Bank Regional High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Academy. Library Commissioners Grace Abramov, Don Burden and James Gray joined in the celebration.

The video Four Score and Twelve: A Historical Retrospective of the Monmouth County Library, 1922-2014, followed the development of the Monmouth County Library from the time of traveling bookmobiles and lending stations to the current Library which boasts 13 branches, 14 member libraries and more than a quarter million cardholders. Swartz, who narrated the video, was also its executive producer.

The proclamation noted it was given “In acknowledgement of the passion and devotion to the betterment of the Monmouth County Library System that she has exhibited throughout her incredible career,” and listed Swartz’s many accomplishments and contributions, including:

n Being appointed to the Monmouth County Library Commission in 1966, and serving continuously as Library Commission Chair since 1976;

n Receiving the appointments of the past four Governors of the State of New Jersey to serve both as the chair of the New Jersey State Library Advisory Council and as chair of the Board of the School of Communications, Information and Library Studies at Rutgers University;

n Chairing the New Jersey delegations to both the 1979 and 1991 White House Conferences on Library and Information Sciences and serving as the permanent New Jersey member of the White House Conference Task Force;

n Founding in 2000, and also chairing, the New Jersey Center for the Book, an affiliate of the Library of Congress;

n Tirelessly championing both the construction of the Eastern Branch Library in Shrewsbury and Library Headquarters in Manalapan.

n On the national level, serving as a Presidential Appointee to the Institute of Museum and Library Services Board from 2004-2009, and is a continuing national member of the Board Emerita.

In addition, her wisdom, leadership and foresight as a member and Chair of the Monmouth County Library Commission earned Swartz a Lifetime Service and Achievement Award in 2006; two Trustee of the Year Awards from the NJ Library Association (1980, 1999) – the only trustee to receive that honor twice.

Swartz, a Rumson resident, is married to Dr. Harry Swartz. She is a graduate of Barnard College, where she is a Trustee Emerita.

Photo captions:

Monmouth County Library Commission Chair Renee Swartz (left) and Monmouth County Clerk Claire French (right) with proclamation honoring Swartz for her years of public service to the Monmouth County Library.

Group shot left to right: Monmouth County Clerk Claire French; Monmouth County Library Commissioner and Shrewsbury Mayor Donald Burden; Freeholder Director and Library Liaison Lillian G. Burry; Library Commissioner Grace Abramov; Jane Clayton Award winners Angel and Jack Jeandron of Keyport; Freeholder Gary Rich; Monmouth County Library Acting Director Judi Tolchin; Monmouth County Library Chair Renee B. Swartz and Eliana Swartz.