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Margaret E. Heggan Free Public Library

606 Delsea Drive
856-589-3334

In 1965 a group of nine civic-minded women known as the Whitman Square Women's Club felt that there was a need for public library service in this fast-growing community.

The first meeting was set up and held on February 10, 1965 at 8 p.m. in the Community Club House; forty people attended this meeting. At this time the needs, objectives, and governing structure of the new association were announced.

The Provident Corporation, developers of Whitman Square, offered the association the use of the "Russian House", a 24 x 16 foot box-type structure as a temporary library facility. It was moved from Whitman Square to a piece of township owned land on Ganttown Road.

The library was officially opened for patrons on March 2, 1966. The hours were posted and twenty-five volunteer schedules were assigned. The book collection consisted of 3,500 volumes, some of which had been lent to the library by the State.

In 1971 the need for further expansion was once again expressed. In the early part of 1973, Joseph Esposito of ESK Enterprises announced plans to construct a new building for the Library Association. A one acre site on Chapel Heights Road, next to the Bunker Hill School, was donated by Mr. Esposito. On August 3, 1973 the "David Iervolino Memorial Library" was officially dedicated.

In 1978, the library became a part of the county system.
As a result of a public referendum, the library left the county system in 1988, and in 1991, it became a municipal library and the board of trustees was formed.

The library moved to East Holly Drive in 1992 when the School Board and the Township swapped the Chapel Heights and Greentree Road properties. The library occupied this location until 2010.

With a growing community, the need for a larger library was evident. The Library Board of Trustees commissioned the renovation of the former Educational Information and Resource Center (EIRC) building and in June 2011, the library opened a new 20,000 square foot location on Delsea Drive.


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