On the evening of October 19, borough officials put a time capsule into a wall compartment in the new vestibule at Borough Hall. It holds more than 100 photographs, along with newspapers, letters and memorabilia, and it stays sealed until March 10, 2051, TAPinto South Plainfield reported. That was Borough Hall's way of saving the centennial.
At 2484 Plainfield Avenue, the South Plainfield Public Library's centennial reading list starts with 1926 and ends with an open slot. In March, TAPinto wrote that 2026's top book is "to-be-determined." That open slot sums up the library's side of the 100th year, which is still being added to.
A Century of Books With the Last Line Still Blank
The library's "100 Years of Most Popular Books" is a two-page list, one title per year, posted on the borough's anniversary page. It opens in 1926, the year the borough incorporated, with Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. It closes in 2025 with Rebecca Yarros's Onyx Storm. Along the way you get 1984 for 1949, Roots for 1976, The Hunger Games for 2008 and James for 2024. Yarros shows up twice in the last three years: Fourth Wing in 2023 and Onyx Storm in 2025.
The list is a national snapshot, not a record of what South Plainfield checked out. A note at the bottom says it was compiled from a Goodreads article, "From 1925 to 2024: 100 Years of Popular Books." TAPinto pointed readers to the library for many of the titles, which it said are "still widely read today." With about seven weeks left in 2026, the list works as a reading plan, and the hold queue is the place to start it.
The Library Ran the Centennial's Fieldwork
The book list was the library's quiet contribution. Its hands-on one came over the summer. From May 1 through July 1, the library and the South Plainfield Historical Society ran "I Spy South Plainfield - A History Scavenger Hunt for Kids" for ages 5 to 18. TAPinto's July report describes how it worked. The library handed out a booklet of cropped photos, and each photo was a clue to one of 12 sites around the downtown and park area.
Nine kids found all 12 and turned their booklets in at the library. Each got a $10 gift card to Ciccio's, paid for by the library. Library Director Linda Hansen told TAPinto, "We were happy to team up with the historical society for this fun, interactive, and educational way to celebrate the borough's 100th birthday." Historical Society President Dorothy Miele told the same outlet that "each selected image had a meaningful historical connection to our community."
The Historical Society has been busy elsewhere too. It put up a traveling easel display at the Senior Center and 20 history posters at Borough Hall, took part in the March reenactment of the first Borough Council meeting, and committed to a 52-week history series on its Facebook page. Its next project brings it back to the library building.
What the Building Is Getting Ready for Next
The library board's September 8, 2026 minutes list several things heading toward the end of the year. During public comment, Ken from the Historical Society said the library's display "will be updated soon." He said there was a lot of interest at the Society's table at the Labor Day parade and at Christmas in July, and that the Society is "preparing to display the archeological artifacts." So the borough's history is moving indoors, into a building residents walk through every week.
At the same meeting, the trustees voted unanimously to accept a contract with Christmas Decor of NJ for the library's holiday light displays. The Technology Committee reported that a multimedia system upgrade was "slated for November." The board also planned roof assessments from two local roofers, Penyak and a second company, because there is limited time left on the roof's warranty. The roof work is routine upkeep. The display and the lights are what visitors will notice when they come in for a program over the next few weeks.
The Calendar Between Now and New Year's
The last stretch of the 100th year is busy at the library, and part of it happens away from Plainfield Avenue. Here is what's on the library's event calendar and the borough's season from this weekend through New Year's:
| Date | What | Where and details |
|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Diwali Celebration | 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., offsite at the Senior Center. Student performances, crafts, snacks and sweets, plus garba and dandiya |
| Mon., Nov. 16 | Mah Jongg Open Play | 1 to 3 p.m., Multipurpose Room. Registration required |
| Tue., Nov. 17 | Mah Jongg for Beginners | 6 to 7:45 p.m. Listed as full |
| Nov. 18, 19, 20, 21 and 23 | Project Santa gift drop-offs | South Plainfield Volunteer Fire Company firehouse |
| Wed., Nov. 25 | Thanksgiving Eve | Library open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Thu., Nov. 26 to Sun., Nov. 29 | Thanksgiving closure | Library closed |
| Sun., Nov. 29 | Tree Lighting Ceremony | 5:30 p.m., Public Celebrations Committee. Weather date Sun., Dec. 6 |
| Tue., Dec. 1 | Mah Jongg for Beginners | 6 to 7:45 p.m. Listed as full |
| Wed., Dec. 9 | Adult Trivia Night | 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. Register as a team or as an individual |
| Dec. 14 to 17 | Project Santa deliveries | 6 to 9 p.m., Santa rides through town on a fire truck |
| Dec. 24 to 27 and Dec. 31 to Jan. 3 | Holiday closures | Library closed |
A few things in that table matter for planning. The Mah Jongg beginner course, taught by professional instructor Rhonda Risenberg, keeps coming back on the calendar. A session ran Nov. 3, another is set for Nov. 17, and another for Dec. 1. The Nov. 17 and Dec. 1 classes are both listed as full, and the calendar shows waitlist seats for its events. Open play is also offered more than once in November, and the Nov. 16 session is an afternoon slot.
The Thanksgiving closure covers the whole holiday weekend, Thursday through Sunday. That means the library is closed on November 29, the same Sunday the Public Celebrations Committee holds its Tree Lighting at 5:30 p.m. If you need to return books or pick up holds before the holiday, Wednesday, Nov. 25, is your last day, and the library closes early that day.
Project Santa runs separately from the library, but it covers the same weeks. Families sign up online with a $25 donation. Gifts must be wrapped and labeled with each child's name and address, and the program is open to families who live in South Plainfield, according to TAPinto's November calendar. Questions go to [email protected].
Regular Hours for the Rest of the Year
On weeks without a holiday, the library is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Those hours leave weekday evenings and Sunday afternoons for checking on the Historical Society display, borrowing a few decades off the centennial list, or getting on the Mah Jongg waitlist. The time capsule at Borough Hall won't be opened until March 10, 2051. Everything in the library's part of the 100th year is open to visit whenever the doors are open.
Plenty of South Plainfield houses have a history of their own going back through the borough's first century, and knowing where yours stands today is a good way to close out the year. Joe DeVizio and the DeVizio Home Selling Alliance work across South Plainfield and Middlesex County every week, and we offer service in English, Spanish, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi. Ask us "What's My Home Worth?" and get a local answer.
