WILDWOOD CREST — The borough is looking for community input with its new county library branch.

The borough’s library, one of the busiest in the county library system and the only one on Five Mile Island, is expanding. Last summer the county completed the purchase of the former Masonic Lodge property at 6300 Atlantic Ave.

The county library operated the library on Ocean Avenue between Wisteria and Columbine roads for 10 years. But according to county library commission director Deborah Poillon, the library limited space made it difficult to accommodate the number of people that visited each year, especially in the summer.

Poillon said the Ocean Avenue library is about 5,808 square feet. The Masonic Lodge has 8,000 square feet.

Borough officials said the new space will contain significantly more meeting room space as well as an expanded computer technology center.

The county paid $950,000 of the $1 million purchase price for the lodge, while the borough was using $50,000 from its capital fund to pay the remainder.

Once the plans to renovate the lodge are complete, the county will go out to bid this year for construction.

The county will issue bonds to pay for the renovations, budgeted at $1.6 million, and the library commission will pay the county back through the county's library tax.

Poillon said the list for renovations is lengthy, staring with a new roof and a new heating and electric system.

The existing Wildwood Crest library branch is scheduled to remain open until renovation and construction of the building hosting the new branch is complete. The new site at the former Masonic Hall is slated to open in 2014.

Individuals interested in making suggestions with regard to the new library may email Brian Cunniff at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call the Wildwood Crest Pier Recreation Center at 523-0202.