Mission & History
Mission Statement
​The River Vale Free Public Library is committed to providing accessible services and resources to meet the informational, educational, cultural, artistic, and recreational needs and interests of our community.
Vision Statement
The River Vale Free Public Library Board of Trustees envisions a community where the public library is the local hub for encouraging and facilitating a person’s pursuit of lifelong learning and cultural fulfillment.
History of the Library
The River Vale Free Public Library opened on November 20, 1952 as an association library, in a basement classroom in the Roberge School. It was staffed by volunteers and was open four hours a week. The budget for the year was $250, most of which was spent on books. The town's first librarian was hired in 1955, and, in 1964, the library was municipalized and moved to the former police headquarters. When it became clear that a larger building was needed, a bond was passed to create the current 8,000 square foot structure, which opened in 1983. The library celebrated its Grand Re-Opening in March of 2010 following an extensive interior renovation which reconfigured the library setting to accommodate the various user groups who frequent the library. In November of 2014 the library dedicated its USS Enterprise (CV-6) Collection. This collection containing artifacts, housed in a custom-made museum case, and documents in paper and digital form was created to educate the public about the history of this most decorated ship of World War II and its relationship to the township.