The Arnold A. Schwartz Memorial Library • Dunellen, NJ

The Pinnacle of Dunellen’s industrial might was reached when the huge Art Color Printing Company of New York built its plant and commenced operations in 1925, making Dunellen’s principal industry the mass-production of romance and adventure. At its peak, the plant turned out over 10,000,000 copies of magazines a month. Among the more popular publications were True Romance, True Detective Mysteries, Modern Screen, and Modern Romances.

In charge of this massive enterprise was Arnold A. Schwartz, president of Art Color. His rise and the development of his business comprise a fabulous success story typical of American industry. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, of American parents of Swiss descent, he came to America in 1888 at the age of 16. In this country he entered the printing trade and rose to the position of superintendent at the Schweinler Press, magazine printers. In 1907 he bought a controlling interest in the Art Color Printing Company, then located in New York.

By 1925 it had grown too large and unwieldy for New York and was moved to Dunellen. The shop unionized throughout, and the 1,100 employees had extensive social and athletic organizations such as bowling, tennis, baseball, and basketball teams, with facilities supplied by the management. Schwartz’s beneficences extended beyond the walls of his factory: his annual gifts of food-baskets to more than 200 needy families during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons became an established custom over the years.

In 1931, the W.F. Hall Printing Company of Chicago bought control of Art Color. Arnold Schwartz remained as president. He died in 1963 at the age of 91. W.F. Hall closed its Dunellen plant in 1968.

A study of library needs was conducted in 1968. The survey recommended that a one-story building be constructed for the exclusive use of the Dunellen Public Library. On 15 June 1970 the Mayor and Council allocated a portion of the Art Color parking lot on New Market Road as a site for the proposed building.

The Arnold A. Schwartz Foundation made a grant of $60,000 to the building fund and the new building was named in memory of Mr. Arnold A. Schwartz.

Thus, the official name of the building is the Arnold A. Schwartz Memorial Library.
The Foundation continues its assistance to the library through annual gifts to purchase needed books, computers, and equipment.

(Information on Arnold A. Schwartz has been taken from: The History of Dunellen, New Jersey by Wes Ott (1988), and The Story of Dunellen,1887-1937, written by the Workers of the Federal Writers Project.)