Mayor Nick Sacco, the North Bergen Board of Commissioners, library board members, and dozens of family members, friends, colleagues, and community leaders gathered this week for a special plaque dedication ceremony at the newly renovated main branch of the North Bergen Free Public Library at 8411 Bergenline Avenue, officially naming the building the Sai Rao Public Library.
The ceremony celebrated the extraordinary career and lasting legacy of Executive Director Sai Rao, whose leadership has transformed the Township’s library system into one of the region’s premier community resources. Guests gathered inside the beautifully renovated facility to witness the unveiling of the building’s new name and celebrate Rao’s decades of service to the residents of North Bergen.
“Naming our main library branch after Sai Rao is one of the most fitting tributes we can bestow,” said Mayor Nick Sacco. “For decades, Sai has devoted herself to ensuring that every resident who walks through these doors has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed. Through her vision and unwavering dedication, she has transformed our library system into one of the finest community resources in New Jersey. This beautiful new facility, bearing her name, will inspire generations of North Bergen residents for years to come.”
The Bergenline Avenue location is the flagship branch of the North Bergen Free Public Library system and is nearing completion of an extensive renovation project that has modernized the facility while expanding opportunities for lifelong learning, technology, workforce development, children’s programming, and community engagement. While the plaque dedication marked an important milestone in the project, the Township is continuing to put the finishing touches on the renovated building and will announce details in the coming weeks for a major grand opening celebration, featuring the closure of Bergenline Avenue outside the library for a community street festival, entertainment, family activities, and tours of the transformed library.
A North Bergen resident for more than three decades, Rao became the first woman to serve as Executive Director of the Township’s library system. During her tenure, she secured millions of dollars in grant funding while expanding library services to include career assistance, citizenship preparation, adult education, technology access, youth programming, health initiatives, and countless educational opportunities for residents of all ages. She was named Hudson County’s Woman of the Year in 2020 and has also received the prestigious New York Times Librarian of the Year Award.
“Sai Rao understands that libraries have to evolve along with the world around them,” added Commissioner Hugo Cabrera. “She has embraced new technology and transformed our library system from a place where people simply checked out books into a true community resource center. Today, residents come here for job assistance, technology training, educational programs, citizenship classes, children’s activities, health resources, and countless other services. That transformation happened because of Sai’s vision and her unwavering commitment to serving every resident of North Bergen.”
In addition to her leadership of the library, Rao serves on the North Bergen Board of Education and has held numerous regional leadership positions, including president of the Hudson County Library Directors Association. She has also served on several committees for the Bergen County Cooperative Library System and the Community Relations Committee at Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical Center.
“To have this building bear my name is an honor beyond anything I ever imagined,” said Sai Rao. “I have spent 35 years at this library, and in many ways it has been a second home. My children practically grew up here, and I’ve had the privilege of watching generations of North Bergen families grow up alongside them. This library has been such a big part of my family’s life, and serving this community has been one of the greatest blessings I could have ever hoped for. Every program we’ve created and every improvement we’ve made has always been about giving our residents more opportunities to learn, connect, and succeed. I share this recognition with our incredible library staff, our elected officials, library board members, and every resident who has walked through these doors and made this library the special place it is today.”
Among those participating in the ceremony were Mayor Nick Sacco; Commissioners Anthony Vainieri, Hugo Cabrera, Claudia Rodriguez, and Allen Pascual; Hudson County Commissioner Robert Baselice; Township Administrator Janet Castro; former Assemblyman and Executive Director of the North Bergen Housing Authority Julio Marenco; members of the North Bergen Board of Education; library board members and staff; elected officials; and family and friends of Sai Rao. The program was emceed by Sree Sreenivasan and featured remarks from Former Ambassador T. P. Sreenivasan, who reflected on Rao’s lifelong commitment to education, public service, and community leadership.