Hillside Public Library began in 1922 as the Hillside Library Association. In 1947 the popularity of the library led the residents of Hillside to pass a referendum officially creating the publicly supported Hillside Public Library. The Hillside Public Library moved to its current location in the Hillside Municipal Building in 1953.
Today the library receives over 35,000 visits per year, has over 70,000 print materials, 21 public computers, and over 200 free programs for children and adults annually.