Controversy Surrounds Library Expansion in Posh NY Hood
By Rocco Staino -- School Library Journal, 7/24/2008
"Build it and they will come” didn’t seem to be on the minds of the zoning board overseeing a proposed 6,800-square-foot new children’s wing of the East Hampton Library in New York.
In an ongoing contentious review process, the East Hampton Village Board of Zoning Appeals has expressed concern that an expanded children’s collection would lead to more library usage by those who live in the less affluent areas of Springs and Wainscott, says Dennis Fabiszak, director of the East Hampton Library. The library, created in 1897, was chartered to serve all three communities.
Celebrities such as Kelly Rippa, Katie Couric, and Martha Stewart have summer homes in East Hampton, and the village’s main street is lined with luxury businesses such as Tiffany & Co., Ralph Lauren, and Sotheby Real Estate.
The proposed library expansion will house an additional 10,000 much-needed children’s books. Among the libraries on the east end of Long Island, the East Hampton Library’s children’s collection ranks last in the number of books available per child.
The new wing doesn’t come cheap. The total cost of the building project is $4 million and is entirely financed with private donations. “Despite the potential benefit of a new children’s room to the community, the library has had to spend more than $100,000 on the zoning review process,” says Fabiszak.
As part of the environmental impact statement outlining the effect of expanding the children’s room, the zoning board has requested that the library provide its exact number of cardholders by each community served and the frequency of each cardholder’s use. The library has refused to supply the information, saying it’s irrelevant to the process. The zoning board also asked that the library consider tabling the project and suggested that local children use their school media centers instead of the public library.
Fabiszak says that technically the library is exempt from a draft environmental impact statement because it’s an educational institution.
The expansion plans began in 2003 and only now is open to public review. When asked about the delay, Fabiszak said, “The only thing I can think of is they don’t want certain children coming into the village. I hope that is not the case.”
