SOUTH F'DALE PUBLIC LIBRARY
MERRITT RO/ JJ
FARIIKGDALE, ii. y.
11735
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On newstands or
$ 4 per year by mail AH OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF FARMINGDALE
SERVING GREATER FARMINGDALE. BETHPAGE 8e MELVILLE
Vol. 5 No. 52 * Se- ond Class Postage has been paid at Farmingdale, N„ Y. 11735 Thursday, August 15, 1968
LIBRARY BOARD SHELVES
MEZZANINE PROJECT The controversial proposed South Farmingdale Branch
library mezzanine, which was to add room for additional
numbers of books, was temporarily shelved at Tuesday's Board
of Trustees meeting of the Farmingdale Public Library.
The library Board, passed a resolution for the construction
of the mezzanine some months agoto be funded with $ 38,000
from the fines and fees account.
The Board voted last night in approval of a motion introduced
by Trustee Carl Gorton to suspend indefinitely the plans for the
mez^ nirie and to instruct tb'? architect, Gihhr no asd K^ ioAuA
• ux uns resolution.
In the meantime, Gorton wanted a citizens advisory committee
appointed to study th © altprnatives. . President Robert M.
Callahan thought this was premature by about four years since
the school and library district were not ready to consider
the construction of a new building. Library Director Orrin
B. Dow had recommended that library consultants be hired to
study the alternatives to the proposed mezzanine. This motion
passed by a three to two vote.
A few of the District residents as well as Trustee Carl E.
Gorton and newly elected Trustee Warren Altmann opposed
the original mezzanine plan. Their contention was that a
mezzanine should not be built in the $ 25,000 a year rented
branch library building.
The Board made public the report of the Citizens Advisory
Committee on the proposed Mezzanine construction at the South
Farmingdale Branch. A public hearing had taken place on Tuesday,
July 2 at which there were only 13 in the audience.
" This committee feels very strongly that we must have an
excellent library system. It realizes that our library must
grow, and to do this we must have space available. Unfortunately,
this committee was asked to make a recommendation on a
specific project without the benefit of having any alternatives
to compare it against. We do not feel that we can make an
affirmative or negative recommendation concerning the proposed
mezzanine project."
This committee wishes to make the following recommendation
to the Library Trustees: ^*
A study be made of all possible alternatives, such as a large
central library or an additional branch or branches, or the
purchase of the South Farmingdale branch building for future
expansion, or any other project to provide the needed space
for current and future growth.
A study be made of space currently available in our South
Farmingdale branch to see that it is being utilized efficiently.
Areas for consideration are a*- foil owe* i « .„ « ,. I~, T~ I
A. ine poss'ibilty of moving the work area to the lower level.
B. The possibility of utilizing the bookmobile garage as a
storage area.
C. The extension of the existing book shelves in left rear of
library " Book cases that would be added if the mezzanine
were erected."
D. The possible extension of book shelves that are less than
7 feet to a height of 7 feet providing that supervision
is not hindered.
E. The possible utilization of the board room for some book
storage.
F. The possibility of microfilming of more of the periodicals
to provide additional storage space.
G. The possible rearrangement of the furniture and shelving
in the work area."
" When all possible alternatives for providing additional
space for future growth have been thoroughly studied and existing
space is utilized to maximum efficiency, and if the Library
Trustees then decide that the mezzanine project is the
most practical approach to providing the necessary space for
future growth, this committee would then recommend to proceed
with the mezzanine project, but only after all possible alternatives
have been studied."
Respectfully submitted,
Mrs. William Hencken
Mr. Leonard Kafka
Mr. Francis Meaney
Mrs. Helen. Meyer
Mrs. John Russell
Mr. Dominick Aiello
Mrs. Joseph H. Ball
Mr. Joseph S. Crocco
Mr. Dominick DeAlto
Mr. Ronald D. Harmon
The Martin Luther King fund,
the purchase of American Flags;
busing for preschool library instruction
of children from the
Negro areas in Farmingdale;
were among the other issues discussed
and resolved at Tuesday
night's meeting of the Board of
Trustees of the Farmingdale Public
Library.
A list of books, mainly directed
to children on the topic
of African culture with a few titles
for adults on race relations had
been prepared by Mrs. Jeanette
Johns, library clerk, who happens
to be a Negro and a resident
of the district. This list was
approved by the board. Trustee
Carl Gorton made the suggestion
that additional adult book titles
be added to the list which could
Three Burglaries Reported
To Police
Three burglaries were reported
to Eighth Precinct police this
past week.
The Farmingdale Methodist
Church was burglarized of $ 50 in
currency. Entry was gained by
breaking through a side door.
The Liberty Cafeteria on Motor
Avenue reported no known loss
but a forced entry through a side-door
was reported.
The 1- Jo Food Shop on 47-
8 Boundary Avenue, North Mass-apequa,
reported the loss of $ 50
in currency, 50 cartons of cigarettes
and ice cream valued at
$ 7. Entry was made through a
roof vent which was left open.
be purchased by donated funds.
He said that he favored such
books r in the ' interest of better
ring race relations, but decried
the perpetuation of the memory
of the late Martin Luther King,
whom he had charged at an earlier
board meeting as having attended
a Communist training school.
Mrs. Johns later told The Observer
that she had been directed
to select titles from a list
prepared by UNICEF. If she had
had complete freedom of choice,
she probably would not have put
such emphasis on African culture,
and she would have divided the
titles equally between children's
and adults.
Library Director Orrin B. Dow,
who flew back from a vacation
on Cape Cod for the meeting,
recommended that the Board, implement
a resolution introduced
by Trustee Gorton and unanimously
passed, that the Library
purchase five American flags on
stands to place at " strategic locations"
in the library. One
was to be on the main floor of
the Main Street building, a second
onthe mezzanine of this building,
a third in the board room
of the main building; two at the
South Farmingdale branch; one
in the board meeting room and
the other in the main part of
the library. Gorton commented
that so many flags were not
necessary. Trustee Warren Altmann
said that it was his understanding
that the Talbonard Post
of the American Legion had permanently
lent the library the flag
now standing in the community
room ( The Board meeting had
begun with the salute of the flag;
an innovaction of standard procedure).
The purchase was narrowed
to four flags. Gorton said
that this was still too many, he
didn't want people to think that
the library was a " right wing
extremist group". The Board
finally passed a motion that two
flags be purchased. Gorton opposed
the motion. Gorton introduced
a motion again that the
library purchase a flag to be
suspended from the main library
building. Board President Robert
Callahan said that he opposed
this motion since the American
Legion said that the flag displayed
at the sidewalk was more than
adequate. Trustee Mrs. Khan
Musa also opposed the motion
on the basis that such a flag
would present a safety problem.
Gorton also opposed the payment
for a catalogue for " The
Long Island Forum". The Nassau
County Library made a three
( Continued on Page 4)
Farmingdale Public Library-The Observer 1968
