Thursday, October 1, 2026
More than 100 residents, including Assemblyman Ari Brown and Nassau County Legislator Howard Kopel, packed the Peninsula Public Library’s lower-level meeting room on Sept. 3, with many voicing concerns about the library’s leadership and the direction of the institution.
The meeting drew a standing-room-only crowd, with more than 20 people speaking during public comment. The board was advised not to respond to or engage with members of the public during the meeting.
For some residents, the concerns centered on whether the library would continue to serve the entire community.
Monique Hazzard, an Inwood resident who has lived in the community for 63 years, said the library has been part of her life since childhood.
“I grew up here and learned the library, went to the schools, with my family, with everyone,” Hazzard said. “When I heard that I thought maybe the library was going to close, so I said, ‘Hey, then I’m going to come and find out what’s going on.’”
Hazzard said she was particularly concerned about whether she and her grandchildren would continue to have access to the library and its programs.
“I was wondering if we were going to be able to have access to the library, since it is a public library,” she said. “I thought maybe the name might be changed, and maybe only one group of people will be allowed to come in, because I’m not Jewish.”
Hazzard said she hoped residents from across the community would continue to feel welcome.
“I’ve always learned from whatever the library had to offer,” she said. “I’m appreciative of that.”
Library employee Davevonté Young, who said he has worked at PPL for five years, also addressed the board, describing what he called a difficult environment for employees.
“Speaking about the five years I worked here, it’s been the ups and downs, but this has been worse,” Young said. “You have let me down.”
Young said employees have dealt with staffing and resource concerns and argued that workers deserved more than what he described as attempts to resolve their concerns with an apology, pizza party, email or vacation.
“We’ve been through the ringer,” Young said. “We got no staff, no books, no nothing.”
Young said employees had repeatedly expressed concerns about the library’s leadership and that staff members have left as a result.
Rena Mosak said she was disturbed by what she described as an attitude toward members of the public who feel excluded from the library.
“When somebody says they feel like they’re not part of the community, it has the same taxes as I do to become part of this library,” Mosak said. “I find that extremely disturbing.”
Mosak said all taxpayers in the library district should have equal access and a voice in the institution.
“A library is a place where people join together to grow, to learn and to take advantage of the richness of knowledge of all kinds,” she said.
Board President Akiva Lubin said the board’s goal is not to create a library for one group at the expense of another.
“Our goal is to create a library that genuinely serves the entire community,” Lubin said.
Lubin said the library is continuing and expanding initiatives introduced recently, including efforts to ensure that residents who have historically felt underserved can see their heritage, culture and experiences represented in the library.
“A truly inclusive library does not become less inclusive by serving an underserved population more effectively,” he said. “It becomes more inclusive.”
Lubin said the library intends to maintain a strong general collection while expanding programs and services to reflect the community’s changing needs.
“The fundamental purpose of a public library is to serve the community in which it is located,” he said.
