Thursday, October 1, 2026
Frustrations continued to boil over at the Peninsula Public Library this past week, as members of the staff spoke out against the library’s board of trustees.
The public meeting on March 23 started with a last-minute time change — initially scheduled for 5 p.m., the board announced at 2:15 p.m. it would move the meeting to 3 p.m. The board said it lacked enough trustees to pass resolutions.
Under New York’s Open Meetings Law, meetings generally require advance public notice, typically at least 72 hours. If not, the library must make a good faith effort to provide notice.
“Thankfully I was able to get some of the people who wanted to be at this meeting,” Rhonda Todman, Peninsula’s assistant director, said. “There was little time to notify the public.”
Trustees then attempted to pass a resolution from a March 12 special board meeting allowing board President Akiva Lubin to fill the seat vacated by Reva Oliner. The term would expire June 30, 2029. Lubin would remain president through June 30, 2026. The resolution was later tabled.
Under New York State law, trustees in School District Public Libraries, like Peninsula, can only be elected by district residents during annual school district elections. Vacancies can be filled temporarily until the next election. Todman and Peri Caponi, Peninsula’s head of technical services, cited the law. Caponi called the action selfish and said it was made only to benefit Lubin.
“You can’t change laws and library laws only to help yourself,” Caponi said. “It is very underhanded.”
Other matters discussed at the meeting included the Peninsula’s inability to fill its director role, previously held for a decade by Carolynn Matulewicz, who gave five months’ notice before retiring. Staff members also expressed concerns over the building’s elevator, which has been out of service since late October.
“I can testify that the overall impression from residents and the community is that they believe that you are acting against their best interests,” Maita Weinman, a librarian at Peninsula, said.
Peninsula staff have contacted both the Nassau Library System and the New York State Library in response to recent events.
The New York State Library is part of the Office of Cultural Education within the New York State Education Department. It is responsible for oversight, guidance and regulatory compliance in school district libraries.
“The New York State Library is aware of the situation and is prepared to provide any technical assistance the Peninsula Public Library may need,” JP O’Hare, a spokesperson for the New York State Education Department, wrote to the Herald.
As of press time, the Peninsula Public Library board of trustees declined to comment.
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