By REBECCA SHALOMOFF
In the past, most libraries would charge non-residents an annual fee from $25 to $385 for library privileges. But politicians began hearing complaints from people about being charged for services they thought ought to be free, and at the same time, library officials started raising concerns that non-members were overusing their services.
As a result, the State Board of Regents ruled unanimously in December 1998 to enforce free access to all public libraries, which ultimately extinguished privileges once enjoyed by those who had purchased library cards. Libraries began restricting what non-members could borrow.
The ban against selling library cards has existed for 30 years, according to Jim Farrell, a specialist for the state Library Development, but until recently it was "a practice that we didn't pay attention to. No one was making waves about it, until a few years ago we got a lot of complaints."
Even though in most cases what the libraries were charging in fees was the same as what taxpayers supporting the library were paying, people complained in principle that they shouldn't be charged a fee, said Mr. Farrell. He said that many people don't have a true picture of where their tax dollars go. They thought that libraries were supported by the state, when they actually are supported almost entirely by local dollars. "They made enough noise that the regulation was changed," he said. In the end, it made things worse for them because the libraries enforced more restrictions.
As of January 2000, State Mandated Access Cards were made available at central library headquarters across the state. Anyone in Nassau County can walk into a library and use its services, but when it comes to borrowing materials, a state-card holder is subject to the rules and regulations of each of the 54 autonomous public libraries that are part of the Nassau Library System, as well as systemwide restrictions. In Nassau, there are a multitude of such restrictions, Mr. Farrell said.
Jules Rabin of Milbrook has to travel about 10 miles to the East Meadow Library to borrow any new books that the Henry Waldinger Library in Valley Stream, much closer to his house, won't lend out to holders of the yellow state-issued library card. At Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, another nearby library, he can borrow books only about art, music, theater and performance arts. No chance he will get a video or audio-book. And no library in the Nassau system will reserve materials for an Access Card holder.
Since his pickings are so small, Mr. Rabin travels to New York City's libraries, where anyone can get a card and borrow books.
"The whole thing is ridiculous," he said.
No matter how a library is organized, through a school district, village or general taxation, residents of each chartered district have voted to tax themselves to support it. People who don't have complete access to a library don't pay library taxes.
Penny Duke just moved from her house in North Valley Stream, but is still one block away from the incorporated Village of Valley Stream, and therefore still not eligible to become a library patron. When her sixth and ninth graders have research assignments, Mrs. Duke is busy at the photocopy machine, copying pages from books she can't take out but that her children need, and that the school library doesn't have.
"What bothers me the most, with state standards pushing reading and testing, on the one hand they say achieve this level, but on the other hand, you can't go to the library to take out books. And it's coming from the same office," she said.
There is a solution to the problem of citizens in unserved areas.
Town Councilman Anthony Santino was successful in helping the community of Bay Park, a former unserved area, to contract services with East Rockaway Library. On Sept 22, 1998, residents voted to allow the Town of Hempstead to create a Bay Park Library District.
Currently, Councilman Santino is working with a group of Hewlett residents in the Lynbrook School District who live in a pocket of unserved area. They live outside the Hewlett-Woodmere School District, but not in the incorporated village of Lynbrook. He said they are at the petition stage right now.
People Without Libraries is a group of citizens, led by Richard Bobbe of Franklin Square, representing Franklin Square, North Valley Stream, unincorporated Valley Stream, Elmont, Malverne and West Hempstead, who are concerned because they have been disenfranchised by the Board of Regents. They have been working with Councilman Thomas Alfano to introduce legislation in Albany to allow a referendum to be voted on in those unserved areas. Richard Bobbe of Franklin Square, leader of People Without Libraries, said he hopes that when the state legislature reconvenes in January, it will consider the legislation.
The difficulty, Mr. Bobbe said, won't be in getting passage in Albany, but rather by the people who ultimately would vote on a library. He said an attempt was made about 20 years ago, but it was defeated.
"We just don't know what's going to happen. We are hopeful, otherwise we wouldn't be doing it," he said.
