By Nicole Falco
If the referendum passes, full access at the library they choose would begin on Jan. 1, 2004.
Governor George Pataki last week signed enabling legislation that provides library service to the otherwise unserved communities of North Valley Stream, East Franklin Square, North Malverne and North Lynbrook. These areas fall outside current library-district lines. The new law, sponsored by Assemblymen Tom Alfano and Bob Barra in the state Assembly and Senator Dean Skelos in the state Senate, authorizes the Town of Hempstead to call for the referendum.
Town Councilmen James Darcy and Ed Ambrosino have been working directly with parent-teacher associations, civic associations, residents, Nassau Library System representatives and area libraries under consideration for the contracts. Last year, Darcy worked with the community of Mill Brook in South Valley Stream to ensure that it gained full library service. Mill Brook contracted with the Henry Waldinger Memorial Library in Valley Stream.
The town set separate dates for referendums in each of the four communities. State law requires that the referendums be held no later than Sept. 19.
If residents choose to contract for library service, they must then decide which of the nearby libraries to contract with: Elmont, West Hempstead or Valley Stream's Waldinger. North Valley Stream's contract would be for one year. The ballot will include the three choices and the cost per household for the year. The approximate costs are $55 for Waldinger, $59 for Elmont and $133 for West Hempstead.
East Franklin Square residents will also vote on Sept. 18. They will choose from the Malverne, Elmont, West Hempstead, Lynbrook and Waldinger libraries. Their contract would also be for one year. The approximate cost per household for each library would be $199 for Waldinger, $210 for Elmont, $295 for Malverne and $466 for West Hempstead.
North Malverne residents will vote on Sept. 10, and the Malverne, West Hempstead and Waldinger libraries will be on the ballot. The approximate cost per household for each library would be $94 for Waldinger, $119 for Malverne and $165 for West Hempstead.
North Lynbrook's vote is scheduled for Sept. 16. Residents can choose from the Malverne, Lynbrook, Waldinger and West Hempstead libraries. The approximate cost per household for each library would be $109 for Waldinger, $155 for Malverne, $160 for Lynbrook and $237 for West Hempstead. Contracts in North Malverne and North Lynbrook would be for three years; the costs listed are per year.
The rates vary from library to library and from community to community because they are determined using the library tax rate per household the library gets from the village or school district it serves, the assessed value of the community seeking library service and the number of households in the community not served.
The town had hoped to determine which library each unserved community might want to contract with prior to the referendums, but a consensus could not be reached in time.
"We really saw a need and desire from people in each of these communities for library service," Darcy said. "Library service is one of the more basic services that government should provide. It was a glaring omission in these places. I'm just glad I was able to be of service."
Darcy said the town will send a reminder to residents in each community of the date of their referendum.
Currently, residents of North Valley Stream and other communities not served by a library district use state-mandated access cards for limited library service. The cards were issued three years ago, after the state Board of Regents made the sale of library cards illegal in order to ensure that all residents, regardless of income, had library service. Before that, unserved residents could purchase library cards annually.
"This has been a long time coming," Alfano stated in a release. "For far too long our community has gone without library services. Now residents will be able to vote and have their say on the matter."
Over the next year, Darcy will be working with state legislators to determine the possibility of amending the legislation that subdivided the North Valley Stream and East Franklin Square districts, according to Andrew Mastromarino, Darcy's legislative aide. North Valley Stream residents living closer to the Queens border expressed interest in contracting with the Elmont library, while residents south of the Southern State Parkway expressed interest in Waldinger. While representatives examine the issue, residents can use any library in the Nassau Library System as long as they vote to contract with one of libraries on their ballot. Their new library card would give them full access to their host library and limited access to any library in the Nassau Library System.
For further information, residents can call Andrew Mastromarino at Councilman Darcy's office at (516) 489-5000 ext. 3287.
