OUR LIBRARY

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The Vestal Library is a non-profit public service institution.

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Today, the Vestal Library is vibrant, often bustling with (quiet) activity.  It’s filled with books, computers, and people, serving both adults and young people.  Organized activities are commonplace.  The main library room is used as a public, common area, in which adults work on laptops or meet up with a friend or two to work on projects.  The meeting rooms are heavily used and provide an inexpensive location for meetings, gatherings, and small events. 

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For their service to this community, what does our library get? 

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Treated badly by Schaffer and the Town Board. 

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In Vestal, the library:

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• Must pay about 30,000 dollars a year to the Town to lease its space.

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• Has been told by Schaffer that the library building may be knocked down in order to build a new Town Hall.

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• Can't renew it's lease.  The Town refuses.  The library staff don’t know if they will be there next month, no less next year.  As a result, the library can’t apply for grants.

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• Relies on a public vote every year to determine their funding. 

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• Shares the building with two town offices.

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Five years ago, the library was a far cry from what it is today.  It was stark, desolate. and seemingly neglected. 

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Now, though, it is dramatically different.  The Library Board, the librarians and the library staff have created a warm, welcoming environment for all age groups, adults included.  They are selfless and attentive to everyone’s needs. When you walk around the library, you enter a multitude of separate areas, each geared towards a different age group, and each welcoming and inviting.  The staff maintain close ties with the schools and even hosted a wonderful display of students’ artwork recently, displaying the artwork prominently throughout the library. (Pictures below.)

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The library is required to be an independent institution from a town.  In most (if not all) localities, the town takes care of the library.  Other towns provide funding for their library, give them a guaranteed lease for a token amount of money (one dollar) and take care of the building for them.  It would not occur to them to do otherwise.  The library provides an important service to the community. 

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The Library Board and the Staff deserve our support and appreciation for the wonderful work that they do for our residents.  

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Vote for a better Vestal.

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Vote Schaffer out. 

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~ Maria ~

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