Westhampton Free LibraryThe election of a union Aug. 21 at the “Westhampton Free Library” by a 31-3 margin has put a focus on the library which is a private, 501/c/3 corporation rather than a “public” library. It answers only to its own board.

Only 14.9% of the 9,221 “public” libraries in the U.S. are “nonprofit association or agency libraries,” according to the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

An association library “is a public library that is privately controlled but meets the statutory definition of a public library in a given state,” says IMLS.

New York State has four types of “public” libraries—association, municipal, school district and special district.

The New York State Dept. of Education has a chart that defines the four types of libraries.

NY State Types of Public Libraries

Association “members” elect trustees. The library must meet minimum standards of the Education Dept. in order to receiv public funds. Budgets are approved by county, city, town or village boards. Trustees can number from 5 to 25 and are “approved by municipal governing board.” The public “can join” the association and “may” vote for the trustees. Employees are not covered by Civil Service.

Libraries set up by a local women’s club were often association libraries, says IMLS.

The Westhampton Free Library is governed by a five-member board of trustees, all of whom are women. They are Joan Levan, president; Karen Andrew, VP; June Sellin, treasurer; Jennifer Mendelson, secretary, and member Marth-Ann Betjemann.

Mayor Maria Moore resigned from the library board last week.

Emails on the Aug. 19 27east.com story on the move to unionize the library staff included one that said Moore’s library board position was a “conflict of interest” and another that noted the library board was five Caucasian women between the ages of 55 and 75. The implication is that diversity is lacking on the board.2

Library Forbids Picture-Taking

As an independent 501/c/3 corporation, whose Employer Identification Number is 11-1672825, it can issue commands and orders that a public library would not.

Library director Danielle Waskiewicz has forbidden this reporter to take any pictures of the interior of the library even after it has closed. We were initially told that taking pictures might disturb patrons of the library.

The latest financial document available to the public is for the year ended June 30, 2013, filed Dec. 5, 2013. A request has been made for the filing to the year ended June 30, 2014.

The library had net assts of $5,419,973 as of June 30, 2013. Savings and temporary cash investments were $3,864,945 and cash, $75,507, for a total of $3,940,452. Total revenues, mostly from taxes paid by local citizens, was $4,036,885.

Land, buildings and equipment were valued at $8,513,047 minus accumulated depreciation of $535,706. The form was signed by Marie Moore. Waskiewicz was paid $98,000 in fiscal 2012.

PR for the Westhampton facility is being handled by Vic Caputo of Supernova Marketing & PR Consultants, Baldwin, Long Island. He said his contract is based on “very limited part-time hours” and will do what he can to get our questions answered.

Waskiewicz has referred us to Richard Zuckerman of Lamb & Barnosky, Melville, L.I., on legal questions such as our right to take pictures in the library. We have also asked if it is a conflict of interest for Mayor Moore to have been on the library board. Levan had served on the library board as well as the WHB Board of Trustees at the same time.

Zuckerman responded that he is on vacation until Sept. 9 and that he will provide any answers upon his return. He said he is the library’s labor counsel.