Donald O’Brien and the two candidates vying for his seat on the Manhasset Public Library Board of Trustees fielded questions from potential voters in a forum Tuesday, outlining their short- and long-term goals for the library’s services and finances.
All three candidates – O’Brien is being challenged by Manhasset residents Bill Harvey and Gloria Su – said they would seek to maximize developing technologies while maintaining fiscal responsibility and cautiousness as the economy continues its recovery.
“The library is a very important institution in our community, providing resources for a lifetime of learning and personal growth,” said O’Brien, who is also a Manhasset-Lakeville Fire and Water District commissioner and is active with the American Legion Post 304 of Manhasset.
“We have programs for people as young as six months, all the way up through the rest of their lives, practically,” he added. “It’s difficult to find another institution that is so universal within our community.”
O’Brien, elected to a five-year term in 2010, has served as the board’s treasurer and helped establish the library’s building reserve fund for various repairs and refinance about $17 million in bonds issued in 2004 for the construction of the library.
He is being challenged by Harvey, a commercial real estate professional who has brokered deals with the New York Genome Inc. and the Big East Conference, and Su, an associate professor at Columbia University Medical Center.
“I realized I wasn’t very good at coaching Little League or the soccer team, so I thought to serve the community on as many boards as I could,” Su said.
Su has participated in the Shelter Rock Elementary School Decision Making Team, the Manhasset School District’s Citizens Advisory Committee for Finance, the Chinese American Association of North Hempstead and the Manhasset School Community Association’s Education Committee.
If elected, she said she would look to stretch available spending dollars – about 80 percent of the library’s operating budget is comprised of employee salaries and benefits – while seeking to invest in technology.
Harvey, a Munsey Park resident for the last six years, said that for the library to thrive in the future, the board must base its decisions on children being an equal demographic being served, as they make up a major component of the library’s programming.
“Look, the library is always going to be about books, but we have to think about where we’re going to be in the digital age,” he said. “I have DVD here in front of me. Ten years ago, it was a videotape. Books are on CD, 10 years ago they were on tape.”
The three candidates also agreed that a lack of available parking during highly-attended library events was also a major issue facing trustees.
While Harvey suggested partnering with local schools and houses of worship to share parking spaces during convenient hours, O’Brien said the issue has been a problem throughout Manhasset and that the board is exploring options to find spaces.
“There are so many limitations throughout Manhasset. There really aren’t many available spaces,” he said. “It’s something we’ve constantly discussed with the board. We’re constantly trying to figure out a way.”
