Although I am not on the “inside” when it comes to the Great Neck Library and, in fact, regularly use a branch library instead of Main, I am very surprised that many people seem bewildered by the recent resignation of yet another library director.
Why, they ask? Why not? I reply.
I have attended very few library board meetings over the years, but the ones I did attend made it crystal clear that the library is actually run by the board, not the director.
This appeared obvious in many interchanges between the director and board members, in the way meetings were conducted and the way the board often seemed dismissive of directors and their opinions if, indeed, they were even offered.
The actions of the board in recent years have made it clear to many residents that the board believes books are obsolete and should be dispensed with as much as possible.
This was evidenced in their efforts to discard a huge number of books, including some that turned out to be very valuable, and were taken free from Great Neck House by patrons and then later sold, all books that were rescued from being discarded by Rebecca Gilliar.
Many of those books, of course, were also taken by residents, read and treasured, but are no longer available to the many regular patrons who like to read and, in many cases, actually paid for these books with their taxes.
The recent decision to put up more bookshelves and get some books to fill them from storage, due to complaints, does not make up for this huge loss.
Sometimes I think that the library board does not know that the word “library” comes from the Latin “liber,” which oddly enough, means “book.” I recently learned that the reference librarians are being moved to the lower level at Main — but why not?
They were trained to work with books (although, of course, they do a lot more than that) and are clearly in the way of modernization as the library moves to become about everything but books.
In short, the Great Neck Library is pretty much a laughing stock to other Long Island libraries, including Queens, although it seems they can’t quite figure it all out.
In those libraries, the director is — well — the person who is actually in charge and directs the library activities. In many cases, that person holds the job for a very long number of years, strange but true.
The board acts in concert with the director, but usually follows her or his direction since, after all, the director is the one who has a degree in library science, has spent many years working in a library on a day-to-day basis and actually knows all the library employees, what they are doing, how they feel and what they need, and ideally, also knows the patrons and their needs and interests. In other words, you could say the director is very similar to a “boss” you might find in any office, but in our library, that concept has somehow been thrown out.
When I was a child in Great Neck, Joe Covino was the library director for many years. Covino was almost always right there on the library floor, talking to patrons, recommending books, discussing what they were reading or just having a friendly chat.
He was clearly in charge, did an outstanding job and many of us who grew up here remember him with fondness and respect, and for instilling in us a lifelong love for books. What happened?
So to those of you who are still wondering, it is very probable that so many Great Neck library directors have either left of their own volition or been fired because they did not expect and do not like not being the actual director of the library, the job they thought and probably were told they were being hired to do.
I do not often attend board meetings and the library staff does not discuss anything to do with how the library is run with patrons, so I have no “inside” information, but library professionals in this area all seem to know what most of our residents apparently don’t know: our library director is not in charge of the library and, at some point, often rather early in her or his taking on the job, decides it is enough and either elects to leave and go elsewhere or is tossed out for disobedience and bad behavior.
Therefore, it is my belief, and that of other local libraries I have asked, that the library board is meant to serve the director and the community, not impose their will on them. They are meant to follow the lead of the director and library patrons, not vice versa. And of course, in an ideal situation, work together to create and maintain the best library they can for their community.
I’m just guessing, so if I’m wrong, apologies to all. That’s how it looks to me and a number of people I have spoken with over many years.
If the facts are otherwise, I hope someone will explain. Until now, it seems that the majority of Great Neck residents who use and care about our library are puzzled, worried and concerned and, of course, have the right to know exactly what is going on.
Diane Coffield
Great Neck
