Children's Room Expansion Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is the proposed wing needed? |
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| A. Yes. The East Hampton Library has one of the smallest per capita collection of children's books on the East End. The Library needs space to house 10,000 additional books for children and teenagers. The project will also release room for 5,000 new adult high demand books. The Library has already received a generous donation to purchase these new books. | ||
Q. Is the proposed wing a big addition? |
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| A. No. The modest one story addition has a footprint half the size of a tennis court. Half of the new 6,802 square feet is in the basement to be used mostly for storage, halls, and restrooms. 285 square feet in the basement is for the extra space for the existing lecture room. This will allow 15 more folding chairs. | ||
Q. Will the wing cause more traffic? |
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| A. No. Less than 1/2 of one percent of the traffic on Main street comes to the library. The small number of accidents on the corner last year did not involve cars using the library. The primary reason the wing is being built is to give children and adults who are already coming to the library a greater choice of books. | ||
Q. Will there be additional parking? |
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| A. Yes. The Library will add 16 new parking spaces at the back of the Library. These new spaces are in addition to the twenty-six already existing as required by the Zoning Board. | ||
Q. Should the Library build the wing in Springs? |
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| A. No. For more than 100 years, the East Hampton Library has been a town library serving the residents of Springs, Wainscott, Northwest and East Hampton. Springs residents already come to the village for shopping, banking, restaurants, movies, religious services and to attend school. A study conducted as part of the DEIS found that building a separate library in Springs would require a tax increase of 314% for annual operating costs. | ||
Q. Will the wing be built with private donations? |
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| A. Yes. As in all past expansions 100% of all funds will be contributed by Board Members and other generous donors of East Hampton. Much has already been raised. There will be no mortgage or interest payments, which far off-sets any small increase in operating costs for the proposed wing. The Library Board will raise the construction costs from private donations. No taxpayer dollars or bonding will be used. | ||
Q. Is there widespread support among the residents? |
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| A. Yes. The Library held a Public Referendum August 14 at which 83% of the voters approved the Library moving ahead with this project. Prior the the Referendum, the Library received more than 1,100 signatures of East Hampton Village residents and taxpayers in support of the wing. There are 1,364 residents of the village. | ||