To the Editor:

The past year has been difficult for everyone: individuals, businesses, and community institutions. The Guilderland Public library is no exception. With little to no guidance from the state, libraries were left to figure out pandemic operations on their own. The Guilderland Public Library has had the added challenge of an expansion and complete building remodel.

After many difficult conversations, the library board made the decision to close the building to the public for a bulk of the interior construction. At that time, the building hadn’t been open to the public since March 2020, and there was no end to the pandemic in sight. When faced with successive decisions to advance the construction agenda or to let the building sit relatively idle while sticking to the original pre-pandemic construction schedule, the board chose the more efficient approach. 

As vaccination rates increase and infection rates decrease, we are pleased that, when the building reopens to public foot traffic, the Guilderland Public Library will be a completely renovated building with a new children’s area.

Additionally, the building will provide an expanded collection, more meeting and study rooms, a sound loop for patrons with hearing issues, a sprinkler system for fire safety, new outdoor seating areas, new indoor areas including a fireplace fashioned from historic wood harvested from the Fullers Tavern (originally built between 1795-1805), and a 540-gallon freshwater tropical aquarium meant to draw children not just to the wonders of nature, but the wonders of learning about nature.

Our new library will also have a toddler playroom, a nursing mothers’ area, five family/gender neutral individual-use restrooms, more computers, and an energy-efficient building with an anticipated savings of 20 percent of utility costs. The library is also getting some improvements to the parking lot early this summer including 47 new parking spaces and four electric-vehicle charging stations, provided free due to grants. 

The library anticipates the renovation will be complete nearly a year ahead of schedule and over $1 million of the project’s funding has been provided by grants. Even though the project is not yet complete, there is also a strong possibility it will come in under budget, due in part to the decisions the board has made.

I look forward to you exploring the improved building and enjoying the same great services in person that the staff has continued to provide online and via curbside pickup in adverse conditions.

It is not surprising that, while most of the world was shut down, demand for online services increased 500 percent and the library added streaming options and more digital titles. What might be surprising is that, even while the building was closed, the library issued 2,000 new library cards.

The growth rate for Guilderland's online services was approximately twice the growth rate of other libraries in the two-county system. The library followed advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and has not served as a vector for community virus transmission. 

Now the board presents the public a conservative budget with a 1.4-percent levy increase that adds just $16,922 to our operating budget, due to energy efficiency. The library staff has proven it can make lemons into lemonade and a pandemic into an opportunity to grow.

While there have been a few complaints, the library has also had many expressions of support from the community it serves. I know the building being closed for a year hasn’t been ideal. But nothing about the last year has been ideal.

I’m looking forward to the pandemic’s end as well as re-opening the improved library building. I offer my thanks to the staff, the director, my fellow board members, and especially the public for their patience as we continue to work to provide Guilderland with a library we can all be proud of.

I wish to remind everyone that the library’s annual budget and trustee election takes place Tuesday, May 18, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., at the elementary school which your neighborhood children attend. I urge all eligible citizens of Guilderland to vote on the budget, and for four of the six volunteers running for spots on the library board. Thank you!

Kaitlin Downey

President

Guilderland

Public Library Board

Editor’s note: See related story on library trustee candidates.