To the Editor:
In light of recent events surrounding the Guilderland Public Library, significant attention has been drawn to the mismanagement attributed to both the former library director and the library board of  trustees. It is imperative for transparency that all stakeholders of the library — including devoted patrons, taxpayers, and library staff — are fully informed about this disheartening situation.

Regrettably, it is evident that the library administration prioritized the struggling café over the well-being and morale of its own employees.

Upon closer examination, it has become evident that the decision to approve Melanie Diaz Partak to lease library space and run a library café was fundamentally flawed. Diaz Partak, who cited racism as the reason for her departure from the library in February, possesses a documented history that was inadequately scrutinized by the library, if at all.

She has yet to fully reimburse a substantial portion of a $10,000 loan from the Cohoes Local Development Corp following the failure of her previous business there, leading to legal action against her by Cohoes for repayment. Additionally, an examination of records from the Albany County Clerk website reveals that she has neglected to settle more than $60,000 in various judgments related to failure to remit workers’ compensation and tax payments at her previous business establishments.

Even with this concerning history, the library’s agreement, endorsed unanimously by the trustees, only obligated Diaz Partak to pay a mere $200 monthly rent to operate the library café, which also included all utilities. Can you name another business along Western Avenue that pays such a minimal rent?

Former Library Director Tim Wiles expressed apprehension that charging more rent could jeopardize the library’s nonprofit status. However, this assertion appears dubious considering the library’s own records indicate expenditures exceeding $92,000 on café construction, with approximately $8,000 of taxpayer funds allocated for an espresso machine.

Furthermore, it is disconcerting to note that, despite the substantial investment made by the library in café construction costs, the return on this investment was minimal. As it turns out, the café, despite signing a one-year contract in September of 2023, paid only $800 total in rent, despite the huge investment by the library.

The contract also required the café to sell used library books in the café as part of its standard business operation and turn the proceeds over to the library. Though Wiles indicated on Oct. 4, 2023 in library meeting minutes, the monthly estimate for book sales was $200 from just one month of operations, the café provided just $24 total in book sales to the library during the more than five months it was operating there.

Immediately after the café’s closing and returning to an honor system cash box in the lobby, the library brought in over $300 in one month’s time.

Additionally, concerning conflicts of interest arose, as Diaz Partak’s husband was financially compensated by the library for construction work without any competing estimates from other contractors. These projects included additional café construction and changes they requested including demolition and removal of a new unused window counter that cost the library $2,400 to have fabricated and installed.

He received $5,650 for work on the café itself and an additional $4,200 for renovations in two other library rooms, raising questions about the fairness and transparency of the procurement process.

One of the prominent board members is Vice President Elish Melchiade. When Melchiade was asked about her relationship with Diaz Partak by The Altamont Enterprise, she told the Enterprise she knew her but that she did not have a particular role in selecting Café con Mel for the library.

This is contradicted by Diaz Partak herself, who posted on her business website a Q-and-A page that a “personal friend” was the impetus behind her deal. Read excerpt:

Q: How did you come up with the concept of owning a coffee shop inside of a library?

A: We were asked to do it! A personal friend who was new to the Library Board said that the library had been tossing around the idea for quite some time, but didn’t have an operator. She suggested we check it out.

Melchiade was the “personal friend.” In fact, a Facebook post in June 2023 (less than three months before the contract was signed) shows a photo of Diaz Partak and Melchiade celebrating a birthday together at a local nightclub with “my girlies.”

As for the racism claim, any such allegation should be taken seriously. However, the library itself wrote discrimination was not the source of the problem in a Facebook post on Feb. 23, 2024, shortly after the news broke. View part of post:

“The behavior that occurred was not driven by discrimination based on any protected class, but rather on disagreements on the part of certain members of our staff about roles and responsibilities for library staff versus cafe staff, and differing interpretations of the Café’s contract among some members of the library team.”

Once a signed lease agreement was produced, it was apparent that there could be no confusion or misinterpretation of “leased premises” and “care and cleaning” of the café as they were clearly spelled out. Any disagreement stemmed from the administration’s and board of trustees’ desire to protect their reputation and preserve their promise of a café in the library.

Furthermore, Guilderland taxpayers need to know what they are paying for, and how their money has been mishandled and squandered. The confidence in leadership and fiduciary responsibility at theGuilderland Public Library has been shattered.

Independent investigation on financial matters — not racism — is what is truly necessary. Guilderland taxpayers deserve full transparency via a thorough audit, not redacted documentation from the library.

I worked for 23 years at the library, proof of my devotion to it, as well as many other long-term and concerned employees, and tried to speak up against the actions that many of us who work there knew were wrong.

It was heartbreaking to witness.

We agree there was unease between the café co-owner and some library employees. The source of discontent was the deep frustration professional library staff had with a preferential café arrangement that cannot be defended, and the subsequent negative impact the ongoing saga placed on morale.

Lewis D. Warner

Retired

Guilderland Library

Employee (2001-2024)