Some years ago there was an interesting book about politics called “What’s the Matter with Kansas.”
The simple thesis was that the good people of that state let their politics trump their community’s clear self-interest. So my unoriginal question is: What’s the matter with the Great Neck library? They keep doing things to satisfy their political interests although those things are clearly bad for the community.
Let’s start with the now infamous public referendum on expansion of the main library. The past, and now present library board(s) ignore the overwhelming outcome of that vote.
The public came out in droves to say it did not want to fund an incredibly exaggerated expansion of the main library. But starting with the first meeting after the referendum, the then-president of the board, Ms. Eshagoff, had the unmitigated gall to say it was the public who didn’t understand the issue behind the referendum. She thought the board should spend more PR money to re-educate those dumb voters.
The people who pay the bills had no sooner finished telling the board that the public wants a much more modest renovation than the board leadership felt compelled to openly “dis” the public’s clear rejection of grandiose building schemes.
What could be more antithetical to community interest than “leaders” who refuse the clear evidence of an overwhelming vote? But that’s just one example.
Great Neck was subjected to both local and then national embarrassment when the SAT cheating scandal was in the headlines. The library again felt compelled to dismiss public concerns in order to rally around a political pal, its then-board president and mother of the young SAT mastermind.
Although news outlets were screaming about the cheating story, the board agreed with the then-president (and still trustee) that the whole sorry mess was a “private” matter, such that no members of the public were permitted to voice an opinion about the impression created by retaining a “leader” who at the very least was distracted from her library responsibilities.
There are many other reasons to ask: What’s the matter with our library?
But the latest involves a shocking lack of taste, judgment and leadership shown by the library’s book club and all decision-makers. Yes, even the lowly book club is allowed to show a total disrespect for our community.
Your recent library newsletter proclaims that its book club selection for August is none other than the now infamous “Fifty Shades of Gray,” a novel so sleazy and pornographic that even TV talk shows shun it.
Before anyone starts screaming “censorship,” no, relax. The library is of course free to buy and distribute any books it wishes. Buy a copy; buy 100 copies; I don’t care.
The offense is in the selection of porn (whether soft or hard), its highlighting and apparent recommendation by our library’s “leaders.”
Just because a book is popular does not make it suitable for the kind of overt attention that a book club selection brings.
Our library used to be a place for scholarship and intellectual pursuits. Sad to say, it seems our library’s “leaders” have derailed that silly old-fashioned notion in favor of personal politics, self-promotion and pop culture, however bad for the community.
Welcome to Kansas.
Elizabeth Allen
Great Neck
