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Renovations continue at Baldwin Library administrators and Melvillebased H2M Architects + Engineers created preliminary The Baldwin Public Library plans for renovations to the continues to undergo a major first and second floors. The facelift, with the high-tech project was approved in a pubredesign of the second floor lic referendum in May 2023 beginning last month, library with a 926-361 vote. “These were the top prioriofficials said. The second floor has been ties identified by the communigutted and new areas are being ty through surveys and focus framed, marking groups,” Elizabeth the first phase of Olesh, the library’s the $11.6 million director, said in an renovation project, email to the Herald. which overall began Most recently in i n Ja nu a r y. T h e the community, the entire project is Baldwin High expected to be comSchool @ Shubert pleted in about two — a non-traditional years. secondary school According to the focusing on career design plan, availand technical eduELIZABETH oLESH c a t i o n — i n t r o able at BaldwinPL. org, the second floor Baldwin Public Library duced a state-of-theis the primary focus director art studio, offering of the first phase. B a l dw i n S c h o o l Planned features District students include a teens area, podcast access to a high-quality, indusand video recording room, a try-standard resource. community room, a business “The recording studio will center and individual study include a green screen and rooms. In addition, a large, pre- recording equipment,” Olesh viously unused space will be said of the library’s plans for converted into a recording stu- the second floor. “Collaborative dio. spaces that allow people to creThe design was developed ate are increasingly important following a community survey in public libraries. Podcasts conducted in February 2023. Continued on page 22 Based on the feedback, library
By HERNESTo GALDAMEZ
hgaldamez@liherald.com
Maureen Lennon/Herald
Easter Bunny visits Baldwin The Easter Bunny made a special visit at Applebee’s in celebration of Easter this Sunday. Story, additional photos, Page 4.
Trump threatens funding for libraries Library director says loss of money will have a big impact By MADISoN GUSLER and HERNESTo GALDAMEZ Of the Herald
An executive order issued by the White House on March 14 to reduce the size of several federal agencies has sparked concern among library leaders nationwide — including in Baldwin. Among the targeted entities is the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the only federal agency dedicated to supporting libraries and museums across the country. The move could jeopardize $19 million in federal funding to libraries in New York state, and local leaders are warning of the long-term consequences. Baldwin Public Library Director Elizabeth Olesh did not mince words when asked about the executive order and the implications of eliminating IMLS. “IMLS is the only Federal agency focused on libraries and museums,” Olesh said. “Its budget
is minuscule and does not have a meaningful effect on the federal budget, while it will have a devastating impact on libraries and museums in many states. However, rather than a simple budgetary move, I see this as part of an assault on intellectual freedom. Why single out such a small agency? It’s the same reason the Smithsonian has been singled out — we are organizations that promote independent thought and diversity, which I believe are American values.” While the Baldwin library is funded mostly by local taxes, Olesh pointed out that the impact of cutting IMLS would likely be felt at the state level. “We are lucky that nearly all of our funding is provided by local taxes, with a few thousand dollars provided by the state,” she said. However, most of the positions at the State Library and the Division of Library Development are supContinued on page 9
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hese were the top priorities identified by the community.