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Williamsville branch saved by loyal patrons
MARY F. BOBINSKI Director Amherst Libraries
Just in time for Thanksgiving, we have received the news that the doors of the Williamsville Library

will be open in 2007, thanks to Amherst Town Supervisor Satish B. Mohan, Deputy Supervisor and Councilmember Deborah Bruch Bucki and Councilmembers William L. Kindel, Michael G. McGuire, William A. O'Loughlin Jr., Shelly Schratz and Daniel J. Ward.

Gifts and grants have been received, including $10,000 for the Williamsville Library for 2007 from New York State Sen. Mary Lou Rath, and others, including Mary and George Bobinski, Olive E. Bellamy, Town Councilmember Bucki, Anne D. Astmann and the Village of Williamsville.

With these gifts, we were able to reduce our request for $65,500, well below the $100,000 the Town gave last year. Jean Stadelman, the Save our Williamsville Library Grassroots group chair, led hundreds of people concerned about the future of the Williamsville Library. Supporters of this important facility crowded Amherst Town Hall on Monday, Nov. 6.

Even before the meeting started, councilmembers circulated throughout the group telling people that the vote was assured and that they really did not have to stay. Some left, but others could hardly believe this good news and remained.

In the Town Hall auditorium, filled with people who cared about the library as well as other causes, library speakers began to line up. After the first speaker, Supervisor Mohan informed the group that the full library funding requested had been unanimously approved, and that they did not have to remain as speakers. Many left, particularly those with small children who needed to get to bed, but others stayed for the rest of this interesting meeting.

Thousands of people were hoping for the Town to come to the aid of the library. Each day before the library opens at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m., there are crowds of people waiting to get inside. Local businesses have claimed that it helps their business to have the library in their midst, as people often stop to shop or have a meal after visiting the library.

When the library remained open in 2006, many people exclaimed, looking around the crowded building, "We could never be without this library."

The Williamsville Library is number 17 in circulation among the 36 libraries in the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System, with more than 100,000 items in circulation this year to date.

Two thousand people visit weekly and 500 patrons use the computers each month. Ninety children a week attend programs, which are offered year-round. In addition to the weekly series of story hours for toddlers and preschoolers, some of the offerings this fall for children include "Suitcase of Stories," an educational program about immigration and children traveling to America long ago; a visit by the character from the book, "Spot the Dog"; and programs titled "Fall Crafts," "Spooktacular Stories," "Holiday Crafts" and "Saturdays of the Sisterhood."

Adult computer classes are always full, and special adult presentations included "Thyroid Seminar" and "Setting Goals."

Many groups use the meeting room, including the American Association of University Women, Amherst Caregivers, Buffalo Area Home School Association, Gardeners Club, the Independent Living Project, the Jewish War Veterans, the Lehn Springs Homeowners Association, Animal Activists, the Sierra Club, the Western New York Conservancy, the Williamsville Alumni Association and the Woodpointe Run Condominium Association. The library continues to be exceedingly busy.

We especially appreciate all those people who expressed concern, signed petitions, wrote letters and e-mails, and attended the hearing. A big thanks to all these hundreds of people.

Thanks are due to every department in Amherst for the care they provide to all our Amherst Public Libraries each day of the year.

It is a beloved library, and we thank the staff and volunteers for doing a tremendous job. We are very grateful for their successful effort in giving outstanding public service under such difficult conditions.