Hempstead Town Libraries To Get Over $340,000 In CARES Act Aid

LEVITTOWN, NY — Over $340,000 in federal funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security act will be doled out to public libraries in the Town of Hempstead to help with unplanned expenses incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, town officials said.

Unplanned expenses included pandemic measures such as ultraviolet lighting to disinfect books and printed materials, as well as protective plexiglass and personal protective equipment for staff. The funds will be allocated by Hempstead Town to help 17 libraries throughout town continue to offer services to residents, officials said.

Supervisor Donald Clavin said many public libraries not only offer access to information, but they also provide cultural and educational programs, as well as provide space for community meetings. He called libraries a “staple in every community” that worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to protect the public and their staff, but he said they have suffered for it financially.
“No other entity is stepping forward to help them,” said Clavin in a news conference outside the Levittown Public Library on Wednesday.

Councilman Dennis Dunne, who represents the hamlet of Levittown, said in a news release that he was proud to provide the funding to such “important neighborhood institutions.”
Councilman Christopher Carini said the funding will help the libraries continue to provide services under COVID-19 guidelines.

“Our children, schools, seniors and community groups depend on our libraries as they play an important role in our communities,” he said. “We all want to see our libraries continue to provide their programs — this will help them achieve that.”

The library allocations were part of a round of roughly $133 million in CARES act funding received last year to aid with pandemic-related expenses. Of that number, roughly $13.5 million has been allocated to local schools and colleges; about $4.7 million to local hospitals and an additional $5 million to COVID-19 testing initiatives, according to the town.

Seven million was allocated to food banks and other organizations that help with food insecurity. About $3.5 million was allocated to local businesses and another $300,000 to fire departments.

Other allocations include about $800,000 to Long Island Federally Qualified Health Centers, $500,000 to villages in the township, and about $41,000 to local museums. Roughly $800,000 has been allocated between the Cerebral Palsy Foundation and the United Way.

Here’s a rough estimate of how the funds will be distributed to local libraries:

• East Meadow - $11,026
• Hempstead - $4,899
• North Bellmore - $14,693
• Rockville Centre - $24,851
• Baldwin - $51,567
• West Hempstead - $12,662
• Wantagh - $25,802
• Uniondale -$23,490
• Seaford - $14,084
• Peninsula - $11,765
• Merrick - $14,982
• Levittown - $55,223
• Lakeview - $3,151.56
• Island Trees - $9,688
• Island Park - $16,453
• Franklin Square - $14,610
• Elmont - $31,304