Council Jottings March 14, 1963

Council Jottings March 14, 1963

public libraries

Appeared in the March 14, 1963 edition of the Press Journal and is an account of the differences of opinion between Library Board President Edward S. Travers and the Mayor and Council regarding the scheduling of events in the McCandless Room Community Center. Board President Travers resigns due to these differences.

A related clipping from the Press Journal dated 3/14/63 simply states: The resignation of Edward S. Travers, as President of the Board of Trustees of the Tenafly Library was accepted by the Council with regret, with expression of appreciation for his service to the Library over a period of many years

MacSans, K. S.

Clipping originally part of the Tenafly Public Library Scrapbook 1963-1970 (page 4)

1963

This document is presented by the Tenafly Public Library under title 17 of the US Copyright Code for the purposes of noncommercial research and personal study. Some images may be available for reproduction under fair use provisions. For additional information about the use or reproduction of materials in this Collection, please contact tenfcirc@bccls.org.

newspaper article

English

text

counciljottings.tiff.pdf

COUNCIL JOTTINGS
By K. S. MacSans
The opening of the new Tenafly Library this week is a real step forward for. the cultural and educational growth of Tenafly. Its spacious halls will house all the books and periodicals we will need for a very long time. For those who worked so hard and gave of their time and money to create the Library, it is a great day.

Therefore it is tragic that the man who headed the Library Board, fund drive, and the planning, staffing and equipping of the new building, should resign in pique over the minor matter of how the Community Room is to be scheduled. His annoyance started when the Mayor and Council insisted that, since the drive didn't raise enough on its own, the Library. should be designed and built as part of the Municipal Center.

The McCandless Community Room was named after Charles W. McCandless, a New York lawyer who resided before his death at 8 Old Smith road on the corner of East Clinton avenue. Mr. McCandless, a very kind and generous man, started the Library Drive with an anonymous donation of $20,000. The room has been provided with a folding divider so it can be put to use by two groups simultaneously.

The problem of scheduling it for local civic groups arose over (1) who was best equipped to give janitorial and other services after hours, (2) who was best qualified to judge the suitability of the application, (3) who was most familiar with the scheduling of other facilities in town to act as a clearing house, and (4) who could handle the work on an all year round basis for the greatest convenience of all. The Council felt that Don Joyce. the recreation director who schedules many rooms of the Board of. Education, was the best choice. The Library Board felt that they should. do it through the Librarian and they proposed
that they would have the right to preview and approve any literature or films to he used in any meeting and that no political or religious group would be allowed.

This difference of opinion was resolved at a -joint meeting of Library Board and Mayor and Council by agreeing on a dual control basis. This was later approved by
the Library Board 4 to 1 with Chairman Travers disagreeing, feeling that only the Library should control the room. His resignation followed for he felt so strongly that he wanted court action.

Mr. Travers has done a great work for Tenafly and it is the sincere hope of all concerned that this minor episode will be quickly forgiven and forgotten.

newspaper article