Assemblyman Robert Castelli (R,C,I-Goldens Bridge) has announced that the Mount Kisco Public Library has been awarded a New York State Public Library Construction Grant for $118,194. The funding will be used to install electrical wiring for the new 18,500-square-foot library building.
Castelli says New York's public libraries are in urgent need of renovation and upgrading. More than 40% of the over 1,000 public library buildings in communities across New York are over 60-years-old.

The Ossining Public Library Board of Trustees announced today the appointment of James L. Farrell, Jr. as the library’s director.  Farrell, a veteran library consultant and educator who has been acting as interim library director of the Ossining Public Library since October, 2009, takes over his new position effective immediately.

Officially, Farrell’s appointment will be probationary for a period of six months, and is contingent on his successful certification as Library Director III when Westchester County next offers the examination. His annual salary will be $105,000.

“I'm really pleased that Jim has accepted our offer to become director of the Ossining Public Library,” said Peter Capek, Board of Trustees President of the Ossining Public Library. “In the few months that he’s been our interim director, he’s shown real leadership and an ability to make things happen that have served our patrons and staff very well. His ability to enact improvements and solve problems in effective ways makes him a real asset for the library and the Ossining community as a whole.”

Westchester State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin has announced that Governor Paterson is including a library cooperative bidding bill in his amendment to the budget that was sponsored by Paulin and State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer (D,WF)

The legislation permits public libraries and library systems to engage in cooperative bidding for shared services, equipment and supplies. Currently public libraries are not permitted to pool their services, equipment and supplies together for cooperative bidding purposes.