[History on the Hudson: Judy Kaiser]
[00:00:15]
HI, I'M SPIKE BARKAN, AND THIS IS PART OF AN ONGOING SERIES BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE HASTINGS HISTORICAL SOCIETY.TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING TO JUDY KAISER.
SO, UH, WHERE, WHERE WERE YOU BORN? IN BROOKLYN.
SO WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO COME TO HASTINGS? WE WERE LIVING IN MOUNT VERNON, AND THE SCHOOLS TOOK A DEEP DIP, AND I HAD TWO YOUNG CHILDREN, AND WE WERE A TOTAL OF FOUR FAMILIES WITHIN ONE YEAR WHO MOVED FROM MOUNT VERNON TO HASTINGS.
AND COME JULY I WILL HAVE BEEN HERE 50 YEARS.
SO WERE, WHEN YOU CAME HERE, WERE YOU, HAD YOU DONE AN INVESTIGATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM? THAT WAS THE VERY FIRST THING, AND MY VERY FIRST IMPRESSION, IT WAS JUST BEFORE HALLOWEEN, AND I WENT UP TO HILLSIDE AND THE FIRST PERSON I SAW WAS THIS VERY, VERY TALL, GOOD LOOKING MAN WEARING A WITCHES HAT, WHICH MADE HIM ABOUT EIGHT FEET TALL.
AND IT WAS WES CARLSON, WHO AT THAT TIME WAS THE PRINCIPAL AT HILLSIDE, AND HE WAS A WONDERFUL, WARM, CARING INDIVIDUAL WHO EVERY KID IN THAT SCHOOL, I THINK ABSOLUTELY LOVED.
THERE WAS A WONDERFUL FREEDOM IN THE SCHOOL.
THE KIDS WOULD GATHER IN THE COMMON OR SITTING ON THE FLOOR DOING PROJECTS OR WHATEVER.
AND THAT'S WHAT SOLD ME ON HASTINGS.
AND DID THE SCHOOL SYSTEM LIVE UP TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS? ABSOLUTELY.
MY SON WENT ALL THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
HE HAS NOW BEEN A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR IN VIRGINIA FOR THE LAST 32 YEARS.
AND TWO YEARS AGO HE AND JAMES KENNEDY, A FELLOW CLASSMATE, ESTABLISHED A SCHOLARSHIP FOR A HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATED IN HASTINGS, WHO IS LOOKING TO GO INTO THE FIELD OF EDUCATION.
JAMES IS ALSO A TEACHER, AND ONE OF THE REASONS THEY ESTABLISHED IT WAS TO THANK THEIR TEACHERS IN HASTINGS.
LEE IS STILL IN REGULAR TOUCH WITH MARY BARRETT, WHO WAS A FIFTH GRADE TEACHER WHO TAUGHT MY LATE DAUGHTER AND WHO BECAME A VERY DEAR FRIEND TO ME AND TO MY SON.
SO WHAT WERE YOU WORKING AT THE TIME WHEN YOU MOVED TO HASTINGS? YES, I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR, MY SON IS 56, SO I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST 54 YEARS.
AND WHAT WERE YOU DOING? UH, AT THAT TIME? WE HAD A, FIRST, WE HAD A NEWSPAPER IN MOUNT VERNON THAT DIED OF AN EXPENSIVE DEATH AFTER A YEAR.
AND SO THREE OF MY PARTNERS AND I THEN FORMED A PRODUCTION COMPANY AND WE DID ALL THE PRODUCTION WORK FOR THE CATHOLIC NEWS, THE IRISH ECHO, THE HEIGHTS, INWOOD, AND TWO OTHER PAPERS.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DID ALL THE WORK FOR THE CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE PARISH DIRECTORIES AND SCHOOL AND COLLEGE DIRECTORIES.
SO I WAS IN THE GRAPHIC ARTS BUSINESS.
AND DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER AND HASTINGS? NO, MY ONLY, UH, CONNECTION TO THAT WAS I WAS LIVED ON THE SAME BLOCK AS TWO OF THE FOUNDERS, CAROL INGER AND, UH, MARY WHITE.
UH, THEY, ALONG WITH JOAN HANNIGAN WERE THE STARTERS OF THE ENTERPRISE.
UM, AND I KNEW THEM ALL WELL AND CERTAINLY SUPPORTED THEM.
AND WHEN FOLLOWING A, AN ACCIDENT THAT WAS FATAL TO PART OF MY FAMILY.
AFTER I RECOVERED, I THEN WORKED AS A PARALEGAL FOR PAUL PERIN, WHO WAS AN ATTORNEY HERE IN TOWN.
AND FOLLOWING THAT, I TOOK A POSITION AT SIBA GE, WHICH I REALIZED YOUNGER PEOPLE THINK I'M TALKING TO FOREIGN LANGUAGE NOW WHEN I SAY IT, BUT IT WAS A VERY LARGE DRUG COMPANY WITH HEADQUARTERS RIGHT OVER ON SELMA RIVER ROAD.
AND I BECAME THE MANAGER OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND WAS THERE FOR 13 YEARS UNTIL CBGA WAS DEVOURED BY SANDOZ CHEMICAL.
SO I KNOW THAT YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH THE LIBRARY.
HOW, HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT? WELL, I WAS ALWAYS A VERY ATTENTIVE LIBRARY PATRON TO THE POINT WHERE WHEN I WAS WORKING AT SIBA, GA
[00:05:01]
AND SUFI WAS DIRECTOR OF THE LIBRARY, I WOULD GO IN AND RESERVE BOOKS.THIS IS BEFORE WE HAD ACCESS ON ANY COMPUTERS.
I WOULD GO IN AND FILL OUT REQUESTS FOR BOOKS, AND THEN WHEN THEY CAME IN, I WOULD BE NOTIFIED.
AND VERY OFTEN, EVEN THOUGH AT THAT TIME WE WERE OPEN A COUPLE OF NIGHTS TILL 8:00 PM I WAS WORKING LATE AND I WOULD CALL IN A PANIC THAT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE A BOOK TO READ THAT NIGHT.
AND SUFI WAS KIND ENOUGH WHEN SHE LEFT WORK, SHE WOULD DROP MY BOOKS AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SO I COULD PUT, PICK UP MY BOOKS THERE AND HAVE SOMETHING TO READ.
AND THEN WHEN I, AFTER SEE BGA WAS NO MORE, AND I HAD MY OWN CONSULTING BUSINESS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, I THEN DECIDED THAT IT WAS TIME TO SEE WHAT RETIREMENT WAS LIKE.
AND SO I CLOSED MY BUSINESS AND IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY.
I WAS IN THE LIBRARY ONE DAY AND I SAW SUFI AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, NOT NOW, BUT IN SIX MONTHS OR SO, IF YOU NEED SOMEBODY FOR MAYBE ONE OR TWO AFTERNOONS A WEEK, THINK OF ME.
AND SHE SAID, OH, THAT'S GREAT TO KNOW RIGHT NOW WE'RE ALL STAFFED UP, WE'RE FINE.
AND I WENT HOME AND TWO HOURS LATER, LITERALLY MY PHONE RANG AND IT WAS SUE SAYING, CAN YOU COME BACK OVER? AND I LIVE VERY CLOSE TO THE LIBRARY, SO IT WASN'T A PROBLEM.
SHE HAD FOUND OUT AN HOUR BEFORE THAT THAT DENISE, ONE OF OUR LIBRARIANS WAS TRANSFERRING TO THE LEY LIBRARY AND SHE NEEDED SOME EXTRA HELP.
WELL COME NEXT MONDAY, THAT WILL HAVE BEEN 26 YEARS AGO.
AND ONCE I STARTED WORKING AT THE LIBRARY DOING WHATEVER WAS NEEDED, WHEREVER IT WAS NEEDED, I BECAME INVOLVED WITH THE FRIENDS.
AT THAT TIME, I THINK THE FRIENDS BOARD WAS A TOTAL OF EIGHT PEOPLE AND MAYBE WE RAISED, I DON'T KNOW, $5,000 A YEAR.
AND FROM THAT DAY TO THIS, WE NOW HAVE THE MOST INCREDIBLE, MOST ACTIVE BOARD OF THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY WITH 20 MEMBERS, I BELIEVE NOW EACH ONE OF WHOM DOES SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE TIME AND EFFORT TO WHAT WE DO.
AND WE NOW, WITH THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT OF THE VILLAGE, HAD BEEN ABLE TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY THAT A FEW MONTHS AGO THE AV SYSTEM DOWN IN THE OR ROOM AT THE LIBRARY, UH, WAS INSTALLED.
I THINK THAT WAS IN PERHAPS 2012 TO SAY THAT IT WAS ANTIQUATED AND OUT OF DATE AND DIDN'T WORK HALF THE TIME, UH, AS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
SO THE FRIENDS 100% PAID FOR A NEW $38,000 AV SYSTEM DOWNSTAIRS, INCLUDING HEARING ASSISTANCE FOR THE HEART OF HEARING, INCLUDING EVERY BELL AND WHISTLE THAT WE COULD THINK OF THAT WOULD MAKE THE SERVICES DOWN THERE THE BEST POSSIBLE FOR OUR PATRONS AND FOR ANYBODY WHO COMES INTO ONE OF OUR MANY PROGRAMS. SO THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE DO.
SO MANY PEOPLE THAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH, UH, AND I ASK THEM, ARE YOU, ARE YOU A FRIEND OF THE LIBRARY? DO YOU, HAVE YOU PAID YOUR DUES? AND, AND THAT, AND THEY SORT OF LOOK AT ME QUIZZICALLY AND THEY SAY, I I'M, I'M A MEMBER OF THE LIBRARY.
SO THERE'S, I THINK THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION BETWEEN, AMONGST A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT IF THEY HAVE A LIBRARY CARD, THEY'RE AUTOMATICALLY A FRIEND OF THE LIBRARY.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE THAT THAT IS? ABSOLUTELY.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE.
GETTING A HASTINGS LIBRARY CARD, ALL THAT'S REQUIRED IS THAT YOU LIVE IN HASTINGS, THEN AGAIN, YOU CAN GET A LIBRARY CARD ANYWHERE IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY AND IT'S GOOD AT ALL 38 LIBRARIES IN THE COUNTY.
AND THAT DOESN'T COST YOU ANYTHING, AND I HOPE NEVER WILL.
BEING A FRIEND OF THE LIBRARY MEANS BEING A MONETARY SUPPORTER OF THE THINGS THAT WE AS A FRIEND OF THE LIBRARY BOARD TRY TO DO TO BRING THE, NOT JUST THE EXTRAS TO THE LIBRARY.
WE DON'T GET A LOT OF FUNDING FROM THE VILLAGE.
I KNOW THAT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE CONSIDERING THE TAXES WE ALL PAY, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ONE OF MANY REACHING OUR HANDS INTO THE SAME POT.
AND SO, AS I MENTIONED, ONE OF THE THINGS IS THE NEW AV SYSTEM.
[00:10:02]
WE ALSO HAVE PROGRAMS, I WOULD SAY NOW EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK FOR CHILDREN THANKS TO OUR INCREDIBLE YOUTH LIBRARIAN, ALI MANNING, WHO IS DEFINITELY OUR SECRET WEAPON, UH, IN ALL OF MY YEARS AT THE LIBRARY, IT WASN'T, ALI'S BEEN WITH US PROBABLY ALMOST TWO YEARS.IT WASN'T UNTIL ABOUT A YEAR AFTER SHE STARTED THAT I BEGAN NOTICING TEENAGERS VOLUNTARILY WALKING INTO OUR LIBRARY.
MY OWN SON NEVER SET FOOT IN THE LIBRARY.
IN ALL HIS GROWING UP YEARS IN HASTINGS AND ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS COST MONEY, UH, THE MUSIC PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS, THE READING PROGRAMS FOR THEM, CELEBRATING EVERY HOLIDAY THAT THERE IS, INCLUDING, UH, NON HOLIDAYS.
LIKE WHEN TAYLOR SWIFT DROPPED HER LAST ALBUM LAST YEAR, AND ALI THREW A INCREDIBLE PARTY.
WE HAD A PHOTO BOOTH, THEY MADE BRACELETS.
UM, THE V THE LIBRARY WAS PACKED FULL, UH, OF YOUNGSTERS ENJOYING THE TAYLOR SWIFT MOVEMENT OR WHATEVER THAT IS.
UM, AND WE ALSO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY FUNDING OR MATERIALS FOR OUR SENIOR MOVIE, UH, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN ROLLED INTO THE SENIOR THURSDAYS EACH MONTH.
BUT IT INCLUDES A WONDERFUL MOVIE EACH MONTH.
THERE'S NEVER ANY CHARGE FOR ANYTHING AT THE HASTINGS LIBRARY.
THE ONE EXCEPTION TO THAT IS THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY YAA EACH JUNE.
THAT'S OUR BIG FUNDRAISING EFFORT OF THE YEAR.
ALL THE FOOD THAT'S SERVED IS MADE BY THE LIBRARY FRIENDS, BOARD MEMBERS, THE ENTERTAINMENT, WHICH NOW I THINK THIS HAS BEEN THE FIFTH YEAR, INCLUDES ANYWHERE FROM FOUR TO SEVEN BROADWAY ENTERTAINERS WHO GIVE UP THEIR TIME AND TAKE THE EFFORT TO PUT TOGETHER A MUSICAL SHOW FOR US.
WE ALSO HAVE INCLUDED IN THAT A SILENT AUCTION.
AND HERE I HAVE TO THROW OUT A THANK YOU TO ALL THE HASTINGS MERCHANTS AND SOME FROM OUTSIDE HASTINGS WHO ARE WONDERFUL ABOUT CONTRIBUTING BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL ITEMS THAT WE HAVE A SILENT AUCTION WITH.
UH, WE BUY THE EXTRA BOOKS THAT THE LIBRARY DOES NEED AND THEY CAN'T FIND ENOUGH MONEY IN THE BUDGET.
UM, WE, DURING THE, AFTER THE PANDEMIC, I BELIEVE, UM, WE BOUGHT A COUPLE OF, UH, CHROMEBOOKS FOR PEOPLE WHO WILL COME INTO THE LIBRARY AND FOR WHATEVER REASON DON'T USE OUR FREE COMPUTERS.
WE ALSO HAVE CHROMEBOOKS FOR THEM TO USE.
UM, WHENEVER YOU SAY HASTINGS LIBRARY, MY REACTION TO THAT IS WE ARE VERY LUCKY THAT WE REALLY HAVE TWO COMMUNITY CENTERS IN THIS TINY VILLAGE BECAUSE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY CENTER, REC DEPARTMENT, ET CETERA, AND THE LIBRARY, YOU COULD PROBABLY BE BUSY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK WITH A PROGRAM, A CHAT WITH AN AUTHOR, UM, TAKING UKULELE LESSONS, WHICH WE NOW DO FOR BOTH KIDS AND ADULTS.
IN FACT, THE, UH, ADULT SESSION, THEY HAD AN IN, UH, AN INTRODUCTORY THREE SESSION CLASS AND THEY CAME BACK AND WE JUST FINISHED AN INTERMEDIATE CLASS.
UM, WE HAVE MAHJONG, I MEAN JUST, AND THE MAHJONG STARTED BECAUSE ONE OF OUR OWN STAFF SAID, GEE, IT'D BE GREAT IF I COULD PLAY MAHJONG HERE.
AND SHE TOOK THE INITIATIVE WITH A LITTLE VERY LITTLE MONEY FROM THE FRIENDS TO GET THE MAHJONG SETS.
AND THEY NOW MEET ONCE A WEEK DOWN IN THE ORE ROOM AND THERE'S MAHJONG.
UM, THERE'S JUST SOMETHING GOING ALL THE TIME.
AND THE FRIENDS MAIN FOCUS IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE FUNDS TO ENABLE US TO GIVE TO THE PUBLIC ALL
[00:15:01]
THOSE THINGS WHICH THE VILLAGE BUDGET DOESN'T PROVIDE, SO THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN CALLING MONEY GIVEN TO THE FRIENDS MEMBERSHIPS ANYMORE.WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.
AND I AM HOPING ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE HOPING THAT THIS WILL HELP DELINEATE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING A LIBRARY CARD AND PARTICIPATING IN THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.
ONE OF THE BENEFITS TO, UH, DONATING TO THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY IS IT AUTOMATICALLY PUTS YOU ON OUR MAILING LIST, WHICH MEANS YOU GET NOTIFICATION OF EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE DOING.
EVERY PROGRAM FROM THE TINIEST TAUGHT TO THE OLDEST SENIOR CITIZEN, UM, MENTIONING SENIOR CITIZENS REMINDS ME, WE ALSO HAVE A SENIOR CITIZEN NONFICTION BOOK CLUB.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK THERE ARE MANY OF THOSE AROUND.
UM, A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE ARE AS RESULT AS A RESULT OF LIBRARY PATRONS SUGGESTING THEM.
UH, AND WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO THAT.
AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES SOME FUNDING, THE THE FRIENDS BOARD WILL MEET.
AND IT'S VERY RARE THAT WE TURN DOWN A REQUEST BECAUSE THE REQUESTS ALWAYS SEEM TO FIT IN WITH WHAT THE HASTINGS LIBRARY IS.
UH, FOR MYSELF IT'S JUST, IT REALLY TERRIFIC PLACE TO BE.
I MEAN, ASIDE FROM THE INCREDIBLE VIEW, UH, WHICH I DON'T THINK ANY LIBRARY IN WESTCHESTER CAN BEAT AND THE OUTDOOR DECK, UM, THERE'S JUST A VERY WARM COMMUNITY FEELING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S GOING ON NOW THAT THE FRIENDS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO IS THAT IN HONOR OF THE LATE ED YOUNG WHO WAS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE AUTHOR AND ARTIST AND A CHERISHED MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY AND SO GENEROUS TO THE LIBRARY HIS ENTIRE LIFE, THE PICTURE BOOK ROOM DOME CEILING, WHICH HAS HAD CARTOON CHA, EXCUSE ME, UH, FAIRY TALE CHARACTERS SINCE IT WAS BUILT, THAT'S NOW GOING TO BE REPLACED WITH ED YOUNG'S ART UP IN THE DOME.
AND THE NAY ROOM, I BELIEVE WILL BE NAMED IN MEMORY OF ED.
I WILL ALSO MENTION THAT WHATEVER ED WROTE AND WHATEVER ED PAINTED OR DREW, THERE WAS NEVER EVER ANY QUESTION THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY EVEN A PENNY TO USE WHAT HE PRODUCED.
HE SAID, EACH TIME I WOULD CALL HIM TO GET PERMISSION TO USE SOMETHING, HIS ANSWER WOULD BE THE SAME.
YOU KNOW, IT BELONGS TO THE LIBRARY.
SO THAT'S WHAT IT IS AND THAT'S WHAT THE FRIENDS DO, UH, TO TRY AND KEEP THE LIBRARY THE LIVELY, WONDERFUL PLACE IT IS.
AND ASIDE FROM ALL OF THAT, ALSO THEY HAVE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, I KNOW THEY HAVE A GIFT TE WHICH HAS AN INCREDIBLE ARRAY OF FOOD AND ITEMS FOR PEOPLE WHO WANNA GO SHOPPING AND FOR THE DIFFERENT HOLIDAYS THAT COME.
AND THAT AGAIN, UH, MOST OF THE ITEMS THAT WE SELL COME FROM UM, FRIENDS, BOARD MEMBERS.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC TO BRING IN ITEMS BECAUSE IT'S NOT A TAG SALE.
UM, A COUPLE OF OUR FRIENDS BOARD MEMBERS ARE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN VARIOUS AREAS LIKE FIND CHINA AND STEMWARE.
UM, A GOOD NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAD A FANTASTIC COLLECTION OF, UM, ART GLASS AND WAS DEACCESSIONING MOST OF HER COLLECTION, SHE GAVE IT ALL TO US, PART OF WHICH WE SOLD AT OUR GIFT TEAK.
AND PART OF WHICH OUR BOARD MEMBER, WHO IS OUR EBAY EXPERT, PUT ON EBAY.
WHEN WE DO PUT THINGS ON EBAY, THE PERSON WHO DOES IT SPENDS HER OWN TIME FIRST GATHERING THE INFORMATION TO POST AND THEN WHEN SOMETHING IS SOLD, GETTING IT PACKED AND SHIPPED AND GETTING THE MONEY FOR THE LIBRARY FOR THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.
AND IT'S ALL DONE BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS WE WANT TO DO
[00:20:01]
TO HELP THE LIBRARY.THE GIFT TE IS ALSO, WE HAVE FOUND A WONDERFUL PLACE FOR KIDS COMING TO WANNA BUY PRESENTS FOR THEIR PARENTS OR THEIR GRANDPARENTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
WE ALWAYS HAVE A HUGE JEWELRY SELECTION AND THE KIDS SEEM TO REALLY LOVE BUYING EARRINGS AND NECKLACES FOR MOMS AND GRANDMAS.
AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO JOIN THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY? SENIOR CITIZENS, UH, CONTRIBUTION IS $15.
THE NEXT LEVEL IS $30 FOR A STANDARD CONTRIBUTION.
AND ANYTHING ABOVE THAT WE LABEL AS OTHER AND SEND YOU A VERY BIG THANK YOU NOTE.
AND I KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE A FRIEND OF THE LIBRARY THEN FOR THE ONE ITEM OR THE ONE EVENT WHERE THERE'S THE FUNDRAISER THEY GET A DISCOUNT ON ON THEIR TICKETS AND STUFF.
WHEN WE HAVE THE GALA AND THE SILENT AUCTION ON THE WONDERFUL SHOW, UH, THERE IS A DISCOUNT, UM, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACT THING.
I THINK LAST YEAR IT WAS $40 FOR A TICKET PRIOR TO THE SHOW, BUT $30 FOR, UH, SOMEBODY WHO HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THE FRIENDS.
UH, THE RAIDS ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT.
UM, AND EVEN THERE WE GET CONTRIBUTIONS OF WONDERFUL FOOD FROM SOME OF OUR INCREDIBLE RESTAURANTS WHO DON'T CHARGE US A PENNY AND DO IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SUPPORT THE LIBRARY AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WHEN THE FRIENDS CONTROL, UH, CONTRIBUTE THE MONEY TO THE LIBRARY TO PURCHASE BOOKS AND DVDS THAT UM, ARE OUT OF THEIR BUDGET? HOW DOES THAT WORK? WHO CHOOSES THE BOOKS? HOW DOES THAT WORK? IF IT'S FOR LIBRARY MATERIALS, IT IS THE DIRECTOR ON THE LIBRARIANS WHO CHOOSE THE ITEMS AND THEY PLACE THE ORDERS, BUT THE BILLS COME TO THE FRIENDS.
UH, AND I HAVE BEEN TREASURER FOR MORE YEARS THAN I CAN REMEMBER.
UH, BUT I AM THE ONE WHO PAYS THOSE BILLS.
I SHOULD SAY THAT SOME OF THE PURCHASES MADE FOR THE LIBRARY DO COME OUT OF WHAT IS THE HASTINGS LIBRARY MEMORIAL FUND, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS SET UP MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO BY CHARLES AND BRITTA ANDERSON.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT INITIAL FUNDING FOR IT.
UM, AT ONE TIME THE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS WAS ACTUALLY PAID FOR OUT OF THE MEMORIAL FUND.
WE TOOK THAT, THE FRIENDS TOOK THAT OVER WHEN WE STARTED THE BIG RENOVATION PROJECT IN 2002 AND IT WAS GOING TO BE TEMPORARY.
WELL, IT'S NOW 2025 AND WE ARE HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO PAY FOR THAT.
THE MEMORIAL FUND DOES SUPPORT SOME OF THE CHILDREN'S MATERIALS THAT WE GET.
UM, WE JUST GOT THE PLAYAWAYS OF A VERY POPULAR CHILDREN'S SERIES AND I THINK IT'S 25 TO 50 PLAYAWAYS THAT THE KIDS LOVE.
AND PART OF THAT IS BEING PAID FOR BY MEMORIAL.
THE REST OF IT WILL BE PAID FOR BY THE FRIENDS.
AND DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY STARTED? UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T.
UH, I GO BACK, UH, AS I SAY, PROBABLY 25 YEARS.
UH, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRIENDS GROUP AT THAT TIME WAS MIRIAM BOIN, WHO WAS FOR MANY YEARS A LIBRARIAN AT CHAPPAQUA AND IS HAPPILY STILL A HASTINGS RESIDENT AND STILL ACTIVE IN HELPING TO, UH, SUPPORT AND EXPAND PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS.
UH, AND UNFORTUNATELY I THINK THE REMAINING BOARD MEMBERS AT THAT TIME ARE NO LONGER WITH US.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THE ORIGIN OF THE FRIENDS ORIGINALLY.
AND AND YOU'VE BEEN IN HASTINGS FOR 50 YEARS.
HAVE YOU SEEN ANY CHANGES IN THE COMMUNITY? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WHEN I MOVED TO HASTINGS, I WAS PART OF A FAMILY TRAGEDY TWO YEARS AFTER I MOVED IN AND
[00:25:01]
AFTER THAT AND I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LIVE ON LA FERGE AVENUE, WHICH I STILL SAY IS THE BEST BLOCK IN HASTINGS.UM, I HAVE BEEN OFF OF LA FERGE AVENUE, IT'LL BE 30 YEARS IN JULY.
WE STILL HAVE REUNIONS ONCE EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS AND THEY'RE USUALLY HELD AT A HOUSE ON LA FERGE BECAUSE WE HAD TWO LE FERGE RESIDENTS WHO EACH SOLD THEIR HOME TO THEIR CHILDREN.
AND SO THE CHILDREN'S CHILDREN HAVE GROWN UP TOGETHER AND WE'RE ALL IN TOUCH WITH EACH OTHER.
SOME OF MY VERY BEST FRIENDS WERE AND STILL ARE THE FURGE RESIDENTS.
UM, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A VERY CARING, UH, WARM, WELCOMING COMMUNITY.
AND IT WAS ALSO THE KIND AND IS THE KIND OF PLACE WHERE IF YOU WANNA KEEP YOURSELF TO YOURSELF, NOBODY IS GOING TO BUT IN.
NOBODY IS GOING TO BE NOSY OR PRY.
BUT BOY, IF YOU NEED HELP, WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR YOU DON'T KNOW IT, IF HELP IS NEEDED, ALMOST THIS WHOLE COMMUNITY IS THERE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD SOMETHING HAPPEN THAT MADE ME A RECIPIENT OF THAT CARING.
I HAVE SEEN A CHANGE IN THE LAST FIVE TO EIGHT YEARS.
AND THE CHANGE I'VE SEEN IS THAT THERE'S BEEN AN INFLUX OF PEOPLE FROM THE CITY, AN AWFUL LOT FROM BROOKLYN, WHICH MAKES ME CHUCKLE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I'M FROM.
BUT THERE ARE GROUPS WHO HAVE BEEN PRICED OUT OF AREAS IN BROOKLYN, AND I WILL PARENTHESES SAY THOSE ARE ALL AREAS WHICH WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO GO TO AS KIDS.
NOW YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY A HOUSE FOR A MILLION DOLLARS IN SOME OF THESE AREAS.
THOSE PEOPLE, ALL OF THEIR KIDS, I THINK FOR THE MOST PART WENT TO PRIVATE SCHOOL.
WELL AND NOW THEY HAVE COME TO HASTINGS, WHICH IS NIRVANA, I GUESS.
AND I SEE SOME CHANGES IN THE VALUES AND IN WHAT'S CONSIDERED IMPORTANT IN THIS VILLAGE.
I'VE ALWAYS DESCRIBED HASTIES AS A SMALL NEW ENGLAND TOWN THAT GOT LOST.
I NOW SEE MANY TWO EXAMPLES OF SOME WHO ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT SCARSDALE SOUTH.
AND THAT MAKES ME VERY UNHAPPY AND VERY CONCERNED FOR MY VILLAGE.
MY SON HAS BEEN OUT OF HASTINGS FOR 32 YEARS, LIVING IN VIRGINIA TO THIS DAY HE TELLS ME, MOM, YOU CAN'T MOVE BECAUSE I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO COME HOME.
HE HAS VERY STRONG CONNECTIONS.
HE WAS THE SPEAKER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, I GUESS THREE YEARS AGO NOW.
UH, HE HAS VERY STRONG TIES TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND I WOULD NEVER THINK OF LEAVING.
BUT THERE IS LITTLE THINGS N******G AT ME RIGHT NOW THAT ARE MAKING ME VERY UPSET THAT THE GENERAL FEEL AND FEELING OF HASTINGS IS CHANGING.
THAT IT IS BECOMING A MORE MATERIAL ORIENTED GROUP AND CONSIDERING THE WEALTH WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PUBLISHED WRITERS AND ARTISTS AND SCULPTORS, AND I COULD GO ON AND ON.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT LOST.
AND IF WE ARE MOVING TO, CONSIDERING BRICKS AND MORTAR ABOVE WHAT HASTINGS HAS ALWAYS VALUED, WHICH ARE THINGS LIKE OUR LIBRARY, THE COMMUNITY CENTER, AND CERTAINLY OUR SCHOOLS.
AND I'M VERY FRIGHTENED RIGHT NOW ABOUT WHAT MAY BE COMING.
UH, AND I WOULD HOPE NOT BECAUSE I COULD NEVER SEE MYSELF LEAVING HERE.
AND I HAVE THREE GROWN GRANDDAUGHTERS WHO GREW UP IN VIRGINIA AND WHO LIKE NOTHING BETTER THAN COMING TO HASTINGS AND BEING ABLE TO WALK TWO MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE DOWNTOWN AND BE GREETED BY PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW THEM.
AND IF MY SON IS WITH THEM, HE GETS STOPPED EVERY 10 FEET WITH SOMEBODY CALLING HIM BY NAME.
HAILEY, HOW ARE YOU DOING? AND I DON'T WANNA LOSE THAT.
HAVE HAVE THE SHOPS CHANGED SINCE YOU'VE MOVED TO HASTINGS? YES.
UH, OBVIOUSLY SOME ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, UH, PEOPLE ARE
[00:30:01]
GOING TO RETIRE.UM, WHEN I MOVED IN HASTINGS PRIME MEETS, THE ORIGINAL ONE WAS IN THE TINY LITTLE STORE THAT BECAME THE CORSET TREE.
AND UM, ONE SIDE OF THE STORE WAS THE BUTCHER AND THE OTHER SIDE WAS JOHN MELLA, WHO ORIGINALLY SOLD HIS FRUITS AND VEGETABLES OFF A TRUCK.
AND THEN HE TOOK HALF OF THIS TINY LITTLE MEAT MARKET THAT THE DOS HAD.
AND THEN THEY MOVED ACROSS THE STREET AND BECAME THE LARGER PRIME MEETS.
AND I CAN REMEMBER AT TIMES WHEN I WAS AT SEAGA, I WOULD CALL PRIMATES AT FOUR 30 AND SAY TO LENNY OR JOEY, WHOEVER ANSWERED, I'M NOT GONNA GET HOME OUTTA WORK IN TIME TO PICK UP DINNER.
AND THE ONLY QUESTION I EVER GOT WAS, WILL LEE BE HOME? 'CAUSE THAT MEANT THEY HAD TO TRIPLE THE FOOD.
AND BY THE TIME I GOT HOME FROM WORK AT SEVEN 30 OR EIGHT O'CLOCK, MY ENTIRE DINNER WAS IN THE REFRIGERATOR.
THEY KNEW WHAT WE LIKED, WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE.
THEY WOULD MAKE IT, THEY WOULD BRING IT UP, STORE IT.
AND THERE WERE SO MANY PLACES LIKE THAT.
RANDS, EXCUSE ME, HASTINGS STATIONARY, UH, WHICH WAS OWNED BY THE WEISS AT THAT TIME.
MY SON WAS TYPING OUT A COLLEGE APPLICATION AND WHATEVER TYPEWRITER WE WERE USING USED A BIG CARTRIDGE WITH THE, UH, TAPE IN IT AND IT RAN OUT AND HE NEEDED A REPLACEMENT IN ORDER TO FINISH HIS COLLEGE APPLICATION.
AND SO I CALLED DOWN TO LARRY, WHO WAS THE SON-IN-LAW, TOLD HIM MY PLIGHT.
I SAID, AND HE CLOSED EARLIER THAN PRIME MEETS.
I SAID, JUST LEAVE THE TAPE AT PRIME MEETS AND I'LL PICK IT UP ON A WAY HOME.
I GOT TO PRIME MEETS AND THEY WERE CLOSED.
WELL, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING TONIGHT, AND THIS IS LONG BEFORE THE STORES STAY OPEN SO LATE.
ANYWAY, I GOT HOME AND MY SON IS SITTING THERE TYPING AND I SAID, WHO, WHAT? WHAT'D YOU DO? HE SAID, OH, LARRY BROUGHT IT UP TO THE HOUSE.
THERE ARE STILL PLACES LIKE THAT IN HASTINGS.
OLDER ONES, UH, THERE ARE NEWER ONES.
HASTINGS BISTRO, THE TWO YOUNG MEN, BROTHERS WHO OWN THAT WILL GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP ANYBODY.
THE PASTRIES ARE AMAZING, INCREDIBLY FATTENING, AND SHE ALSO MAKES WONDERFUL HALA EVERY FRIDAY.
AND AGAIN, THE MOST WELCOMING PEOPLE.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT MOST OF HASTINGS REMAINS.
WE'VE ALSO BECOME, I THINK, QUITE A WONDERFUL SPOT FOR DINING.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESTAURANTS, WE HAVE URA AND HARVEST AND MODS OUR VERY OWN CHEERS, UM, AND BISTRO HOUSE AND BREAD AND BRINE, UM, TO HAVE A VILLAGE OF 8,000 PEOPLE AND HAVE SUCH A VARIETY OF CHOICES WHEN WE WANT TO EAT, THAT'S GOES FURTHER TO MAKING HASTINGS THE AMAZING PLACE I THINK IT IS.
WELL, YOU HAVE CERTAINLY DONE YOUR PART TO MAKE HASTINGS AN AMAZING PLACE.
THANK YOU FOR OH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LIBRARY.
AND UM, IT'S BEEN GREAT TALKING TO YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ASKING ME, SPIKE.
THANKS FOR WATCHING AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.