History of the Baldwin Public Library

In January 1919, shortly after the close of World War I a movement was suggested to show appreciation to the boys who had fought and died in the service of their country. The women of the Advance Club decided that their memorial to the boys would be a Free Library, as a "lasting memorial" and a service to all.

The first location of the Library would be near the Long Island Railroad crossing at Grand Avenue. There stood a group of stores which were owned by Mr. J. R. Seaman, a builder and he offered to rent one of the stores to the club to be used as a library. In March of 1919, the ladies voted to accept the offer and they decided to rent the first floor of the large building at No. 7 South Grand Avenue. The lease was signed in May, 1919 for a period of one year at $10.00 per month.

Old and new books of all types were donated by members and solicited by friends. Everyone worked to put the building in readiness, and on October 24, 1919 the Baldwin Free Library opened its doors to the public. Miss F .C. Davern, a teacher in the school system, was the first librarian, giving her services after school and on Saturdays. The club members cared for the library, catalogued books and read to children's groups.

The work of the library progressed and the number of books increased, and by the end of the first year it became necessary to seek larger quarters. It was brought to the members attention that a store at the corner of Foxhurst Road and Grand Avenue was "for sale." The owner of the store was Mr. Charles Wortman, whose wife was a charter member of the club. For a number of years this had been the General Store, and the site of the first telephone exchange in Baldwin.

At a special meeting of the members held on March 22, 1921, the 25 members present passed a resolution that the club be incorporated under the name "Woman's Advance Club of Baldwin, Inc." In the meantime, the property was purchased by a friend and benefactor of the Club, Mr. William G. Bixby and held until the Club received its charter and was able to take the title. In April, 1921 the papers of incorporation was received and the Library Committee reported the purchase for $10,000 of the triangular corner of Grand Avenue and Foxhurst Road. Many busy days were spent getting the building ready and in the Spring of 1921 the Club opened the doors of the "new library" to the public.

On February 9, 1922 the Library was registered with the State Education Department in Albany in order to receive the state grant of $100.00. As Albany required a Board of Trustees to assume responsibility for library affairs, the members voted that the Board of Directors of the Woman's Advance Club, which had been taking care matters, serve in the capacity of Trustees of the Baldwin Free Library.

Early in 1932, realizing that the cost and responsibilities of the library had become too great for one organization, and that the library might be made more valuable to the people of Baldwin if it had sufficient financial support, the Woman's Advance Club decided to offer the library to the Baldwin School District. On April 21, 1932, at a special meeting of the Woman's Advance Club, by unanimous vote of the 22 members present, it was formally agreed to transfer to the school district all property, real and personal, on condition that the district assume the payment of the existing mortgage of $4,800.00. On July 5, 1932, in the auditorium of the Baldwin High School on Pershing Boulevard, the voters of Union Free School District #10, Town of Hempstead, met to decide the following two propositions (among others):

Proposition #1: Shall a public library be established in Union Free School District No. 10, Town of Hempstead Nassau County?

Proposition #2: Shall the offer of the Woman's Advance Club of Baldwin, Inc., to convert to the District for the establishment of such a public library, all of its property real and personal be accepted?
In spite of expressed opposition, the taxpayers, by a vote of 108 to 76, ratified the propositions to relieve Woman's Advance Club of the Baldwin Free Library and to maintain it as part of the School District. On Thursday, December 8, 1932, at their annual Christmas party held at the home of the president, Mrs. George Bode, the Woman's Advance Club with all the library trustees present, turned over the state charter, keys, and deed to the property to Willard Bixby, the President of the Board. From that moment on the maintenance of the library passed into the hands of the School District, to be supported by the taxpayers of the district, and thenceforth to be known as the "Baldwin Public Library."

In the middle of 1950 the library was faced with a problem of major proportions. The Library Board was informed that Nassau County was considering the widening of Foxhurst Road and that "the latest plan would deprive the library of 6,700 feet of its 15,000 square feet, leaving little more than the ground on which the library actually stands." After learning of these considerations, recommendations were made to the Board that immediate action be taken to obtain a new site for the library. After nearly 10 years of committee meetings, discussions, letters, petitions, polls, reports, votes on various proposed locations, and campaigns, a decision was finally made by the voters. On October 28, 1959 a vote of 1,196 to 987 approved a $375,000.00 bond to build a new library at 2385 Grand Avenue.

While construction of the new library was taking place, the Baldwin Public Library submitted a request for membership into the Nassau Library System on April 21, 1960. The library is still a member today.

In November 1961, the general contractors announced that they had finished their work and that the building was now ready for equipment and shelving which was completed by the middle of December 1961 and the Board made plans for Opening Day. The Board decided to permanently close the old library building on December 20, 1961 and the date of the opening of the new library was scheduled for Monday, January 15, 1962, with formal opening ceremonies to be held on the preceding day, Sunday, January 14.

Today the library's Mission Statement is: The Baldwin Library is an educational, cultural and recreational institution serving all ages and interests in the Baldwin community. It is the mission of the Baldwin Public Library to provide programs and services to promote enlightened citizenship and enrich personal lives.