[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 25, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING WESTHAMPTON FREE LIBRARY

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                         HON. MICHAEL P. FORBES

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 25, 1997

  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
Westhampton Free Library, in my hometown of Westhampton Beach, Long 
Island, on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. For the past 
century, this wondrous haven of literature has offered this tight-knit, 
seaside community a place for its children and adults to stimulate 
their intellectual curiosity and satisfy their lifelong love of 
reading.
  From its modest beginnings on March 1, 1897, as collection of a 
little more than 100 borrowed books, the Westhampton Free Library has 
endured to become the cultural center of this south shore Long Island 
village. Today, this dynamic institution boasts an impressive 
collection of traditional hardbound volumes, along with an emerging 
addition of computerized research and communication tools. There are 
more than 7,000 patrons from the communities of Westhampton, 
Westhampton Beach, Speonk, Remsenburg, East Quogue, Eastport and East 
Moriches.
  The library's original charter was signed by Melville Dewey, then the 
secretary of the New York State board of regents. This is the same 
gentleman who conceived the Dewey decimal system for cataloging books, 
the universal catalogue system used in America's schools and libraries. 
Mr. Dewey's christening foretold a bright future for the Westhampton 
Free Library.
  The library's provisional charter was granted on March 1, 1897 and 
the surnames of trustees on that document included some of the most 
prominent families in Long Island's heritage. The descendants of the 
original trustees--including John B. Raynor, Mary E. Jessup, Mabel B. 
Stevens, Daniel E. Smith and Ernest H. Bishop--are today leaders in the 
Westhampton and Long Island community.
  Perhaps the most important influence on the growth of the Westhampton 
Free Library was the largesse of Judge Harold Medina, a long-time 
summer resident of Westhampton and a true lover of books. Judge Medina 
established a library trust fund to build, furnish and equip a new 
library building as a gift to the people of Westhampton. By the Fall of 
1953, the new library was complete and Judge Medina began the work of 
establishing a new collection of books. Then in 1958, he announced 
plans to build a new wing--named the ``Judge Harold R. Medina Room''--
entirely devoted to American history and literature.
  Today, the card catalogue is located on computerized files and the 
Westhampton Free Library boasts four on-line Internet terminals, 
connecting library patrons to a vast international network of 
computers. The three multi-media CD-ROM learning stations offer patrons 
immediate access to a vast array of informational resources. Paul 
Nevins, president of the library's board of trustees, put it best when 
he said: ``You can't really call it a library anymore. It's more of a 
communications center.''
  One hundred years ago, the Westhampton Free Library was founded with 
a noble purpose of offering the finest literary and research collection 
possible. A century later, the technology and means have changed, but 
the objective remains steadfast: to provide the residents of this east 
end village ready access to vital information. Congratulations to the 
Westhampton Free Library on its 100th anniversary!

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