This is a special week in yonkers. The Grinton I. Will library, the beautiful building off Central Park Avenue which Everyone from Out of town can never find celebrates 60 years of service to the Yonkers community. I am proud to say that for 56 years I have been a patron at the Will library only to be beat by my older sister who has been a patron since it’s opening.
Originally called the Sprain Brook Library, it’s name was changed to the Grinton I. Will Library in honor of Library Director Grinton Will , a well respected individual. In Yonkers. I don’t know what the I stands for. Maybe a reader of this column Can clue me in .For the work that she did for so many years To get a new library built I figured by now the Riverfront Library would be named after Jaqueline Miller, Library Director for so many years after Mr. Will.
When the library was built the roadway became 2 levels between Arlington street and Sadore lane. This brought a Lot of traffic to an already busy road for people like my mother always trying to get some place fast!
Oh, how I remember the third floor with record players you could put your headphones on and sit and listen to the latest recordings without bothering anyone. The Fine Arts Department went from reel to reel to record to VCR recordings to cassette tapes to our latest the Compact Disc. The cassette tapes were locked in cabinets so you had to get a librarian to open it.
Sheet music was available for loan. A book of reel to reel movies that you could take out which was great if you had a reel to reel projector. There was always one in the auditorium you could use and the projector room which today is used for a meeting room more than a projector room.
When some trustees and Friends went to the library to request VCR tapes be added to the collection, the response was if we add VCR TApes today, lawn mowers were next. Mind you at one time the library loaned out works of art to Adults and children.Look around the building today and as they say the rest is history.
Before reconstruction began probably 20 years ago the second floor consisted of staff offices and the Children’s room. Always on the left wall as you entered was the scoreboard for the various reading programs listing how many books the children in the program had read. My sister always topped the list reading many more than she had to. Me, well let’s just say I read the required Number.
On the first floor we have the auditorium. Our 325 seat auditorium is one of the biggest in WESTCHESTER County Library System. The only bigger auditorium is the Riverfront with over 400 seats. Once a month children’s programs including Paper bag players, a famous children’s theater troup would perform to 325 eager children. Mrs Schoenfeld, head of children’s programming always greeted participants coming into the auditorium which most of the times had its 325 seats filled with happy kids. Mom piled everyone who could fit in the car in little blue rambler for the shows. After the show, mom, the teacher that she was was brought her carful of kids to the Children’s Room to pick out to a minimum of 3 books-hopefully more… thus my sisters love for reading.
Many people don’t know about the Patio at the end of the Reading Room. A delightful place for a reception or simply to relax with a book. I always thought how perfect the library and all its spaces would be for a New Years Night Out so many communities have. Imagine disco dancing under the stars on the patio!
The author Philip Roth died this past spring. My sister tried to read as many books of his as possible that she has not read. Let’s face it, a copy of Portnoy’s Complaint should be in our Yonkers libraries. You would think they would have a classic like that. No, the library had to get it from Mt. Vernon.
To honor the 60th Birthday of the library, We would like to get 60 books, classics and important books donated By those here today and the general public. The library will select the books missing from the collection and you simply donate the cost of the book which will have a sticker on it with your name.
The Will Library should have all the classic and well known books. You can do your. Part by giving staff time to prepare a list of classics and important books. And then paying for 1, 2, however many you can afford.
A shout out to the librarians, leadership and behind the scenes including bookmobile drivers and out in public staff for 60 years of serving the general public with a smile! And to Friends of the Library of Which I am President and the Yonkers Public Library Foundation for being an important part of what makes Yonkers Libraries the great institutions serving the public that they are. Grinton Will Library. For 60 years this, too has been an important part of Yonkers!
A final thought: When my sister was studying early childhood at NYU , one her professors, well known professor in the world of childrens literature. Constantine Georgieou Author of CHILDREN AND THEIR LITERATURE the gold standard and must read for new teachers of young children. Would give her a list of books-to take out for him for the term. She had him for 3 terms. His favorite library, where he knew he would always find the books was the Yonkers Public Library. He relied on the Yonkers Public Library collection over the NYU collection of books!
Listen to Eric Schoen on the Westchester Rising Radio Show Thursday’s from 10-11 a.m. On WVOX 1460 AM, go to WVOX.com and click the arrow to listen to the live stream or download the WVOX app from the App Store free of charge.
