2004 has been quite a successful year for the Westbury Memorial Public Library. Circulation has nearly doubled since last year, library cards have increased dramatically over 2000's totals and the merge with the Carle Place Public Library Funding District has proved to be an overall benefit for everyone. For Cathleen Towey, such factors have made her nearly four years as the library's director a rewarding and challenging experience, making her decision to take a one-year unpaid leave effective Jan. 1, a difficult one.

"This will be a great opportunity for me," said Towey, who will be leaving to take on a special project at a new library on Long Island. "I hope to expand my skills in such a way that when I come back [to Westbury] I will be able to share what I learned and further improve the Westbury Library." Towey added that despite the leave, she will be "completely available and in constant contact with Westbury." Jessica Koening, current assistant to the director, will be leading the library during Towey's leave.

Towey, who first joined the Westbury Library in March 2001, said she is very proud of the direction the library has taken over the past few years, particularly with the merger between Westbury and Carle Place. "The integration between Carle Place and Westbury has been beautiful," said Towey. "The additional tax dollars have enabled us to hire a new children's librarian, a computer helper and a clerical assistant as well as greatly increase our book, film and music selection, which then resulted in an enormous increase in circulation."

The Westbury Library's circulation, as of August 2004, was at 20,252, a 77.4 percent increase over August 2003's 11,416 circulation total. In addition, a July report from the Nassau Library System stated that there are now 14,389 Westbury Library cardholders, up 5,061 from 2000's cardholder total of 9,328. Currently, the library is working with the Rushmore School to see that every student has a library card. The goal is to work with all the schools so that each student can take advantage of everything the library has to offer. The library will also be doubling the number of computers available to the public and will be hiring a Spanish-speaking computer helper.

According to Towey, student behavior at the library after school, which has been a problem for nearly two decades, has also improved. "I am really proud to say that it's really not a problem anymore," she said, adding that in addition to better security, which includes a horse cop and a great relationship with the 3rd Precinct, the library's Striver's Club, which meets once a week, works with students on various initiatives, including ethics and behavior.

Perhaps one of the biggest accomplishments, said Towey, is the success of the partnership between Carle Place and Westbury in the offering of library services. "We've integrated so beautifully with Carle Place," she said. "The joining of the two communities has provided resources, enthusiasm and energy to move the library to a much higher level. Carle Place brought a whole new level and it's exciting."

Despite so many wonderful accomplishments and improvements, Towey said one of most compelling reasons she chose to take the leave at this point in time is the ongoing legal conflict between the library and former employee Joan Boes.

In 2002, the Westbury Library changed the part-time cultural program position, which was held by Boes, to full-time in order to meet the growing population and programming needs of the Westbury community. Since civil service law required the library to hire from a certified civil service list of people who had passed a test to be eligible for the full-time position, and Boes had not taken the exam, she was let go. In her suit, however, Boes alleges that the library did not permanently replace her with a full-time cultural program specialist certified by the Nassau County Civil Service Commission.

As a result, she is suing the library, its director, current and past board members, and three employees who were officers of the library's staff association; and her claims include, but are not limited to, deprivation of rights, privileges and immunities secured to her through the US Constitution such as freedom of speech, procedural due process, breach of contract, negligence and breach of fiduciary (obligation to act in the best interest of another party) duty, conspiracy to deny civil rights and discrimination of New York State Labor Law §201-d. Through the suit, she is seeking to be reinstated as the library's full- or part-time cultural program specialist employee. She is also demanding compensatory and punitive damages in the amount of $1.2 million as well as attorney fees and other such relief that the court may deem just and proper.

As it stands now, the lawsuit is still in the hands of the lawyers. Earlier this year, mediation between the two sides - Diane Krebs for the library and Thomas Liotti, a Westbury village justice, for Boes, failed. As a result, the case is expected to return to federal court on Dec. 7. Boes' husband, Larry, currently sits on the library's board of trustees.

"This conflict is making it difficult for me to do my job," said Towey. "I hope when I return in 2006, there will have been a resolution to this situation. Overall, I am most proud that I raised the overall quality of the library in every sense of the word."