Vote set for $5.5M bond proposal to renovate Mattituck-Laurel Library

The Mattituck-Laurel Library will hold a bond vote Tuesday, June 17, regarding a $5.5 million bond that would fund library renovations. 

The renovations would be the first the library would undergo in 25 years, according to library director Shauna Scholl.

“We’re looking to upgrade the existing space and lay it out a bit differently to improve form and function,” Ms. Scholl said. She added that the building’s HVAC system, roof, plumbing and foundation are in need of some long-awaited updates.

The plans would add 235 square feet to the library’s existing 5,607-square-foot lower level, add 751 square feet to the existing 8,907-square-foot first floor, and add a 2,142-square-foot second floor to the building. 

These renovations, the board of trustees believes, would help the library accommodate the expanding range of programs and services it continues to provide the community. 

“We want to position ourselves for future generations of library users, and currently, the building has been used well in 25 years and could use a refresh,” Ms. Scholl said. 

Proposed renovations

A new, 465-square-foot ‘teen space’ would be situated near the adult services area, according to the renewal project website. The area would be nearly twice the size of the existing 262-square-foot teen space and be enclosed with a door and windows. Teens will also have access to the new ‘makerspace’ included in the plans. 

The library’s children’s area would be reconfigured to enhance its layout and overall usability as part of the project. 

A second large meeting space and a mid-size meeting space would be added as well. The two small meeting spaces in the library’s lower level would be combined to a single mid-size meeting space that would function as the library’s Learning Lab. 

In the plans, the library director’s office would be relocated to the second floor to free up community space on the first floor, according to the project site. Ms. Scholl will still be accessible to the public and maintains an open-door policy for staff and visitors alike, she said. 

The second-story space would be built above the existing circulation desk area and would house another mid-size meeting space, staff offices, the art gallery and more public space. 

As part of the renovations, the library’s exterior entryway would be reimagined to create a more accessible and welcoming entrance.

The bond would also fund renovations to the library’s interior, such as its lighting, design and accessibility features. The plan additionally includes four new quiet study rooms, with one- to two-person occupancy, and 10 seats in the adjacent area dedicated to quiet study. 

During renovations, an estimated 18-month period according to Ms. Scholl, library services would be continued in a scaled-down capacity at an off-site location. The renovations could start as soon as summer 2026 if the bond is approved. 

“We definitely want to continue providing services, even if it’s on a limited basis,” Ms. Scholl said of a potential off-site or temporary facility such as a trailer.

Fiscal impact

The $5.5 million allocated in the proposed bond is something the library’s board of trustees tried to be as “fiscally conservative as possible” with when crafting, Ms. Scholl said. Patchogue firm Nemschick Silverman Architects, P.C. has included contingency in the project budget to reflect the potential impact of tariffs from the Trump administration. 

“We didn’t want to move forward living under the threat of fear,” Ms. Scholl said of the “volatile” state of the federal government. “We wanted to move forward with what was best for the library.”

Funding that libraries receive from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) was left in limbo following a March 14 executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The call to dismantle the IMLS has been challenged in a lawsuit filed by 21 state attorneys general — a legal proceeding that has so far ruled in favor of libraries. The proceedings still have a ways to go, but federal district court judge John J. McConnell Jr. issued an injunction on the executive order Tuesday, May 6, on the basis that it violated the Administrative Procedure Act, per an NPR report.

Ms. Scholl recognized public concerns over the continued rising costs of living, but said she and the board want the community to support the bond at this time. 

The bond would be financed through a Dormitory Authority of the State of New York bond over a maximum period of 30 years, according to the bond proposition legal notice. 

Voting information

For more information about the renewal project renovations, neighbors are invited to attend an information open house at the library meeting room Wednesday, June 4, at 5 p.m.

Residents who live in the Mattituck-Cutchogue Union Free School District can vote in the library’s community room Tuesday, June 17, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Applications for early, mail and absentee ballots can be obtained through June 10 by visiting district clerk Lisa Bieber’s office. The mailing address is 385 Depot Lane, Cutchogue. For more information, call 631-298-4242 ext. 3101 or email [email protected].