About the Board of Trustees

Why the OPL Strategic Plan is So Important

I strongly support the Ossining Library Strategic Plan and its emphasis on forming relationships that are based on Civility and inclusiveness. Civility is a word we stopped using over the last generation or two. When I was in elementary school, we were taught to be polite and respect each other. Today, Civility is not taught as a discipline and our behavior towards each other reflects its absence. Why, you might wonder, would our library make this a central topic of its Strategic Plan?

We intentionally maintain your library as a haven of knowledge, information, comfort and safety. As the Plan states:

“The library belongs to, and should feel like home to, all members of our community”.

It seems that segments of our country no longer accept this inclusiveness. Often, in the media and on social media, we have regressed to calling each other names meant to differentiate our backgrounds and beliefs. Beyond the name calling, some states across the U.S. are introducing bills intended to restrict the topics that are taught in schools. Many of them limit discussions of race, racism, gender and American history.

It is within this setting that the library staff, board and community members sought to reinforce the pillars that make Ossining a healthy place to live and raise a family. We consider the library a good starting point. As you look through the Plan, you will see how the library reaches and impacts nearly all of Ossining in many ways.

There will always be differing opinions on the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We did not make the Strategic Plan a political document, but a spiritual one. The library has a responsibility to the community to help maintain the spirit of Ossining that made it possible for so many immigrant families to settle here over the generations.

I am gratified to be part of this community. Through the efforts of our staff and trustees, the library will hopefully be here for another century.

Matthew Weiss