Founding a Library for Levittown

By Emily Rennie, Archivist for the Levittown History Collection

This January marks 75 years since the Levittown Public Library was officially chartered. To honor its diamond anniversary, the Levittown History Collection Blog will be spotlighting the history of the library.

A public library was not a part of the initial planned community of Levittown, but the need for one was nearly immediately felt. By January 1950, motivated residents from Levittown and Island Trees formed the Library Planning Committee with the goal of establishing a joint public library for the Levittown and Island Trees School Districts.¹ They held their first meeting on February 16, 1950, at the home of Clyde Kamitchis.² Members of the committee laid the groundwork for establishing and sustaining the library, worked to familiarize the community with the advantages a library would provide, and organized the vote in the districts to fund it.

Library Planning Committee. (1950). [Whether You’re…]. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (Vertical File, Levittown Public Library Planning Committee), Levittown, N.Y.

Miller, Z. K. (1921/1947). How to organize a library. Library Bureau Department, Remington Rand Inc. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (Vertical File, Levittown Public Library Planning Committee), Levittown, N.Y.

The vote for the joint district library was held on May 2, 1950.³ Voters in Levittown largely approved the measure, however, voters in Island Trees largely voted against it. In her correspondence as a leader in the Planning Committee, Clyde Kamitchis attributed the defeat in District 26 to low voter turnout⁴, and to strong anti-Levittown feeling among the older residents of Island Trees.⁵ Because both districts needed to pass the vote, the motion for a joint library had failed.⁶ Still, members of the Planning Committee were not discouraged by their initial defeat– members from Levittown and Island Trees split up and immediately began working to form separate public libraries for their communities.

The committee in Levittown District 5 took advantage of the warm summer weather and hosted several outdoor events in town to demonstrate the kind of services it could offer, including story times and concerts.⁷ The committee was so active in their efforts that they were mentioned in nearly every edition of the local newspapers. They made big headlines when they competed on the television game show, Strike It Rich, and won $280 to cover expenses incurred during their campaign to establish a library in Levittown.⁸

(1950, July). 'Strike It Rich' Game Show Host With Library Planning Committee Members [Photograph]. Photograph Collection (LHC.PHO.1036, Book VII, PHO.469). Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library, Levittown, N.Y.

If the library were to be passed, Levittown residents in 1950 would be faced with an increase of about $5.00 in annual taxes per household⁹– equal to about $65.61 today.¹⁰ This would cover a minimal budget that would fund the initial outlay of books, supplies, and salaries for a small staff to get the operation started. It did not cover costs for a facility, which was under discussion as being provided rent-free for a limited time by Levitt & Sons. The Library Planning Committee proposed this to be a “great big value for just a little money,” because, after all, “a library isn’t just a building full of musty books…it’s a friendly community center where you can get help in many of the problems that come up in your daily life.”¹¹

The resolution for a Levittown Public Library for District 5 went to a vote on October 30, 1950, and was approved by the community¹². The first Library Trustees were also elected: Newman Baum, Dr. Joseph Brennan, Laverne King, Nina Ladof, and Alice B. Miller– all of whom were  involved with the functioning of the Planning Committee. A Provisional Charter recognizing the Library was officially issued by New York State on January 19th, 1951, the commemorative date recognized to be the birthday of the Levittown Public Library.

References:

1. (n.d.). Levittown Builds a Library. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (Vertical File, Levittown Public Library Planning Committee), Levittown, N.Y.
2. Levittown Tribune. (1950, February 16). Library Committee Holds First Meeting. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (Vertical File, Levittown Public Library Planning Committee), Levittown, N.Y.
3. Library Planning Committee. (1950). [You Can Do It]. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (Vertical File, Levittown Public Library Planning Committee), Levittown, N.Y.
4. Kamitchis, Clyde. (1950, June 2). [Letter to Mr. Ira L. Cahn]. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (Vertical File, Levittown Public Library Planning Committee), Levittown, N.Y.
5. Kamitchis, Clyde. (1950?). [Letter to Miss L. Marion Moshier]. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (Vertical File, Levittown Public Library Planning Committee), Levittown, N.Y.
6. Baum, N. (1969?). Interview by Spagnoli, J. [Audiotape]. Levittown Public Library, Levittown History Collection (LHC.ORA.1017, Box 1, ORA.002), Levittown, N.Y.
7. Library Planning Committee. (1950, June 28). Meeting Minutes of the Library Planning Committee. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (Vertical File, Levittown Public Library Planning Committee), Levittown, N.Y.
8. (1950, July). 'Strike It Rich' Game Show Host With Library Planning Committee Members [Photograph]. Photograph Collection. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (LHC.PHO.1036, Book VII, PHO.469), Levittown, N.Y.
9. (1950). [A Great Big Value for Just a Little Money]. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (Vertical File, Levittown Public Library Planning Committee), Levittown, N.Y.
10. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer Price Index. [Dataset]. https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm
11. (1950). [A Great Big Value for Just a Little Money]. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (Vertical File, Levittown Public Library Planning Committee), Levittown, N.Y.
12. Levittown Eagle. (1950, October 12). [Legal Notices, Resolution No. 4]. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (Vertical File, Levittown Public Library Planning Committee), Levittown, N.Y.
13. (n.d.). Levittown Builds a Library. Levittown History Collection, Levittown Public Library (Vertical File, Levittown Public Library Planning Committee), Levittown, N.Y.