In a letter about the Rockport Library Committee's process for deciding what to do about the overcrowded conditions, inability to add to the collections, inadequate young adult and children's spaces, lack of parking, etc., etc., etc. the phrase "deja vu all over again" was used in reference to work done by the Steering Committee, nine Rockport residents chosen by the Library Committee to investigate all the possibilities over the last three and a half months. I acted as the chairman of this committee and wrote the report with everyone's valuable input. It is available at the library and on its website.

Because we ended up recommending the same site that the Library Committee used a year ago for a firm of architects' conceptual plan, some people assume we did nothing but conspire against the existing library building. Interestingly enough, two committee members were among the most vociferous proponents of this opinion were asked to be on the Steering Committee, but they quit in unison the third week.

Bill Leone recently said in a letter to the editor that he was "compelled to resign my position early on because I could see the criteria used would only lead to the selection of the RES site."

Let me address this statement directly, as well as point out some other questionable parts of his letter.

First, it is necessary to understand how committees work, with everyone having an equal voice. Our responsibility was to evaluate all possible locations, including the existing site. 

There was a suggestion to just get an architect to design as big a building as possible for the park adjacent to the library (Veterans Memorial). At that point, the two committee members had already decided that the current building would not work. When the committee continued to investigate other possible sites, those individuals asked to be able to work on their own, then resigned at the third meeting.

Both were pleaded with to remain and work on the committee. It's all in the minutes.  

Second, the criteria with which Mr Leone disagreed. These were concerned with the ability to build at a reasonable cost a library at least 50 percent larger than the effective size of the one we have, with the possibility of being cost-consciously expanded again on the same site in the future, should it be needed. Other criteria included safety and convenience for people to come to the library from all over Rockport and get as much help and information as they need. And that's about all. Please read the report for yourself. 

The Steering Committee report did not recommend a building of any particular size or cost, just a site we feel can serve the town for at least 20-plus years. 

Here are the numbers: The current library has about 3,400 square feet. According to standards of the American Library Association the programming already being done should have 6,000 square feet to be comfortable. We set the minimum at to 10,000 square feet - about 50 percent more than what we effectively have now. We insisted on a site that could not only hold a building comfortably, but that the site and the building be designed to be expandable to 14,000 if needed in the future without having to start all over again.

Third, Mr. Leone states that the population hasn't changed for decades, therefore the library’s needs also haven’t changed. Except that he’s wrong. Between 1990 and 2010 Rockport's population grew by 17 percent (Maine’s only grew by 8 percent)  But even if it were true that "Rockport's population has not changed for decades,” why hasn't he been fighting against the much larger buildings and budget increases in our schools? Why was there need for a new ($25 million) high school? Why not simply remove the mold from the elementary school (the new one cost $14 million)? Why are we talking about a new ($18 - 20 million) middle school? Weren't the old schools just fine? They were cute and New-Englandy and were good enough for our parents, why not for our children? 

Public libraries are just as important as school buildings. And if Mr. Leone is concerned with educating everyone in Rockport, then a cramped building on a tiny spit of land inconvenient for 95 percent of Rockport residents is a problem. 

Fourth, Mr. Leone suggests that the present building is perfect if we just rebuild the building, add a bathroom and more office space, get "more efficient book shelves" (what does that mean?), make better use of "other town venues for meeting space" (which ones?), and get "better dedicated and managed parking." He must mean making the surrounding streets ‘library parking only’ and hiring a valet. 

Finally, there's another red herring: that our library is simply the librarians, and they are wonderful (we agree on something). Sure. But why is that a reason to not build a new library? Does anyone think we are going to fire the staff when we build a new building? Not true, no matter what they tell you. Although we did lose a much loved library director a year ago due to personal attacks. Deja vu, anyone?

These issues are not simply corrected with a "sound business plan,” as he suggests. Even Yogi Berra would know a library is not a business, it’s a much loved service we give each other.

Jan Rosenbaum lives in Rockport.