On May 20, residents of West Hempstead will not only be voting for their school and library budgets. They will also be voting on a $9.975 million bond referendum to build a new library at the corner of Hempstead Avenue and Locust Street, opposite the Mutual Engraving Building.

If the referendum passes, the new library, a 25,000 square foot facility, will cost residents of a typical West Hempstead home $9.85 per month over the course of the 20-year bond.

According to library officials, the bond includes the construction costs as well as the cost of moving the current collection to the new facility, outfitting the library with new furniture and all new technology, such as computers, networking, telephone and office equipment.

Library officials maintain that the new library, which occupies several rooms in the Chestnut Street School, would provide patrons more than twice the usable space as current library. However, the larger facility would require only a minimal increase in size of the library workforce.

The proposed library was a subject of discussion at a recent meeting of the West Hempstead Civic Association. The vote will take place on May 20 between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. at the West Hempstead Middle School Gymnasium.

For more information about voting requirements or to obtain an absentee ballot, contact the district clerk's office at 390-3118.