After 28 years on the staff of the Westbury Library, the last five as its director, Barbara Krampitz retired last Friday, passing the torch to the newly appointed director Cathleen Towey.

After finishing out her five-year appointment as director, Krampitz is joining her husband, David, in retirement.

"I care a lot about the library. It's my community. I'm pleased to have been a part of the important Westbury community through the library," Krampitz said in an interview at the library last Friday. "I feel I'm leaving the library in good hands. I'm enthusiastic about those good hands."

Towey, who previously was director of adult services for the Port Washington Public Library, for close to 10 years, expressed much excitement about her new role in the local community. She said she was first impressed by the community when she participated in a grant-funded Family Literacy Project at the Westbury Library about 10 years ago. "So when the job opened up, I was particularly interested in applying here," she said. "I really like the fact that it's very diverse. And it's very beautiful."

Westbury's diversity, coincidentally, was the aspect that attracted Krampitz and her family to the community as well, many years ago, the long-time resident recalled. "It was the diversity that called us here, and the fact that it had some history, and downtown, for my children to walk to services and programs," she recalled, adding, "I think Westbury is an ideal location on Long Island." As she leaves the library's head post, she is proud of the way that the institution has served this community over the years. "I think it is perceived of as a little gem in the community," she described. "I think people are proud of their library."

The Westbury Public Library is located in the heart of the community on Jefferson Street, just behind the Westbury Community Center on Post Avenue, and across from the Westbury Middle School on Rockland Street. The library system boasts an historic children's library that was founded in 1924, and a Children's Satellite Library that was opened last year at the Park Avenue School, in cooperation with the Westbury School District. The adult library was renovated in the early 1990s, with much increased stack space and a new meeting room. The traditional children's library was renovated in 1996 and made accessible to the disabled. The library system currently has 8,129 registered borrowers, and in 2000, 96,742 people passed through the turnstiles at the adult library alone. Services offered to the community include story-times and crafts at the children's libraries, book clubs, art shows, concerts, bus trips, craft programs for adults, safe driving courses, feature films, classes in cooking, fitness and arts, and computer/Internet instruction. In addition, English language classes are offered weekly for new immigrants.

Asked what she hopes to achieve as the new director, Cathleen said, "I'm sure I'm going to carry on the very wonderful foundation that's been laid by Barbara." She also said she hopes to get out and meet the community, and to ensure that the library continues to reflect the community's needs.

In her retirement, Krampitz, an avid gardener, plans to spend much of her time in her garden at her Westbury home. She also will continue to volunteer planting flowers outside the library.

In other news from the Westbury Public Library, the library's proposed operational budget of $1,923,600 was approved by local voters by a margin of nine to one on Tuesday, April 3. Approval of the budget results in a tax increase of approximately $1.42 per month for the average homeowner assessed at $7,000 per year, or $17.04 per year. In addition, Charles J. Hugh was re-elected to a five-year term as library trustee.