The administrators of the Riverhead Free Library are taking steps toward what they hope will be an amicable separation from the Friends of the Riverhead Free Library organization due to differences over the way funds have been allocated.
“The library has had a long-standing relationship with our Friends group, but they are an independent 501c3 nonprofit organization, separate from the library,” said Library director Kerrie McMullen-Smith. “It seems that over time, their focus has gradually shifted away from fully supporting library programs in need. And the library has made numerous attempts and efforts to realign our priorities and reconcile our differences, but unfortunately, those efforts were not successful.”
Ms. McMullen-Smith stated that, because of this breakdown in communication and shift in priorities, the board had decided to find a different nonprofit that would support their goals.
“After consideration, the Board of Trustees determined that the best way to make sure the community support [through the Friends] directly benefits library patrons was to transition away from this relationship and seek one with a new nonprofit that was fully aligned with the library’s mission and services.”
Generally, the majority of donations to any “Friends” of a library organization go to support their library directly, often through supplemental programs, equipment and other items.
“Most of the community believes that when they’re donating to the Friends, that it is going to go to the library … [for] a lot of libraries, the Friends group there may solely raise money for their library,” said Ms. McMullen-Smith. “[With] our Friends group, that’s not the case. So that’s why we’re seeking to form a partnership with a new nonprofit who is in alignment with us that understands that their sole mission is to fundraise for the library.”
Ms. McMullen-Smith stated that the library has been having issues with the Friends for about two years. Each year, the director and library staff would compose a wishlist for the Friends to fund, with varying degrees of success.
“Sometimes the Friends picked what they wanted to fund, not what the library saw as priorities,” she said. “It wasn’t a negotiation or a discussion leading to a compromise on both sides. It really was [what] they decided, and we could take it or leave it. That’s not a partnership.”
Possibly the biggest problem between the organizations seems to be the amount of money the Friends reported to have in their bank account. In a recent email rebuttal from the Friends to the group’s email list, the group claims to give the library 90% to 95% of their money to support the library. However, in reports obtained from the library by the News Review, the Friends had more than $90,000 in total assets as of October 2024. The Friends donated about $30,000 for 2024, according to Ms. McMullen-Smith.
“So by the president of the Friends’ math, the library should be getting $81,000 if they’re saying we get 90% of what they have, but we’re not,” said Ms. McMullen-Smith. “I think that when it became clear that we just couldn’t get an alignment together, the Board of Trustees determined that a transition was necessary to ensure all fundraising efforts and resources directly support the library and its community.”
The Friends of the Riverhead Free Library did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
According to the group’s website, the Friends of the Riverhead Free Library was founded in 1958, and “through its programs, fundraisers, and membership drive, the Friends of the Riverhead Free Library enhance[s] and supplement[s] the varied cultural, literary, aesthetic, and humanitarian services offered by the Riverhead Free Library.”
The portion of the bylaws included in their email rebuttal states that “the organization is established primarily to support the Riverhead Free Library,” with a secondary mission to “promote a love of reading, the Arts, and to promote cultural programs offered to the Riverhead community served by the library.”
Ms. McMullen-Smith said that the Yellow Barn, which sells used books to benefit the library and has previously been operated by the Friends of the Riverhead Free Library, will be open after a short delay.
“It is the library’s primary goal to ensure a smooth transition with minimal disruption to the community. We are committed to maintaining and enhancing the programs and services that the patrons rely on, including and continuing the availability of affordable, gently used books at the Yellow Barn,” said Ms. McMullen-Smith. “I think that we want the community to know this is very important, that we know the Yellow Barn is important, and while there will be a temporary pause in operations, we are committed to reopening it as soon as possible.”
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