End for the Donnell?

The Times reports that the Donnell Library on W. 53rd Street, where the original Winnie-the-Pooh is housed, is going to be torn down. In return from $59 million from Orient-Express Hotels, the library will return as part of two floors of an eleven-story hotel on that space.

I was very saddened to read this news. I am a library hound, and the Donnell is one of my favorites. It has a decent general-circulation section, extensive research and children's sections, and an auditorium that features a variety of performances. It is also a great place to stop into if you're in midtown and you need to use the bathroom.

It sounds as though the new Donnell is going to be much smaller. I realize the New York Public Library needs that $59 million, but do they have to downsize a library to get it?