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Community Corner

Huntington Library Takes Aim at 21st Century

Library takes up new ways to serve the public.

In May 1971 author EB White was asked to write a letter to the children of Troy, Michigan, on behalf of the local library, to celebrate its opening.

“A library can mean many things,“ wrote White, author of Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little and the ‘Strunk & White Elements of Style.’ “It’s a place to go to get out of the rain. It’s a place to go if you want to sit and think. But particularly it is a place where books live, and where you can get in touch with other people, and other thoughts, through books…for books are people -- people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.”

This autumn the Huntington Public Library  heads into a new phase.

In December the library will have a symbolic ribbon cutting ceremony as part of its  goal to reconfigure the library so that it offer meaningful service to patrons today.

According to new library director Michael Bogin, Huntington Library will address ways to meet the needs of current and future trends in library patronage.

Among them: improve access to the latest technologies, provide more intuitive arrangement of library materials, offer more personalized services and dynamic and relevant programming, and develop the library as a focal point of community interaction. 

Some of the ideas that have surfaced include alterations in teen space, a children’s discovery area, a technology center and small business office services. Changes to the welcome desk area, infrastructural modernization, more public meeting space and enhancements to the Huntington Station branch are also being eyed.

Huntington Public Library has been in its current Main Street location for over half a century. Previously it was located in the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, also on Main Street -- and according to Bogin, as one of the oldest libraries in Suffolk County, its full history dates back to 1759.

“As the ways in which we live, work, learn and play have changed, the library has continually stepped up to meet the needs of its users,” said Bogin. “While current times make planning for the future a difficult task, through partnerships, sponsorships, targeted fund raising initiatives, and working towards the establishment of a Huntington Public Library Foundation, we hope to move forward without relying solely on funds from the annual operating budget.”

The ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled Dec. 12, at 9 a.m.  “We will introduce a new Welcome Desk, look at some conceptual architectural renderings, and usher in a phased approach that will bring us to a level of service worthy of the 21st century,” promised Bogin.

To register for the program, code HMA212 online at www.thehuntingtonlibrary.org or calling 631 427-5165 ext. 201.

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