Renovation complete: a cause for celebration at the Shelter Island Library
It took almost half a century, but on Saturday the community celebrated the first major renovation of the library since it was built in 1964, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that officially re-opened its lower level.
That space — formerly cramped and musty and the library’s only place for community events, movies, children’s activities, the book sale, storage and stacks — has been transformed.
It is now light and airy, with comfortable audience seating, state-of-the-art aud
io visual equipment, mobile shelving, art gallery space, an outdoor reading patio and an open, attractive book sale room.
The entire floor is handicap accessible with two entrances to and from the outside, as well as inside — a modern elevator that connects the lower level with the main floor.
In all, more than $875,000 was raised for the renovation, which was funded entirely through donations and grants.
There were plenty of thanks to go around on Saturday during the brief remarks by several of the key players.
• The contributions of the Leadership Circle donors – more than 120 people whose gifts ranged from $500 to $200,000 and whose names are inscribed on the wall leading down to the new space — and the fundraising efforts of library trustee and Development Committee Chair Linda Kofmehl.
• The fundraising — and fun-raising — activities of the non-profit Friends of the Library, which contributed $54,000 to the project, headed up by Sue Hine.
• The Board of Trustees and its president, Jo-Ann Robotti, and the volunteer members of the Renovation Committee, particularly Howard Brandenstein, Paul Mobius, Don Dunning, Mary Faith Westervelt, Marianne Jackson, Sue Hine and Linda Kofmehl, who worked for many months on the architectural and engineering plans and with the general contractor for the project.
• The library’s director, Denise DiPaolo, and her staff, who, with the exception of only five days, managed to keep the library open for business the entire time.
• Island organizations — the Historical Society, St. Mary’s, the Presbyterian Church, the Shelter Island Fire Department and the school — among others, who helped accommodate the library programs that had to be relocated.
On hand to celebrate and cut that opening day ribbon were County Legislator Ed Romaine, who presented Ms. DiPaolo with a “Certificate of Accomplishment,” Senator Ken D. LaValle, who has supported the library’s programs and renovation efforts with several state construction grants, and Town Supervisor Jim Dougherty, who has been a long-time friend of the library.
If you weren’t one of the nearly 200 Islanders at the library on Saturday, stop by and have a look. Better yet, enjoy the many programs, starting this weekend, that the new space makes possible.
