Letter from the Director

Letter from the Director

I am very pleased to announce the expansion of our digital services to the Roosevelt Community.  Roosevelt Public Library is trying hard to close the digital divide; we will continue to provide new technologies for the community.  Roosevelt Public Library will be lending out 4G hotspots to the community which will enable the residents of Roosevelt to search the internet at home.  These devices will allow children and teens to do homework and search the internet for research. Adults will be able to search for jobs, speak to family and friends on the internet and do other family fun things. We continue to provide three exciting online services at Roosevelt Public library. One of these services is FREEGAL music services, which allows Roosevelt customers to freely download music and stream three hours of music every day from the Sony Music Catalog.  We have also expanded our media section of the Roosevelt Public Library with a service called HOOPLA; this service allows you to download movies, television shows, and audiobooks.  Another new service is MANGO LANGUAGE, which customer can freely learn up to over 60 languages. Roosevelt Public Library hours will also be expanding.  The library will be opening seven days per week in the near future. CONTNIUE TO LOOK FOR THE NEW HOURS OF SERVICES.

To better serve our community we have moved the Black Heritage collection to the first floor and the DVD/CD collection to the lower level.  The new DVD/CD section of the library allows us to expand the collection by 1,500 plus DVD/CD’s.  Roosevelt Public Library also has a new Business/Job Information Center in the lower level of the library.  We are in the process of developing a business series on “How to Create your Business,” “How to Write a Business Proposal” and other powerful workshops around business and job placement.  We are also in the process of building a Roosevelt Public Library Historical Room. I am hoping the library will be able to collect historical items from the Roosevelt Community. If you have anything you would like to donate to the archives, please contact Carol Gilliam our Black Heritage Librarian.  The new RPL Historical Room is located next to the Black Heritage Collection on the first floor.

Our Summer Reading programs were very successful.  We offered great programs and services for children, teens and adults.  For the first time we were able to serve lunch and snacks to all children and teens. We have also started an ESOL program we are looking for it to expand.  We will continue to provide creative programs and services for children, teens, adults and seniors.

Public libraries have to continue to change with the times.  Here at Roosevelt Public Library we want to make sure the community has access to books, technology and other programs and services.  Libraries are built in all shapes and sizes and we are lucky to have an excellent one. Public Libraries are resilient; just remember the mission statement of the Roosevelt Public Library:  “Roosevelt Public Library is the entire community’s core resource for lifelong learning, engaging one’s intellectual and personal curiosity and self-transformation.”

The best part of my day is to help reshape this library to be one of the leaders in Nassau County and New York State.  I have witnessed the start of this happening with a new board, new services, and new programming.

As a library director, I believe that we have several roles to fill, and being a community center is one of the most important. Continuing with a diverse and rich calendar of programming and services for all ages, is a very big part of being that community center.  I hope that inside the newsletter, you will find a program that will introduce you to a new concept, idea, or skill.

Remember, we are open to the public six days a week. We can be an oasis of calm in a very busy world.

See you soon,

Dr. Lambert C. Shell Sr.