Library Renovation Project

We as a community, and we as the Library, have been working on this for a number of years. We appreciate and thank you for your input and continued support.

To give you a bit of history – in 1960, a group of residents wanted a neighborhood library they could call their own. A “Friends of the Library” was formed and with a great deal of hard work and community spirit our Shelter Rock Public Library was born. We first, operated from part of a small office building next to the Albertson train station and in 1969, we proudly moved to our current building.

Over the years, the direction and focus of our Library and libraries across the nation, changed to meet the needs and desires of patrons. In 1994, our Library was modestly renovated. In recent years, the need for greater renovation and restructuring became apparent. We received many requests from residents to bring our library into the 21st century.

In the spring of 2001, we had a library consultant assess our needs and recommend how to fulfill them. The consultant met with various focus groups, comprised of both patrons and staff, to get information and his report was made available for patron review.

With the help of a facilitator from the Nassau Library System, we also began a study of a Long Range Plan for the Library. We made a concerted effort to involve residents from all areas of our Library District. Three meetings were held and library expansion, technology, and programming were identified as key issues. We reported the findings and solicited comments. The content of the plan is available on our website www.nassaulibrary.org/shelter

The Library's Board of Trustees spent several years studying these findings and working with architects to develop plan. We had hoped to almost double the size of the Library from its present 23,040 sq. ft. After meeting with officials from the Town of North Hempstead, and after a careful study of many options, the Board felt that the most fiscally responsible and expedient plan at this time was to revise the direction of the project to address the most immediate needs of our existing facility.

In September, and November, 2007 (Click Here for a copy of the Handout distributed on September 19, 2007), public meetings were held to discuss and inform residents of the project. Notices of these meetings were mailed to everyone in the District. Our architect, Beatty, Harvey & Associates presented the new plan and much discussion ensued. On December 10, 2007 and on January 14, 2008 Public Hearings were held to consider and adopt resolutions approving the project, at a total budgeted cost, not to exceed 6.6 million dollars and requesting the Town to authorize the issuance of bonds.

We reported our progress and solicited comments at our Library Board Meetings, in our publication "The Scene" and on our website. We are very excited about this project and trust that the entire community will appreciate and reap the benefit from these efforts. If this project is approved, there will be much more work to be done.