Author Archive
Exciting Changes and Additions to Library’s Museum Pass Collection
Setauket, NY – June 25, 2018 –
Coming this summer, The Long Island Maritime Museum in West Sayville and The Sagtikos Manor in West Bay Shore will be added to Emma Clark Library’s very successful circulating museum pass program. The pass for the Long Island Maritime Museum offers 2 adults and all children (under the age of 12) free admission into the museum. The Sagtikos Manor pass admits 2 adults and 2 children for free.
In addition, 16 of the Library’s 26 museum passes are now printable, which means there’s no need to pick up or drop off passes at the Library. Simply print the passes from home – or come to the Library to print them on a public computer – and go!
The Library is thrilled that these museums and cultural institutions offer print-on-demand passes and hope that more will follow suit for the convenience of patrons.
The successful Museum Passes at Emma Clark circulated 1,312 times from June 2017 – May 2018, approximately 120 times per month. Since its inception in 2013, the service continues to grow in both popularity and offerings for the Three Village community.
Visit www.emmaclark.org/museum-passes for more information or to reserve a pass. Emma Clark Library also sells discounted tickets to the American Museum of Natural History, which may be purchased at the Circulation Desk in the Library’s lobby.
The Long Island Maritime Museum preserves Long Island’s maritime history and heritage for educational purposes.
The Sagtikos Manor was built in 1697, and expanded in 1772 and 1902. The estate served as headquarters for the British Army on Long Island for a brief time during the Revolutionary War.
The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and online at www.emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.
“The Heart of the Three Village Community”
Summer Reading for Kids Has a New Look at Emma Clark Library
Setauket, NY – June 6, 2018 –
“Libraries Rock!” is the theme for the 2018 Summer Reading Club (SRC), and this year will be rockin’ at Emma Clark Library with a new online look!
The Children’s Summer Reading Club (SRC) is a fun way to include reading and related activities in summer family time. It also helps to avoid the “summer slide,” which is the tendency for students who don’t read over the summer to forget or lose some of what they’ve learned by the fall. For those who are not yet reading, when an adult reads to the child it builds vocabulary, imagination, and teaches about the world around them.
Kids from Birth – 6th Grade are invited to join SRC by registering online right from the Library’s homepage (emmaclark.org) or in-person in the Children’s Department. After registering online (or when the child registers in-person), they will receive a new, sturdy reusable book bag while supplies last. Registration is ongoing throughout the summer and does not have to be done by a certain date. Starting Monday, June 25, earned weekly prizes will be awarded to kids who read at least one book each week. There will be weekly prizes for each child, as well as weekly raffle basket prizes. Any child may register, even if they can’t make it to the library each week.
The new, fun, and user-friendly online tool to keep track of what your child reads this summer is called Beanstack. Besides acting as an online book log, there are other benefits to tracking books on this system, such as weekly book recommendations linked to the Library catalog, which are tailored to the child’s age, reading level and interests. When the child logs in their books read, he/she will receive colorful electronic badges and be notified of prizes earned. Parents and children will also be able to view themed booklists on topics of interest (ranging from “Exploring Egypt” to “Say No to Bullying!”). Kids will also have the option to write book reviews and read learning tips and activities for each book selected.
There will be multiple family-friendly Summer Reading Celebration events at the Library throughout the summer, such as the SRC Kick-Off Carnival; Recycled Music with Jack Licitra from South Bay Arts; The Music, Bubbles, & Comedy Show: Born to Read; Prestino’s Magic; and Jester Jim. Families should check Emma Clark Library’s newsletter for dates and registration information (www.emmaclark.org/newsletters).
In addition, in following with the theme of “Libraries Rock!”, the Library would like to know what music Three Village kids are listening to these days. There will be a big wall in the Children’s Department with all of the children’s answers. Patrons are invited to view and contribute to the wall throughout the summer.
As extra incentive to read over the summer, the “Emma Cup” is back! The Library holds a friendly competition between the local elementary schools. The school that has the highest percentage of children that sign up for AND finish SRC (each child must read at least 7 books to complete the program) will have their School and Year inscribed in the “Emma Cup” trophy. SRC ends on August 31, and the winning school will be announced in September.
If there are any questions about the Kid’s SRC, email kids@emmaclark.org or call 631.941.4080 ext. 123.
************
What about the Teens? They have a Summer Reading Club as well! Teens may pick up an entry form at the Adult Reference Desk. The more books they read, the greater their chance of winning one of the fabulous gift baskets that are given away in August at the end of the program.
************
Emma Clark Library would like to thank the following businesses that support the Library and our community by donating prizes for Kids and Teens Summer Reading raffle gift baskets:
- 081 Pizza
- Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza
- Adventureland Amusement Park
- Applebee’s
- Cabo Fresh
- California Pizza Kitchen
- Campus Bicycle
- The Cheesecake Factory
- Chipotle
- Crazy Beans
- Jamba Juice
- The Long Island Violin Shop
- Luigi’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
- O Sole Mio Ristorante Pizzeria
- Panera Bread
- Port Jefferson Cinemas
- Rolling Pin Bakery
- Setauket Village Diner *
- Sky Zone, Mt. Sinai
- Splish Splash
- Soup’s On
- Staller Center for the Arts, Stony Brook University
- Starbucks
- Station Pizza
- Stone Soupe
- Stony Brook Pizza
- Strathmore Bagels – Three Village Plaza
- Target – South Setauket
- Ten89 Noodle House
- Via Pizza
- Wahlburgers
*Special thank you to Setauket Village Diner for their donation of gift cards for all of the baskets.
Last year was a stellar year for SRC at Emma Clark Library with over 22,000 books read by kids and teens, a 38% increase in books read from the previous year. The Library is confident that Three Village will surpass that number in 2018!
The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and on the web at www.emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.
“The Heart of the Three Village Community”
6th Annual Food Drive at Emma Clark Library
Setauket, NY – June 6, 2018 –
During the month of July, Emma Clark Library’s teen volunteers will be collecting nonperishable food items and toiletries, which will be donated to local food pantries. Donation boxes will be located in the Library lobby to the left of the Circulation Desk. Teen volunteers will be collecting the contributions, sorting them, and delivering them to various food pantries throughout the community. Some suggestions for food items include cereal, peanut butter, jelly, canned fruits and vegetables, rice, beans, tuna fish, juice, pasta, and pasta sauce. The food pantries can also use men’s and women’s socks, diapers, wipes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shaving cream, disposable razors, shampoo, and conditioner.
This summer, the Library will also be collecting manufacturer’s coupons, expired or not, in conjunction with R.C. Murphy Junior High School’s Girl Scout Troop 1234’s Silver Award Project. There will be a box on the food drive table. These coupons will be sorted by the Scouts and donated to the Support Our Troops® Troopons® program, which distributes coupons to military families serving around the world.
If you have any questions about the food drive or would like to become a teen volunteer, you may contact Nanette Feder, Teen Services Librarian, at 941-4080 ext. 116 or email her at teens@emmaclark.org.
The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and on the web at www.emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.
“The Heart of the Three Village Community”
Creative Teens Win the 4th Annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award
Setauket, NY – April 25, 2018 –
On Monday evening, April 23rd, Emma Clark Library, the family of the late Helen Stein Shack, local elected officials, representatives from the Three Village Central School district, and guests from the community gathered to honor the winners of the fourth annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award:
First Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Racing Star by Rebecca Blumenthal
First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Wally’s Wild Ride Nicole Freeley
Second Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): I Can Help! by Eliana Sasson
Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Freddy the Fish and His First Election Day by Samuel Kim
At the ceremony in the Vincent R. O’Leary Community Room, Library Director Ted Gutmann, along with the family of Helen Stein Shack, presented all of the winners’ books – bound and added to the library’s Local Focus Collection – along with $400 scholarships to first prize winners Rebecca Blumenthal and Nicole Freeley and $100 check for second prize winners Eliana Sasson and Samuel Kim. Mr. Gutmann explained that the event “really helps us to showcase the wonderful talent we have here, and we thank the authors and their parents for encouraging that and being here tonight.”
Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn, Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Valerie Cartight, and Carol Nucci (representing Senator John Flanagan) spoke at the event, and the winners also received certificates from Senator John Flanagan, Legislator Kara Hahn, and Councilwoman Valerie Cartright. Library Board Treasurer Deborah Blair and Trustee Richard Russell were there to congratulate the winners. And Three Village Central School District President of the Board of Education William Connors, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services Kevin Scanlon, Ward Melville High School Principal Alan Baum, Ward Melville High School Librarian April Hatcher, Murphy Junior Junior High School English Department Chair Cathy Duffy and Murphy Junior High School Librarian Betsy Knox were all in attendance.
Guests enjoyed special treats donated by The Bite Size Bake Shop, a local Three Village-owned business. Ward Melville High School teen volunteer Madison Buddine photographed the event.
The Helen Stein Shack Book Contest called for teens in grades 7 through 12 who live in the Three Village Central School District to create a children’s picture book. Each entry could be the work of a single author/illustrator or a collaborative effort of an author and an illustrator. The contest was divided into two grade categories, grades 7 through 9 and grades 10 through 12, with one First Prize Winner and one Second Prize Winner selected from each group. This award is given in memory of Helen Stein Shack by her family.
“As Ms. Shack clearly knew, children’s literature does a lot for the community, as well as the young children themselves. It helps to promote brain development, it helps to promote language development, literacy skills, as well as creating an important bonding moment for families,” said Councilwoman Cartright.
Two of the grandsons of the late Helen Stein Shack spoke at the ceremony. Regan Kelly flew all the way from California for the event. Tamir Taylor grew up in Three Village and attended Murphy Junior High School and Ward Melville High School.
“A lot of people thank us a lot for creating this event,” mentioned Mr. Taylor. “But we really want to thank you guys because our grandmother, mother, was really important to us and by you guys participating and making this event happen and the library for making this happen, you guys give us the opportunity to remember and honor her, which is really special to us.”
The Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award brings together a large part of the Three Village community – the Library, school district, local elected officials, teenagers and their families, and all of the children that read these books. As Legislator Kara Hahn remarked, “What a great way to encourage teenagers to think about…what’s important to them and how to express that in a way that will resonate with children.”
The Library is grateful to the children of the late Mrs. Shack who have established a substantial endowment with the Library to cover the cost of the winning scholarships. And all at the Library are very appreciative of the support from all involved in this unique and special contest.
The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and on the web at www.emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.
“The Heart of the Three Village Community”
New “Binge Boxes” at Emma Clark Library
Setauket, NY – April 11, 2018 –
Movie binging has never been easier! New “Binge Boxes” will be available at Emma Clark Library cardholders later this spring. Each box includes 4 – 6 DVDs that share themes such as “Romantic Comedies”, “Based on a Book”, “Sports on Screen”, “Courtroom Drama”, “Family Movie Night”, “Fright Night”, “Classic Films”, “Marvel Superheroes”, and “British Favorites.”
Binge Boxes are perfect for when you are stuck inside (sick days, snow days, or rainy days!), sleepovers, movie nights, holiday weekends, staycations, or when you just want to be lazy and watch movies all day. Or some might want to check out a mini-movie collection to enhance their knowledge of famous films.
Just like movies, the Binge Boxes may be borrowed for up to 7 days and may be renewed up to 6 times unless it has been reserved by someone else.
Now you can effortlessly catch up on the movies you always wanted to watch. Thanks to the Library, you can borrow hours of entertainment in one compact box!
Questions? Feel free to email askus@emmaclark.org.
The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and online at www.emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.
“The Heart of the Three Village Community”


