Author Archive

ABCMouse now free at home!

ABCmouse is the award-winning early learning resource for math, phonics, reading, and more. Designed by learning experts, your child can practice anytime, anywhere. It has interactive books, educational games, puzzles, and more for ages 2 – 6+.

With your library card, you can now access ABCmouse at home for free! Click Here, choose New York, find Emma S Clark Library in the drop down menu, and then enter your library card’s barcode and your Library PIN or password.

Once you hit submit, you should see a page with the name of your library across the top. This page also contains fields for a name and email so you can make separate ABC Mouse accounts for each child in the household. You can even log in and track your child’s progress.

Questions? Email kids@emmaclark.org

Library Café, Operated by Level Up Kitchen, Now Open

Setauket, NY – December 11, 2023 –

Emma S. Clark Memorial Library has unveiled its new café, the much-anticipated final phase in a construction project that was announced in 2021, which includes the café, a new outdoor terrace, and better flow for the library’s main reading room. This 2-year project is helping to make the library even more of a community center than it was before – inviting those to come and stay for a while – and meeting the different needs of the library’s various constituents.

More info & menu at emmaclark.org/cafe

The café, now open to the public, is run by Level Up Kitchen, a local business which was selected from a pool of candidates to be the food and beverage vendor, as was publicized by the Library in May of this year.

Owned and operated by Three Village native and chef Chelsea Gomez, Level Up Kitchen Library Café promises fresh coffee and healthy, handcrafted fare that meets a variety of dietary needs. The menu includes nut-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan items, avoiding cross contamination with allergens. Moreover, Ms. Gomez places importance on sustainability, working with local farms and purveyors where possible to stimulate the local economy and provide the freshest, high-quality ingredients. Ms. Gomez possesses extensive knowledge of food safety, and all of her employees are Suffolk County Department of Health-certified food managers.

In addition to the outdoor terrace which opened last summer, a new indoor seating area was added adjacent to the café. Architect John Cunniffe, a local Stony Brook resident who has experience in preserving historical accuracy, ensured that the café and seating area showed architectural sensitivity to the historic section with the same refined feel. Urban Village Contracting, Inc., a 3V-resident-owned local company executed the construction. The library was able to complete the entire construction project without having to close at all for its patrons.

A café is a very popular addition among today’s libraries. It allows for more flexibility and options for the public, both to visit the library more often, as well as to extend their stay. The library is not solely a building full of books, but where individuals or groups may leisurely enjoy the beautiful space. Those who are studying or working may now take a break for a quick snack or meal, without having to leave the library. Before or after a library program, attendees may have something to eat or drink. Those who live or work in the neighborhood may stop in to grab a coffee or a bite to eat. Friends may meet at the library for coffee or a meal and browse books together. The café simply enhances that welcoming feel and accommodates those who would like to stay longer.

This “new” Emma Clark Library is not so much a transformation, as it is a rejuvenation of the Library, staying true to its historic roots and yet accommodating its 21st century constituency. The Library Board of Trustees and Staff are thrilled to offer these improvements to the community here in Three Village.

Level Up Kitchen is owned and operated by Three Village native and chef Chelsea Gomez. Ms. Gomez graduated from Pennsylvania College of Technology with a degree in Culinary Arts in 2006, and prior to founding Level Up Kitchen Ms. Gomez was Executive Chef at the much-loved Pentimento Restaurant in Stony Brook, which closed in 2021. Ms. Gomez is fully invested in the Three Village community, having grown up in Setauket, and she is currently raising her young family here.

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”

###

Visit the Library Café

February Programs in Celebration

Black background with red, yellow and green colors. Text says "Black History Month"

Join us for these programs that educate and celebrate the achievements, culture, and contributions of Black Americans, in honor of Black History Month:

From the Pen of a Formerly Enslaved Man (In-Person Event)
Monday, February 3, 2025. 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
In 1819, Bridgehampton resident Cato Crook (1763-1841) wrote to a prominent Smithtown landowner, Elias Smith, protesting the ill treatment of his so-called runaway niece and requesting that she be granted her freedom. Join Southampton Town Historian Julie Greene to learn about Cato and the Crook family. Discover historical documents that offer a glimpse into the complex and painful world of slavery and servitude on Long Island in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Open to all Suffolk County residents. Click here to register now.

Louis Armstrong: King of Queens (Online Class)
Thursday, February 27, 2025. 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Louis Armstrong was one of the most famous and influential musicians of all time, changing the course of music with his innovations as a trumpeter and vocalist. Yet while he toured all over the world throughout the course of his illustrious career, he called Corona, Queens home for the last 28 years of his life. Join GRAMMY-winning author and historian Ricky Riccardi as he discusses Armstrong’s historic career, shares rare footage, and tells the story of Louis and Lucille’s love affair with Queens, which now serves as home for both the Louis Armstrong House Museum and the brand-new Louis Armstrong Center. Open to all Suffolk County residents. Click here to register now.

Questions? Email askus@emmaclark.org

10th Annual Beloved Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest

Setauket, NY – October 17, 2023 –

This coming year marks the 10^th annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest for junior high and high school students, hosted by Emma Clark Library. This contest, which asks participants to create an original picture book for children, is now open to those in grades 7 – 12 who reside in Three Village. The winning teens receive a significant monetary award, are honored at a distinguished ceremony, and have their original books added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection.

Ten years ago, the family of the late Helen Stein Shack came to the Library with an endowment from their mother, who had always loved Emma Clark and often brought her children and grandchildren there, as it was one of her favorite places. The four siblings – Sherry Cleary, Barbara Kelly, Karen Shack Reid, and Edward Taylor – met with Library staff and shared fond memories of their mother’s enthusiasm for the Library. This was the impetus for launching the contest in Mrs. Shack’s memory and using the endowment for prize money each year.

Students in grades 7 – 12 who live in Three Village may enter the contest by creating a children’s picture book. This is a fantastic opportunity for teens to showcase their creativity through words and art and make something for the children in the community. Participants may submit their entry as an individual or collaborate with a friend. Winners are announced in March, and there is a ceremony in April (the birth month of Mrs. Shack) honoring the winners and their talents. In addition to Library Trustees and staff, in the past, teachers and top school district administrators, as well as representatives and elected officials from New York State, Suffolk County, and Brookhaven Town, have all been in attendance at the event.

Last year’s Grand Prize winners were Julia Hou (Grades 7 – 9 category) and Celia Gordon (Grades 10 – 12 category). The public may view previous year’s winning entries at emmaclark.org/picturebookaward.

Contest Details: The contest is 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. Each entry can be the work of a single author/illustrator or can be a joint effort between an author and an illustrator. The picture book entries must be their own original work (both artwork and text).

How to Enter: Those in grades 7 – 12 who reside in Three Village may obtain an Official Entry Form in-person in the Library’s lobby or at emmaclark.org/picturebookaward starting October 17, 2023. Included with the form are the contest procedures & guidelines. They should bring their completed picture book, along with a completed Official Entry Form, to the Children’s Department by the contest deadline, January 31, 2024.

Prizes and Winner Information: Each of the First Prize award recipients will receive $400, and each of the Second Prize award recipients will receive $100 (in the event that a winning entry is a collaboration, the prize will be shared). Winning entries are bound, made into a hardcover book, and added to the Library’s shelves. Additional copies of the winning books will also be available for purchase by family and friends. Winners and their families will be invited to an awards ceremony on Monday, April 8, 2024. All entrants will receive a Certificate of Participation.

The Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award is given in memory of Helen Stein Shack by her family. As a teacher, Mrs. Shack was committed to the education of children, and she especially loved literature written for them. She was a frequent visitor to Emma Clark Library where, even in retirement, she kept current with the latest children’s books. The Library is grateful to the children of the late Mrs. Shack who have established a substantial endowment with the Library to cover the ongoing cost of the prizes.

Please note: A maximum of one entry will be accepted per individual. Entries may be a collaboration of no more than one author and one artist/illustrator. Entrants must live within the Three Village Central School District. Emma Clark employees, trustees, and members of their household are not eligible to enter. For a complete listing of the rules, visit emmaclark.org/picturebookaward.