The Heart of the Three Village Community
Category: News Items
Emma Clark’s “Little Free Library” is Back at West Meadow Beach
Setauket, NY – June 22, 2021 –
At the beach and forgot your book? No problem. Emma Clark Library is thrilled to announce that the Little Free Library is back at West Meadow Beach for all to enjoy this summer.
The Little Free Library was made from recycled materials in 2016 and is installed at the beach every summer. The library has now returned and will once again be maintained by different Library teen volunteers each week. The teens also earn community service credit from Emma Clark for their commitment.
The Town of Brookhaven and Nicole Pocchiare, Environmental Educator, have once again graciously given their consent to host the Little Free Library at the beach. Council member Jonathan Kornreich was at this year’s installation of the structure.
“Literacy is the cornerstone of any developed society and making books available to people throughout the community helps expand opportunity to engage in learning,” remarked Councilman Kornreich. “Thank you to the library’s teen volunteers for maintaining this curated collection of books for the enjoyment of all.” Councilmember Kornreich went on to say, “As residents enjoy some summer fun at West Meadow Beach, I hope they will stop by the Little Free Library and pick up a book, courtesy of our friends at Emma S. Clark Memorial Library.”
There’s no need for a library card or to return a book – this is a “take a book, leave a book” concept presented by Emma Clark. Library staff and the public contributed books for the sole purpose of the Little Free Library (books are not owned by Emma Clark – don’t return your library books here!). The Little Free Library is kept well stocked with a variety of books for beachgoers, young and old alike. There is no need to live in Three Village to share in this give and take project, as long as you are a visitor at West Meadow Beach.
The Little Free Library is located under the pavilion at the beach. It is also registered on www.littlefreelibrary.org and can be found on the site’s official map of all Little Free Libraries across the United States and worldwide.
The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and online at emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.
“The Heart of the Three Village Community”
Outdoor Concert on the Beautiful Lawn of Emma Clark Library
Setauket, NY – June 16, 2021 –
Bring a blanket, chair, or even a picnic and enjoy a relaxing summer evening in Setauket. Emma Clark Library is hosting an outdoor concert on the library lawn on Friday, July 23 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Taylor Ackley & the Deep Roots Ensemble will play old favorites from the folk, country, and bluegrass repertoires, as well as original music from their new album Hard Tellin’.
This concert is open to the public, and there is no registration. In the event of rain, the concert will be held on Friday, July 30.
The Deep Roots Ensemble performs traditional repertoire and original music which reflect the historical diversity and continuing creativity of folk music practices in the United States. Their style blends classical chamber music instrumentation and techniques with traditional American music performance practice and jazz improvisation into a refined and cohesive approach to making music. This results in an artistic output which is highly innovative while remaining familiar and relatable to audiences with a wide range of tastes.
The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and online at emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District. “The Heart of the Three Village Community”
Virtual Ceremony Honors 2020 & 2021 Winners of the Library’s Picture Book Award
Setauket, NY – April 21, 2021 –
This year, Emma Clark Library board members & staff, the family of the late Helen Stein Shack, elected officials, representatives from the Three Village Central School District, and guests from the community gathered virtually on Monday evening, April 20th to honor the winners of the 2020 & 2021 Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award:
2021 Winners:
First Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Alice Helps by Julia Garcia-Diaz and Lea A. Nekrasov (8th graders at Gelinas Junior High)
First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): A New Normal by Rebecca Blumenthal (12th grader at Ward Melville High School)
Second Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Frankie Gets Stuck by Matthew Blumenthal (8th grader at Murphy Junior High)
Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Peanut’s Passion by Matthew Marchese (10th grader at Ward Melville High School
2020 Winners:
First Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Oliver’s Walk by Celia Gordon (last year an 8th grade homeschooler)
First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Your Part by Rebecca Blumenthal (last year an 11th grader at Ward Melville High School)
Second Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): The Knight and the Monster by Ricky Herling and Ashton Hopkins (last year both 8th graders at Gelinas Junior High School)
Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): How Tom Talks by Riley Meckley (last year a 10th grader at Ward Melville High School)
At the event, Library Director Ted Gutmann, along with the family of Helen Stein Shack, presented a slideshow celebration highlighting each of the winners and their books. The winners were a mix from Ward Melville High School, Gelinas Junior High School, R.C. Murphy Junior High School and a local homeschool student.
The Library had all of the winning entries bound and made into hardcover books. The winners received copies of the books, along with monetary awards from an endowment created by the Shack family ($400 for first prize and $100 for second prize; in a case of two students collaborating on the book together, prizes are split). The winning books will be on display in the Library’s lobby for the month of May, and then they will be added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection.
The community is grateful to the children of the late Mrs. Shack, who have established a substantial endowment with Emma Clark to cover the cost of the awards as a tribute to their mother and her commitment to passing along the importance and joy of reading for generations to come. Mrs. Shack’s daughter, Sherry Cleary mentioned, “Our mother knew that a love of reading nurtured children’s souls as well as their brains.”
NY Senator Mario Mattera was there to congratulate the winners, “I commend everyone for their hard work.”
Senator Mattera, Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, and Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich spoke at the event, as well as sent certificates from the state and town to all of the winners. Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn also sent certificates and personalized letters to all of the winners (Legislative Aide Alyssa Turano was in attendance at the ceremony).
Councilmember Kornreich stated, “The ability to write and express your ideas is going to be such a valuable skill, and I have every confidence that you here who are recipients of this award are destined for great success.”
Library Board President Deborah Blair and Vice President Christopher Fletcher were on the Zoom event to virtually applaud the winners. Three Village Central School District Trustee Deanna BavInka, Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich, Gelinas Junior High School Principal Corinne Keane, R.C. Murphy Junior High School Principal Brian Biscari, Gelinas Junior High School English Chair Michelle Hanczor, R.C. Murphy Junior High School English Chair Cathy Duffy, and Ward Melville High School Librarian April Hatcher were all in attendance.
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 between 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.
Ms. Cleary, Helen Shack’s daughter, is an expert in child development and education as the University Dean in Early Childhood Initiatives at the City University of New York, and she summed the honor up nicely:
Every year my siblings and I are overwhelmed at the talent that emerges – it is almost impossible to select winners. We recognize the generosity, wisdom, artistry, and sensitivity each author displays in their book. And this year is no different, except that this year the external forces were very different. Between a global pandemic and some of the most disturbing hate crimes and violence of your young lives, you have shown us there is a reason to hope and to look to the future with optimism. We know that our mother would be so moved by your talent, drive and tenacity – and so are we!
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”
Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award Winners Announced
Setauket, NY – March 11, 2021 –
Emma Clark Library has revealed the winners for the Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award, an annual contest for junior high and high school students in the Three Village Central School District:
First Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Alice Helps written by Julia Garcia-Diaz Lea A. Nekrasov (both 8th graders at Gelinas Junior High School)
First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): A New Normal by Rebecca Blumenthal (12th grader at Ward Melville High School)
Second Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Frankie Gets Stuck by Matthew Blumenthal (8th grader at Murphy Junior High School)
Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Peanut’s Passion by Matthew Marchese (10th grader at Ward Melville High School)
The books explore themes that all children can relate to – helping others, caring about the environment, finding something you enjoy, and even coping with the pandemic.
Contest winners will be celebrated at a private online awards ceremony on Monday, April 19, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. Each First Prize award recipient will receive a $400 scholarship, and each Second Prize award recipient will receive a $100 scholarship. In the event of a collaborative effort, the prize money will be split between the author and the illustrator. The newly bound books – made into hardcover by the Library – will have the honor of being added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection, and winners will also receive copies of their books to cherish in their own home libraries.
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 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 cost of the prizes.
Past ceremonies have had Library trustees, teachers and top school district administrators, as well as elected officials from New York State, Suffolk County, and the Town of Brookhaven, all in attendance to honor the winners. This year’s event will be held online in order to keep everyone safe, and the 2020 winners will be honored at the ceremony as well, since we were not able to hold the event last year due to the pandemic. Emma Clark Library is pleased to be able to celebrate these imaginative and hard-working teens and add their original books to the Library’s collection for the entire community to enjoy.
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”
Calling All Creative Three Village Kids
Setauket, NY – February 9, 2021 –
Emma Clark Library is once again hosting a Kids Bookmark Contest for children in the Three Village Central School District, Kindergarten through 6th grade. Winners receive the honor of having their bookmarks professionally printed.
To pick up an Official Entry Form and Bookmark Template, kids may stop by the Children’s Reference Desk or download the form at kids.emmaclark.org. The entry deadline is March 31, 2021. Winners will be chosen in three categories (K – 2, 3rd & 4th, and 5th & 6th grades) and announced on Monday, May 3, 2020 to kick off Children’s Book Week. All contestants’ entries are displayed in the Children’s Department for the entire community to enjoy!
The children of Three Village inspire others to read with their original bookmark entries. Our Librarians have seen over 200 unique bookmarks over the past few years. The Librarians cannot wait to see the latest creations!
If you have any questions about the Kids Bookmark Contest, please email marcela@emmaclark.org or call 631.941.4080 ext. 123.
Please note: With all Emma Clark Library contests, Emma Clark employees, trustees, and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter.
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”
The Heart of the Three Village Community
