“Because I Love You”
Friday, September 18, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
“Because I love you” is a phrase that we’ve probably all heard or said before. During this program, teens and tweens will watch a short film, visualizing how this seemingly kind phrase can be used as a form of manipulation in an unhealthy relationship. Discussion will follow. Taught by a representative from Parents for Megan’s Law Crime Victims Center. Earn 1 hour of community service credit for participating. Register for the “Because I Love You” class here starting 8/18.

Behind the Post
Sunday, October 4, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Participants will learn how social media can skew their view of the relationships around them and influence their decision to stay in unhealthy ones. This workshop explores all 10 Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship and is your go-to for educating about digital consent and social media. Content Warning: Educational Videos will contain actors creating representations of unhealthy and abusive romantic relationships. Viewer discretion is advised. Taught by a representative from Parents for Megan’s Law Crime Victims Center. Earn 1 hour of community service credit for participating. Register here for Behind the Post class here starting 9/15.

Questions? Email teens@emmaclark.org

Explore what artificial intelligence is, how it works & how it is shaping everyday life. This informative session will also highlight key considerations when using & evaluating AI-generated content.

Taught by Library Trustee Stephen Ingulli & Library Operations Manager Bob Johnson.

This workshop will be offered on the following dates:

Wednesday, September 30, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Register for the September 30th class here starting 8/24.

Tuesday, October 6, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Register for the October 6th class here starting 9/14.

Thursday, October 15, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Register for the October 15th class here starting 9/14.

Saturday, October 17, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Register for the October 17th class here starting 9/14.

Questions? Email askus@emmaclark.org

Remembering 9/11: Responder Stories, Recorded and Live (In-Person; Open to Adults and Teens/Tweens)
Tuesday, September 22, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. 
In honor of the 25^th anniversary of September 11, 2001, learn about the experiences, sacrifices, and ongoing legacy of the 9/11 responders. You’ll watch responders share their stories in videos from the Stony Brook World Trade Center Oral History Project. During the program, you’ll also have the chance to meet a Long Islander who responded to the 9/11 attacks. Through the oral history videos and live Q&A, you will gain firsthand insight into the courage, camaraderie, and resilience that defined the response to the attacks. Presented by the Stony Brook World Trade Center Health and Wellness Program. Register for Remembering 9/11 here starting 8/18.

Library patrons can also borrow a Museum Pass all year round to visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. The 9/11 Memorial Museum serves as the country’s principal institution for examining the attacks of September 11, 2001 and documenting their continuing impact and significance.

Three Village residents may borrow a pass for free admission for 2 adults and 2 children (under 18 years old) to the museum, located at 180 Greenwich Street in New York City (the Memorial is free to the public, and the Museum lists adult admission price on their website at $36). Those with a pass not only visit the museum for free, but also receive complimentary audio guides and a 20% discount to the museum store.

This is a physical Museum Pass that must be picked up and returned to the Library. More information and reserve a Museum Pass here.

Questions? Email askus@emmaclark.org

At the Museum: Meet the Author

Tuesday, July 21, 2026. 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Long Island Museum (Carriage Museum)

Librarian Emma Yohannan will moderate a lively conversation with special guest, Claire Bellerjeau, co-author of Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution: The True Story of Robert Townsend and Elizabeth (Liss). You are encouraged to read the book ahead of time and participate in the Q&A session. Afterwards, you’ll have time to visit the exhibition The Seat of Action: Long Island in the American Revolution and Beyond, where Long Island Museum educators will be stationed to answer your questions. Event will begin in the Gillespie Room in the Carriage Museum.

Open to residents and nonresidents – register here with a valid Suffolk County library card now.

Plus! An Evening Book Discussion at the Library:
Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution

Monday, July 13, 2026. 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Emma Clark Library

Join us for an intimate book discussion at the Library in preparation for meeting the author at the Museum! Discussion will be facilitated by Librarian Emma Yohannan.

Open to residents and nonresidents – register here with a valid Suffolk County library card now.

Accessing the Book

A limited number of copies of Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution: The True Story of Robert Townsend and Elizabeth (Liss) will be available to borrow at the Circulation Desk beginning on June 22. The ebook is also available to borrow in the Libby app.

About The Long Island Museum Exhibit:

About The Book:

Museum Passes

Please note, if you are visiting the museum any other time, we offer free passes. More information on our Museum Pass Collection. 

Open to Adults, Teens/Tweens, and Children in Grades K – 5
Friday, July 24, multiple times from 2:30 – 7:30 p.m. (Note age ranges in timeslots)

Join us on the Library Lawn for Goat Yoga, featuring baby goats from LI Pony Parties and Petting Zoo and an instructor from Satya Yoga & Pilates. Be ready to stretch, pose, and become climbing challenges for the goats! Bring a yoga mat or a towel, a water bottle, and wear clothes you are willing to interact with goats in.  

Registration and important information: Animal attendants and Library Staff will be on hand to supervise Goat Yoga. Adults and Teens & Tweens entering Grades 6-12 may attend independently; Children entering Grades K – 5 must attend with a supervising adult (supervising adult may participate and does not need to register).  All attendees must complete a waiver before participating in Goat Yoga. Waiver will be emailed to all participants.

2:45 – 3:30 p.m. session:

Kids (with caregiver), register for the 2:45 p.m. session here starting on 6/29
Teens/Tweens, register for the 2:45 p.m. session here starting on 6/29

4:00 – 4:45 p.m. session:

Kids (with caregiver), register for the 4:00 p.m. session here starting on 6/29
Teens/Tweens, register for the 4:00 p.m. session here starting on 6/29

5:15 – 6:00 p.m. session:

Adults, register for the 5:15 p.m. session here starting on 6/29
Teens/Tweens, register for the 5:15 p.m. session here starting on 6/29

6:30 – 7:15 p.m. session:

Adults, register for the 6:30 p.m. session here starting on 6/29
Teens/Tweens, register for the 6:30 p.m. session here starting on 6/29

Please only register for one session, thank you!

Questions? Email emily@emmaclark.org

On Monday evening, Board members and staff of Emma Clark Library, along with the family of the late Helen Stein Shack, local elected officials, and representatives from the Three Village Central School district and The Stony Brook School honored teens and tweens at the 12th annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award:

First Prize (Grades 6 – 8 category): Bunny and the Bluejay by Vivienne Rochlin-Hizver (7^th grader at P.J. Gelinas Middle School)

First Prize (Grades 9 – 12 category): The Penguins Go to the City by Elizabeth Wright (11^th grader at Ward Melville High School)

Second Prize (Grades 6 – 8 category): Ricky and the Beach by Maddex Buonaspina (7^th grader at R. C. Murphy Middle School)

Second Prize (Grades 9 – 12 category): Seven Meals Around the World by Genevieve Rochlin (11^th grader at The Stony Brook School)

Library Director Theresa Liguori, along with the family of the late Helen Stein Shack, presented the winners’ books – bound and added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection – along with certificates and $400 checks to first prize winners Vivienne Rochlin-Hizver and Elizabeth Wright and $100 checks for second prize winners Maddex Buonaspina and Genevieve Rochlin. Ms. Liguori remarked, “All of these books are delightful expressions of creativity and imagination.”

Suffolk County Legislator Steven Englebright, Councilmember Jonathan Korneich, and a staff member from Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay’s office were in attendance, and they presented certificates to the winners. The winners also received certificates from New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo.

The award is named in honor of Helen Stein Shack, whose family approached the Library with the idea of establishing an endowment as a tribute to their mother, a teacher and lover of libraries, especially Emma Clark Library. Their gift covers the cost of the awards and passes along Ms. Shack’s joy of reading and lifelong learning to future generations. Karen Shack Reid, one of Ms. Stein Shack’s daughters, addressed the winners with a special message:

Keep in mind, you didn’t just submit a piece of work. You’ve completed a book. You’ve crafted a story. You shaped your vision. You followed it through to the end and that alone is an achievement most people can’t do. Let it remind you always of what you’re capable of. My mother would be proud of your talent, no doubt, but she would be more proud of your courage. She also believed that your confidence grows each time you share your voice with the world… let this award be a reminder that you have everything it takes to keep creating, keep growing, and keep believing in your own abilities.

Of course, children’s literature was a theme of the evening, with Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich commenting, “I’m very well aware of the power… that a good children’s book can have to literally alter the trajectory of a child’s life and change their whole perspective… and how they engage their minds and get involved.”

Three Village Central School District Board President Susan Megroz Rosenzweig expressed her excitement and joy to see these original books on the shelves of Emma Clark Library. “I cannot wait for all of the kids from Three Village and beyond to plunk down upstairs in one of my most favorite places, the children’s library, and break out those books and go into the world that you built for them.”

Library Board Vice President Carol Leister, Secretary Angeline Yeo-Judex, and Trustees Debroah Blair, Stephen Ingulli, and Linda Josephs were in attendance to congratulate the winners.  In addition to Susan Megroz Rosenzweig, Assistant Superintendent Brian Biscari, Director Fine Arts Ashley Ockner, Ward Melville High School Principal John Holownia, Gelinas Middle School Principal Corinne Keane, Murphy Middle School Principal Michael Jantzen, Ward Melville High School English Department Chairperson Joanna Nizza, Murphy Librarian Ellen Dove, and Murphy English Teacher Susan Keenan were all there in support of their students, along with the Head of the English Department at The Stony Brook School, Jacob Morley.

Guests enjoyed sweets by The Bite Size Bake Shop, a local Three Village-owned business that has been donating desserts to the ceremony since the contest began twelve years ago.

Legislator Steve Englebright summed up the celebration in his remarks, “Congratulations to each of the winners and for bringing us a chance to know that going forward we’re going to see more creativity and more wonderful products of your imagination.”

The Helen Stein Shack Book Contest calls for teens and tweens in grades 6 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 6 through 8 and grades 9 through 12, with one First Prize Winner and one Second Prize Winner selected from each group. 

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”

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• Access from INSIDE the library
• REMOTE access from home

A library of on-demand parenting resource videos with content designed to support those who care for children, from pregnancy through to teenage years.

Take & Make: SRC Dinosaur Art Community Service (Grades 3 – 5)

Monday, May 11, 2026
Get ready to roar with creativity! Kids will design colorful dinosaurs on canvas, creating awesome
dino masterpieces that will help decorate our library for the Summer Reading Challenge. Pick up your
art kit starting on Mon., May 11 and return your creative work of art by Tue., May 26. Participants will
earn two hours of community service credit. Only one kit per child. Reserve your kit now! 

Decorating with Chef Rob: Digging for Dinosaurs Dessert Cups (Grades K – 5)

Saturday, June 6, 2026, 12:00 – 12:30 p.m. OR 12:30 – 1:00 p.m.
Create a dessert cup to take home!
Reserve your child’s spot for the 12:00 class here.
Reserve your child’s spot for the 12:30 class here.

Petra Puppets: Fossil Funhouse (Grades K – 5)

Tuesday, June 30, 2026, 11:00 a.m. – 12 noon
Why do Pterodactyls love raviolis? How can you stop a Sneezasaurus from sneezing? Kids will uncover the answers with a cast of goofy dinosaurs, funny fossils and mysterious hidden raviolis, featuring: Grandma Pterry – the Pterodactyl, Tiny Tony- the Baby T Rex, Julius Sneezasauarus and Dennis the Prehistoric Clam. Come and have a Dino Time! Reserve your child’s spot here starting 6/23.

Bee Bot: Dino Adventure (Grades PreK – 1)

Tuesday, June 30, 2026, 2:30 – 3:15 p.m.
Program Bee Bots for an exciting dinosaur safari adventure! Reserve your child’s spot here starting 6/23.

Bee Bot: Dino Coding Challenge (Grades 2 – 5)

Tuesday, June 30, 2026, 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.
Get Bee Bots moving as you code your way through exciting challenges! Reserve your child’s spot here starting 6/23.

Check out more Dinosaur-themed programs in July and August 2026 here.

Questions? Email kids@emmaclark.org

Cooking with Chef Rashimi: Mango Lassi and Vegetable Pakora (In-Person)
Tuesday, May 12, 2026. 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. 
In this cooking demonstration, Chef Rashmi will make a creamy, sweet and refreshing mango lassi, the iconic Indian summer drink. She will also prepare vegetable pakoras (crispy vegan fritters) served with a tangy tamarind chutney. Food samples and recipes will be provided. This program is made possible by the Philip Groia Global Studies bequest. Click here to register now.

Evening Book Discussion: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (In-Person)
Wednesday, May 13, 2026. 7:30 – 8:45 p.m. 
Pick up a copy of the book at the Circulation Desk in the Library Lobby starting 4/8.
Summary: From the indie rockstar of Japanese Breakfast fame, and author of the viral 2018 New Yorker essay that shares the title of this book, an unflinching, powerful memoir about growing up Korean-American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity. In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up the only Asian-American kid at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother’s particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother’s tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food. As she grew up, moving to the east coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, performing gigs with her fledgling band – and meeting the man who would become her husband – her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live. It was her mother’s diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.
No registration required.

The Tenement Museum Virtual Tour: The Wong Family (Online)
Wednesday, May 27, 2026. 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. 
A live Tenement Museum Educator will take you inside the museum’s recreated historic spaces. Explore the story of the Wongs, a Chinese American family who lived in 103 Orchard Street in the 1970s. Look at how they made a home and how their experiences reflect the growth of Chinese communities and the garment industry in New York in the wake of changing immigration laws. Click here to register now.

Questions? Email askus@emmaclark.org