Telephone Changes

On Wednesday, Dec. 10, we began to make some changes to our telephone system, and began using the Automated Attendant feature. When calling the library, you will now hear a recording which allows you to dial the person or department you wish to reach directly. A list of telephone extensions may be found on the left hand side of the homepage to directly dial the extension of the person you wish to reach. You may also press the # key to access a library directory. This change allows our Circulation staff more time to serve patrons in the library. Please contact Suzanne Johnson, Assistant Director, at ext. 274 if you have any questions or concerns.

New, Improved Septic System being installed

If you're wondering what that big pile of dirt is on the west side of the library, it is our new, improved septic system. Several trees needed to be removed, but new ones will be planted in the spring. Please be careful when walking near the construction area.

New Museum Pass Program

The Library has begun an exciting, new program of lending family passes to local museums. You may borrow a pass, and use it to visit the Long Island Children's Museum in Garden City, the Long Island Museum of Art, History, and Carriages in Stony Brook, Old Westbury Gardens, and the SportsMuseum in New York City. Click on the "Museum Pass Program" icon on the library homepage to reserve one, or call the Children's Department for more information. Museum passes are limited to Longwood library cardholders only.

Ready for Pickup, holds notices by e-mail!

Do we have your e-mail address?

If so, you are aware we send out e-mails when your reserved items are ready to be picked up. We have always also called you. From now on, we will no longer call you. If you prefer to continue to be notified by phone, please let us know and we will delete your e-mail address, or you may delete it yourself online in "View Your Patron Record". Keep in mind, however, that deleting your e-mail address will also stop electronic courtesy notices and overdue notices. We will then send those by snail mail.

It's September: Get A Library Card!

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and the Longwood Children’s Department wants to make sure that your child is among the two-thirds of Americans who carry the smartest card of all – a library card. Studies show that children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are more likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifetime learning. So, sign up for a library card! Each child who signs up for their first library card will receive a “Welcome to the Library” bag filled with a special treat. Please bring your child’s birth certificate if they not yet enrolled in school. For those children who already have their own library card - show it to us and enter a raffle for a special prize! For more information, call the Children’s Reference Desk, 924-6400.

Hollywood Favorites Now Available

A new feature has been added to our Downloadable Video Service, also known as "My Library DV". It's called Hollywood Favorites and World Cinema. There are over 500 popular and international films now available to download. Click on the My LibraryDV icon on the homepage to see a full listing.

Send a fax at the library

The library has installed a public fax machine for your use to send faxes. The machine is located in the Adult Department, next to the color copier. You may pay by using a credit card only. The cost is $1.50 for the first page, and $1.00 for each additional page (domestic calls). The cost is $4.95 for the first page, and $3.45 for each additional page for international calls. We are not able to receive faxes at this time.

Longwood Twisters Plant a Tree

Scout Service Project Enhances Library Grounds

Doug Weiss, a member of Boy Scout Troop 433 in Middle Island, recently completed his Eagle Scout service project by leading a group of volunteers who created a walking path on the southeast corner of the library property. It looks great, Doug! Thank you!

Library Budget Vote Approved

The proposed budget for 2008-2009 was approved on Tuesday, April 8, 322-100. Gail Barraco was elected as trustee for a five year term. We thank the community for its continued support.

The New Bricks Are In

The second order of commemorative bricks have been installed along the south sidewalk in the library parking lot. Two additional trees have also been planted. The Friends of the Library wish to thank all who participated in this beautifcation effort.

Playaways are here!

We now have Playaways! Look for a display of this new media in the Adult Department. Playaways are a single MP3 player with one book pre-loaded on it. The book cannot be removed or altered in any way. You borrow it, plug in your own headphones and play, rewind, bookmark etc. We have about 20 adult titles and 13 YA titles at this time. To get a list of titles from our catalog, please do a keyword search for "Playaway". Playaways may be checked out for 21 days with an overdue fine of 5 cents/day. Try one today!

Library Community Forum March 5th

The Library Board of Trustees invites all interested residents to the next Library Community Forum on Wednesday, March 5th, at 7pm in the Library Community Room. The topic is the future of library services and facilities. All are welcome to attend.

Easy by E-mail

Do you use e-mail? If you do, the library would like to have your e-mail address to contact you when your material is ready for pickup ("holds") and to notify you that items are overdue. We also use e-mail to send “courtesy notices” when items are due soon. This reduces the number of overdue notices sent by mail and helps us control costs. For the time being, we will continue to call you when your items are ready for pickup.

A new feature allows us to send you an email when library staff renew your items for you, either at the Circulation Desk or by phone. (When you renew from home, you don't get an email.) If you would like to use this service, please stop by the Circulation Desk and give us your e-mail address. You can also add or change your e-mail address online within the “View Your Patron Record” function on our homepage. It's easy!

New on the Homepage: Text Enlarger

Have you noticed the newest feature on the homepage? We've added a "text enlarger", so that you can reduce or enlarge the size of the type on the page. Just click on the T's on the upper left corner. TTTTry it!

The Lowdown on Downloadable Services

We have 2 "downloadable" services: Suffolk Wave (audio) and MyLibraryDV (video). (Netlibrary, our original downloadable audio service, has severed ties with Recorded Books, so we have opted not to renew for next year. Recorded Books promises a similar product of their own in the near future.) SuffolkWave is mp3 files for audio books and a small amount of music. Service began in April '07 and Longwood leads the county in usage. MyLibraryDV is exclusively video, including many PBS shows on travel, cooking, medicine and health, how-to, and literature. Children's programming includes Caillou, Liberty's Kids, Boobah, and Cyberchase. Both services are available through our homepage. Try it out!