New Museum Passes Added to Collection

The library has added several new passes just in time for summer!

• The Discovery Museum (Bridgeport, CT)



• The Guggenheim Museum (NYC)



• The Hecksher Museum of Art (Huntington, NY)



• The Vanderbilt Museum (Centerport, NY)

We have also added an additional pass to the American Museum of Natural History in NYC!

So, take advantage of this wonderful service...remember that you can call us to reserve a pass or visit http://longwood.suffolk.lib.ny.us/museum_passes.html to do it yourself.

Look Who is Making a Splash @ the LPL...

Check out the new addition to the Children's Room this summer...a salt-water fish tank!
The Children's Deparment hosted a "Discovery Tank" program from Cornell Cooperative on Monday, June 21st and they left a few of their fishy friends behind.
The participants learned all about sea stars, shellfish, hermit crabs, snails & fish during this hands-on workshop. So, the next time you're here, stop in to see the tank...it's a lot of fun!
Thank you to all the participants who helped to build the tank.
Here they are making their nicest fish faces for the camera!!

Library adding native grasses

Did you see our meadow? For a few weeks, we allowed the grass on the west hill of the library to grow tall, as we explore adding native grasses to our landscape. It is our intention to reduce the areas to be mowed around the library where possible, so that wildflowers and native grasses can grow. Recently, an expert from the Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District conducted a field visit and is advising us on how to proceed. Today our "meadow" was mowed, but don't worry: it'll be back better than every next year!

Teens Win Book Contest!

A team of local book-loving teens from the Longwood Public Library has won the Advanced Division Battle of the Books, a fiercely-fought annual reading competition that pits 17 library teams across Suffolk County against each other. The "Mega Diaper Babies" (seen here in their "Rugrats" costumes) correctly answered many difficult questions about 3 books they read: Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson, Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin, and Rash by Pete Hautmann. This is the second year in a row that the team from Longwood has emerged victorious. Congratulations Mega Diaper Babies!

Annual Library Budget Vote April 13th

Be sure to stop in at the library on Tuesday, April 13, when our annual Budget Vote will take place in the Adult Department. Voting will be for the proposed 2010-2011 budget, adopted by the Board of Trustees on March 17, and for one trustee who will serve a five year term. Detailed information about the budget is available on the library homepage. If you have any questions, please contact David Clemens, 924-6400, ext. 275, or by e-mail dclemens@suffolk.lib.ny.us.

Solar Project Underway!

Workers have begun removing the old black rubber roof over the Community Rooms and replacing that section with a white thermoplastic roofing. The new insulation is also 3 times as thick as the former material. This will result in further energy efficiency. Next they will install the racks that will be used to mount the 50 photovoltaic panels for our new solar array. Some programs were postponed or cancelled during this construction. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Our 11kw system is expected to save money each month on our electricity bill. In addition, we received a grant of $30,000 as part of the New York State Public Library Construction Aid program. Finally, we are participating in LIPA's Solar Pioneer Program, and expect to receive a rebate of $47,000 once the system is operating.

Listen to the Newsletter

Beginning with the February 2010 issue, the Library newsletter is now available in audio format. A group of teen volunteers along with several of our librarians will record each issue so that anyone with low vision may listen to it instead of reading it. Just click on the "Current Newsletter" link on the left side of the homepage, and choose "Audio Newsletter". The recordings are divided into children's programs, young adult programs, and adult and senior services. You may listen to one section or all if you wish. Please let us know what you think of this new service by contacting Kitty Grinnell, 924-6400, ext. 244 or email kgrinnel@suffolk.lib.ny.us.