New location! Emma Clark Library has moved the Ellen Bogolub Chamber Music Concert to the Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main St., Setauket on Sunday, May18 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Join them for an afternoon of Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Florence Price’s “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” performed by a string quartet from Long Island Chamber Music. No registration required. Questions? Email [email protected]
By Sabrina Artusa
Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket is temporarily closed after staff noticed a strange odor on May 1. The smell was from a mold growth in a “contained area” of the library, necessitating repairs to the HVAC system.
The mold, Cladosporium, is described by the National Institutes of Health as one of the “most common fungal inhabitants worldwide.” It appears as black or brown spots in a wide variety of conditions and surfaces such as carpets, HVAC grills, wallpaper or wood surfaces and is particularly drawn to damp, not-well-ventilated places like bathrooms or basements.
According to library Director Ted Gutmann, the cause has not yet been determined and the remediation process is still underway.
The mold air-sampling concentration varied from light to heavy. Spore concentration levels of 1,500 and below are considered acceptable. Physical symptoms begin to materialize in people with normal immune functions when spore levels reach 10,000 or higher, although those with sensitive health may experience sneezing, an itchy throat or eyes, coughing, a runny nose or dry skin at a level of 3,000 spores.
Gutmann said reopening “could be a few weeks away.”
“We are working to make sure the process is completed as quickly and safely as possible,” he said. “As soon as we have more information, reopening updates will be posted on the library’s website and social media channels.”
The library will continue online zoom classes on the usual schedule but will extend holds and due dates of books, museum passes and items. The prolonged possession of library property will not accrue late fees and holds will be extended for one week past the date of reopening. The library will reopen once air quality tests confirm the mold’s eradication. The library card can be used at any Suffolk County library.
Gutmann and library staff still plan to have the Seed Library outdoors. “Emma Clark is still here for the community during building closure,” Gutmann said, adding that several upcoming events will be held.
The Catholic Health’s mobile outreach bus will park at the library on May 15 for free health screenings and E-Waste & Metal Recycling Day will be held in the parking lot on May 17. The Ellen Bodolub Chamber Music Concert on May 18 has been moved to the Setauket Neighborhood House.
Save the date! Catholic Health Mobile Outreach Bus will be in the parking lot of Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket for free health screenings on Thursday, May 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registered nurses will provide blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index, glucose and cardiac screenings, along with patient education and referrals as needed. Last screening begins at 1:45 p.m. No appointments are necessary, there are no fees, and insurance is not required. Questions? Email [email protected].
The Emma S. Clark Library is temporarily closed after staff noticed a strange odor on May 1. The smell was from a mold growth in a “contained area” of the Library, necessitating repairs to the HVAC system.
The mold, Cladosporium, is described by the National Institute of Health as one of the “most common fungal inhabitants worldwide”. It appears as black or brown spots in a wide variety of conditions and surfaces such as carpets, HVAC grills, wallpaper or wood surfaces, and is particularly drawn to damp, not well-ventilated places like bathrooms or basements.
The library will continue online zoom classes on the usual schedule, but will extend holds and due dates of books, museum passes and items. The prolonged possession of library property will not accrue late fees and holds will be extended for one week past the date of reopening. The library will reopen once air quality tests confirm the mold’s eradication. The library card can be used at any Suffolk County library.
Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket has announced that it has been formally approved as part of The Family Place Libraries™ national network, which emphasizes play-based learning as an essential tool to early childhood development, particularly for those families with young children ages one to three years old.
The Children’s Department at Emma Clark began the process to become certified as a Family Place Library in late 2024, which included extended training for librarians beyond their library schooling. These workshops were taught by child development experts and Family Place Trainers and served as a good refresher regarding building pre-reading skills and helped to spark new ideas for learning through play. The training also focused on supporting parents and caregivers by connecting them with resources and professionals, as well as providing engaging programming opportunities.
“I am excited to be a part of the Family Place initiative which provides a framework for expanding my role as a librarian in connecting with young children, parents and caregivers and facilitating the support they need,” said Marcela Lenihan, one of the children’s librarians who attended the training.
Although Emma Clark already had many of the initiatives in place such as board and picture books, puzzles, a train table, and a coloring spot, in the past year they added more imaginative toys to the Children’s Library, such as dramatic play items (kitchen, market, dress-up clothes, etc.). Looking ahead, Brian Debus, the Head Children’s Librarian, is hoping to add more toys geared towards infants, as well as more comfortable seating for parents, grandparents, and caregivers.
“By joining this initiative, we’re investing in early learning, parent engagement, and community connection, ensuring every child and family gets the best possible start in life,” said Debus.
Furthermore, the children’s librarians are working to fine-tune the already well-established Parent/Toddler Workshop by including community resource professionals at the program on a regular basis. This weekly workshop for children ages 18 months to 3.5 years old and their caregivers has always focused on open play, sharing, and connections with other parents and caregivers.
It will now include specialists — such as pediatric nutritionists, speech pathologists, social workers, and child development experts — so that parents and caregivers may speak one-on-one with professionals and ask questions in a comfortable, informal setting. This program not only aids in the child’s development, but it helps parents and caregivers to feel less isolated and gives them an increased sense of community belonging.
The librarians also plan on offering more handouts from reputable organizations on parenting and childhood development, making the information easily accessible to patrons.
The Family Place Libraries™ model is now in over 500 libraries in 32 states serving thousands of young children and their parents/caregivers.
On April 7, board members and staff of Emma Clark Library in Setauket, along with the family of the late Helen Stein Shack, local elected officials, and representatives from the Three Village Central School district, honored teens at the 11th annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Award.
The Helen Stein Shack Book Contest calls 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.
Yen Lo, an 8th grader at Murphy Junior High School, won first prize in the Grades 7-9 category for her children’s book “Benny and the Lost Balloon” while Joyce Lee, a 10th grader at Ward Melville High School, won first prize in the Grades 10-12 category for “What’s a Friend?”
Second Prize in the Grades 7–9 category went to Athie Kim, an 8th grader at Murphy Junior High School, for “Dinky” while Elizabeth Wright, a 10th grader at Ward Melville High School, captured second prize for her book, “Kitty and Fish” in the Grades 10-12 category.
Library Director Ted Gutmann, 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 $400 checks to first prize winners Yen Lo and Joyce Lee and $100 checks for second prize winners Athie Kim and Elizabeth Wright. “The artwork in all of them and the stories are just great,” he remarked.
Suffolk County Legislator Steven Englebright, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico, and a staff member from Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay’s office were in attendance to present certificates to the winners. The winners also received certificates from New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo and Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich.
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.
Ed Taylor, Ms. Stein Shack’s son, told the guests that when he reflected on the contest, he thought of what he called the 3 C’s:
The first being creativity, of course. If you go look at the books, the first thing that strikes you is the artistic talent of these kids…they’re also very creative at storytelling. It’s not easy to invent your own story and even more difficult to invent a story and tell it in language of kids that are 10 to 12 years younger than you are…The second “C” is courage. Even though you have all that talent, it’s still not easy to put your stuff out there and have it judged by others…I didn’t have a third “C” so I thought and I thought, and then it hit me – cash!
Mr. Taylor’s gesture to the large checks beside him, which were given out to the winners later in the ceremony, received a chuckle from the audience.
Three Village Central School District Board President Susan Megroz Rosenzweig proudly addressed the winners, “You came up with a wonderful story, you created beautiful art, and then you gave us the gift of joyful reading.”
Library Board President David Douglas, Treasurer Suzanne Shane, Secretary Angeline Yeo-Judex, and Trustee Linda Josephs were also on hand to congratulate the winners. In addition to Susan Megroz Rosenzweig, Superintendent Kevin Scanlon, Assistant Superintendent Brian Biscari, Ward Melville High School Principal John Holownia, Murphy Junior High School Principal Michael Jantzen, Ward Melville High School English Department Chairperson Joanna Cadolino, and Murphy English Teachers Tina Costanza and Deidre Murphy were all in attendance.
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.
When Supervisor Dan Panico spoke, he emphasized the importance of libraries and reading and commented, “To think that these books may be read by children themselves or perhaps by parents to their children and may end up being the books that children who go into adolescence and adulthood will remember, to me is something that is remarkable.”
To sum up the value of libraries and seeing our extraordinary youth through this annual contest, Legislator Steve Englebright stated, “You gave us a chance to preview the future.
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.
Recycle and Help the Library Earn a Free Bench
Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket is participating in the NexTrex® Community Recycling Challenge, in collaboration with the Suffolk Library System. Library visitors are encouraged to deposit their plastic film (e.g. plastic bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, cereal bags, etc.) in the bin located in the Library’s vestibule.
If the community collects & recycles 1,000+ pounds in a year, Emma Clark Library will receive a free bench made from these materials. The Library started this challenge on March 1, 2025. All plastic must be clean, dry, and free of food residue. For more information on what is accepted, please visit emmaclark.org/nextrexchallenge.
For more information, call 631-941-4080
Emma Clark Library in Setauket recently announced the winners of the 11th annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest:
First Prize (Grades seven – nine category):
“Benny and the Lost Balloon” by Yen Lo
(eight grader at Murphy Junior High School)
First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category):
“What’s a Friend?” by Joyce Lee
(10th grader at Ward Melville High School)
Second Prize (Grades seven – nine category):
“Dinky” by Athie Kim
(eighth grader at Murphy Junior High School)
Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category):
“Kittie and Fish” by Elizabeth Wright
(10th grader at Ward Melville High School)
Each of the winning entries has their own unique artwork and storylines geared towards young children. “Benny and the Lost Balloon” by Yen Lo includes sweet illustrations with expressive facial features to tell this story. When Benny loses his favorite toy, he realizes that friendship and connection with others is more important – and more fun – than material objects. In “What’s a Friend?” by Joyce Lee, a kitten is trying to figure out what a friend truly is and realizes that they do know in the end! The questions are emphasized with charming illustrations. With colorful, bold cartoons and simple but effective text for a child, “Dinky” by Athie Kim allows the young reader to follow Dinky the Duck through her day.”Kitty and Fish” by Elizabeth Wright uses whimsical drawings with a lot of motion to tell the story of a new friendship between a cat and fish, the fun they have together, and how they resolve a problem involving ice cream!
Contest winners will be celebrated at a private awards ceremony on Monday, April 7 at 7 p.m. Each first prize award recipient will receive a $400 scholarship, and each second prize award recipient will receive a $100 scholarship. 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. Desserts will be served at the reception, generously donated by The Bite Size Bake Shop. Past ceremonies have had Library Board members, teachers and top school district administrators from Three Village, as well as elected officials from New York State, Suffolk County, and the Town of Brookhaven, all in attendance to honor the winners.
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.
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 Homegrown String Band will be celebrating their 28th anniversary performing as a family with a concert on Sunday, Jan. 12 at Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, 120 Main Street, Setauket at 2 p.m.
Twenty-eight years ago, the Homegrown String Band went to a Long Island Traditional Music Assoc. (LITMA) member’s concert and found out there was only one other person signed up to perform. Rather than a 15-minute slot, they had 45 minutes to fill up. They had so much fun, they continued performing and have since played at such venues as The National Theatre in Washington DC, the AFBA Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival, Musikfest, and the Festival of American Music in Branson, MO.
A family band with a unique repertoire of original and traditional music, the Homegrown String Band brings an American folk tradition into the twenty-first century. Comprised of mother, father, and daughter, the trio adds their own musical DNA to an American tradition, performing original acoustic arrangements of the traditional music that has become part of the popular roots and folk rock canon. All the songs the band presents have stood the test of time by not only surviving, but thriving and flourishing for hundreds of years via the folk process and oral tradition.
Listen to songs by the likes of the Carter Family, the Delmore Brothers, and Jimmie Rodgers, along with a tasty sprinkling of original material inspired by the rural American string band and folk traditions of the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries.
Registration is preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. To register, please call 631-941-4080.
Overwhelmed by the thought of having to pick the best preschool for your child? Emma Clark Library’s Preschool Fair is back on Saturday, January 11 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to speak informally with many local preschools all in one room, ask questions, and help narrow down your search and choose which schools you’d like to tour. This event has no registration and is open to the public.
Representatives from preschools in Three Village and the surrounding area will be at the event, including
– Children’s Community Head Start
– Faith Preschool
– Harbor Country Day School
– Kiddie Academy
– Laurel Hill School
– North Shore Montessori
– Our Savior New American School
– Play Groups School
– Setauket Presbyterian Preschool
– Smithtown Nursery School
