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Middle Country Public Library

Strictly Business trade show returns to Centereach May 6

by Press Release - May 1, 2025

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From Middle Country Public Library

According to the business advocacy organization, Long Island Association, 90% of businesses on Long Island are small businesses. In today’s competitive market, small businesses need every possible advantage to thrive. Membership in the local chamber of commerce is a great way to become a part of the community and networking events like Strictly Business, being held on Tuesday, May 6 at the Middle Country Public Library in Centereach, help get them in front of potential customers and collaborators.

More than 17 years ago, representatives from the Miller Business Center at the Middle Country Public Library, the Brookhaven Chambers of Commerce Coalition and the Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce met to brainstorm how they could offer even more opportunities to their members. What could be done to help them meet potential clients and connect with other small businesses and entrepreneurs? Knowing that the cost of big events can be prohibitive, Strictly Business was born!

It is more than a just a trade show or networking event—it is a catalyst for economic development for local businesses in the area.

Lenore Paprocky, President of the Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce, captures what small businesses mean to the region when she says, “Small businesses are the backbone of Long Island, driving our economy and strengthening our communities. B2B (business to business) networking isn’t just about connections—it’s about collaboration, growth, and building a thriving local community where businesses support each other and succeed together.”

This is the heart of Chamber of Commerce membership. When small businesses join their local chamber, they gain access to a network that is committed to mutual success, advocacy, and shared progress.

That network includes community resources to help with training, mentorship, research and more. The Miller Business Center at the Middle Country Public Library connects with small businesses at the many chamber meetings and events they attend.

“The Miller Business Center is a part of the local business eco-system,” says Middle Country Public Library director Sophia Serlis-McPhillips. “Not only do we plan and run Strictly Business, we also offer assistance all year with our programming and business research.”

With Strictly Business, small businesses have a unique opportunity to showcase their offerings directly to potential customers and collaborators. These kinds of opportunities can lead to long-term business relationships, client growth, and community recognition. The event also serves as a powerful reminder of the shared mission among local businesses.

Barbara Ransome, President of the Brookhaven Chambers of Commerce Coalition and a small business owner explains that, “The original intention for creating a Strictly Business event was to support our small business communities; that remains the same. This trade show provides a cohesive platform for our Chambers of Commerce partners to participate in networking with one another. They are brought together to share in a unified voice common goals and concerns as well as creating NEW business opportunities and finding that there is strength in numbers.”

This “strength in numbers” idea is a driving force behind the Chamber of Commerce model. When businesses stand together, they amplify their influence. Returning Strictly Business exhibitor, Carmine Inserra, CEO of ProSysCon Computer Technologies, Inc., says, “It’s always advantageous for business owners to be around others who are working on their businesses and Strictly Business is a great way to connect and to have so many successful businesses in one place.” This sentiment underscores the importance of shared energy and collaboration.

Sponsorship from major institutions like TD Bank shows just how much the broader community values these events. Maryellen Ferretti, TD Bank Retail Market Manager, S.V.P. shared that it is “committed to empowering local businesses and fostering economic growth. Strictly Business is a great way to show this commitment as the event offers valuable networking opportunities and resources for entrepreneurs and professionals in the community.” The involvement of such stakeholders is a testament to the real economic impact that local businesses have—and how vital it is to invest in their success.

In the end, the Strictly Business trade show is more than just a day of networking— it is an introduction to the larger economic environment of Long Island.

The 17th annual Strictly Business trade show will take place on Tuesday, May 6 at the Middle Country Public Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd., Centereach from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees have the opportunity to enter a raffle for the chance to win a $250 gift card. Admission is free and there is ample free parking. For more information, call 631-585-9393 x216.

Photo of the Week

by Press Release - April 28, 2025

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0-3 — Fron left, Mia Catapano, Amber Gagliardi, Nikki Martin at Middle Country Public Library’s native small tree and shrub giveaway in honor of Arbor Day. Photo courtesy of Middle Country Public Library

Beautifying the world, one tree at a time

Middle Country Public Library patrons recently left the library with more than a book.

In honor of Arbor Day, MCPL’s Centereach branch held a native small tree and shrub giveaway on April 25. Patrons visited the library to secure two trees or shrubs to take home and plant in their yards.

Trees and shrubs not only improve the aesthetic value of one’s landscapes but they also improve air and water quality, conserve energy, and produce wildlife food and cover. Shrubs were procured from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Middle Country Public Library to host Bagels and Books: A Local Author Fair Jan. 25

by Press Release - January 21, 2025

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Middle Country Public Library will welcome more than 75 authors during its Bagels and Books: A Local Author Fair on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m, to 1 p.m., at its Centereach branch located at 101 Eastwood Blvd.

The community is encouraged to visit and meet these talented writers who reside on Long Island. Several different genres will be represented in categories of adult, young adult and children.

Adult authors expected to attend include Edna White of “Publish for Profit: A Journey to Publish and Promote Your Book for Profit” and “The Love Manifesto: The Unstoppable Way to Love Yourself” and “Remnants of A Dark Secret: Poetry Through the Pain.” Others include Effie Kammenou (“Evanthia’s Gift,” “Waiting for Aegina,” and “Chasing Petalouthes”) and Elyse Salpeter (“The Hunt for Xanadu,” “Flying to the Light” and “Nowhere to Run.”)

Krista Legge of “A Real Lion Story” and “The Comfy Spot,” and Paul Rodriguez of “The Sandwich Boy Rescue” and “The Magical Song of Sona and Dora” are among the children’s authors who will be in attendance. Others include Debra Scala Giokas (“Claire: The little girl who climbed to the top and changed the way women dress” and “Ladies, First: Common Threads”) and Jean Derespina (“The Famous Phoebe of Long Island” book series).

Randall Lombardi, who wrote the young adult book, “The Ascension,” will be in there as well.

Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase books and get their books signed. No registration required.

For more information, please call 631-585-9393 x296.

A small taste of history from the Middle Country Public Library

by Press Release - January 18, 2025

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Middle Country Road. Photo courtesy of MCPL

Written by Middle Country Public Library staff

Middle Country and Horseblock Roads

Driving along Middle Country Road today, it is hard to imagine that only 100 years ago, this busy four- lane highway with its many intersections, signs and streetlights started out as little more than a hard packed dirt road. Go back 100 years more, and you’d only see a narrower, rutted path. We take our nicely maintained, hard-paved roads for granted today, but it wasn’t always such a smooth ride. Today’s network of streets and highways have their origins in simple trails which were used by people and wildlife leading to sources of water and shelter. These paths measured only two to three feet wide in places, but they were sufficient for the needs of the times. Early English settlers began to use these footpaths as they established homesteads on Long Island, widening and improving these paths, using them as cart-ways to allow for easier travel between their farms. The cart-way needed to be wide enough for a livestock-drawn cart to traverse with ease. In those days a cart would be hauled by cattle, ox or horse power.

Those paths were the only way to travel around Long Island until 1703, when the NY General Assembly appointed highway commissioners in King’s County (Brooklyn), Queens County and Suffolk County to direct the building and maintenance of roads “four rods wide.” The early measurement of “a rod,” equals approximately 16.5 feet or 5 meters in today’s terms. These highways were simply packed earth, hardened over time by travelers. It took some time for conditions to improve, and eventually drainage systems were constructed, and logs or planks were laid across some roads to pave them. These log-covered roads were known as “corduroy roads” because of their bumpy surface. Thirty years after the highway commissions laid out the routes, arranged rights-of-way between existing properties and physical construction took place, Long Island boasted three major thoroughfares: North Country Road, parts of which follow today’s Route 25A; Middle Country Road, now known as Route 25 or Jericho Turnpike; and South Country Road, portions of which serve as Montauk Highway.

An organized system of roads was needed for many reasons as the population grew. Though most homesteads were self-sufficient at that time, people would barter for goods and gather together to socialize. Mail needed to be delivered across the Island, and prior to the establishment of the U.S. Postal Service in 1775, England’s Royal Mail System was utilized. Before reliably passable roads were built, that mail was delivered from Connecticut by boat. It was faster and easier to travel 19 miles by water than 120 miles over land from New York City.

As the farmland was cultivated and enriched over time, it produced more than one family or village could use and farming became a burgeoning industry. Means to transport the surplus produce was required. Farm to Market Road (also called Horseblock Road) filled this need. Farm owners would load their wagons full of fruits and vegetables to ship by rail to New York City.

The term “horseblock” refers to a block of stone or wood used to help a person climb high enough to mount a horse or to enter a stagecoach with ease. With many homes, farms and taverns located along these miles of roadway, horseblocks were a familiar sight. We call this same Farm to Market Road by its old nickname, Horseblock Road to this day.

Through the years, several popular taverns and rest stops were located on Horseblock Road. As far back as Revolutionary times, Sam “Horseblock” Smith owned and ran a tavern at the intersection of Horseblock and Middle Country Roads in Centereach. A Smith genealogy relates that on March, 2, 1806 Sam sold the inn and land to Lake Grove resident, Titus Gould. It appears that part of the tavern was dismantled and moved to another location. Generations later, Alfred Elsmann ran Al’s Tavern, at the corner of Horseblock and Granny Roads. It was advertised in the Patchogue Advance of March 7, 1946 as specializing in home cooking and “the best in beer, wines and liquors,” and was a popular destination for local festivities for several decades.

Middle Country Public Library celebrates fall with the 24th annual Women’s EXPO

by TBR Staff - October 7, 2024

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These are a few of our favorite things about the fall — pumpkin spice, cozy sweaters, and the annual Women’s EXPO at the Middle Country Public Library in Centereach on Thursday, October 10 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. More than just a trade show, the EXPO showcases the talents, products, and businesses of Long Island women entrepreneurs.

An initiative of the Middle Country Library Foundation, this annual event supports the work the library’s Miller Business Center does all year to help local entrepreneurs.

“Advocating for women-owned businesses not only sets the stage for presenting to young women a path to entrepreneur possibilities,” says Carol Allen, CEO of People’s Alliance Federal Credit Union and the EXPO’s long-time Café Sponsor, “but has proven to be essential to overall grass-roots community and overall economic growth.”

From limited access to funding to balancing personal and professional responsibilities, women entrepreneurs navigate numerous obstacles on their path to success. EXPO Supporting Sponsor Stony Brook Small Business Development Center’s Director Martha Stansbury, “applauds today’s women entrepreneurs for their perseverance in commercializing their business ideas.”

The EXPO not only celebrates these entrepreneurs but also highlights how supporting women-owned businesses strengthens community and economic growth across Long Island. The event not only brings shoppers, it connects the women with each other. “The EXPO provides an invaluable opportunity for women to connect, learn from one another, and collaborate. By coming together, we create a powerful network of support and innovation that fosters both personal and professional growth,” said Sophia Serlis-McPhillips, Director of Middle Country Public Library.

Let’s shine a spotlight on some of the incredible local women entrepreneurs who will be this year’s Women’s EXPO:

Malissa and Francis Mangogna

Beam of Light Designs

Malissa and Frances Mangogna made a bold leap into entrepreneurship in the summer of 2023, launching Beam of Light Designs. Inspired by the creative potential of the Innovation Space at the Middle Country Public Library, they initially created laser-engraved items as gifts for friends and family. However, as interest in the designs grew, Malissa and Frances decided to turn their hobby into a business.

They started by selling through Instagram and Facebook, with last year’s EXPO being their first event. Meeting and speaking with people in-person allowed Malissa and Frances to learn more about what customers really want. Malissa loves designing new products, from custom ornaments to unique visor frames. She says that this year’s EXPO will feature even more personalized options and that they will be affordable. “I’ve been in a position where things were too expensive, and I don’t want anyone to feel that way about our products,” says Malissa.

When asked about their biggest business success, Malissa says, “Our repeat customers. People order a personalized item and often order another right away.”

Vanessa Rodriguez

Creations by Bazookilla

Returning for her second year, Vanessa Rodriguez of Creations by Bazookilla reflects on how far she’s come since last year, when she attended her first ever event – the Women’s EXPO. Vanessa taught herself to crochet, giving her blankets, hats, and more to friends and family. “People would always tell me I should sell my items, but it was just something I did for fun.” That changed when her friend and mentor gave her the push she needed. “I wasn’t sure I could do it,” Vanessa admitted. “But I’m so glad she pushed me into it.” Vanessa, a single mother, balances her budding business with her studies in payroll management. Despite the challenges, she continues, driven by the memory of her late father, whose work ethic continues to inspire her to move forward.

She met many fellow women entrepreneurs at the last EXPO, including Lisa Brunetti of Fashion Forward with Lisa. Since connecting at the EXPO, Lisa has encouraged Vanessa to sell her products at Retro Relics in Lake Grove and join a networking group. Vanessa joined TNT and through the meetings she has gained vital support, helping her business grow. She says, “The best thing about starting this business has been meeting new people—other entrepreneurs—and connecting with them.” From hobbyist to business owner, from uncertainty to confidence, Vanessa feels like this year is her “moment.” And she’s just getting started.

Sue Folan

Sue’s Balsamic Glazes

Sue Folan, a registered dietitian, was looking to do something different. Having spent a lot of time helping people season food in healthy ways and knowing balsamic glazes are an easy, healthy way to add that flavor, Sue’s Balsamic Glazes was born.

Unsure where to start, Sue used some of the resources available to entrepreneurs in New York starting at the Stony Brook Small Business Development Center where a business counselor helped her get begin. Still Sue knew she needed to learn more about getting a food product to market safely, so she worked with the Cornell Center for Excellence for Food and Agriculture. This led to her being invited to be a part of the inaugural session of the Cornell Food Spark, a program designed and led by leading food science experts to help entrepreneurs bring new food products to market.

After all her hard work, Sue’s Balsamic Glazes were ready for market in June 2023. In her first year, Sue sold 3,700 bottles and is on track to sell more than 5,000 this year. She is looking forward to her first EXPO. Former EXPO vendors have recommended the event as “a great way to meet and talk with other women in business,” says Sue.

Even though being an entrepreneur means Sue works 7 days a week, she is excited about what’s to come.

Sena Kolayli

The Cinnamon Candle

Sena Kolayli’s journey from chemist to candle maker is as unique as the hand-poured sculptural soy candles she creates. Originally from Turkey, Sena moved to the U.S. to work as a chemist at a pharmaceutical company, but her career path shifted when she became pregnant. Wanting to balance her desire to work with staying home to care for her son, Sena took an online candle-making course. With her background in chemistry, she saw an opportunity to create natural, safe candles and was determined to craft the best product possible.

Now in her third holiday season with The Cinnamon Candle, Sena has grown her business from a single color, scent, and mold to offering five scents and a variety of colors and designs. “I started small, but I’ve always wanted to keep growing and adding to my collection,” she said. She hopes to offer candle-making workshops in the future and possibly open a coffee/candle shop — an idea inspired by her sister’s love of coffee.

For Sena, the biggest success is the positive feedback from customers. “People tell me my candles make their homes beautiful, and that just makes me cry,” she said. “I put so much care and effort into every single candle.”

A neighbor mentioned how much she enjoyed the EXPO and encouraged Sena to apply. She is looking forward to being around other women entrepreneurs

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Whether it’s the corner deli, the local card shop or an entrepreneur at the Women’s EXPO, every local purchase is a vote of confidence in your community.

The 24th annual Women’s EXPO will take place on Thursday, October 10 at the Middle Country Public Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd, Centereach from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free and there is ample parking. For further information, call the library at 631-585-9393 x296 or visit www.womensEXPOli.org.

Middle Country Public Library presents Music Under the Stars concert Sept. 19

by Press Release - September 14, 2024

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From left, Assistant Library Director Ryan Gessner, adult services librarian Jim Ward, Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa, Library Director Sophia Serlis-McPhillips, coordinator Elizabeth Malafi, adult services librarian Gilda Ramos, and coordinator Lori Abbatepaolo. Photo courtesy of MCPL

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The MCPL Music Under the Stars summer concert series will take its final bow when The Men of Soul take the stage on Sept. 19, at 7:30 p.m., at Middle Country Public Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd. in Centereach. A dynamic Soul and R&B cover band, this talented ensemble transports audiences back in time with their electrifying renditions of classic hits from iconic soul bands of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning provided an Omnibus grant to Middle Country Public Library to support the Music Under the Stars summer concert series. Sponsored by Legislator Nick Caracappa, this year’s event featured 1980s cover band Guilty Pleasures and Country and Bluegrass band The Longhorns.

This outdoor concert is free and open to all – just bring your lawn chairs and dress for the weather. Food trucks All American Wontons and Jeff’s Jolly Ice Cream will have snacks available for purchase.

For more information, please call Middle Country Public Library at 631-585-9393.

Miller Business Center receives $5k grant from TD Bank

by Press Release - May 23, 2024

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TD Bank recently provided a generous grant of $5,000 to the Middle Country Library Foundation in support of Strictly Business and the Women’s EXPO.

As the Strictly Business Enterprise sponsor, TD Bank supports the library’s efforts to bring valuable educational, networking, and tradeshow experience to the local and regional business community.

Held on May 7, the 16th annual Strictly Business event, a partnership between Middle Country Public Library’s Miller Business Center, the Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce, and the Brookhaven Chambers of Commerce Coalition, featured more than 80 local businesses and business organizations and welcomed over 550 attendees.

The 24th Women’s EXPO, a showcase and a marketplace for Long Island women entrepreneurs, will be held on Oct. 10 and features more than 80 exhibitors and over 2,500 attendees each year.

Pictured, from left, are Sophia Serlis-McPhillips, Library Director, Middle Country Public Library; Sal DiVincenzo, Coordinator of Digital Services, Middle Country Public Library; Edward Russo, Mortgage Loan Officer, TD Bank; Tom Kelly, Manager, TD Bank; and Elizabeth Malafi, Coordinator, Miller Business Center, Middle Country Public Library.

For more information about the many programs of the Miller Business Center, visit www.millerbusinesscenter.org.

Photo courtesy of MCPL

Museum Day returns to Middle Country Public Library May 16

by Tara Mae - May 12, 2024

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By Tara Mae

Like separate entries in an anthology, different community organizations offer rich options for diverse cultural endeavors that form a cohesive collection of experiences to encourage understanding and appreciation.

In this spirit, Middle Country Public Library’s Centereach branch at 101 Eastwood Blvd. will host Museum Day on Thursday, May 16, from 4 to 7 p.m. The event is free and no registration is required.

This year 30 local institutions are participating, including the Long Island Museum of American History, Art and Carriages (LIM) in Stony Brook, Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) in Setauket, Whaling Museum and Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor, Railroad Museum of Long Island in Riverhead, and Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown.

“The purpose [of Museum Day] is to provide a forum for community members to interact with representatives from local museums, historical societies, science and nature centers that participate to share information regarding their collections, programs, and exhibits in a festival type setting,” said Deborah Hempe, Middle Country Public Library’s Coordinator for Outreach Services and Museum Corner.

Held at the Museum Corner section of the library, which is part of the Youth Services Department, Museum Day is geared towards children and their families. Interactive elements across multiple mediums include science experiments, arts and crafts, live animal visits, and interaction with museum displays and artifacts.

“For many children, looking and listening isn’t enough to activate the desire to learn. At events like this, children are presented with opportunities to also create, explore objects for themselves, and feel a connection that is personal,” said Lisa Unander, Director of Education at the Long Island Museum. “That feeling can be a catalyst to spark wonder and a lifelong love of art and history.”

The LIM will have a collage project inspired by the art of Reynold Ruffins, whose work is featuring in one of its current exhibits, Painting Partnership: Reynold and Joan Ruffins. The activity will concentrate on how using color and geometric shapes can create art.

TVHS will set up a mini-exhibit and teach hands-on crafts, like making colonial whirligigs. Sweetbriar Nature Center will attend with two of its ambassador animals; traditionally, a resident owl and snake come as its guests. The Railroad Museum of Long Island will set up a train display.

“I enjoy seeing the families who attend Museum Day and [engaging] with the children on hands-on learning activities we offer during the event,” said Education Coordinator of TVHS Lindsey Steward-Goldberg.

These offerings are made to energize minds and excite imaginations.

“Museums can be places that introduce new ideas, unique perspectives and often challenge people’s ways of looking and thinking. Giving children a chance expand their way of thinking and encouragement to be creative in unexpected ways is often a goal of museum educators,” Unander said.

For 35 years, Middle Country Public Library has organized the gathering in conjunction with International Museum Day, which falls on or around May 18. In 2023, more than 37,000 museums in about 158 countries and territories took part in the celebration.

Coordinated by the International Council of Museums, International Museum Day has a distinctive theme every year; 2024’s focus is Museums for Education and Research.

Although the motif changes, primary objectives of the official occasion and the library’s exhibition remain consistent: to alert people to the role museums play in the advancement of society and fortify the cooperation between neighboring operations.

“The public is able to learn about what these local organizations have to offer in a fun and interactive setting…Additionally, it provides a nice way for the organizations to do a bit of networking with each other,” Hempe said.

A welcome chance to fortify interdisciplinary dynamics for the attending entities while engaging with a new audience and enchanting existing patrons, Museum Day is both a synopsis and preview of the organizations’ services. Many vendors return annually to maximize and solidify their exposure.

“Each year we meet many patrons who know our museum, and also many who have not ever visited the LIM. It is a wonderful way to showcase what the LIM has to offer and to extend a personal invitation to these families to visit for the first time or to come back and see what is new since their last visit,” Unander said.

Through nurturing partnerships of longevity and consistency, Museum Day invigorates lifelong interest in learning as well as sustained support for assemblages dedicated to historical preservation and intellectual enrichment.

“I look forward to further cultivating those relationships, interacting with the staff and volunteers of participating organizations, and seeing the event attendees interacting with them as well…all are welcome,” Hempe said.

Participating organizations include:

American Airpower Museum

Bayard Cutting Arboretum

Bethel Hobbs Community Farm

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County Community Education

Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society

Fire Island National Seashore

Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council

Hallockville Museum Farm

Hofstra University Museum of Art

Long Island Explorium

Long Island Maritime Museum

Long Island Museum

Long Island Telephone Museum

LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum

Montauk Historical Society/Lighthouse

NY Marine Rescue Center

Old Westbury Gardens

Patchogue Arts Council

Railroad Museum of Long Island

Sagtikos Manor

Smithtown Historical Society

Southampton History Museum

South Fork Natural History Museum

Sweetbriar Nature Center

Three Village Historical Society

Town of Brookhaven Historian

Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium

Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor

Water Mill Museum

To learn more about Museum Day, call 631-585-9393 or visit www.mcplibrary.org.

Middle Country Librarian Amber Gagliardi selected as one of Library Journal’s Class of 2024 Movers & Shakers

by Press Release - May 7, 2024

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In its May 2024 issue, Library Journal showcases the 50 recipients of the 2024 Movers & Shakers awards—a vibrant cohort of Advocates, Community Builders, Change Agents, Innovators, Educators, and Ban Battlers selected from public libraries across the United States.

Middle Country Public Library adult services librarian Amber Gagliardi is one of these 2024 Movers and Shakers. Amber received this honor for creating the MCPL Seed Library and the Local Eats program series with Cornell Cooperative Extension. Additionally, Amber expanded MCPL’s traditional gardening programs to include seed saving and gardening that helps local pollinators thrive.

As part of her efforts, Amber has encouraged other libraries in Suffolk County to join the seed library movement and librarians from throughout the county have reached out to her for help as they take on this challenge. In response to the growing need to support her fellow librarians, Amber co-founded the Long Island Seed Libraries Roundtable with Regina Dlugokencky, from Glen Cove Public Library, as a way to share knowledge between seed libraries.

As Library Journal Executive Editor Lisa Peet said when announcing this year’s Movers and Shakers, “Our 2024 Movers represent a range of innovative, proactive, and supportive work; they are imaginative and kind and brave in a world that needs those qualities – and the results they produce – very much.” Middle Country Public Library could not be more thrilled for Amber Gagliardi and this new class of Movers and Shakers – they represent an inspiring sample of the work being done in and around libraries today.

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Founded in 1876, Library Journal is a trade publication serving librarians and library workers. Sharing important news and perspectives that shape the field, surfacing best practices and innovations to invest in, identifying emerging leaders, guiding purchasing decisions, and acting as an advocate for librarians and libraries, Library Journal has been leading the field through the great changes and innovations required to keep libraries strong for nearly 150 years.

Middle Country Public Library is a dynamic center for life-long learning that provides access to a wide range of programs, services, technology, and resources to meet the needs of a diverse community.

Middle Country Public Library to host Youth Abilities Day April 13

by Press Release - April 11, 2024

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Middle Country Public Library’s Centereach branch at 101 Eastwood Blvd., will host a Youth Abilities Day: A
Special Needs Resource Fair on Saturday, April 13, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is free and open to all.

Youth Abilities Day is about helping individuals with disabilities and their families find the right resources to enrich lives. The fair features approximately 20 organizations representing a wide variety of specialties including sports, music, baking, healthcare, therapies and many more.

Attendees will be entertained by the Great and Powerful Dave who will provide a magic show at 1 p.m. The Super Mario Bros. characters will also be available for photos during the event and there will be a space provided to unwind in a sensory room. This event is provided in partnership with Stony Brook University’s Occupational Therapy students and Middle Country Special Education PTA.

For more information about the fair, contact the youth services department at Middle Country Public Library at 631-585-9393 ext. 559. Pre-registration is encouraged, over the phone or on the library’s website, www.mcplibrary.org.

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