Letter to the Voter's

The Commack Public Library's mission statement continues to be a guiding force for us in providing library services to all our patrons from the youngest to the oldest. Our mission statement is as follows:

The Commack Public Library is dedicated to providing the community with quality library services to fulfill the informational, educational, cultural, professional and recreational needs of patrons of all ages, by providing traditional, current and popular materials, knowledgeable reference service, and innovative programs in an open and friendly environment.

As we continue to experience these difficult economic times, the Commack Public Library continues to strive to be a valued and trusted community partner. Our patrons have been actively using their Library for our incredible array of resources from books to computers, DVDs, CDs, software, video games and for professional assistance with employment, health and other important information.

The Youth Services Department continues to be an essential part of our Library and serves your children from infants to young adults by offering a wide variety of materials, programs, services and activities. This year we were able to reconfigure our children's area to allow for the addition of two more computers and a Lego table. Our 2009 Summer Reading Club served children of all ages and our patrons enjoyed a variety of programs designed just for them. We implemented an online and telephone registration for almost all our children's and young adult programs. We know that this has made it more convenient and easier to participate in youth services programs. Our juvenile population has also been enjoying online Tumblebooks which introduces children's books to our youngest patrons with sound, music and narration. In addition, we are able to offer a free online tutoring service called Homework Help for students in grades 4 through grade 12. This product is readily available from our homepage and your children can receive free homework help from certified tutors in math, science, English and social studies.

Our dynamic senior patrons continue to utilize the plethora of materials, programs and services that we have made available. Activities for seniors are provided on a regular basis and include: Thursday afternoon movies, AARP driving classes, AARP tax assistance, Are You Game Club, computer classes, concerts, exercise classes and workshops on a variety of activities that are geared to the informational and recreational desires of our senior population.

In addition to the thousands of patrons that attended thousands of programs in the Library, we also offer the successful Museum Pass Program that allows your family to visit the Long Island Children's Museum, Museum of Natural History, Vanderbilt Museum, the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum, and the Nassau County Museum of Art at little or no cost for an exciting and educational adventure outside the Library.

Even when the Library building is closed, the Library webpage is available at www.commackpubliclibrary.org where you will find a variety of services at your fingertips, available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. With the quick click of a mouse you will be able to: search our catalog and county catalog; reserve, renew and request interlibrary loan material; see the new materials added to the collection; view the Colophon, the Internet Gazette, the adult, young adult and children's blogs; access E-resources (full-text articles) and SuffolkWave (downloadable audio and media); register for children's and young adult programs and access numerous other services we have implemented. In the coming months, we will be introducing other new services to our webpage including online and telephone registration for many of our adult programs.

In a continued effort to make your library services more convenient, we have added a drive-up book drop and media drop off available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. We also have a USPS mailbox right outside our door and have stamps available for purchase at the circulation desk. We have made a fax machine available to our patrons so they may send or receive a fax at minimal cost.

Considering the current economic conditions, the Board closely studied and evaluated the current financial position of the Commack Public Library and made the decision to transfer $199,999 from the Library's reserve to offset many of the increased expenses anticipated in the 2010-2011 proposed budget. By using this reserve, we are able to propose a 2010-2011 budget with a proposed budget increase of 1.10% with a proposed tax rate increase of 2.08%. With this proposed budget we are determined to continue to offer your family and neighbors the quality and quantity of materials, activities, services and opportunities with the ability to offer additional resources to our patrons.

According to a study conducted several years ago by Dr. Pearl Kamer, Chief Economist for the Long Island Association, for every dollar that is spent in library taxes in Suffolk County, there is a four dollar return in patron and library service. We believe investing in libraries is an investment in education and lifelong learning. We are committed to continue to make the Library even more valuable to you and your family, your neighbors and our community.

Please remember to vote on Tuesday, April 13th!

-The Commack Public Library Board of Trustees

Important Dates

Friends of the Library Events

Annual April Book Sale
Tuesday, April 13th-Begins at 9:00 a.m.

Yard Sale and Bike Consignment
Saturday, April 24th-9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

For more information regarding these Friends events, please read the Friends in the News article in this monthly newsletter.