Community Pride shined through Shirley with the grand opening of a new library. The rebuilt main building joins two library annexes to complete a trifecta of projects designed to serve the area for the next 50 years.
“We’re proud of how the community came together to support these projects,” said Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library President Kerri Rosalia, who thanked the library trustees for getting behind the monumental effort. The completely rebuilt main branch on William Floyd Parkway joins facilities in Moriches and Mastic Beach that were part of an unprecedented library building boom.
Joining thousands of residents at the grand opening were a number of local officials who helped secure funding for the project, including state Senators Dean Murray and Alexis Weik, Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico, Councilwoman Karen Dunne-Kesnig, and Legislator Jim Mazzarella, who served on the library board when the project was first envisioned.
“It was a moment of community pride when the doors opened today,” Mazzarella said. “Library patrons will be treated to a state of the art facility with first rate library services for years to come. Congratulations to the Library Board of Trustees, the staff and the community at large.”
Taking pride in the finished projects were Library Trustees Joseph Maiorana, Wendy Gross, Michael Dubois, Joseph Furnari, and Chris Ricciardi. Also part of the library’s efforts was former trustee Nancy Marks. Assistant Library Director Tara D’Amato was on hand to greet the excited library patrons as they viewed their new community resource for the first time.
The libraries have something for everyone, young and old, including a staff that will help with just about everything. “Our new main building is loaded with technology. We’re ready for anything that will come our way in the future,” director Rosalia said. She singled out the construction managers with Sandpebble—Greg Russo, Chris Barletta, and Ryan Groskopf—for a beautiful job well done.
“The libraries are a focal point for the community, busy places where people have a comfortable place to gather,” said Assemblyman DeStefano. “It’s tremendous that we have three great facilities for all corners of Moriches, Shirley, and the Mastics.”