Image from NYPL As reported previously:

Please join The New York Public Library for a Community Conversation about the new Roosevelt Island Library
Thursday, November 20, 2014 | 6-8 PM
Good Shepherd Community Center
543 Main Street, Roosevelt Island

The New York Public Library is planning for a new home for the Roosevelt Island Library. We would like to hear your thoughts and ideas on the programs and services for the new library.

The new Roosevelt Island NY Public Library will be located on the ground floor of 504 Main Street and is scheduled to open in 2017.

Future Home Of Roosevelt Island NY Public Library According to Diane Chin of the Roosevelt Island NY Public Library:

The following NYPL staff members will be speaking at the Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, November 20:

Nicole Nelson, Library Manager of the Roosevelt Island Library
Dawn Chance, Library Network Manager
Christopher Platt, Acting Vice President of Public Service
George Mihaltses, Vice President of Government and Community Affairs

Roosevelt Island’s NYC Council Member Ben Kallos will be at tonight’s NYPL Town Hall Meeting as well as Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer:

Roosevelt Island Parents’ Network Coordinator (RIPN) Eva Bosbach adds:

Most parents are very happy with our local library, especially with the fact that we do have a NYPL branch right here on the island. Among the appreciated services RIPN members often mention are the children’s books and play area, the three age specific story times as well as the craft workshops, the friendliness of the staff and the bathroom.

Improvement suggestions include sorting or at least labeling the books according to the age and reading level of the children and providing reading level recommendations lists, adding children’s books and story times in different languages (and we have moms who would volunteer for that), expanding the children’s area into a large space so that children of different ages have enough room to read and play, implementing more music classes and craft workshops while minding the lunch-nap time window (12-3pm), or adding a changing table at the bathroom.

Recently a concern was raised that books do not always get back to our library after they had been returned at other branches and that the toys need cleaning. Parents would also appreciate a more efficient communication strategy on the programs with the community, like a newsletter for the month where all upcoming children’s workshops and activities would be listed. Since there already is a calendar paper version at the desk in the library, it should be possible do distribute such information electronically.

Overall, the library is a very valuable resource for families with children of all ages, especially during the winter time. We thank Nicole and the entire RI library staff for all their work and efforts!

Members of the RIPN had these suggestions for the new library. Now it’s your turn to tell the NY Public Library your thoughts and ideas on programs and services for our new library. You can tell them at tonight’s Community Conversation. More background on getting a new Roosevelt Island NY Public Library branch at this previous post.