Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Library Opens New, 7,000 S.F. Facility

Photo caption: At the ribbon-cutting ceremony are, from left: Library Director Kerri Rosalia; Brookhaven Town Councilman and Deputy Supervisor Dan Panico; State Assemblyman Joseph DeStefano; State Senator Dean Murray; Library Trustees Wendy Gross and Michael Dubois; Library Board President Joseph Maiorana; Brookhaven Town Clerk Kevin LaValle; Library Trustee Joseph Furnari; Suffolk County Legislator and former Library Trustee James Mazzarella; Library Assistant Director Tara D’Amato; and, Library Trustee Nancy Marks.

MORICHES, NY – APRIL 15, 2023 – The Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library opened the doors to a modern, new 7,000-square-foot Satellite Branch Library at 201 Montauk Highway in Moriches at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, April 15 at 1:30 pm.

The public helped mark the launch of the new library by joining local officials at the event. The new satellite branch is, for the first time, providing convenient access to library patrons residing in the library district’s northern section.

The opening of the new Moriches satellite branch represents this year’s second milestone in an overall, multi-project expansion of Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library services.

On January 14, the district opened a new, 7,000-square-foot Mastic Beach Satellite Branch at 369 Neighborhood Road. That facility has quickly generated enthusiastic public support and patronage. Since its opening, 726 patrons have signed up with new library cards at the Mastic Beach branch. An additional 603 patrons have asked that Mastic Beach serve as their “home library.”

The two new branches in Moriches and Mastic Beach now join the district’s main branch in Shirley, which is presently undergoing code-mandated and safety renovations as well as technological modernization.

As a result, for the first time ever, a streamlined and easily accessible library experience is soon to be available to residents throughout the district.

“Our library system is achieving a level of geographic accessibility that’s unprecedented in the district’s history,” says Library Director Kerri Rosalia. “We are confident that the new Moriches library will be warmly embraced by area residents.”

“Our library team places tremendous value on service, and our new geographic reach automatically translates into improved service,” says Library Board President Joseph Maiorana. “The instant success of the Mastic Beach branch serves as a promising sign that the Moriches library will prove popular as well.”

A library district-wide expansion and modernization program was set in motion by local voters on December 10, 2019, through their approval of a $22.7-million bond referendum. At the time of the referendum’s approval, the district’s sole library – situated at 407 William Floyd Parkway in Shirley – is 28-percent smaller than the recommended library size for a community with the district’s population.

Underscoring the absence of adequate space, attendance at popular programs is curtailed due to lack of capacity. Moreover, the library has been forced to conduct hundreds of classes and meetings at off-site locations every year, which has proven to be costly, staff-intensive, and logistically cumbersome.

In addition to the creation of the two new satellite branches, the referendum’s passage also sets the stage for an extensive upgrade of the outdated Main Library in Shirley. Once it opens, the new Mastic Beach and Moriches branches will remain in permanent operation.

Main library services have been temporarily relocated to the Town of Brookhaven's Mastic Recreation Center at 15 Herkimer Street in Mastic.

“Library services play a major role in the life of a community, and the Town of Brookhaven is proud to make the Mastic Recreation Center available to the library district,” says Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine. “We congratulate the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library upon its completion of two new satellite branches.”

“Residents of all ages are able to enrich their lives when they have access to a first-rate library system,” says Suffolk County Legislator James Mazzarella, a former member of the Library Board of Trustees. “The completion of this second new branch represents a landmark moment in the history of the district.”

The new satellite branch library in Moriches, designed by H2M architects + engineers in Melville, was built in the same architectural style as the existing 95-year-old Little Red Schoolhouse, a neighborhood landmark standing adjacent to the new library. The Moriches site offers ample parking and incorporates an expansive outdoor area suitable for both small and large outdoor programming.

A collection of popular reading materials, such as bestsellers, children's books, and DVDs, is housed in the Moriches building. Items requested from the main library, the Mastic Beach branch, and through interlibrary loan are available for pickup.

The library's flexible space includes dedicated areas for children, teens, and adults. All furniture and shelving has wheels so they can be moved to rearrange space as needed. The adult area offers seating for individual quiet work, multiple computers, and three program rooms. The children and teen areas have tables and chairs for students to do homework or study. There are dedicated computers for students to use. A program room within the space is adjustable in size with moveable walls.

Moriches design elements emphasize both cost savings and energy efficiency, according to library officials. Just as in Mastic Beach, the overall Moriches site promotes sustainability by adhering to LEED standards set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Construction work at the Moriches site was undertaken through a competitive bidding process. The selected contractors were all based on Long Island. Sandpebble Builders of Southampton served as construction manager.

About the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library

The Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library was established by the voters of the William Floyd School District in the summer of 1974. It opened to the public in June 1975, when it was located in two small, portable classrooms on the William Floyd School District property. Since 1982, it has been one of Suffolk County’s most utilized libraries, occupying a 44,000 square foot building on William Floyd Parkway in Shirley. Since its inception, the library has been a leader in providing innovative services that include automation; children’s and family programming; services for teens and seniors; cultural activities; literacy services; community outreach initiatives; digital services and technology support; career and college readiness assistance; lifelong learning opportunities; and partnerships with local businesses and community organizations. The recipient of numerous grants in support of its unique programs and services, the library has been recognized in such major media as Newsday, the New York Times, WNBC’s Channel 4, and News 12. For more information, visit www.communitylibrary.org.