The Smithtown branch of the Smithtown Special Library District was closed for more than a year as renovations were performed, and now it is open once again.
"We're so proud. It's a long time coming but it's here," said Joseph Vallone, president of the library's board of directors. "The contractor did a wonderful job, the artchitect did a wonderful job, our staff – I can't say enough about them ... they did a tremendous job."
Anthony Monteleone, vice president of the library's board of directors, echoed Vallone's sentiments.
"This has been a project of certainly love and passion for the library and for the residents of Smithtown," he said. "This has been in the works for about six years at least but this library system is now one that the entire township could be proud of and sorely needed."
The response to the opening so far, according to Assistant Director Sue McManus, has been positive, with a few expected kinks.
"They're just happy that we're open and so far they like it," she said. "We have to show them where the new areas are because they go into the teen room thinking they're going to find AV, but the AV is downstairs."
Although it is now open, there are a few more changes to come.
"The building is open to the public but we're going to contibue to add to the building," said Library Director Robery Lusack. "There's still some furniture that's on order, we're going to keep adding to it. We wanted to open to the public when the areas that the public utilizes was ready.
One of the forthcoming changes to the library will make its debut in November. Lusack said the Smithtown branch has been designated a US Trademark and Patent Library.
"People who have invented something or trying to get a patent or a trademark on something, they could utilize the database to see whether or not that product or invention exists," he said.
Stony Brook University used to house the US Trademark and Patent Library collection, which now will be in the Smithtown branch. Lusack said this is the only US Trademark and Patent Library in Suffolk County.
The library district is currently awaiting inspections from the Town of Smithtown at the Kings Park branch, whch according to Vallone could be open within the next week. A grand opening event for the Smithtown branch is in the works for mid October.
