Garden City Library To Renovate Children's Department

GARDEN CITY, NY — The plan to renovate and remodel the children's section at the Garden City Public Library is moving forward, and patrons will soon find a different library experience at the building.

According to the village, the renovations to the Children's Department will include a new reading room for story programs, as well as a workshop for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) activities. As part of the project, the entrance area of the library and the circulation desk will also be remodeled.

To oversee the project, the village has created a project team of library and village employees, as well as members of the village's architects, H2M Architects and Engineers. The team consists of Library Director Marianne Malagon, Library Board Chairman Randy Colahan, Village Administrator Ralph Suozzi, Building Department Superintendent Giuseppe Giovanniello and Project Architect Katie Stone.

The library will remain open while construction is ongoing. But to make room for the work, the Children's Department will temporarily be relocated to the library's large meeting room on the lower level. Some children's materials will be in the room, and some will be kept in storage in the library. The new children's room will be staffed with librarians to help patrons.

Relocating the children's room will not impact any of the online programs that are currently scheduled. All in-person programs at the library have been cancelled indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Circulation Department is also being impacted by the work, and will also be relocated to another area of the library. This is expected to be for a shorter time than the children's department. The new location has not yet been finalized, and will be announced later.