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Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library is getting set to open a 7,000-square-foot satellite branch in Moriches.
Doors open Saturday, April 15, at 201 Montauk Highway.
“Within a few days, our library system will achieve a level of geographic accessibility that’s unprecedented in the district’s history,” said Kerri Rosalia, library director. “We are confident that the new Moriches library will be warmly embraced by area residents.”
The new branch was built in the same architectural style as the nearly century-old Little Red Schoolhouse, which is next to the new library branch.
The news follows the Jan. 14 opening of the Mastic Beach Satellite Branch on Neighborhood Road. Since its opening, over 700 people have signed up with new library cards at the Mastic Beach branch. And additional 600 have asked that Mastic Beach serve as their “home library,” officials said.
The projects are being funded by the December 2019 voter approval of a $22.7 million bond referendum designed to expand and modernize the Tri Hamlet area’s library system, which had been deemed woefully undersized along with other deficiencies.
The bond passed by 95 votes, 1173 in favor to 1078 opposed, Greater Moriches previously reported.
“The instant success of the Mastic Beach branch serves as a promising sign that the Moriches library will prove popular as well,” said Joseph Maiorana, library board president.
In the meantime, the main branch in Shirley is undergoing an expansion, code-mandated safety renovations and technological modernizations, officials said. Main library services have been temporarily relocated to the Town of Brookhaven’s Mastic Recreation Center at 15 Herkimer Street in Mastic.
A special ribbon-cutting ceremony with elected officials is also planned for opening day in Moriches. That will happen at 1:30 p.m. and library officials are inviting the public to attend the event.
Top: The main entrance to the new Moriches satellite branch. (courtesy photo)
