Looking to the Future

On March 7, 2017, East Meadow School District residents approved a joint School District/Public Library capital project bond referendum by a vote of 2,031 Yes to 835 No.

Entries on this page are listed in chronological order.  Jump down to the bottom of this page to access the proposed plans and information relating to the bond referendum.

Please use the Library’s general contact form or give the Library Director a call at 516-794-2570 if you have any unanswered questions.


September 17, 2021: The Library’s Board and Administration are excited to announce the re-opening of the community’s newly-renovated library on Thursday, September 23rd, 2021 at 9 a.m. The library will resume its in-person regular hours as of September 23rd:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Wednesday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, beginning 10/3, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

The Board, Administration and staff look forward to welcoming you back on Thursday, September 23rd. See you then!

September 13, 2021 – The building is looking great, even at night!

August 27, 2021 – The library will be reopening very soon. Everything is being done to ensure the safety of both staff and patrons as the job is completed. As soon as we are ready to open, we will send out an email blast and announce it on the website that we are open. Here are a few photos to enjoy.

May 12, 2021 – We are proud to share pictures of our beautifully renovated library which we will be opening in July. Our goal has been to provide our community with the highest quality. We look forward to seeing you soon! View some recent photos of the progress.

September 23, 2020 – We intend to be substantially completed with construction early next year and we hope to open to the public (in a COVID-compliant way) in early spring 2021.


Thumbnail photo of the interior of Library's new Community Room addition under construction, showing the tiered concrete floor.
Photo of the Library roof depicting six new roof monitors.
Thumbnail photo of one of the Library's new roof monitors, taken from the roof.
Thumbnail photo of one of the Library's new roof monitors, taken from inside.

March 4, 2020 – Due to construction, a portion of the current Library parking lot will be CLOSED from March 9 through March 13.  Parking will be very limited.

January 21, 2020 – The Library is open today, January 21st 2020, however, access to the parking lot may be limited due to the placement of our new gas line. Because of this construction, we will be extending due dates for any material that is due today, January 21st. Enjoy your day and if you have any questions feel free to call us at 516-794-2570 or send an email to director@eastmeadow.info.

December 2019 – Due to construction work that will impact the temporary Library space, the Library will be CLOSED Thursday, December 26 through Saturday, December 28, 2019.  Library staff will be available via telephone from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

October 28, 2019 – A temporary Library has been set up on the west side of the building.  The Front Street driveway will soon be inaccessible.  All visitors should enter from East Meadow Avenue.  The book drop has been relocated near the new west side entrance.

October 17, 2019 – The Library will re-open on Monday, October 28.  Please read this notice for additional details.

September 27, 2019 – The Library will close for two weeks beginning Monday, October 7. The Library will reopen on the west side as soon as possible, but as of now, it will open on Monday, October 21.

Programs will continue as scheduled at the various locations.

Star Wars Day is on Saturday, October 12 and will be held at the Samanea mall from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

You’ll be able to pick up your holds at the Samanea mall on October 12 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and on Sunday, October 13 from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

For those who already have booked museum passes, the Library will honor those reservations and you will be contacted directly to arrange for pickup.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call the Library. Staff will be answering phones.

July 11, 2019 – The East Meadow Avenue entrance to the Library is closed to vehicular/pedestrian traffic.  Please use the Front Street entrance.  The Library is currently closed for renovation work and will re-open Monday, July 22, 2019 at 9 a.m.  Please consult the current Library newsletter for additional information.

June 2019 – Please consult the When do you intend to close the library and for how long? flyer for information regarding the Library closure relating to the first phase of construction.  The last day for service will be Saturday, June 22.  This first closure is expected to last approximately four weeks.

September 2018 – The Library received NYS Education Department approval for the renovation project on September 20, 2018.  The Library has essentially obtained the building permits required to begin construction.  The next step is preparation of bid documents so that the project may be put out for competitive bidding near the end of 2018.  The Library Board and staff continue to seek a temporary location to house the Library during construction.

May 2018 – We’re excited to share a couple of renderings from the Library’s architect.  These conceptual interior views are from the Children’s Library looking north towards the Story Hour Room and new outdoor Reading Courtyard.  These images not only help us visualize how the renovated space might look but also how the proposed addition of roof monitors introduces indirect sunlight to the heart of the building.


April 2018 – The Library’s Board, Administration and Staff continue to work on the renovation project. We are currently seeking out our temporary location. We will do our best to locate a building within our district. Also, the price needs to be as inexpensive as possible and the space must be compatible with the needs of our patrons. Once a location has been chosen, we will let everyone know.

The construction plans have been submitted to the NYS Education Department for their review and approval. The Library’s building’s permit comes from the NYS Education Department and not from the local building department. We anticipate the approval process to take less than one year.

February 2018 – Work is ongoing to prepare the plans for submission to the NYS Education Department.  Library staff also continue to investigate rental real estate for the library’s temporary home.

December 14, 2017 – This letter is in response to frequently asked questions received to date:

We are striving to create a space the community will want to utilize. The space needs to be as flexible as possible to allow for the changes the future will bring. Within reason, of course, as most of the book stacks will not be movable.

The number of meeting rooms in the lower level will not change. There will be one meeting room which will seat approximately 80 people. As it is now, this meeting room will also be configured so that it can be split into two rooms with approximately 40 people in each. There will also be a small conference room which will be slightly larger and will accommodate approximately 20 people. In both the children’s and adult areas, there will be additional study rooms. We are mindful of the need for electricity so most, if not all, will have electricity nearby so you can recharge your electronics.

The large new community room space will seat approximately 250 people with fixed, slanted seating so all will be able to see the performers, movie, or screen.

All of this being done for the residents of East Meadow to enjoy a space away from the demands of home and work.

Carol Probeyahn
Library Director

October 5, 2017 – The Library Board of Trustees select Savin Engineers, P.C. to provide construction management services for the Library renovation project.

September 1, 2017 – Letter from the Library Director updating the community on the renovation process:
Thumbnail image of the first page of the Library's October/November 2017 newsletter containing a message from the Director regarding the renovation

August 2017 – Library Board of Trustees develop and release an RFP seeking a construction manager.  Also, the Library begins distributing a bookmark containing answers to frequently asked questions at the Circulation Desk:
Thumbnail image of bookmark containing answers to frequently asked questions regarding the library renovation

July 1, 2017 – Library Director updates the community in the July/August 2017 issue of the Library Newsletter:
Thumbnail image of the first page of the Library's July/August 2017 newsletter containing a message from the Director regarding the renovation

June 16, 2017 – Geotechnical engineers conduct a soil survey of the parking lot and area where the new Community Room is planned.

May 2017 – Surveyors perform site work with the goal of developing a boundary and topographical survey of the Library property.

March 7, 2017 – Bond referendum passes 2,031 Yes to 835 No.


— For informational purposes, the Library has preserved this page as it appeared on March 7, 2017 —


Join Us for an Open House

The Library’s Board of Trustees and staff are committed to serving the needs of the community and continuing a tradition of excellence in library service that began in 1954.   To that end, the Board and its administrators have been studying ways of updating and improving the library facility, furthering its ability to meet community needs.  To guide us in our efforts, the library Board requested proposals from several architectural firms specializing in library design.  In February 2016, the Board selected Peter Gisolfi Associates, Architects – Landscape Architects, LLP of Hastings-on-Hudson, NY to work with the library.

The library has scheduled the following open house where members of the community are invited to review design concepts that have been developed for the proposed library renovation:

Open House
Saturday, March 4, 2017 at 1 p.m.

The open house will take place in the library lobby near the Circulation Desk.  If you are unable to attend either meeting, you are welcome to visit the library and ask for the Library Director, Carol Probeyahn or Assistant Director, Rocco Cassano.  We’d be delighted to answer your questions and share information regarding the proposed renovation plans.

Bond Referendum and School District Partnership

Libraries support lifelong learning and are the heart of the communities they serve.  This is certainly true for the East Meadow Public Library.  The Library would not exist today without its longstanding community support.  In order to fund this project, a bond referendum will be presented to the community for a vote on March 7, 2017 at district elementary schools.  The Library is partnering with the East Meadow School District to bring a joint resolution to the voters that will ask them to support both a library renovation and capital improvements for school district facilities.

The School District is proposing $44,244,720 in improvements to its facilities.  The Library has determined the cost of its proposed project to be $14,603,806.  Under current market conditions, the average property tax impact for both projects combined is estimated to be $57.53 annually over the life of the bond for the average assessed home.  Information regarding the school district plans can be found on the district website at www.eastmeadow.k12.ny.us.

Voting Information

Registered voters may cast their ballots for the Bond Proposition on Tuesday, March 7 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at all district elementary schools (vote at your local elementary school).  Absentee ballots may be obtained from the Office of the District Clerk.  For more information, please contact the District Clerk at 478-5746.  Registration of voters not previously registered and eligible to vote shall take place February 27 and February 28, 2017 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the Office of the District Clerk at the Leon J. Campo Salisbury Center, 718 The Plain Road, Westbury, NY.  Evening registration will be held on Monday, February 27, between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the East Meadow Public Library, 1886 Front Street, East Meadow, NY.

Informational Mailer – Proposed Library Project

The library will be mailing the following informational booklet to each household in the school district in February 2017:

Mailer - Library Bond 2017

Mailer – Library Bond 2017

Proposed Plans and Renderings

Artist's rendering of transformed library entry and new addition. View from the parking area.

View of Transformed Entry and New Addition

Proposed Main Level Plan

Proposed Main Level Plan

Proposed Lower Level Plan

Proposed Lower Level Plan

Proposed Site Plan

Proposed Site Plan

Artist's rendering of what the new outdoor reading garden might look like.

View of New Reading Courtyard

Artist's rendering of what the new library entry may look like. Section view from inside.

Section View of New Entry

Artist's rendering of new entry plaza.

View of New Entry