At the very last CLC meeting June 12, the final report/recommendation was handed to our Board President, Gregory Ferraris.  The report, compiled by an unbelievably dedicated set of volunteers from all around the school district, is a comprehensive study of options for providing the best possible public library service to our community.  Once the Board reviews the document, and adopts recommendations, we will post the report on our webpage.   As the person responsible for taking the meeting summaries for the past 12 months of the CLC's intense work, I can say with certainty and admiration that they did a phenomenally thorough job.  The report is so comprehensive that it will take us a while to get it online, so please be patient.  We will eventually have a copy available at the library for anyone to read.  If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to call me at 725-0049, ext. 23.   Allison

"A book is like a garden carried in the pocket."  — ancient Chinese proverb

The Library will be having a class during the summer. Wednesday July 12th and Thursday July 13th from 9 am to 1 pm are the dates and time we have this scheduled. There are still openings so give us a call 725-0049.

Everyone loves to take advantage of the good old summertime for catching up on their reading. The Library offers two bookclubs that are delightful opportunites to read and share you thoughts on something different. The morning bookclub will meet June 14, July 12, and August 9th at 11:00am. On June 20, July 12 and August 9th the evening bookclub will meet at 7:00pm. Multiple copies of the books that have been chosen will be available at the Library. We would love to have you join us. 725-0049 for information.

We are always open to new ideas for programs. Do you have a topic you would like explored? Do you know someone who would be of interest to listen to? Please let us know. We welcome any suggestions. Just call 725-0049 and press ext. 27. If I am not there just leave a message. I will call you back. Hope to hear from you.

The Friends of the John Jermain Memorial Library will hold their tour of historic and otherwise interesting Sag Harbor homes on July 7th from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It's still a bit early to buy tickets, and information about which houses are on the tour is not yet available. We just wanted to give you a heads up so that you can reserve the date. We will post here again when we have more information. Here's a photo of a house that was on last year's tour just to whet your appetite

The tour, a popular summer tradition in Sag Harbor for over 30 years, benefits the library.This year’s tour features six houses, four in Sag Harbor and two in North Haven. Among them are two historic houses along what is known as Captain’s Row (Main Street) in Sag Harbor.

One is the 1820s home of whaling Captain George S. Tooker, who sailed to Japan with Perry. It is an example of Greek revival architecture popular in the village in the 19th century. The large home features five fireplaces and unusual doors with a double cross pattern in them that are known as Sag Harbor doors.

Up the street is another example of the Greek revival style. While it’s a smaller house, it is a mirror image of its neighbor down the street. In the Tooker house, the main staircase is on the left and in this house it’s on the right. Both houses are steeped in history and are sure to be a delight to history buffs.

Another of the houses was featured in the book, “Gutted” written by the owner. He describes, with humor and a little rancor, his hands-on total renovation of this small, 1950s house. Tour-goers will enjoy viewing a number of "before” photographs of this little gem.

Hidden away behind a commercial building on a narrow lane sits a unique cottage featuring lots of hand-hewn bookcases and built-ins as well as many paintings by the homeowner’s late husband and her four daughters, one of whom is a local artist. There are numerous whimsical touches around house and garden, including a sign over a doorway proclaiming: “To Life Boats.” The homeowner describes her decorating style as “waifs and strays.”

North Haven Home on this Year's Tour

Over the bridge in North Haven, tour-goers will visit a newly constructed (2004) large house overlooking Genet’s Creek with views of Shelter Island Sound beyond it. The house was designed for entertaining. The lovely floors are Brazilian cherry wood.

Lastly is a 1940s house with a fabulous view overlooking Pols Creek and Noyac Bay. The homeowners bought it from 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft and renovated it to their own specifications. Among the unique features are sliding bookcases in the great room, which close off an office and deck. Sliding mirrored French doors separate guest rooms from the rest of the house. The unusual gardens and landscaping add to the special character of this house. Tour-goers will be treated to refreshments – iced tea and cookies – on the patio here on tour day.

Tickets are available in advance at the library and The Wharf Shop on Main Street at $30 each. They will be available at the library only on tour day at $35 each.

We were all upset to discover a huge puddle in the basement by the new fiction area. In trying to find and fix the leak there, we have employed the services of several plumbers, roofers and contractors. Unfortunately, the fact that it is still leaking so badly there means that we cannot fix the problem without breaking through walls, which means major construction disruption. We'll keep you posted on our progress. In the meantime, please be careful walking in our basement on a rainy day - you never know when you might walk into a puddle!

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."  –Groucho Marx

From June 18th through October 8th the library will not be open on Sundays. We will resume our regular Sunday hours (12:00 - 4:00 PM) on October 15, 2006. (We really need to get out of this basement and get some sun ;-))

Like our population, the library circulation certainly increases during the summer. Part of the reason is that we make it easy to get a summer library card. If you are visiting for at least a month you are entitled to a local use only card. This is a wonderful opportunity to read a new book, check on a magazine you wanted see, listen to a CD you might never try, or see a movie you have been wanting to get to. All you need is proof of your residency: a letter from you landlord or dockmaster, or a lease letting us know how long your here for. We also have l computers available for the public to use; both adults and kids. Our third floor is set up for wireless Internet access, so come explore!