O’side Library has new director

The Board of Trustees of the Oceanside library welcomed the new director on Jan. 5.

Karen Porcella succeeds longtime director Evelyn Rothschild.

Previously she served as assistant director, then director of the Peninsula public library. Her experience also includes over 20 years at the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library as well as leadership positions in other professional library organizations. Porcella received her undergraduate degree and Master’s in Library Science from SUNY Albany and earned an Advanced Certificate in Public Library Administration from LIU/C.W. Post. She has “dream libraries” she has always wanted to work at, Hewlett-Woodmere, and Oceanside, and now that dream has come true.

Evelyn Rothschild decided to retire after 31 years with the library, the last 15 as director. She said “I want to thank our dedicated and supportive Library Board, which has worked diligently to expand library services, our outstanding staff, whose hard work has made the Oceanside Library second to none, and our wonderful community, without whose support the Library could not have flourished.” She will be staying on until the end of the month to ease the transition.