Monday, June 16, 2025
North Bellmore Public Library celebrated its status as the first Certified Sustainable Libraries in Nassau County, based on assessments from the Sustainable Library Initiative on April 30.
“It’s a proud day for us to celebrate being Nassau County’s first and only certified sustainable library,” said Brandon Gimpelman, member of the library’s board of trustees.
During the celebration, Gimpelman encouraged attendees to take complimentary plants home, including tomato plants, white pine saplings and other seed packets.
The Sustainable Libraries Initiative is a nonprofit guiding libraries in environmental stewardship, social equity and environmental feasibility. The group’s programs offer mentorship and best practices for a sustainable facility.
Jim Luberto, assistant director of the library, helped make these plans a reality.
“We joined the sustainable library initiation program in 2023, so it was a two year process, which we’re still ongoing right now,” he said.
The library has undergone many changes to make it more beneficial for the environment and more accommodating for its community members.
One new renovation, the sensory nook, serves as a comfortable alcove for overstimulated children.
“It’s a good escape, where they can go in and just hang out, do schoolwork, read whatever they feel comfortable with,” Luberto said.
Near the nook is a box with three recently hatched chicks who can teach young people about caring for animals.
One of the core aspects of the library’s sustainability is its relationship with the environment. The library has recycled over 2000 pounds of material, is in the process of planting native species of plants, and hands out free seeds for families to grow their own gardens.
Among its future plans is to create a seedling library and a pollinator garden, offering beneficial insects a safe haven in a densely populated region of the island.
The library’s mission is to “make sure we have diverse programming, make sure everyone is accounted for in all the interests of our communities,” Luberto said.
The library also prioritizes care for community members directly. For people inside the building, the library improved indoor air quality with its regularly cleaned HVAC filters and dehumidifiers to absorb air pollutants. To reduce plastic waste, a new filtered water bottle filler was installed.
So far, the library has given away 500 pounds of food donated to veterans, as well as hundreds of clothes. Another initiative was to donate to the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, and participate in the Crayola initiative by repurposing crayons and giving them to children who have been hospitalized.
For more information about the Sustainable Libraries Initiative, visit SustainableLibrariesInitiative.org. For more on the North Bellmore Public Library and its sustainability initiatives, visit NorthBellmoreLibrary.org/Sustainability.
