Saturday, October 3, 2026
The Franklin Square Public Library kicked off summer reading with a fun-filled celebration, hosting a fair inside the building and the parking lot on June 29. The event drew hundreds of patrons — both adults and children alike — who joined the festivities to commemorate another summer of learning.
Among the organizations who collaborated with the library for the event were the Nassau Library System, the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter, Beyond Control Music, EZ Play Entertainment, Long Island Laser Tag, Slice of NY Squared Pizza, and more.
Guests met rescue dogs, watched a movie, learned about 3D printing, played mini golf and carnival games, listened to live music, created arts and crafts, met Star Wars characters, jumped in a bouncy house and ate plenty of ice cream.
The community event was conceived in July of last year when Library Director Aviva Kane and Assistant Director James Pagano hosted a smaller trial event. After its success, they decided to make it even bigger this year, bringing more local residents together for a party at the library.
Library staff began making calls as early as April, Pagano said, coordinating with vendors and organizations to ensure the event had a little something for everyone.
“It’s just been growing,” Pagano said of the library. “I’m just so delighted that it worked out so well.”
Jyoti Hanjan, a library employee whose twin children, Simran and Vikram Hanjan, played in the band’s performance during the Sunday event, said the library has not only given her children the opportunity to express their talents as musicians, but it has fostered a love for reading and learning. The many programs the library has offered over the years, she said, has been a positive experience for her children.
“I think it’s beautiful,” Hanjan said. “I’m really thankful to this library.”
Simran plays the bass guitar and Vikram plays the saxophone, Hanjan continued, and have studied under the guidance of Albert Pennachio, the owner of Beyond Control Music based in West Hempstead. Through his private instruction, Hanjan said, and performances at places like the library, her children have grown into talented musicians and avid readers.
The band – consisting of students from Franklin Square, Malverne, West Hempstead, Mineola and East Rockaway – showcased guitar players, singers and Pennachio on the drums. They played a one-hour set consisting of a range of pop hits, as well as a song performed in Spanish.
The last time his students played at the library, Pennachio said, was over 10 years ago, which is why he was happy to coordinate a performance at the summer reading kickoff. Community events are great opportunities for his students to share their talents and practice performing in front of groups of people, he said.
“It’s a good thing for the community,” Pennachio said. “They see that there are kids working hard in music and the arts.”
James Consiglio, a labor crew chief for the Hempstead Buildings Department and volunteer at the town’s animal shelter, said the library event was a great opportunity for the shelter to reach local residents and share information about their adoptable dogs.
“It helps us remind people that we’re here and they need a home,” he said.
One of the art vendors at the event, Lorraine Costa, provided art supplies to guests in the upstairs event space. She often leads teen community service events at the library, but this was the largest event she’s attended so far.
“I’ve taught at many libraries,” Costa said. “This is my favorite. I feel like they really have a sense of community here. They work so hard to have programs that get people in here.”
Matthew Ruppert, a rising senior at H. Frank Carey High School and seasonal employee of the library’s custodial staff, said he loves coming to the library and seeing the excitement on children’s faces when he helps them with arts and crafts.
“It’s helping out kids and people in the community,” Ruppert said. “It’s all about having fun.”
Fostering a connection between kids and the local library is important to Nicole Wood, a seasonal library page who will be a college sophomore in the fall. She has worked as a page at the library for a little over two years.
The Franklin Square library is much more than books, she said, and the educational and recreational programs have been an integral part of her own childhood.
“I could see little parts of myself in them,” Wood said of the kids. “I would come to these programs when I was younger. I love seeing kids come in for the first time, and I hope to see them again.”
Kendel Levy, of EZ Play Entertainment, a Franklin Square-based entertainment business, said the summer reading kickoff was the first event the vendor collaborated with the library for, and he hopes for many more. He helped set up carnival games for kids to play, interacting with guests and sharing cheers and laughs as they knocked down mock bowling pins and scored goals in table hockey.
“It’s been a great collab,” Levy said. “I love having kids and families being able to come together. There’s a lot of things that happen in the world, so I feel like it’s important to be able to play games and enjoy yourself.”
Richard Jefairjian, owner of Slice of NY Squared Pizza who donated pizza for Howie’s Heart’s Slice of Pride event on June 7, donated $5-off coupons for his Franklin Square-based pizza place.
“I’ll do anything for the community,” Jefairjian said. “Anything that’s positive and helps people.”
Aviva Kane said she was overjoyed with the success during the Sunday event. She recalled raising her own children and trying to find a safe place to bring them that was free and enjoyable. That is precisely what Kane strives for the Franklin Square library to be, she said.
“I’m incredibly gratified to know that there are such wonderful library supporters,” Kane said. “People that may not have ever come into the library are coming today to enjoy and find that this is not just a place for books, but a place for the community to have fun.”
