Community members, elected officials and library supporters gathered to celebrate the official grand opening of the new Gold Coast Public Library, the culmination of a decades-long effort to establish a permanent, modern library for Glen Head and the surrounding communities.
The ceremony opened with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Girl Scouts from Troop 43, who also served as the color guard. Their participation was particularly noteworthy since it was young scouts in 1997 who first pushed their parents to begin looking into getting a library for Glen Head.
Board of Trustees President Nancy Benchimol continued to trace that history across the decades, residents voted in 2001 to establish the library district with an annual budget of $800,000 and a nine-member board.
“In 2008 we branded as ‘the library powered by community,’ and throughout our short history, that has proven to be true,” Benchimol said. “Community has really supported us in all our endeavors.”
The district’s first location, opened in 2005 at 50 Railroad Avenue, was small and lacked space for programming. Officials supplemented it with a rented annex to accommodate services and events, but space and parking limitations persisted for years.
The search for a permanent home included reviewing properties, from churches to vacant land. In 2015, the library pursued a portion of a property owned by Halm Industries Co. in the village, eventually securing more than two acres with the help of community advocates such as George Pombar.
In 2020, voters approved a referendum to borrow $10.8 million through New York State Dormitory Authority bonds to purchase the land and construct a new building. Construction began following a groundbreaking in November 2023.
“The vision held by nine individuals in 2002 ended up becoming a beautiful new building in 2026,” Benchimol said. “This is truly a work of love by those who participated in the process.”
Library Director Michael Morea, who has led the library since 2011, described the long and often difficult journey to reach opening day.
He noted that the process involved years of evaluating sites, defining community needs and navigating financial and logistical challenges. Among the priorities were improving parking, expanding programming space and creating dedicated areas for teens and community use.
“I ame here… knowing that this library had been open for five years, and that this was a starter library,” he said, “but everybody knew that we eventually were going to need a new home.”
The new 11,000 square foot building addresses those needs with a layout that separates meeting spaces from traditional library areas while allowing for independent access. It includes expanded study areas, a teen suite, an art gallery and outdoor space.
He also emphasized the evolving role of libraries, noting that digital circulation now accounts for about half of all usage. The facility was designed to balance physical collections with digital access and regional resource sharing.
Caroline Ashby, director of the Nassau Library System, called the new building a milestone for the district and the county.
“This building is not just a new building, it’s your ‘forever home’,” she said. “Today is a day to celebrate what can happen when neighbors have an idea, work on it together and see it through.”
Ashby noted that the Gold Coast Public Library is the newest district in Nassau County and now has its newest building as well.
Elected officials from across the North Shore attended the event and praised the project as an example of sustained community effort. Speakers, including U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, highlighted the role of volunteers, trustees and residents who supported the library through referendums, planning and construction.
“This is such an exciting day,” Suozzi said, “and it’s really just such a story of hope and the power of people to make things happen.”
The project also required cooperation between multiple municipalities. Representatives from the Town of Oyster Bay and the Town of North Hempstead were recognized for coordinating financing that allowed the library to secure the property before bond funds were available in 2023.
Morea said that collaboration proved critical at a key moment when the project risked losing the site.
The ceremony concluded with presentations of citations and proclamations from the elected officials, recognizing the library’s contribution to education and community life.
With over 100 attendees gathered outside, Morea and Benchimol, joined by other library board members and the elected officials, cut the ribbon and officially welcomed the community into the Gold Coast Public Library.
“This is the community’s space,” Morea said, “and we’re going to make sure that is always the case.”
