Saturday, October 31, 2026
The Lakeview Public Library unveiled its new individual and group study pods on Oct. 21, giving students, professionals and other patrons dedicated spaces to study, work and attend virtual meetings close to home.
The prefabricated pods, designed much like phone booths, offer secluded areas where patrons can prepare for exams, make phone calls, participate in online meetings and work independently or in small groups. The spaces include electrical outlets for laptops and other devices.
The project was made possible through two Community Revitalization Program grants totaling $145,500, secured with help from Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages. The funding also made it possible to add a video monitoring system and cameras.
For Lakeview resident Lynn Singleton and her daughter, Leah, the unveiling marks the culmination of an effort that began with a simple frustration: having to leave town to find a suitable place to study.
Leah Singleton, 27, a third-year medical student at Ross University School of Medicine in Bridgetown, Barbados, regularly traveled to Merrick to use its library study pods while preparing for her Step 1 medical board exam. Wanting a similar resource closer to home, she brought the issue to her mother, who helped connect her with library officials and local leaders.
“You guys made it happen, I’m so grateful,” Leah said at the unveiling. “I’m coming here tomorrow and I will be in the pod studying.”
Lynn Singleton, who has lived in Lakeview for six decades, initially brought the idea to library board President Lisa Ortiz and library Director Camina Raphael-Lubin before contacting Solages to explain how private study spaces could benefit local residents.
“This is something a long time in the making,” Raphael-Lubin said to Herald, “and this is something great for the community because they really did need a space.”
Raphael-Lubin said the library had been considering ways to accommodate patrons seeking quieter places to work. Officials hope the new spaces will encourage residents who have been studying elsewhere to return to their local library.
The addition of both individual and group pods gives patrons options depending on their needs, whether they are preparing for an exam, participating in a virtual meeting or collaborating with others. The spaces also provide a local alternative for residents who previously traveled to other libraries to find a suitable place to work.
For the Singleton family, the unveiling marked the completion of an effort to bring a resource they had sought elsewhere to their own community.
