Friday, January 17, 2025
The Lakeview Public Library in Rockville Centre, under the guidance of its director, Camina Raphaël-Lubin, is eagerly ushering in 2025 by offering new services and programs for people of all ages.
Raphaël-Lubin, 43, a Westbury resident, has been with the library for three years, helping it to reopen safely in 2021 after the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It’s been a great experience,” she said. “The folks in Lakeview love their library. They love coming here, they love seeing the new and exciting things that we have to offer.”
Over the course of 2025, the library will provide dozens of educational programs, as well as begin to undergo renovations. Raphaël-Lubin said she is seeking a $20,000 county grant to fund new, colorful and adjustable furniture to make the building more comfortable.
“We are really sensitive to folks that have different abilities and disabilities, so we want to make sure we are very inclusive to them and have furniture that meets everyone’s needs,” she said.
The library’s third floor is being renovated to accommodate new rooms and services, including a space for podcasting.
Raphaël-Lubin added that she wants to prioritize “staying with the times” and provide what the library’s patrons are interested in.
The library’s mission has been to create a safe environment that offers useful and enjoyable services, from meeting rooms to fitness classes.
“Public libraries have been a space where you go in, you get your books, and then you leave, right?” Raphaël-Lubin said. “That’s not what public libraries are anymore. We’re a community center in many aspects.”
Her desire to see libraries provide public programming stems from the way she was raised. Her mother took her and her siblings to public libraries throughout their childhood, learning to read and participating in every program they could, in addition to taking out books.
“I’ve always loved libraries,” Raphaël-Lubin said. “I’ve been in the library world for over 20 years, but it was not something that I thought I was going to do.”
Raphaël-Lubin’s professional involvement with libraries began at age 16 when she was hired as a page for the New York Public Library, where she organized and put books on shelves. She began to work in Epiphany Library in Gramercy Park in 1997 as a children’s librarian, became a supervisor at the West Valley Memorial Public Library in 2007, and earned a Master’s degree in library science in 2008.
Raphaël-Lubin brought her wealth of experience to Lakeview, supporting new and pre-existing programs, including the library’s annual celebration of Black History Month. The library partners with local law enforcement and legislators for a series of community events throughout February, focusing on the achievements of African Americans throughout the country’s history.
“We make sure that you know the folks know their history, and they know we’re there to safeguard it,” she said.
Ka’re Atkins, a vice president on the library’s board of directors, said that during Covid-19, the board needed to find a suitable director to help Lakeview recover from the pandemic.
“We were looking for not only just a director, but someone that could tell the community that the library is a safe place to come for resources,” Atkins, a board member for six years, said.
“Camina took a good, proactive way of getting foot traffic in by modifying our programs, and when the time was right, by adding more programs.”
Over the past few years, Raphaël-Lubin has proactively reached out to local fire departments, churches and other organizations to create new events. One of the most popular additions is Open Mic Night, where attendees can recite poetry, rap, sing, or perform stand-up comedy.
The event is popular among students, giving them an opportunity to practice public speaking and help build up their courage — which may increase their success in college and beyond, Atkins said.
“Our mission is not only just to be a building with books, but also a platform where (people) can come and express themselves and just feel comfortable,” he added.
In addition, the Lakeview Public Library is eagerly anticipating its eighth annual Black History Month celebration, scheduled for the second week of February, Atkins said.
Lynn Singleton, member of the local law enforcement education group Nassau County Guardians and co-founder of the women’s needs nonprofit Simply Sistahs, helps Raphaël-Lubin plan for Black History Month every year.
“She’s very easy going,” Singleton said of Raphaël-Lubin. “She organizes and makes sure all the parts are done and puts it together, and we have a fabulous program that is well attended.
“Everything that we have is educational — you learn something, whether it’s from the storytelling or the music,” Singleton added.
“Everything is geared around the celebration of Black History Month. It is a learning tool for all ages.”
The event brings together people from local organizations across multiple disciplines and from other towns.
“We have a variety of talent,” Singleton said. “We’ve had dancers in the past. We’ve had the Uniondale Choir. We’ve had Voices of Virtue. We’ve had live storytelling. We’ve had the Malverne band come — it changes from year to year.”
The Nassau County Guardians recently honored Raphaël-Lubin with the 2024 Organizational Award for her efforts to benefit the public.
“It’s important to get the community together,” Singleton said.
“She’s a pleasure to work with, and she’s here for the community.”
To learn more about Lakeview’s programs and upcoming events, visit LakeviewLibrary.org.
