Libraries commit to giving back to their communities

Libraries across the New York state and Nassau County are getting ready for another year of the Great Give Back, a community service initiative in which Long Island libraries raise and donate to assist those in need everything from school supplies and socks to dog food. This initiative, which began in 2017, gives libraries the opportunity to make a difference in their community, and ensures they serve not just as repositories for knowledge, but also as community centers.
The Great Give Back was first created by the Suffolk County Public Library Directors Association and the Suffolk Cooperative Library System, in conjunction with the Nassau Library System. Its mission is to provide a day of opportunities for the patrons of New York state’s public libraries to participate in service-oriented experiences.
These experiences vary from library to library, with the north shore’s public libraries each coming up with their own cause to try and donate on behalf of the Great Give Back. Some, like the Bayville Free Library, partner with local charities and nonprofit organizations like the Long Island Cares Harry Chapin Food Bank.
Today, libraries in over 50 New York state counties participate in the Great Give Back. Some libraries, like the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Public Library, have been participating since the event was founded in 2017, according to head librarian Stacie Hammond.
“Libraries, we talk to each other, you know. We share ideas and information all the time, and when we got flyers from the Nassau Library System, and we thought, hey, we might want to get on board with this,” Hammond said. “So, every year we come up with some way to contribute, something that will help.”

The types of projects that different libraries can work on is extensive, and libraries do their best to not repeat projects over the years. Some, such as the Sea Cliff Village Library and Bayville Free Library, collect canned and other non-perishable foods to donate to community food banks, while others, like the Gold Coast Public Library, are planning on decorating pumpkins to add fall decorations for residents of the Regency Assisted Living Facility in Glen Cove.
According to Phyllis Grazios, one of the librarians at Glen Cove Public Library, some libraries will have a specific event on Oct. 15, the official date of the Great Give Back, while others collect donations throughout the entire month. Some, like Glen Cove’s library, which is gathering donated winter clothing for local families in need, will do a little bit of both, collecting throughout October while also holding a small event.
“During the whole month of October, we have two huge boxes in the library, which the kids are going to decorate on Thursday night,” Grazios said. “The donations are going to go on through the whole month of October, and then also the kids will earn extra community service as they bring in new donations.”
All in all, the Great Give Back presents Long Island libraries, library-goers and children with an opportunity to come together and make a difference in their community. Camille Purcell, Director of the Sea Cliff Village Library, explained how this yearly event is both to the libraries and those in need.
“We’re always trying to be a part of the community,” Purcell said. “It’s great when we can do something like this to show that we’re more than just books and stuff like that.”