Mia Potamianos
Editor of Promotion
It’s out with the old and in with the new in regards to the Community Library of Jamesville & Dewitt. After moving from the previous location in ShoppingTown Mall, the library is now in a more spacious area in a stand-alone building on Jamesville Road. Since it opened its doors in August, people from all over Central New York have come to check out the new library.
Throughout the building, there are multiple rooms of children’s books and a meeting area where kids participate in story times, toddler dance parties, and yoga. The library features state of the art equipment such as rows of computers with the newest running software and 3D printers. Scheduled afterschool and weekend activities give parents a time to either bond with their kids in a parent-kid class or to get away and have some quiet time to walk around the library without distraction.
With the new modern look and quiet, widespread layout, there are high hopes that this library will thrive. Children’s Librarian Emily Wormuth, who moved with the Dewitt Community Library to the new location, said, “we’ve been really busy since we opened at the end of August with lots of families who have never used a library before.” The front desk has issued a burst of new library cards, including to J-DHS senior Markos Petkopoulos.
Many J-DHS students and staff have been taking advantage of the new quiet place to get work done. Senior Lauren Saletsky, who has visited the library a few times since it opened to work on homework, said she likes how there are multiple little rooms used for studying with a group of people. The Science Olympiad officers took advantage of one of the rooms during the summer before this school year. “The room we used, called The Vault, was really well set up, filled with tables and chairs for studying and group resources,” said senior Science Olympiad officer Rebecca Teitelbaum. Freshman Jamo MacLachlan said he also took advantage of “The Vault” and borrowed a book and enjoyed his time there sitting by the window and reading with the natural light. With a two story wall of entirely windows, patrons enjoy the view with the benefits of natural light throughout the library.
The new architectural layout seems to be very pleasing to many of the patrons. Our J-DHS school librarian Mary Panek said she thinks the libraries new look is “very modern and updated” making it more up to date with other public libraries that she has been to recently. Junior Greta Smith, whose mother, Mary Keib Smith is the president of the board of trustees of the library, said that her mom picked the location and helped with the design of the building. Smith says she enjoys how the layout is really spread out and everything is very easily accessible. Another very helpful addition to the library that wasn’t there in the old building is the drive thru book drop-off, making it easier for everyone to bring back books when necessary.
The library is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. If you haven’t already, make sure and check out and open up a library card at the Community Library of Jamesville and Dewitt!
