Island Park Public Library

The mission of Island Park Public Library is to provide library resources and services necessary to satisfy the ever-changing informational needs of the community. The people of the Island Park community will have reading, viewing and listening materials and programs that stimulate their thinking, enhance their knowledge of the world, and improve the quality of their leisure time.

The Island Park Public Library serves a community of nearly 9,000. In 1938, sixty residents formed an association library. It was housed in a local business office on Long Beach Road and Miss Mary Sapounas was appointed as the first librarian. The library was granted a provisional charter on February 24, 1939. A short time later, the library was moved into a room in the school annex. The annual library membership fee was two dollars. The library was started with donations of approximately 1,600 volumes from residents. As enthusiasm for the new library grew, the library received an additional 5,000 book donations. Funds for the operation of the library were obtained from the school tax district. Since its inception, there have been a total of eight directors. Helen Williams, who was appointed in 1940, was the first to be certified. A great deal of the early success of the library was due, in large part, to the efforts of Stephen Pollicino of the Library Board. The first Board included Stanley V. Kubinski, Jessica D. Talbot, George H. Renselar, George W. Still as well as Mr. Pollicino. The library's Absolute Charter was granted on April 25, 1958.