History of the Library
In 1997, a member of local Girl Scout Troop #61 asked her mother, “Why doesn’t our community have a public library?”
This was the start of what would eventually become the Gold Coast Public Library District.
The scout and her troop were soon joined by many of their classmates at Glen Head School, and together they formed the GALS (Get A Library Soon) committee. The youngsters wanted to find out how the community felt about establishing a library. They distributed flyers and distributed petitions in local stores. They compiled a listing of interested residents. They then met with local officials to learn how a community went about establishing a library. The movement grew with support from students and parents at other North Shore schools.
An adult committee was soon formed – The North Shore Citizens Committee for Library Service – composed of the Girl Scout leaders involved in the project and other members of the community. This Committee focused its efforts on the legal and procedural aspects of establishing a new library district. The organization worked diligently for over four years with neighboring libraries, the Nassau Library System and the New York State Department of Library Development.
Starting on January 1, 2000, a change in New York State law prohibited public libraries from selling library cards to non-residents. People living in Glen Head, Glenwood Landing and the other unserved areas could no longer purchase library cards for use in neighboring libraries. This brought a new sense of urgency to the efforts to establish a new library.
Later in 2000, legislation was introduced that allowed for a referendum in which residents would decide the issue of a tax-supported library district. In March of that year, the Citizens Committee presented a town meeting to introduce the proposed library district to residents. Over 400 residents attended to hear and question representatives from the Nassau Library System and the New York State Department of Library Development
After Governor George Pataki authorized the referendum, residents voted overwhelmingly to establish the new library district and elected the first nine library trustees.
The Gold Coast Public Library District was born!
The Library opened to the public on August 1, 2005 at 50 Railroad Avenue in Glen Head, in a remodeled structure that had originally been built in 1930 as a Norwegian social hall. Genellen McGrath was appointed as the first Library Director on April 5, 2006 and after Ms. McGrath’s retirement, Mike Morea was named Library Director in October 2011.
Always mindful that while the repurposed social hall was a beloved space, it was also an imperfect home for a 21st century library, the library’s board continued to explore other properties within the library district. On December 8, 2020 – just over 15 years since the library doors first opened – community residents approved a Gold Coast Public Library bond to support the purchase of 2.62 acres located on Glen Head Road for the purpose of constructing a new, larger library building that would better serve the community now and into the future. Construction of this new facility began in early September 2023 with an anticipated opening in early 2025.