Congratulations to the Freeport Memorial Library!
Freeport Memorial Library was chosen as a “Library of Distinction” in the new book Heart of the Community, The Libraries We Love, the first book to sing the praises and show the beauty of America’s beloved public libraries.
Library reference publisher Berkshire Publishing Group spent four months searching for libraries that are the cherished centers of their communities. The key selection criteria were: the library is of historical significance; the library is associated with an important event; the library is associated with an important person; the library is distinguished by its architectural design; and the library is of special significance to its community.
_
Freeport Memorial Library was established in 1884 by Professor Loren M. Burdick, principal of the Freeport Schools, with funds raised by amateur entertainment. For a while, the books were kept in the clothes closet of the principal’s office in the Grove Street School. In 1899, the Board of Regents of New York State granted a permanent charter. This charter was signed by Melvil Dewey, founder of the American Library Association and creator of the Dewey Decimal Classification system. In 1920, Assemblyman Theodore Roosevelt (the eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt and a founder of the American Legion) sent a $20 donation to be used for the establishment of a permanent library building. On Memorial Day in1924, the Freeport Memorial Library was dedicated as the first war memorial library in New York State. Today the Freeport Memorial Library is one of largest public library facility in Nassau County. More information about the history of the Library, can be found on the Library’s history website.
