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WEST HARRISON, N.Y. -- Things are looking up at the West Harrison Library -- as high as the second floor. Harrison Young Adult Librarian Marilyn Horton said the newly renovated upstairs of the facility has been good news for programming.
"We're making really good use of the new space," Horton said. "We want to do a lot of good things up here."
A brand new second floor at the West Harrison Library will make room for English as a Second Language classes, local teen club meetings, homework help and more.
The renovation plans began when Library Director Galina Chernykh arrived to Harrison last July. Since then, Horton said the new director was instrumental in transforming the West Harrison Library's second floor from a vacant storage area into a place for programming and collaboration.
"Galina had a vision," Horton said. "She literally carried books in storage down these stairs and had it cleaned and painted upstairs. She works really hard."
Chernkyh said the library received financial donations from the West Harrison Neighborhood Association and the Robert J. Giuntini residuary estate to help make the changes possible.
"It was a mess up here," Chernkyh said. "But now we can host a lot of new and different programs."
Tuesday afternoon at the West Harrison Library meant another weekly meeting of the local Teen Advisory Group (TAG) in which local teenagers meet and tell the library what they'd like to see at the facility. At this meeting, the teenagers worked on Valentine's Day crafts to donate to local seniors while meeting with local librarians.
Chernkyh said she wanted to use the space to promote TAG meetings in order to attract more teens to the library.
"There are kids in Harrison who are looking for something to do," Chernkyh said. "With this new space, we can be a resource for them."
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