Port Jeff Library Celebrates its Oldest Card Holders

Ever since Randall Woodard was a little boy growing up on Prospect Street in the village he remembers coming to the with his twin older brothers and checking out his favorite book about elves. He even remembers which shelf the book was on.

Woodard has had his card since at least 1928 and more than 80 years later he came to the library to have his picture taken with some of the other longest Port Jefferson Library card holders in the village.

The photo opportunity is in celebration of National Library Card Sign Up Month in September. Some of the cardholders came to the library on Thursday, Sept. 8 to share memories, tell stories of the library and have their pictures taken to capture the moment.

When Woodard used to come to the Port Jefferson Library, Henry Magill was still the librarian. Magill was the librarian from 1920 until his death in 1931, according to Nikki Greenhalgh, who does communications for the library.

“Magill was responsible for planning the library’s first permanent building in 1924,” said Greenhalgh.

Only four years before Woodard received his library card.

Woodard who was the longest card holder to come in for his photo got a special gift from the library: an early edition of his favorite "Elves and Fairies" book he used to take out as a boy from the library.

Dick and Naomi Solo have been members since Sept. 1970.

Naomi said that she had always lived in big cities growing up and was “enchanted” with the quaint village and with a small easily-negotiated library that she could walk to.

More than three decades later, she still appreciates the library saying that the staff knows what she likes and recommends new books for her. She’s also likes the diversity of programming because even people who don’t have the money to travel can attend programs about other parts of the world.

Dick said that he thinks the free computer programs are great and that the library does a good job of telling people what is going on through its newsletter.

Kathleen (Russell) Cash has been a library member since about 1968 and always thought it was fun to go to the library. When she was young she loved being with the other kids at the library and thinking that it was exciting.

The “charming and homey building” was a favorite memory of Betty Kanowitz, a member since 1956.

Michael and Mary Mart, who used to own the have been members of the library since 1971.

They remember being happy that that there was a library in the village and that they could walk to it when they moved here.

“It served as a second living room for people who lived downtown,” they recalled.

Michael said that he’s impressed with “the level of community support that the library has and how the budget always passes easily.”

Mary still uses the reference collection.

When Millie Michos became a member of the library back in October, 1970 she was a young second and third grade teacher. She remembers how pleased she was that the library coordinated with school assignments and how the children used the library.

When asked what she appreciated about the library now, Michos said that it’s comforting to know that the library is here.

“There is so much going on; it is a community center,” she said. “The library stays contemporary.”

Michos said that she’s planning to learn about downloading to a Nook from the library’s website.

Kathleen Cash said that she hopes that the library will continue to grow and serve the community and is especially excited about the Living Heritage Project.

“Amazon will never put a dent in what libraries do,” Cash said. “People and books go together like peas and carrots.”

Betty Kanowitz thinks the library is “just wonderful.”

“Anything I need, even if I call on the phone, I get the answer,” she said. “I’m always with someone on the phone.”

Out of all the library memories though, one surely took the cake.

If there was one place that Amy Lucas Russell’s mother knew she’d be safe it was the library. Russell became a member in about 1940 and she remembers using the encyclopedias to do her homework.

More than that, the library was the only place her mother would let her go to when sailors were in town.

Membership in the Port Jefferson Free Library is free to all residents of the Port Jefferson Union Free School District and residents of the Mt. Sinai and Miller Place School Districts. Call the Library at 473-0033 for more information.