Revamped Shelter Island library to hold open house

After nearly a year, Shelter Island’s public library will be showing off its brand new look when it holds an open house on Saturday, letting people go down to a renovated lower level and a new community room and — for the first time — ride an elevator which will give people in wheelchairs access to the entire building.

The stairway to the library basement was boarded up during construction, and so many people kept asking what was happening that library director Denise DiPaolo kept posting update photos on Facebook.

The library raised the $800,000 for the renovations through local contributions and state grants, and did not need to raise taxes to pay for the work. The renovation work was done within the footprint of the existing building.

Saturday’s open house will be at 4 p.m. Refreshments will be provided by the local IGA supermarket.