State Senator Marty Golden has scheduled two visits of the New York State Department of Financial Services’ Insurance Response Unit to aid victims in his district who were affected by Superstorm Sandy.
Today, March 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the NYS Department of Financial Services Mobile Command Center will be in Sheepshead Bay, on the corner of Sheepshead Bay Road and Emmons Avenue.
Tomorrow, March 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the Mobile Command Center will be outside the Gerritsen Beach Public Library, 2808 Gerritsen Avenue.
Staff will be available to assist homeowners and business owners with the following:
City, state and federal relief programs and how to get help
Questions about the insurance claims process in New York
Seeking resolution on your claims with your insurer or bank
Filing an official complaint against an insurer or bank
Anyone who can’t visit the Mobile Command Center in person can file complaints through the New York State Disaster Relief website, www.nyinsure.ny.gov or by calling the Disaster Relief Hotline, (800) 339-1759, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm.
One of the libraries flooded by Sandy (Photo: Brooklyn Public Library via NYDailyNews.com)
Five Brooklyn Public Library branches, four of which are in Southern Brooklyn, remain closed after taking severe damage during Superstorm Sandy, and library administrators say they need millions to get back online.
New York Daily News checked in with the library, noting that the Gerritsen Beach (2808 Gerritsen Avenue) and Coney Island (1901 Mermaid Avenue) branches took the worst damage, and will need new electrical systems, doors, chairs, shelves and computers. There is no word on when these branches will reopen.
The Gravesend (303 Avenue X), Sheepshead Bay (2636 East 14th Street) and Red Hook (7 Wolcott Street) branches also saw severe damage. Officials told the Daily News these will reopen in the next few weeks.
In all, the repairs will rack up a $10 million price tag, which includes structural repairs and the replacement of 75,852 books, magazines and DVDs ruined during the storm – piling on top of a $250 million list of backlogged repairs throughout the library system.
According to the News, the Brooklyn Public Library typically receives just $15 million a year from the Bloomberg administration for repairs.
“We were hurt,” said Brooklyn Public Library VP of strategic planning Jeanette Moy. “But we are leveraging every asset we have and every partnership that’s possible to bring services back to the community.”
The library is also requesting donations to help restore the library system. You can donate online.
Attention bibliophiles, booklovers and fans of the written word!
The Friends of Brooklyn Public Library-Gerritsen Beach Branch are inviting voracious, or even light readers to “Make Space in your Bookcase,” now until November 9. The group will be holding its annual book drive at the library,2808 Gerritsen Avenue between Gotham Avenue and Bartlett Place.
After the November 9 book drive, the Gerritsen Beach Library Friends Group will also be hosting its annual book sale, November 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and November 17 and 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You are encouraged to donate your new or gently used books.
Have fun at the library and get your child ready for school!
Families can enjoy stories and activities designed to encourage the development of early learning skills in their children, every Saturday at 11:00 a.m., now to July 28 (July 7, 14, 21 and 28) at the Gerritsen Beach branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, 2808 Gerritsen Avenue.
Geared toward children ages three to five years-old, and their parents or caregivers, the program will explore literacy, science, and math through music, stories, and play, and will help you and your child get ready for school. Families will also receive free materials to continue the learning and fun at home.
“Books are the perfect entertainment: no commercials, no batteries, and hours of enjoyment for each dollar spent.” — Stephen King
BETWEEN THE LINES: That statement sums up my love of books. But, I write this not to praise the prolific, best-selling author, but to extol the joy of reading that has given me untold hours of pleasure.
Reading is my favorite leisure time diversion. A rock and roll enthusiast since I first heard Elvis Presley in my youth, I’ve enjoyed books even longer. While rock music may energize my spirit, opening a new book with its just-printed scent and crisp, yet fragile, pages stimulates my mind from the opening sentence that transports me to unexplored worlds.
To help broaden my passion for books and reading to others, I volunteered to be a “book giver” on April 23, which was designated the second annual World Book Night. The event is the brainchild of a Scottish book publisher, who kicked it off last year in Ireland and the United Kingdom, to spread a love of reading and books. (I’m still not clear why the word “night” is used, as opposed to “day,” so, from here, I will refer to the event as World Book Day [or WBD]).
Earlier this month we told you about the book donation drive going on at Gerritsen Beach library. Those books are now on sale, helping to raise money for the local branch. Apparently the drive was so successful, the organizers are a little overwhelmed. They wrote to us earlier this week:
We REALLY could use your help. The other volunteers and I have been sorting books for weeks for the upcoming Gerritsen Beach Library book sale (Friday and Saturday). Normally we set up the sale the day before, but due to the sheer quantity of donations this time we began setting up on Monday. We have so many books we are not going to be able to nicely display them all. We do not have a large enough space to save the books for the next book sale so it would be really great if we sold as much as possible.
Get out there and buy some books! The library is located at 2808 Gerritsen Avenue.
ATTENTION LIGHT AND NON-READERS: Monday is World Book Night. In 6,000 towns and cities across America, volunteers will give away half a million free books on one day.
Sheepshead Bites contributor Neil Friedman is a volunteer book-giver and will be distributing 10 paperback copies of a novel Monday at noon at the Gerritsen Beach branch of the Brooklyn Public Library (2808 Gerritsen Avenue). Rather than distribute on a first-come, first-served basis, prospective recipients will be asked an easy question on American literature on the spot, so no one has an advantage or attempts to look it up online. The first 10 who give the correct answer will receive a trade paperback novel, appropriate for readers 12 and up, selected by Friedman from a list of 30 books.
World Book Night in the U.S. is a non-profit organization, and has 501(c)3 charitable status. World Book Night U.S. is supported by publishers, Barnes & Noble, the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association, Ingram Content Group, United Parcel Services, and fifteen printers and paper companies.
The following is a press release from the office of Congressman Bob Turner. The paragraphs in the release containing dates, times, and locations, as well as contact information, have been bolded:
Congressman Turner To Hold Satellite Congressional Field Office Events
New York – Congressman Turner (NY-09) isn’t waiting for constituents to come to his office to seek out help, he is taking the help to them. He announced today that he will be holding the first of a series of satellite congressional field office events within the 9th district.
If you are an anti-Kindle, anti-Nook, hardcover- and paperback-loving purist like me, whose leg twitches in delight at the musty smell of old, worn, dog-eared pages, then you will run, not walk, to the Fall Book Sale being sponsored by the Friends of Brooklyn Public Library, Gerritsen Beach Branch. Yes you will.
The two-day sale will be held Friday, November 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the library, 2808 Gerritsen Avenue.
There, you can purchase gently-used and like-new books, spanning a wide range of genres for readers of all ages. There will also be DVDs and VHS tapes on sale, so bring your shopping bag and stock up. Buying used books is a great way to not only save money (especially during a particularly ‘blah’ economy), but to also support your friends at the Gerritsen Beach Library.
Also, this gives me an excuse to post my favorite library scene quote from “Ghostbusters,” the greatest movie of all time:
For more, call (718) 368-1435 or go to www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org.
Have fun at the library and get your child ready for school!
