Farmingdale Library reopens main floor

The Farmingdale Public Library reopened its main floor Tuesday morning with the slogan “Repurposed, Reused, Revamped.”

The main floor underwent an eight-month renovation that will make the library experience a much more enjoyable one, according to library director Debbie Podolski.

The area that used to host the children’s library is now a reading lounge for adults, complete with 24 computers, an increase from eight. The children’s library has been moved to the other side of the floor and now includes an enclosed playroom and a fish tank.

Patrons looking for titles will find an experience similar to hanging out at a book store, Podolski said. The Dewey Decimal System has largely been scrapped, replaced by sections named for specific interests, such as “Home, Sweet Home.”

The library was closed from Jan. 3-Jan. 17 while books were moved from their temporary home on the lower level. Although the library was providing full service throughout the renovation, Podolski looks forward to patrons taking advantage of the new, plush surroundings.

“It’s a place for people to come and read and learn,” Podolski said, “but now it’s also a place for them to come and relax.”