Libraries

Familiar face takes over as director of Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library

Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library has a new director, and she has deep roots in the community. Rosemary Martilotta will officially take over Feb. 5.

Ms. Martilotta, a Cutchogue native, started working as a library page at just 14 years old. Her responsibilities included sorting through returned books and helping with programming. She later became head of tweens and teens services, was project coordinator and, most recently, served as assistant director.

“My parents told me to get a job and I came here and there wasn’t a job, but I came back every couple days until I got hired,” she said. “It was one of the best things that had happened to me because it certainly guided me into my career.”

Ms. Martilotta, 26, has been working toward this goal her entire life.

“It’s been my goal to be the director of this library as long as I can remember, and given my age it’s humbling to be seen as a leader, and to receive such an opportunity,” she said.

She feels fortunate to be able to stay in the town she was born and raised in. After graduating from SUNY/Geneseo, she started working at the library again while she was pursuing her master’s in library science at CUNY/Queens College.

“I was always a very avid reader and that was what initially led me to come here,” she said. “I was using this library my whole life.”

In her new role at the library, Ms. Martilotta plans to expand its outreach and tap into different segments of the community.

“As seasonal visitors extend our patron base, immigration diversifies our demands, and the imminent growth in our retiree sector approaches, it is more important now than ever that we focus on outreach service,” she said.

She mentioned how Darlene Brush, head of adult services, partnered with BOCES to organize English as a second language classes at the library. Ms. Brush even received the countywide Excellence in Library Service Award for 2017.

“When that started to happen, it just widened my scope and I realized that there are a lot of untapped communities within our own community,” Ms. Martilotta said.

Patrons should expect new programming, with a focus on technology, and more as she learns about residents’ needs.

“As a library, we are at the forefront of change — enhancing our status as a community center, meeting or exceeding patrons’ needs — and increasing awareness of our services will help us stay relevant,” she said. “Our focus is to bring all of our community together and show them all the wonderful resources we have to offer.”

Ms. Martilotta recognizes that the space has become more of a community center than just a library and will focus on that moving forward.

“I’m very excited. I’m a very driven person and I’m energized to be in this role,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of changes in the past and had many directors, but I’m here to stay. I want to give the community everything I think it deserves. I love this library and I want to see it excel.”

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