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Overcast Bellmore's history on display
StoryCorps exhibit now showing at the library
Residents interested in local history are encouraged to stop by the Bellmore Memorial Library this month for a special art show and several events that are being hosted in conjunction with a national program.
The library was selected by the American Library Association and StoryCorps to take part in a national pilot project called “StoryCorps @ your library” last March. With the grant period ending in June, officials have decided to put some of the historical artifacts they’ve collected on display at the library.
Martha DiVittorio, a reference librarian and the StoryCorps coordinator, said that “StoryCorps @ your library,” a two-year program created by the American Library Association Public Programs Office in partnership with StoryCorps, is funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. StoryCorps is an independent, nonprofit organization that gives people of all backgrounds and beliefs the chance to record, share and preserve the stories of their lives.
The Bellmore Memorial Library is one of 10 pilot libraries in the country chosen to collect interviews of residents throughout the community and host related programs for public audiences, DiVittorio said. She explained that the Bellmore program is focused on recording stories of longtime Bellmore residents as well as Hurricane Sandy victims.
DiVittorio said the program has allowed residents to forge deeper connections while interviewing one another, in addition to giving library officials a better sense of Bellmore’s history.
“This program has absolutely improved the library’s relationship with the community,” she said. “I have worked here since 1998, but I feel so much more connected to the community now.”
Throughout June, patrons can view Superstorm Sandy snapshots culled from Hofstra University’s Special Collections Department, as well as historical photos of the community that were found in the library’s archive and organized by StoryCorps participants.
All of the pictures are on display in the library’s community room. DiVittorio said she would also like to digitize the historical photos so patrons can access them on library computers.
