Mark Shimnoski has been a librarian for over 12 years. After graduating with a master’s degree in library sciences from Queens College, completing both the Suffolk County and Nassau County librarian civil service exams, and working in the Wyandanch Public Library for almost eight years, Shimnoski finally found a home at the Franklin Square Public Library as a Librarian II.
But, what exactly does he do all day? According to Shimnoski, quite a lot.
“People have the assumption that a librarian just sits and reads a book,” he laughed. But, he said, the most important part of his job is not his love for books or knowing where to find them on the shelves. “Being a librarian is actually an incredibly diverse position. It isn’t just sitting and doing one thing from nine to five.”
Shimnoski’s job as a librarian, along with the support of other library staff, involves constant oversight of the books, media, devices, services and adult programming offered at the library. Programming ranges from book clubs, tax programs, defensive driving courses, exercise classes, craft projects, cooking lessons and more. Of course, he said, this is all in addition to the more conventional duties of being a librarian, such as finding books for patrons and keeping the shelves stocked.
Several years after becoming a librarian, Shimnoski said he was still shocked at what the job actually entailed. “One of the biggest parts of being a successful librarian in the community is knowing how to work with other people,” he said.
According to Shimnoski, libraries have evolved far beyond book lending. For the last 20 years, in response to people’s shifting needs in a digitized society, he has been constantly listening to feedback on what guests want from the library. Consequently, he said, everything the library offers has become digitized, including books, movies, television shows and video games. And, in order to compete with online retailers like Amazon, the library’s in-person services expanded to keep the 26,000 Franklin Square residents coming through their doors.
For example, Shimnoski proposed a program that allows patrons to borrow Roku devices, free of charge, for seven days at a time, so community members can watch television shows and movies without having to purchase their own device or subscription. Aviva Kane, the library’s director, said the Roku devices are now the library’s highest circulating items.
Shimnoski said the library offers plenty of unconventional services that community members might not know about, such as discounted tickets to museums and aquariums. Kane pointed out that Shimnoski also introduced notary services and a free AARP tax assistance program during tax season, which is extremely popular in the community.
According to Kane, Shimnoski embraced the idea of customer service as an essential part of the library’s culture. She emphasized that this was an effort made by the entire library staff, all of whom support each other in providing services for the community beyond the books.
“We want to make sure people are comfortable in the library, which we consider the community’s home,” Kane said. “Mark is instrumental with that, along with our other staff members.”
Shimnoski said his experience going to the library as a kid inspired him to work in one as an adult. He was raised in East Williston, and he recalled visiting the town’s local library often. He remembered how much he loved fantasy books especially JRR Tolkien’s classic novel, “The Hobbit.”
While the East Williston library was small, he remembered the librarians who would help him anytime he had a question or concern. “I thought, you know, I’d love to be that person that could do the same thing that they did for me,” he said.
Shirley Chen, a senior at H. Frank Carey High School, who works under Shimnoski as a library page, said helping others is exactly what he does today. “His presence at the library makes me feel safe,” she said. “I know if I have any problems, I could go to him.”
Chen recalled being nervous on her first day working at the library, but having Shimnoski as her supervisor made her feel comfortable and welcome. “It’s a really supportive environment,” Chen said. “Working at the library, it feels like a home.” She said Shimnoski’s supportive nature extends to the library’s patrons, and anyone who speaks about him says he is always willing to help.
Shimnoski said he gets plenty of positive feedback from patrons who tell him that he’s introduced them to books they now love, which he said was a rewarding experience. “There’s a part of me that’s able to push books on people, but in a nice way,” he laughed. “You see their face kind of glows.”
The library sends newsletters with upcoming programs and events every three months, Shimnoski said. The library also serves non-Franklin Square residents, he added, although residents get priority registration for programs.
“I like to think that we offer an intimate, cozy experience,” he said. Although it’s a smaller library, he said, it is filled with devoted staff. If patrons ask anyone at the library for help, he continued, they always go the extra mile to make sure guests get what they need. “They’re an incredible team,” he said.
Shimnoski said now that he’s been a librarian for over a decade, he’s gained more experience in the lesser-known responsibilities of the job, which, he said, he did not learn in a classroom.
“You learn to kind of roll with the changing experiences,” he said.
To learn more about the Franklin Square Public Library’s programs and services, visit their website, FranklinSquarePL.org.