Emma S. Clark Memorial Library Named No. 1 Library in Suffolk

The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library has scored the highest out of Suffolk County's 56 public libraries in a national survey of libraries for the sixth straight year.

In its 2010 edition, Hennen's American Public Library Ratings has not only again placed Three Village's library as No. 1 in Suffolk, but it also rated the library among the top six percent nationally of all public libraries in its population group.

"Everybody likes that we're number one," library director Ed Elenausky said. "It was an unsolicited honor. We didn't even realize we were trying to be great."

Emma S. Clark has been the top library in Suffolk in Hennen's past six editions (there were no ratings published in 2003 and 2007). It has been named the top library on Long Island four times since 2001.

In this year's ratings, Emma S. Clark scored 802 points out of a possible 1,000. Long Island's top library this year was Jericho Public Library, with 836 points. Other local libraries scoring well on the survey included Comsewogue Public Library and Longwood Public Library, each with 765 points.

The ratings are based on state-mandated annual reports the library is required to fill out, Elenausky said. Hennen bases the ratings on 15 criteria, including expenditure per capita, cost per circulation, periodicals per 1,000 residents, and visits per hour.

On Thursday, many librarygoers agreed with the library's rating.

"They are really well stocked," said Jen Marzano of South Setauket. "They're a really good facility. The staff is really helpful."

Adaeze Madu praised the library's event offerings.

"I like how they always have something for the little kids and for the older kids to do," said Madu, 12.

One member, however, was a little more critical.

"The space is limited and they don't have as large a number of books as I would like them to have," said the member, who gave his name as John.

According to the library, an average of 1,000 people used the library every day within the past year. Elenausky said of Three Village's approximately 46,000 residents, around 30,000 are library members.