SPOTLIGHT ON!
A Grand Opening: The New Miami-Dade County Library at Sunny Isles Beach
By Luz Urbaez Weinberg

It was a bright and sunny day on the sunny city by the sea –a very apt day for the grand opening of the all-new Sunny Isles Beach Branch Library!

On Tuesday, June 14, 2005, several government officials, residents and neighbors of Sunny Isles Beach participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony that officially opened the doors to the new 7,500 sq. ft. Sunny Isles Beach Library Branch of the Miami-Dade County Library System.

The ceremony commenced at 11:00 a.m. with live entertainment by Reggie Paul, delighting guests with famed favorites of Sinatra, Cole, and many others, while back in the Children’s Section of the new library, young guests were entertained by Children’s Librarian T.J. Chang and staff member Sylvia Brown with a special puppet show and story-time.

Miami-Dade County Director of Libraries, Mr. Raymond Santiago led the program, which began with a special performance of the all-time children’s favorite “ABC” by the City of Sunny Isles Beach Camp kids. Santiago introduced dignitaries in the audience, which included: the Honorable Sally Heyman, Miami-Dade County Commissioner; Laurie Flink, representative for Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Shultz; Zach Fobrins, Legislative Assistant to Senator Gwen Margolis; Aventura Mayor Susan Gottlieb, Aventura Commissioner Luz Urbaez Weinberg, Aventura City Manager Eric Soroka; and Sunny Isles Beach officials, Mayor Norman Edelcup, Commissioner Roslyn Brezin, Commissioner Gerry Goodman, and City Manager Christopher J. Russo.

For everyone to meet, Santiago proudly introduced Sunny Isles Beach Library staff that will be on-hand to assist library visitors, commencing with Jennifer Dewsnap, Branch Manager, T.J. Chang, Children’s Librarian, Michael Brown, Sylvia Brown, Brian Colleary, Emilie Dufresne, Tania Fernandez, Theodore Karantsalis, Andre Licencier, Javier Lopez, Ethan Mayefsky, Altagracia Toribio, Jason Valero, Maria Velez, Priscilla Greenfield and Margarita Cavo.

For Commissioner Heyman, who wore her special “reading jacket” to the ceremony, the opening of a library is a special treat. Heyman promotes reading with children throughout the county, and sponsors several schools’ reading clubs. “The importance of this facility goes beyond the residents of Sunny Isles Beach. The official opening of this branch facilitates the expedition of improvements of the North East Dade Library in Aventura, as well. I am very excited about both of these projects, and thrilled to see this one finalized,” said Heyman. Continuing her address, Heyman also urged guests to “spend hours in this library. Enjoy what this facility has to offer.”

A spacious spread with an abundance of natural light through the floor-to-ceiling windows facing across from the Atlantic Ocean, this facility has plenty to offer: a large selection for readers of all ages and tastes, including picture books, periodicals, audio books, movies, videos, languages, biographies, fiction, and the very special Children’s Section with a large carpet center and a puppet show stage to be utilized for scheduled performances and storytime. The library also features comfortable gathering areas that include oversized reading chairs, twenty public Internet access computer stations, and two “Express” Internet access computers ideal for tourists on-the-go to quickly log in, check their mail, and go on with their vacation. And coming this October, there will be wireless access laptops available at the facility.

Visitors can also access the Miami-Dade County Library computer system online from home or from their own portable computers at the library by simply logging on with their assigned account name and password at www.mdpls.org. On the website, visitors can check borrowing records, reserve books or movies, search information, and access hundreds of thousands of magazine and newspaper articles.

Before closing the program and inviting guests to enjoy the live entertainment and refreshments, Santiago shared with guests the hard work and dedication that went behind this facility, which commenced when former Mayor Dave Samson and Senator Gwen Margolis “went to the county six years ago and asked for a library. Since that time, there’s been a wealth of individuals devoted to the completion of this project.”

Mayor Norman Edelcup noted how very happy former Mayor Dave Samson should be on this day with this grand opening. This opening demonstrates how well the County and the City can work together. And it was a dream of Samson’s that this take place.”

If you don’t already have a library card, have been away from a library in a while, or simply have not seen your new library, stop in today. From books to movie videos, to websites, to a world of information, this library branch has everything you need!

The Sunny Isles Beach Library Branch is located at 18070 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160. Hours of operation are 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the library is open from 12:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The library is closed on Sundays. For more information, call 305.682.0726

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