Terry Lucas - Director
Terry Lucas was raised in Sacramento, California and received her bachelor’s degree in History and Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. After a short hiatus, she moved to Boston where she graduated Cum Laude from the Boston University School of Law. Terry practiced law in Manhattan and Riverhead for 10 years and then left the law to pursue her dream of opening a bookstore. She enjoyed owning and running The Open Book in Westhampton Beach for 13 years. As she contemplated closing the store, Terry started studying for her Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science at St. John’s University. She worked as a reference librarian in Southampton for a number of years before being hired as the director of the Shelter Island Public Library in 2015. Terry has also taught at Queens College Graduate School of Library and Information Science and reviews new fiction for Library Journal. She is the President of the Suffolk County Public Library Directors Association and has given presentations on a variety of topics at local, New York State and National library conferences.
Laura Dickerson - Assistant Director
Laura Dickerson grew up in Garden City, NY, and spent summers, school holidays, and weekends at her family home on Shelter Island. Laura graduated from the American University in Washington, DC., and went on to run her own business on Shelter Island for many years. Laura taught all forms of dance and had students go on to perform with New York City Ballet, Portland Ballet, Nashville Ballet, and other regional ballet companies. Laura began working at the Shelter Island Library in 2005, becoming Assistant Director in 2007. She has been awarded the ELSA (Excellence In Library Service) Award as well as the Dewey Fellow Award. Laura is the PALS Coordinator – the liaison between Shelter Island Library and the Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Head of Circulation and manages the part-time staff at the library. She is a member of the Head of Circulation Group, Library Coordinators Group, and the Assistant Director Group, regularly attending meetings. She attends the Association for Rural & Small Libraries Conference, American Library Association Conference, and the Public Library Association Conference. Laura is a Shelter Island Lions Club member, volunteers as a choreographer for the high school drama club, and is an Elder of the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church.
Sara Garcia - Head of Youth Services
Sara Garcia grew up in Quogue on the South Fork of Long Island, and received her Bachelor’s Degree in English from Stony Brook University. During that time she worked at a library on the South Fork and gained experience in multiple departments. She moved to Florida and worked for the Brevard County Library System for a few years while she earned her Master’s Degree in Library and Information Sciences from Kent State University. She worked in the Reference Department and assisted with technological instruction for patrons. It was during that time that she gained more experience working with the local tweens. There was a gap in available after-school programs for tweens and teens, so Sara took it upon herself to design different programs for them. She was dubbed their “Library Mom” and gained a tremendous amount of experience and understanding of that age group. She also learned that they can sometimes slip through the cracks which is a concern that has inspired her work. When she accepted the position as the Head of Youth Services at the Shelter Island Public Library, she knew that she wanted to create a safe haven for the local youth by creating a space where they felt welcomed and wanted. Sara is a big believer in tweens and teens being given their own space where they can express themselves. Her philosophy has encouraged her to design programs that benefit the local youth and emphasize their importance as individuals while allowing them the freedom to grow. She is a member of the East End Children’s Librarians group, a proud supporter of the American Library Association, and a member of the Suffolk County Library System.
Liz Larsen - Head of Programming
Liz Larsen grew up on Shelter Island, and received her Bachelor’s Degree in English from Brooklyn College. During that time she managed bookstores in Sag Harbor and Southampton, and worked as an archivist cataloging rare and antique books. Liz is currently earning her Master’s Degree in Creative Writing and Literature from Stony Brook University's Lichtenstein Center. She teaches undergraduate creative writing at Stony Brook University. Before taking over Adult Programming, Liz worked at the Shelter Island Library’s circulation desk, helping patrons.