The library works cooperatively to support, promote, and enrich the community. Over the last several years, the board of trustees (composed of eight volunteers), has seen the role of the library expand.

To assess the library’s current and future needs, the board conducted a town-wide survey, drafted a three-year strategic plan, hired a fundraising firm to undertake a feasibility study, and began working with an architect to develop ideas for expansion.

The library needs to raise money to meet these new demands, and preserve the existing building for future generations. We have two general goals for the capital campaign. First, to revitalize our building and grounds and add new, flexible areas for collections and programs both indoors and out. Second, to improve our ability to cover increased operating expenses by expanding our endowment.

Friend Memorial Library is a non-profit supported by funds from its endowment, from an annual appeal, and from an annual donation from the town of Brooklin. This provides an operating budget of approximately $225,000 per year.

The capital campaign hopes to raise a minimum of two and a half million dollars. Exceeding this goal will enable us to make additional improvements, add more services, and more effectively secure the future of our library. Currently, the campaign goals are:

– at least $1.5 million to be allocated to building maintenance, renovation, and expansion.

– at least $1 million to be added to our endowment from which we annually draw a small percentage (mandated by state law not to exceed 5%) to cover operating expenses. Drawing the same percentage from a larger endowment will provide additional funding to cover increased costs.

The campaign is already underway and will continue until we reach our financial goal, we hope by the end of 2024. The building design will be finalized by then in order to break ground shortly afterward. Completion should be sometime in 2026.

The most urgent needs are the maintenance and restoration of infrastructure. The most pressing of these is preventing the increasingly destructive challenge of mold by providing new moisture control and ventilation systems to protect our collections.

Additional repairs and upgrades include:
• eliminating standing water in the basement
• repairing windows, trim, and gutters
• replacing worn areas of flooring
• adding lighting and shelving
• repairing cracked walls
• repairing cracked concrete paths

Our library has only 2,000 square feet of space which limits our ability to add programs and services for our community.

Doubling the size will not only improve handicapped access but also will add space for:
• larger areas for children and teens
• additional shelving for our collection
• increased programs, exhibits, and events
• new technology areas
• staff office and workroom
• increased storage
• an additional restroom

Also, the library has requested the donation of a significant collection of rare maritime books and information that will need a separate and secure room.

Started in 1970, the Maritime Research Collection has become one of the largest private collections in the country of materials related to wooden boat history, building, and design. In addition to historic books (some rare and irreplaceable), the collection also includes periodicals and reference works dating back to the 1880’s, along with technical information, correspondence, biographies, and more. It is fully cataloged using a modified Library of Congress system.

When Jon Wilson, local founder of WoodenBoat, agreed to our request to donate his maritime collection to the library and thus keep it in Brooklin, we at once began to incorporate it into our already developing plans for expansion.

For the past 42 years, award-winning maritime photographer Ben Mendlowitz has created the much-loved Calendar of Wooden Boats. He offered his entire slide collection — some 155,000 images — to the Friend Memorial Public Library to become an element of the Maritime Research Center — and the library gladly accepted.

Ben’s slide collection covers boats and yachts that were active at the dawn of the wooden boat renaissance, dating back to within five years of the founding of WoodenBoat magazine itself. Together with Jon Wilson’s maritime library, it forms a complete package that awaits aficionados, students, writers, researchers, boat owners, and would-be owners.

These invaluable resources will play a crucial role in supporting all aspects of the boatbuilding industry that continues to create jobs and opportunities in Brooklin. The Maritime Research Center will be housed in approximately 30% of the new Annex. It will extend the library’s reach to serve students and visiting boat owners, authors, researchers, and enthusiasts from around the world.

The Maritime Research Center will be housed in a multi-use room within the new Annex. It will take up approximately 30% of the square footage and be open to the public during normal business hours.

The library expansion will enable us to increase the following offerings:

• more programs for children
• new technology available for teen library users
• more frequent events for adults, including author’s readings, art exhibits, and literary
• workshops with space for larger attendance and with up-to-date visual and audio technologies
• more space for study groups
• more time and attention to library users with learning disabilities or physical challenges
• additional outdoor events and community gatherings

Libraries today are highly computerized. Interlibrary loans can procure books from all around the state for library patrons, and our digital downloads enable library users to read books from remote locations–even outside of the United States while traveling. We plan to improve these services with the Minerva Library Loan System and the availability of more ebooks and audiobooks.

It is also necessary to upgrade and expand our computer hardware and software for both staff and patrons, especially in this age of digital presentations and live remote streaming of library events.

We will preserve the character and charm of our existing library and have engaged Elliott Architects, the same architectural firm that created the award-winning design for our last expansion in 1998.

We are currently considering several designs for expansion that reflect the library’s needs and the wishes and concerns of our community. An expanded architectural review committee will further this process. The committee will continue to share its ideas with the community and welcome feedback.

The library will remain open throughout the construction process with as little disruption as possible.

Because of Maine Department of Transportation safety concerns due to the blind curve, parking in front of the library was discontinued in spring 2023. We are planning to provide a dedicated parking lot for library users with charging stations and bike racks, but in the meantime, parking is in the large lot between the library and the church.

We do not plan to disrupt our beloved garden at all during or after the expansion of the library. There may be new walkways in front of or behind the garden to provide access from the new parking area we are developing.

In the spring of 1995, The Circle of Friends Garden was developed and dedicated to Katharine and E.B. White to commemorate their important legacy of giving to Friend Memorial Public Library. The garden includes a circular patio with benches, native shrubs and ferns, a perennial bed, and a day lily border. It now also includes a beautiful bird bath set in the woods, and two commemorative stone benches under the trees in front of the garden.

We will be forming a landscaping committee as part of our capital campaign to propose ideas and oversee plantings around the new addition and courtyard, the new walkways and parking area, and the street in front of the library.

Please visit the Welcome page for a list of all campaign committee members.

Plese visit our Ways to Give page for more information.