Library receives
$50,000 King Foundation grant
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
WASHBURN — The Washburn Memorial Library is undergoing some much-needed renovations, thanks in part to a $50,000 grant from The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
KATHERINE VEITSCHEGGER, 
librarian at the Washburn Memorial Library, poses with some of the newer books available at the facility. A recent grant for $50,000 from The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation will be used for much-needed renovations.
“We applied for the grant in December 2012 and received the $50,000 check on April 1,” said Librarian Katherine Veitschegger.
Since receiving the funds, she said she’s been busy lining up the various contractors for the work that needs to be done.
“I’ve gotten quotes from contractors for heating, plumbing and electrical work, as well as what it will cost to replace carpeting,” said Veitschegger, noting photos were submitted when applying for the grant, to show what the money would be used for.
“Most of it will be spent renovating our basement, which includes our meeting room. In addition to moving shelving, removing paneling and replacing the carpet, we also need to make the library ADA-compliant. We also will be getting a new heating system,” she said.
The basement is where the library houses its classic book section.
“New carpeting and paint will make our classics section more inviting,” said Veitschegger. “This will enable us to use the space more efficiently.”
Due to problems in the basement, most of the library’s recent events have been held upstairs, making for a congested area when several people were in the facility at once.
“Clubs meet here, kids have been crafting upstairs. Once the basement is updated, we can have better events, including during August Fest. We’ll have more privacy for functions. Groups will be able to meet downstairs, giving patrons looking to check out books more ease doing so,” she said. “We haven’t been able to facilitate requests recently. The renovations will be great for the community.”
“This will allow people to meet with their book groups, children will have a perfect place to work on craft projects, and I will have a wonderful area for conducting story hours. Additionally, it affords a space where health care professionals from area hospitals can give seminars on health-related topics, knitting groups can meet during the winter months, and Maine-based authors can come and lead readings or lectures,” continued Veitschegger.
The grant will provide for new carpet, an ADA-compliant restroom, a new heating system and overall facelift, with the room receiving a new paint color and needed furniture, said Veitschegger. New lighting fixtures may be installed as well, if funds allow.
“We are so excited to be working with local contractors and happy that this project is coming along,” she said.
Veitschegger said the expected start date for the renovation is May 1, with a late July or early August completion date.
“It should be done just before August Festival, which gives us even more reason to celebrate,” she said.
According to Veitschegger, the process has been a team effort.
“Big thanks to my boss, Town Manager Bev Turner, for her encouragement, advice and her ability to edit; Buildings and Grounds Department head Adam Doody, for his ability to find me great people to work with and assisting me so much with the pre-renovation cleanup; and Assistant Dean of Learning Resources at Northern Maine Community College, Gail Roy, for her assistance and encouragement concerning my various grant applications. Ms. Roy took a lot of time out of her schedule to get me answers, contacts, and she gave me terrific advice,” said Veitschegger.
She said the Washburn Memorial Library board members and the Town Council also deserve much credit for “being so very supportive.”
This isn’t the first grant the library has received however.
“The Washburn Rotary Club provided a grant for $1,000 for the purchase of large-print books and audio material for the support of our ‘house-bound’ program, where I hand-deliver books and related material to individuals who cannot make it out of the house due to longstanding illness or injury,” she said.
The Libri Foundation — a nationwide nonprofit organization that donates new, quality, hardcover children’s books to small, rural public libraries in the U.S. through its Books For Children program — provided a $1,050 grant.
“This is a matching grant. I was fortunate to have such great library supporters who wanted to contribute to this cause. We had to raise $350 and were ale to do that in a week. It wasn’t just any week, it was the week of Christmas,” said Veitschegger.
The Rose and Samuel Rudman Library Trust, through the Maine Community Foundation, also provided $750 to the library.
“This grant provides the Washburn Memorial Library with the funding to purchase children’s books centered on the state of Maine as a theme or the author or illustrator is a Maine native or calls Maine home,” she said.
Rounding out the recent grants received is $3,751 from the TD Charitable Foundation for iPad accessory funding for the library’s Children’s Technology Outreach Initiative Project.
“Thanks to the generosity of the TD Charitable Foundation, we have the funding available to purchase accessories for up to 10 iPads — this includes their cases, headphones, protective screens, compatible television and stand,” she said.
“We are, however, still seeking funding for 10 iPads. I have numerous grant applications sent to various organizations and have spoken to many different individuals,” said Veitschegger.
She said with technology being such a big part of everyday life, keeping the library current is vitally important for the community as a whole.
“I hope this dream of having this kind of technology in our library to use for early reading comprehension and more interactive story hours becomes a reality. Additionally, these devices can also be used as self-directed study tools for children with autism who are coming into the library with their respective parent or social worker,” said Veitschegger.
Veitschegger credits the generosity of donors for making the library a community priority.
“We organized the Friends of the Washburn Memorial Library campaign beginning in January. This is when I wrote to various individuals and businesses asking them for a donation to be used exclusively to purchase books,” said Veitschegger. “I’ve been thrilled with the level of generosity.”
In a continuing effort to raise money for the library, a book sale is planned at the Civic Center on Friday, April 26, from noon to 4 p.m. and on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Funds will be used to purchase new books.
Plans are also being made for summer activities at the library.
FMI, visit the library’s Facebook page or call 455-4814.
