ThursdayOct3,2019at4:49PM

Oct 2 To the Editor:

This November, residents of Kittery have the opportunity to preserve the historic Rice Library by voting to approve a $5 million bond for renovation and expansion. By adding approximately 10,000 sq. ft., the project will more than double the existing space in the Rice building and make it accessible to those with disabilities. A new programming area will house in- and after-hours activities, ensuring that the library continues to be the heart of the community and an architectural anchor in the Foreside.

Currently staff and patrons move between two buildings, neither of which adequately serve the number of people wanting to participate in the librarys many offerings. Already the library hosts discussion groups of books and films, lectures on local history, movie nights, computer literacy workshops, andincredible as it soundsmore than 300 activities for children each year. The addition of an elevator and other elements to enhance accessibility in conjunction with space that can be reconfigured to house different sized audiences will result in increased patronage and expanded programming.

Your approval of the bond goes far beyond preserving the beloved Rice building. It reflects the values of a community dedicated to education and inclusiveness and will stand, as Mark Twain said of public libraries, the most enduring of memorials of Kitterys commitment to the future.

Susan Goodman

Kittery Point, Maine

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Preserve and improve Kittery's historic Rice Library by supporting bond - Seacoastonline.com