St. Agatha library holds grand opening

ST. AGATHA – For those who spearheaded the effort to create the Long Lake Public Library, it has been a fairy tale ending.

Nearly two years after a group of volunteers set out to establish a public library for the town, the journey has ended – the library officially opened to the public last week.

A grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony at the facility July 23 attracted a crowd of approximately 125 people, Town Manager Ryan Pelletier said Tuesday.

The new public library is set up in a space at the Montfort Heights complex at 384 Main St. Until the facility’s opening, the only library in town was the student library at Wisdom High School.

“The opening was great, it went very well,” Pelletier said. “We had an impressive crowd and the library board certainly has done some excellent work. It’s a great new addition to our little town.”

Jackie Ayotte, president of the library board said the recent opening was “awesome.”

“We have had such strong support from the community and beyond,” she noted in a written statement. “I am so happy that this idea of bringing a public library to the Long Lake region has finally come to fruition.”

Volunteers initially began talking about opening such a facility in the winter of 2005. The group moved quickly, acquiring federal nonprofit status in early 2006 so that donations could be tax-deductible. They also secured a location for the library.

With the initial infrastructure in place, grants and donations soon began pouring in. The town worked hand-in-hand with the board to write and submit grants.

By last Christmas, the committee had raised more than $85,000 and had garnered book donations from the Acadian Heritage Council, the Cole Land Transportation Museum in Bangor, and George Neavoll, a private book collector and former editorial page editor of the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram. He donated his small library collection to the facility.

To date, the library board has raised more than $150,000 toward its overall goal of $250,000.

In addition to housing books, magazines and other materials, the library is equipped with computers and offers broadband Internet access.

Plans include a children’s literature section and hosting a children’s story hour each week.

The library is staffed completely by volunteers.

The hours of operation are 1-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information or to volunteer at the library, contact Ayotte at 543-9395 or by e-mail at jayotte@nci1.net.

The group’s fundraising progress can be tracked online at www.stagatha.com/library.asp.