31 Reasons in 31 Days to Support Lithgow NOW: Children’s Services

Children’s services are a immeasurable part of the services that Lithgow Public Library provides to the greater Augusta community. The current services are wonderful and effective, but just imagine how much more effective and how many more children and families Lithgow could reach if they had a larger space and more resources!

Day #7 – Expand and Update the Children’s Room

The current Children’s Room is located in the basement and the section is overflowing. With your help, the children’s section will be expanded and updated. Support the library and provide a positive learning space for children for years to come.

Day #8: The kids LOVE the library!

As you can see by this picture, at least one child feels that “Lithgow Public Library is the best!” I’m pretty sure there are many more that will agree. Let’s make this library an even better place for our children to grow and learn!

Day #9: Expanding to include a space dedicated to teens!

Right now, the teen section is crammed in with the children’s area. Creating a dedicated space for teens is important to the vitality of the facility. This space will help to improve programming for the library as well.

 

Day #10: Quality family time at the library

Meet Heather and Daniel. They enjoy spending time together at the Lithgow Public Library. Daniel loves to play with the puzzles and reading with his mom both at the library and with the books he …takes home. When asked which books were his favorites, he answered, “Scooby Doo!” Who doesn’t like Scooby, right? He also loves dinosaur and superhero stories too.

Heather says the library means a lot to her as she spent a good deal of time in her local library with her Gram. She loves being able to share the magic of books and special libraries with Daniel, just like she did with her Gram.

Heather says, “Lithgow is now our special place to share. Our library is special because of our community. Or maybe, it’s that our community makes our library special. Either way, I’m so thankful we have Lithgow.”

We couldn’t have said it better. It’s a special place that needs our community’s help.

Day #11:  Children’s Programming

What would happen if the library didn’t get the necessary funding? Programming like Toddler Time, Family Story Time, Incredible Infants and Rockin’ Readers would go away. Families love these programs and they provide a sense of community, encourage literacy and so much more.

Day #12: Encouraging literacy in youth

According to the I Love Libraries website, “children’s literacy is a building-block of adult literacy.” Makes sense, right? So let’s help the Lithgow Library by improving the facility and providing the necessary tools to continue the great services that area children and families deserve.

Day #13:  Reading and Children – “Summer reading clubs encourage children to read, and to read often.

Research has shown that the amount of time children spend with books is crucial to reading achievement, and ultimately, to school achievement in general.” —The Role of Public Libraries in Children’s Literacy Development: An Evaluation Report, Pennsylvania Library Association.

The Lithgow Public Library is committed to children’s literacy and supporting the library is supporting our children. Please visit http://lithgowfriends.org/ to make a tax-deductible donation today.

Press Release: CMP Gives Lithgow Library $50,000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CMP Gives Lithgow Library $50,000

 

AUGUSTA, ME (March 10, 2014) – The Friends of Lithgow Library announces Central Maine Power’s $50,000 commitment to the Lithgow Library Capital Campaign. Leaders of the community like CMP have helped the Friends of Lithgow raise nearly $2.5 million with a total $3 million in sight.

“Education is essential to individual success and the economic health of our communities, and libraries play a key role inspiring people of all ages to expand their knowledge,” says Sara Burns, president and CEO of Central Maine Power. “Central Maine Power is proud to support the Friends of Lithgow Library in their mission to expand the library’s programs and make the library a vibrant community center for the City of Augusta.”

CMP, through the Iberdrola USA Foundation, has a long history supporting education initiatives in the communities it serves. The Foundation awards scholarships to students enrolled in energy and environment postgraduate programs, the University of Maine’s Electrical Engineering program, and the University of Sothern Maine’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program. CMP also has a long history of supporting the Mitchell Institute, which seeks to raise students’ aspirations and encourage them to pursue a college education. The company also provides an annual donation of award-winning books to elementary schools and libraries throughout its service area, and provides cash and in-kind support to Kennebec Valley Community College’s Electrical Lineworker Technology program.

“We are grateful for the support we’ve received from CMP for this campaign,” adds Lithgow Campaign Co-Chair, Wick Johnson.  “Lithgow is serving record numbers of patrons and attendance at various library programs increases every year. Our library is in danger at the very time that it is most in demand.”

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About Lithgow Library Capital Campaign: Lithgow Public Library opened its doors February of 1896, with funding from Llewellyn W. Lithgow and Andrew Carnegie on the corner of State and Winthrop Streets. A total of $51,850 secured the building and the land for the City of Augusta and Mr. Lithgow’s dream of a public library, a beautiful Renaissance Romanesque “people’s university” was realized. For nearly 118 years, the library has graced the City’s picturesque historical landscapes and offered adults and children from the community the opportunity to enrich their hearts and minds. The time has come for much needed updates and renovations to preserve its historical home within the City of Augusta. For more information on the Lithgow Public Library or the Lithgow Library Capital Campaign, please visit http://www.lithgow.lib.me.us/  OR www.lithgowfriends.org.

Repairs & Renovations

Repairs and renovations are critical to the Lithgow Public Library. The facility was built in 1896 and with only one major addition in 1979, the building is in desperate need of updates and major repairs. The list of needs is quite lengthy and repairs will be pricey. Below, you’ll see just what repairs need to be completed to update the historical facility.

• Double the size of the current facility to 30,000 square feet
• Provide new, handicap accessible bathroom facilities
• Install a new, ADA-compliant* elevator
• Install an ADA-compliant electric door
• Create a public meeting room that seats 100 people
• Expand public seating
• Repair cracks and leaks
• Updates to heating and A/C system
• Install more shelving to hold more media*

*Currently there are over 67,000 books and media pieces in the building which was originally built to hold a whopping 6,000 pieces.

We urge you to take a walk through the facility. You can see firsthand the beautiful facility and what it can offer the Capitol Area and see how much the Lithgow Public Library needs our help NOW! For more information, please visit http://lithgowfriends.org/.

31 Reasons in 31 Days to Support Lithgow NOW!

If you’re following @lithgowfriends on Facebook or Twitter, then you may have noticed our new social media campaign for the month of March, entitled, “31 Reasons in 31 Days to Support Lithgow NOW!”. Each day we will feature a different reason why the Lithgow Public Library requires major funding and needs YOUR support to reach it’s fundraising goal. The campaign will help preserve a local, historical landmark and allow for necessary repairs and renovations to the facility to the benefit of the entire Capitol Area. Each week, those reasons will be compiled and featured in a blog post, here!

Lithgow Campaign: 31 Reasons in 31 Days to Support Lithgow NOW!

With increased pressure to secure private donations and an on-the-horizon date of June for the referendum which brings the matter to the table for the voters in the City of Augusta, we need your help! FMI, please visit us at http://lithgowfriends.org/

Press Release: Lithgow Library Campaign Announces Intern

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUGUSTA, February 2014 – The Lithgow Library Capital Campaign announces its partnership with Nancy Marshall Communications (NMC) and Thomas College student intern, Wendy Grenier of Winslow.

Nancy Marshall, CEO of NMC and member of The Friends of the Lithgow Library says, “As a graduate of Thomas College with an MBA in 1994, I appreciate the opportunity to work with Thomas College again and become a mentor to Wendy through the Lithgow Library Campaign.” She is passionate about libraries, having spent a lot of time in them as a child and having served as founding board member of the Carrabassett Valley Public Library. Marshall continues to utilize the lifelong learning opportunities that libraries have to offer these days, with services like Inter-Library Loan to keep up on the latest public relations and marketing publications.

Nancy Marshall (left), Wendy Grenier (right)

Grenier, a Communications, English and Marketing major in her senior year at Thomas College, resides in Winslow with her husband and three daughters. She is excited to be an integral part of a campaign that speaks directly to her own heart; additionally, she is pleased to be mentored by Nancy Marshall and so many other area business leaders.

Grenier says, “I used to ride my bike to the library every week in the summer. I was so fortunate to have benefited from all the magic that a library holds for a child. In order to continue serving the Augusta community in the years to come, Lithgow needs our help now.”

The final phase of the Lithgow Library Capital Campaign kicks off this month with a fundraising goal of $2M. In order to complete the necessary repairs and renovations, Augusta residents must also pass a referendum in June to provide the campaign with an additional $4 million. Library reps state that the current building is in desperate need of repair and a significant expansion.

Built in 1896, the library was to hold 6,000 books. Today, the Lithgow Public Library holds approximately 67,000 books and media pieces. The library has been surviving for years with makeshift shelving, limited seats, and lack of meeting and other dedicated space.

The National Register of Historic Places recognizes the Lithgow Public Library and in order to continue operation and eliminate further deterioration, building renovation and expansion are required.

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About Lithgow Library Capital Campaign: Lithgow Public Library, opened its doors February of 1896, with funding from Llewellyn W. Lithgow and Andrew Carnegie on the corner of State and Winthrop Streets. A total of $51,850 secured the building and the land for the City of Augusta and Mr. Lithgow’s dream of a public library, a beautiful Renaissance Romanesque “people’s university” was realized. For nearly 118 years, the library has graced the City’s picturesque historical landscapes and offered adults and children from the community the opportunity to enrich their hearts and minds. The time has come for much needed updates and renovations to preserve its historical home within the City of Augusta. For more information on the Lithgow Public Library or the Lithgow Library Capital Campaign, please visit http://www.lithgow.lib.me.us/  OR www.lithgowfriends.org.

For additional information, contact Amy Anderson, Ovation Fundraising at 207.776.5512 or Betsy Pohl, Lithgow Public Library at 207.626.2415.