Words from the President

 

Dear Friends:

You may have heard talk about some changes at the Gray Public Library. As a special friend of the Library, you certainly deserve to get the facts.  Our goal is to make the Library an even more useable, comfortable, practical and pleasant place than it already is. So here’s what’s happening.

The Children’s Area will move to where the computers are, and the computers will move to where the Children’s Area is now. What this will accomplish is amazing. We’re planning to purchase a new computer center that will accommodate all of our present computers, and take up much less space. That gives us room to move the videos and music into what used to be the Children’s Area.

The Hancock Reading Room will become something we sorely need--a Young Adult Room, especially designed, furnished and equipped for 13-17-year olds.
And what about the space that used to house the videos? It’s going to become a Meeting Room, perfect for programs, author talks and all kinds of meetings.

We’ve discussed this with the Library staff, of course, as well as the Trustees of the Gray Public Library, the Gray Town Council and the MSAD #15 leadership, and they’re unanimously in favor of it. And we’ve worked with experienced library consultants on design and furnishings. We’ve set up a display in the Library that shows you the new plan, and we hope you’ll take a moment to look it over.

This is an ambitious project, and it’s going to call on all our resources. Right now we can fund furniture and shelving for the new Children’s Area, and that should be ready this fall. We’ll also build the wall for the new Meeting Room within the next few weeks, using funds we’ve built up through book sales and our annual appeal.

Soon, we’ll begin fundraising in earnest to cover the other costs. Altogether, the project will cost something close to $100,000, so it may take us a while.  But we believe the result will be worth it: a Library that’s even more welcoming to folks of all ages and all interests.

If you have questions, please e-mail, call or write me or any member of the Gray Public Library Association, and I’ll do my best to answer them.

Sincerely,




Raymond P. Clark
President


PS As you know, the GPLA is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, dedicated to funding projects that make our Library better. Our contributions to the Library include funding the annual Gingerbread House party, paying for passes to the Maine Wildlife Park, Portland Museum and other attractions and many more.