KITTERY, ME – Kennebunk Savings is pleased to donate $50,000 to the Rice Public Library’s ambitious expansion and renovation as their capital campaign nears its total fundraising goal.
The historic building, which opened in 1888, has endured increasing accessibility issues for years. It featured narrow hallways and areas accessible only by stairs, as well as increasingly limited storage and office space. “We’re so excited to finally have the appropriate space so we can serve everybody,” said Lee Perkins, the Library’s Director.
Since 1992, the library’s collection has been split between two buildings – library staff and customers have crossed a busy street to the Taylor Building, which presented additional safety and accessibility concerns. The new addition and renovations will return the library’s collection to a single space and provide many new, spacious public gathering areas – while preserving its historic character.
“The gathering space and the community services that a library provides are critical to the health of a community, and it’s wonderful that the Rice Public Library will now be able to more easily serve everyone in the Kittery community,” said Bradford C. Paige, CEO & President of Kennebunk Savings.
Construction is underway now and slated for completion in April of 2022. “The hardest part is going to be moving back,” Perkins added. “We’ll have to figure out how everything works and move around for a while. But if I never have to tell a patron that part of the library is not accessible to them again – that’s the best part of it for me.”