Barbara Marshall, chairwoman of the board of trustees for the Farmington Public Library, shows new shelving for audiobooks.
FARMINGTON — The Farmington Public Library has redesigned areas to make better use of space and enhanced services to patrons.
Now, it is raising money for a new furnace and heat pumps for the two-story granite building at 117 Academy St.
Library board Chairwoman Barbara Marshall said $16,000 is needed for a furnace and $5,000 for heat pumps.
The plan is to raise $7,000 from the community, she said. The Tom Marshall family has pledged to give twice the amount of every donation from the community, up to $7,000. During its first week of the fundraiser, $1,000 was given from the community, matched with $2,000 from the Marshall family, Barbara Marshall said.
“It is nice to give to something that will make a difference for so many years,” she said.
The library has applied for two grants and the recipients will be announced later this year, she said. Other fundraising efforts include raffles.
The library typically sees more than 34,000 patron visits annually, Librarian Maurie Stockford said. On a typical summer day, up to 250 people visit.
During that time, temperatures inside can reach 90 degrees because the granite absorbs heat from the sun and it’s transferred inside, she said. Trustees want to install heat pumps on the second floor to cool the building in the summer and augment heat in the winter.
The heating and cooling project continues improvements over the past two years, including making better use of space and providing services to patrons.
A new Children’s Room was created in a space formerly used only by staff.
Computers were moved from the second floor to the former children’s room in the basement because there is better computer connectivity, it’s closer for librarians to assist patrons and more user-friendly, Marshall said. Water and coffee are also available.
The redesign helped eliminate unused space, Stockford said.
“It was like a puzzle … bringing all the pieces together,” she said of the two-year project. “People have been receptive. We get a lot of compliments especially about how child-friendly it is and how much we have for kids to do.”
Donations for the furnace may be sent to Farmington Public Library, 117 Academy St., Farmington, ME 04938.
A gofundme page is available at gofundme.com/tr78kv-bon.
A new Children’s Room was created at the Farmington Public Library from a space formerly used only by staff. Lynnette Hinkley and her grandchildren, from left, Tucker, Gracie and Maggie Noles, check out the books.
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