Members and supporters of the Harpswell Neck Library Association discuss the nonprofit’s future during a meeting by the gazebo at George J. Mitchell Field on June 6. (Miles Bergquist photo)
Without a home since moving out of the Harpswell Scout Hall years ago, the Harpswell Neck Library Association is relying on members to store books and computers while it waits for a decision on the future of the administration building at George J. Mitchell Field.
On June 6, the Library Association held a public meeting at Mitchell Field to brainstorm about its future. Sitting in camp chairs and on the gazebo steps, members and supporters expressed their goal to deliver not only a place to house books, but also a community center.
The nonprofit has set its sights on the long-vacant administration building. The building is in a state of disrepair, having suffered the effects of vandalism and neglect. However, the location boasts a scenic view of Middle Bay and would serve as a convenient option for Harpswell Neck residents, many of whom rely on Brunswick’s Curtis Memorial Library.
A donor has offered to pay for a partial renovation of the building, but some residents would rather see the structure demolished. The Harpswell Select Board has contracted the Midcoast Council of Governments to update estimates for rehabilitation or demolition, review options for the building’s reuse, and hold public meetings about its future.
In the meantime, the Library Association needs to find “dry, clean storage space” to consolidate the “several crates of books, DVDs and computers” scattered across members’ homes, according to its website. “Do you have a spot to lend us?” the site asks.
David I. Chipman, president of the Library Association and a member of the Select Board, has spearheaded the project since its inception.
The library operated at the former West Harpswell School before the town leased and then sold the building to Harpswell Coastal Academy.
“It was a nice little space. And the charter school moved in and we thought, ‘Wow, having a public library here and a school, we could teach the kids library science.’ And it never worked out,” Chipman said. The school’s security requirements pushed the library to relocate.
The library moved to the Harpswell Scout Hall, where it was open two days a week with “a little shelf in the corner,” Chipman said. But renovations forced them to move again.
“We need a home,” Chipman said.
“A library is not just a place for books. It’s a place for people to gather — a community center,” Chipman said. “It’s a place for people to play checkers, cards, board games, to come on a cold afternoon and have a warm place to gather with people and have a cup of coffee. That’s what we’re trying to do.”
The association hopes the community will see the value in their vision.
Heather Logan, director of Cundy’s Harbor Library, attended the meeting. Logan is advising the association on how to organize and pursue its vision.
“Our library, Cundy’s, is really committed to working together (with the Harpswell Neck Library Association),” Logan said. “We’re all Harpswellians.”
