Helping a community in need!

Imagine you live in a community with 21% unemployment

and your library is open only 15 hours a week.

Now imagine your library actually shuttering its doors... for good.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN SUPPORT OF A COMMUNITY IN NEED!

Recently, I read an article* about Millinocket, a small town in Maine.  The town’s economy has been decimated ever since the paper mill that employed most of its residents stopped operating in 2008, causing unemployment to soar to 21%.  The community and its leadership continue to seek a solution to the town’s financial crisis.  Meanwhile, the Millinocket Memorial Library was nearly shuttered in July.  After a public outcry, the library remains open, although for now, only until next July.  I spoke directly to Lori Fitzgerald, Head Librarian,  who has worked at the library for the past 28 years.  She shared with me that:

· The Millinocket library’s budget is $80,000 this year, drastically down from the 2011 budget of $175,000.

· In 2011, there were 3 full-time and 5 part-time employees at the library.  Now, Head Librarian Ms. Fitzgerald handles everything with the help of only 2 part-time employees and a part-time janitor.

· The library was open 34 hours a week just last year, but the library is now open to the public only 15 hours a week.

It is not in our power to guarantee the long-term survival of the Millinocket Memorial Library, but I know that with the support of individuals who care about libraries and the multitude of good will and services they provide to the community, we can alter the short-term future of this struggling town, its residents, and its library!  Hours of service could be increased right now and, more importantly, we may be able to help ensure that the library doesn’t close its doors next July.  Every additional hour, day, year of library services can have a great impact on the residents of this struggling town as they search for a way to save their community.

Please  consider making a donation to help!  You can do so directly and quickly by following this link to the Friends of Millinocket Library website and clicking on the gold box that says Donate. This Friends organization is a 501(c)(3), so all donations are tax deductible.  

http://friendsofmillinocketlibrary.org/

Thank you for taking the time to consider this worthwhile cause.  And please feel free to forward this appeal to friends and family who might be interested.

* You can read the article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/03/us/a-paper-mill-goes-quiet-and-the-community-it-built-gropes-for-a-way-forward.html?_r=1