There are a few organizations that are critical to the fabric of a community. The library is one of them. We have been blessed with the foresight and generosity of Col. and Mrs. Ilsley in funding the town’s library building back in 1924. It has provided a solid base for learning for over 100 years. However, the needs of the adults, teens and children in our society have evolved and outgrown the original building and its dated additions. 

Library use and programming has mushroomed to a level that taxes the current facilities. There is a need for more meeting rooms, better and more welcoming access, safer and more flexible spaces and an environmentally friendly building. And it is essential that we do this project now. Not only are the mechanical systems in the library in dire need of repair and replacement, significant public code violations need to be addressed immediately.

Furthermore, federal dollars that must be expended by 2026 will not be available again and are a key component of the funding plan for the project. It is now our turn to invest in the fabric of our community by supporting the renovation and expansion of the library to ensure it will serve all of our citizens for the next 100 years.

Ken Perine

Middlebury