South Ryegate Public Library Renovations
South Ryegate Public Library, built in 1950, undergoes renovations.
May 16, 2023
The South Ryegate Library has been given some renovations. The floors have been redone, the lights have been replaced, and the walls have been painted. Neighbor Cynthia Fraser has kindly offered the South Ryegate Public Library access to the well. She says, “The whole premise is to keep kids reading, a friendly environment so kids can stop in and read a book.” Her husband Richard Fraser, who passed away, was the previous librarian. The new librarian is Liz Achilles; she has opened the library on Tuesdays 12-2 pm and Thursdays 3-5 pm.
Most recently some of the Library Association members such as Ginny Ross, Molly Fisher, and Deanna Arnoski, had gone to the Selectmen’s Meeting and presented a plan for the town. They were asking for money from ARPA which is government-funded money from Covid. The town accepted their plan and helped pay for the library’s renovations. There have been book sales to help raise money for the library and there might be more fundraisers coming. Ginny Ross and Liz Achilles have been going through the books and re-alphabetizing them by the author’s name. Some other people have also been helping out the library, Lenny Burroughs has done some paintings inside of the library, and James Arnosky, a wildlife artist and author, donated some of his books.
Liz Achilles plans on doing a few fun things to get people to come and see the new library. She is going to hold quilting classes in the second room of the library. The library holds chapter books, craft books, quilting books, children’s books, and big print books. One of the things the library also holds is a small cabinet designed as a house. It is filled with books, you can take one or you can leave one. A future plan for the library is to have story hours, where kids can come in and have stories read to them.
