Swan's Island Library becomes more of a community center

Siobhan Ryan

Nancy Davis joyfully washed the first item in the new sink of the Swan's Island Library. Davis, a longtime volunteer, said that the kitchen in the library was missing something, "and now it's not missing anything anymore!"

The story behind the sink is more than plumbing and parts, though. It is about the community, and larger support. Candis Joyce, the director of the Swan's Island Educational Society, the umbrella organization that oversees the library, had been searching for funding for the sink for years. Then this year came a mini grant from Healthy Acadia, to promote healthy eating alternatives at the library. Up until now, library food has largely been known for the vast quantities of donated chocolate and goodies. But with the new sink the library will be able to wash and serve other foods. "Now we can confidently serve coffee, tea, and muffins when we have functions," Joyce said. "The sink will help turn the building into more of a community space."

Along with the sink, the Library also received a donated Tebo Mini Kitchen from the Island Institute, good for warming up things like pizza for the Library's pizza and movie night. But the crown jewel of the new items in the kitchen will be the Keuring Coffee Maker. The coffee maker, purchased with funds received from the Seacoast Mission, will individually brew coffee, tea, and hot chocolate for library patrons. All the new items in the kitchen are part of a movement to make the library into a space that caters to the larger community. "Parents, kids, all people will benefit from the kitchen," said Joyce, thrilled that after many years, the kitchen had finally come together. More important, Joyce was excited about having a place for the community to gather, and do so over a cup of coffee. q

-- Siobhan Ryan