Probus Club gets library update
Probus Club of Central Aroostook held their monthly meeting at Northern Maine Community College of Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011. There were 15 members and three guests attending.
Former President Peggy Woodman called the meeting to order. She then turned the meeting over to Program Director Mel Fitzherbert, who introduced program guests Sonja Morgan Plummer, director of the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library, and Dr. Richard Kimball, chairman of the additional fundraising project.
Sonja spoke to the group about the new addition and changes that are taking place at the library. An endowment of $1 million was made by Mary Smith, a former resident of Presque Isle to help fund this project.
Sonja handed out a summary disclosure that had a drawing of the proposed expansion project and operation and budget information. The information also included an assessment of what changes have taken place in the past and what additional services will be provided, especially in the area of public access to the computers and meeting the needs of the senior population. The installation of the elevator at the new entrance will be a welcome addition. She also talked about how all of the community’s age groups will be better served by additional space and privacy.
She then introduced Dr. Kimball who explained the progress of the additional fundraising project and said that the efforts of the committee have been very successful. They hope to meet the goal very soon. The scheduled completion of the expansion project is July 2011.
Sonja gave passed around a Kindle I-Pad electronic reader so club members could see how electronic technology is changing the way we read. However, she stressed that this does not replace the needs of books in our libraries.
The secretary’s and treasurer’s reports were read and approved.
Pearl Carmichael gave a reading entitled “Volunteered To Care.”
Linda Swett, Helen McConnell and Janet Snow volunteered to be a committee to plan a luncheon for Mary McBride who is moving to southern Maine.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
