The Capital Campaign for a New Skidompha Library

by Susan Lemos
Chair of the Development Committee
2018

The story of the creation of the Skidompha Library in Damariscotta, Maine, is told in the publication The Skidompha Library: A Brief History (1977). The following tells the story of the capital campaign for a new library building, which began in 1998.

The library, founded in 1905 with partial support from taxpayers in Damariscotta, Newcastle, and Nobleboro, had been housed in the 1803 Dixon House on Main Street since 1922. The library grew slowly, always constrained by the size of the building, but remained an important presence in the wider Pemaquid Peninsula through the Great Depression, through World War II, and on into the 1950s and 1960s.

Over the years, of course, many things changed. The Damariscotta population grew from 825 in 1920 to 1,264 in 1970, interests broadened as the local economy moved from reliance on fishing, forestry, and farming to the growth of a retail and service economy, school-age population became large enough to require the construction of a new elementary school in Damariscotta, expansion of the Nobleboro Central School, and expansion of the small Bremen school population into the greater Damariscotta–Newcastle school system.

Demand for services at Skidompha grew as well. By the 1970s the library building was desperately crowded. Its 30,000 volumes were squeezed into 2,000 square feet; people could not pass one another in the stacks, reference and research areas were inadequate, and space for children’s books was far too small. The library was bursting at the seams. A new wing was added in 1982, funded in part from a gift from the Merry family, the “M” in Skidompha. (The name is an acronym invented by members of the reading club that sparked creation of the library.) The wing gave more space to children’s activities, but much more would be needed to alleviate overcrowding.

Technology impacted Skidompha toward the end of the twentieth century, as it impacted every part of American life. Libraries had to expand their roles to meet the demands of the “information age.” Computers, the internet, instant communication and instant messaging, books to download onto personal devices, research online—all of these new forms of communication and information-sharing became available to library patrons and were in high demand. Meeting that demand was a huge challenge for Skidompha.

The Skidompha Library Association Board of Directors is responsible for the operation of the library. In the 1990s the board had ten members and was led by the usual panel of leaders—a president, vice-president secretary, and treasurer. The board was acutely aware of the space limitations of the Dixon House and took several steps to address the technology and space deficits at Skidompha. A professional library consultant was engaged to evaluate future space requirements based on the latest demographic trends. A 1994 building committee report expressed concern over the state of the building. It cited rotted wood, cracks in the chimney, carpenter ants in the basement, problems with the roof of the new addition, fireplaces on the main floor had no dampers so heat escaped regularly, sills were rotting, there was no handicapped entrance—and no real way to create one on Main Street. The second floor was out of bounds due to fire and safety concerns.

The board felt strongly that the library’s place was on Main Street, in the center of town and easily accessible to everyone. However, given the size and condition of the Dixon House, remaining there might not be possible. A new committee was formed to actively explore alternative sites. By the spring of 1996 the committee had identified fourteen sites that might be possible for a new library building, but members were not particularly excited about any of them.

The next year everything changed. Quiet negotiations during the summer and fall led to the very public announcement in December 1997 of a magnificent gift to Skidompha: Barbara Cooney Porter was giving $550,000 to the library, to be used for a new building.

An article in The New York Times announced this gift, the largest in the town’s history. Barbara Cooney, as she was known professionally, was an award-winning author and illustrator of 109 children’s books who wanted to “give back” to her community and chose the library as the focus of her generosity. She believed libraries were the custodians of civilization and that their strength contributed directly to the strength of the community.

Ms. Cooney stipulated that the library remain on Main Street, across from the post office, next to the theater and bookstore. To meet this demand, part of her gift was used to purchase the Ross House, a two-story building next door to Skidompha. Now there was enough land to allow construction of a new building large enough to serve the needs of the community well into the future.

Ms. Cooney also stipulated that the community match her gift by raising $250,000 by the end of March 1998. A development committee involving board members and library supporters from the area set to work and, by January 1, 1998, the capital campaign for a new Skidompha was underway. The goal: to raise $1.5 million and build, by the year 2000, a 10,000-square-foot library on Main Street, large enough for the 50,000 volumes estimated to be needed.

A building committee was also quickly formed, charged with the task of selecting plans for and supervising construction of the new building. Barnaby Porter, Barbara’s son, was a valuable member of the committee. He and his wife, Susan, lived next door to Barbara and were early participants in her plan to help Skidompha. Susan Porter had been on the library’s board of directors in the mid-1990s and knew how the size and condition of the building adversely affected the library’s ability to function successfully. On the building committee, Barnaby made sure his mother’s views were considered appropriately.

Space needs had been identified earlier in the year, following the professional library consultant’s work, and a basic building program was prepared specifying the principal areas of the new library. These included the circulation and information center; book stacks and related reading space; reference and research collections with computer equipment and desks and tables for users and staff; areas for special collections such as Maine, local history, and genealogy; children’s and young adults’ collections and programs; a year-found used book shop; a well-equipped workroom; and a community meeting room. Necessary amenities such has handicapped access, coatrooms, bathrooms, a staff and volunteer room, a small kitchen for use by staff and organizations using the meeting room, and adequate storage space were included.

The development committee designed an ambitious campaign for the library. The chair of the committee, Susan Lemos, was responsible for writing applications to foundations willing to fund library buildings and/or programs. The Stephen King Foundation in Bangor was a logical candidate, as was the Libra Foundation in Portland, established by a former resident of nearby Bremen, Maine. The Davis Family Foundation in Falmouth and a few others in Maine supported libraries. The committee also had high hopes for support from the Kresge Foundation in Michigan, one of the new national foundations to provide “bricks and mortar” support.

Equally important as foundation support was “major money.” A small group of five to six fundraisers met with Susan each Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. over the course of the campaign. Major money examined tax rolls to find sources of wealth and planned appropriate approaches to win support for the library. In many cases fundraisers knew those to be asked and made requests themselves. In other cases friends of friends were recruited to make the “ask.” People in the greater Pemaquid peninsula were included in this effort.

The community was involved in many different ways. Volunteers spoke at every women’s club and Rotary and Lions Club meeting; they spoke to the Chamber of Commerce; and they wrote articles for the local newspaper outlining plans for the new library and describing the benefits to residents that would result. Get-togethers called  Cottage Meetings invited neighbors in for coffee, cookies, and a discussion of the new library.

We sold things. A local jeweler designed a special pin to celebrate the campaign, available in sterling silver or gold. Another volunteer offered to oversee sales of less expensive pins celebrating reading, books, and libraries. Barbara signed 500 copies of the “Miss Rumphius” poster, priced at $300 each. A larger run of “Island Boy” posters was offered at $30. Sales were brisk.

A series of special events was drawn up, all aimed at raising both interest and money. The development committee sponsored two antiquarian book fairs, inviting booksellers from across Maine to come to Damariscotta and show off their wares. We held musical events, including a Schooner Fare concert at Camp Kieve in Nobleboro. A local quilting group, the Clamshell Quilters, made a beautiful quilt featuring thirty prominent Maine authors including Stephen King, Richard Russo, Tess Gerritsen, James Nelson, Richard Ford, and others. All of them signed the quilt. It was raffled and raised over $650.

Yet another committee focused on area businesses, particularly those on Main Street, which would benefit most directly from the new library.

Response to all these efforts was positive and gratifying. Soon pins proclaiming love of reading, books, and libraries in general were seen all over town. Community groups welcomed library speakers and responded generously to pleas for help. The major money group met similarly warm welcomes from potential donors. Businesses quickly saw the economic benefits to themselves that a vigorous library presence on Main Street would produce.

Barbara Cooney’s $250,000 challenge was met by early March 1998.

At the same time the building committee had been busy. Winton Scott Architects of Portland, Maine, was chosen to design the new building. (The building committee consisted of a lot of “chiefs” but no “Indians” to make phone calls, draft letters, call meetings, and the like. Pam Gormley stepped into this spot. Susan Lemos and board chairman Bruce Bartlett had hired Pam to handle bookkeeping for the campaign. She was willing to expand her responsibilities and help move the building committee along.)

There were several options to consider: tear down both old buildings and build the new one; renovate the Dixon House and somehow tie it to the Ross building; keep Dixon and remove Ross.

Scott’s design was predicated on removing both the Dixon and Ross houses and building a new brick library building. His plan was presented to the public in the spring of 1998. Reaction was mixed. Some hated the building, saying it looked like Scott was trying to build a lighthouse in Main Street (there was a tower at one end of the building, reminiscent of a lighthouse). Others objected to the removal of the two houses.

This group morphed into opposition that called itself “Friends of Main Street” and grew more vocal by the day. The board and the large group of volunteers working on various aspects of the capital campaign did all they could to refute charges made by the “Friends,” but the fact was that change would have to come to Main Street if the new library was to be completed, and people would have to accept that change.

The Friends refused.

To try to resolve the impasse, the Board invited the director of Maine’s Historic Preservation Commission, Earle Shettleworth, to a meeting. Mr. Shettleworth visited Damariscotta, reviewed plans for the new building, and evaluated the historic value of both Dixon and Ross houses. His decision: the Dixon House holds historic importance to the town and should be retained; the Ross House has lost its historic integrity and can be removed.

With even more help from Barbara Cooney, an old house located behind the Dixon House on Elm Street was purchased, then razed so that its land could be used for the new building.

Winton Scott Architects designed a second building located next to and behind the Dixon House, creating a charming courtyard between the old and new libraries. Public response to this design was enthusiastic.

Fundraising continued unabated during the spring and summer of 1998, culminating in the major fundraising event of the campaign.

A bit of background: In an early meeting with Barbara Cooney, people were brainstorming ways to raise money. One participant, thinking aloud, wondered if any original art existed and, if so, how it could be used. “I have a few paintings in my closet,” Barbara said. Another person, familiar with children’s literature and the popularity of children’s book illustrations, almost jumped out of her seat. “Could we use your paintings?” she asked. “And could we get more, from other illustrators? And could we auction them to benefit the library?”

Almost by chance, the Auction of Children’s Book Illustrations was born. Barbara wrote personally to her fellow illustrators, asking for their help. They gave it willingly. By late June sixty nationally known authors and illustrators had contributed seventy-seven works of art for the auction. Campaign headquarters, at that time located in the Ross House, turned into an art exhibit to showcase the art, and special security was installed to protect it.

The auction sparkled. It was held in the Darrows Barn on the campus or Round Top Center for the Arts on a warm August evening. People dressed for the occasion, fancy hors d’oeuvres and Champagne were passed among the crowd, the art was admired. When all were seated, Master of Ceremonies Don Carrigan introduced the auctioneer, Kaja Veilleux. Kaja entered from the rear and walked to the front of the building wearing his (no doubt) Armani tuxedo, sporting soft Italian leather shoes with no socks, and holding the hand of his beautiful six-year-old daughter. A scene from the movies.

And the auction itself was worthy of Hollywood. Everything sold at record prices. In all, the event brought in over $103,000 for the campaign, certainly a record for this area. CBS News heard about it and called the next morning, but the promised news coverage never happened.

The action was preceded by “Children’s Book Day,” a celebration of children’s literature. Barbara had invited many of the authors and illustrators to come to the auction. Many responded and agreed to take part in this event. Artists led discussions about children’s books, demonstrated painting techniques, and generally entertained hundreds of young people. These activities were held on the grounds of the Round Top Center for the Arts.

During the fall of 1998 library plans moved slowly through the town planning process to secure necessary permits and approvals. The Friends of Main Street had quieted somewhat, but a few zealous members continued to object to the removal of the Ross House. Despite this noise, however, the fund for the new building continued to grow. So did projected costs. At this point $3.1 million was needed.

The Damariscotta Planning Board approved Winton Scott’s design for the new Skidompha Library in February 1999. In March eleven people calling themselves Save Our Streetscape, or SOS, opposed the planning board’s decision and sued the library.

The library’s board decided to keep going, despite SOS. Board members  felt the majority of public opinion was in favor of the new library, and that most people were able to adjust to the changes required to build it. Major money efforts, community efforts, grant application preparation—all facets of the campaign continued.

The building committee also moved ahead with plans. H.E. Callahan, a construction management company, was engaged to oversee construction. Callahan wanted to move quickly, but the lawsuit brought by SOS against the library was not scheduled to be heard until December 1999, with a decision probably in January 2000.

The board hired Clifford Goodall, of Dyer, Goodall, and Federle, LLC, of Augusta, to represent Skidompha in the case. Goodall was an expert in municipal law and believed from the outset that SOS had little chance of success.

In March 1999 the Maine State Legislature passed LD 630, “An Act to Establish Maine Communities in the New Century.” It provided money for libraries and other cultural institutions in Maine and was a godsend to Skidompha and like entities challenged by the new technologies of the new century. State funds could be used for buildings or programs. At the end of the campaign Skidompha had won two state grants, one for the building, another for innovative programming.

Fundraising efforts were chilled over the summer of 1999 by the SOS opposition, but everyone involved in the campaign tried to keep spirits up and keep momentum moving. A second “Barbara Cooney Auction of Children’s Book Illustrations” was held in August, raising over $32,000 for the cause. An antiquarian book fair raised about $6,000.

By September 1999 we had raised $1,968,167. Of this, $850,000 was from Barbara Cooney, $573,044 from other residents, $74,650 from businesses, $205,800 from foundations, and $264,673 from special events and the sale of posters and pins. In addition to the new building, the board had to consider how the Dixon House should be used. The Skidompha Used Book Shop, operating seasonally in a sort of shed attached to the side of the building, needed more space. But maintaining Dixon was expensive, which would cut into the important money raised by the shop. Most board members thought the space should be rented to another operation, perhaps another non-profit organization.

The board voted to begin construction when we had secured 95 percent of the cost of construction. By autumn of 1999, with the court decision expected in a few months, everyone was anxious to get on with the project. It was decided to ask local banks for a loan of $382,000 to bring us up to the 85 percent mark. Then, when the decision came down in our favor and the planning board issued the necessary permit to build, we would be ready to go.

Judge Michael Westcott heard final arguments in the Skidompha case in mid-December 1999, and his ruling in favor of the library followed promptly. SOS lost its effort to prevent construction of the new library building. SOS briefly entertained the idea that it could raise enough money to buy and move the Ross House, but this never reached fruition. By the end of February it was all over. A year’s delay and a cost of $500,000 to the library—equal to Barbara Cooney’s original gift.

Things moved quickly in the spring of 2000. Staff began preparing for the transition to a temporary library in March, the Ross House came down board by board (it was moved to Westport Island and rebuilt), wings on the Dixon House were removed in May, and the children’s collection and some non-fiction moved up Business Route 1 to the “Skidompha Two” annex. Scores of people helped make this move; they worked tirelessly, carrying books from place to place, shelving them, basically building a library from scratch. There was food to share, music and conversation, lots of fun despite the heavy loads of books.

There was also great sadness. Barbara Cooney died on March 10, 2000, after a period of failing health.

The first steel went up in July 2000, but a lot of work had to be done before then. Callahan’s crew worked quickly, digging out the site, laying the foundation in record time. They erected a tall wooden fence on Main Street, blocking the construction site from view. A local artist saw this as a great opportunity for creativity; she gave paint and brushes to groups of children and told them to draw whatever they wanted on the fence. The result was a riot of color that cheered Main Street all summer long.

One fundraising tool came our way by surprise. One of the major money volunteers called a number she had found, somehow, to an audio/video firm in California. The owner had grown up in central Maine, and his parents now lived in Damariscotta. It was a real stretch to think this distant “Mainer” might want to help us, but why not ask?

She did, and the answer was, No, I don’t think I can give any money, but would a video of the project help you?”

Oh, yes.

Our filmmaker, Chuck Filliettaz, had a summer home in South Bristol, and when he was back for a visit, we met, talked, and planned. He knew a “shooter” in Boothbay who, he was sure, would be able to do the filming. Chuck would do the sound and final editing at his California studio. We quickly wrote a script, the “shooter” took great shots of the area, interviewed people involved, and recorded their sometimes passionate views about the need for a new library for the community.

At the time, the governor of Maine was Angus King, a man very comfortable in front of the camera as well as a popular and effective governor. Would he narrate the video? We asked, and he said, “Sure.”

So one freezing morning in January, we took the script to Augusta and Governor King gave us a clear, well-spoken narration.

We ran the video on the local television station, at the library, and on televisions set up in bank lobbies, so people could take a few minutes to see it and, we hoped, become instant supporters. We have no firm numbers on how many were inspired to contribute to the effort but believe the impact of the video was significant.

Chuck helped us further when it came time to furnish the Porter Meeting Hall, a small auditorium at the rear of the new library. The meeting hall was part of our original plan, largely because Barbara Cooney thought such a space would greatly enhance the library and its ability to serve many parts of the community. With Chuck’s expert advice and his gifts of valuable equipment, the meeting hall has grown into a highly desirable venue for adult education, community meetings, library programs, and more.

As the building took shape, we used it for fundraising events, inviting donors and potential donors to sneak previews of the space and once sponsoring the local string quartet for an evening of music amidst the bare and unpainted walls.

We didn’t neglect the grounds of the library campus. After construction began and the shape of things to come became visible, we launched a Bricks for Library campaign. The plan was to line the paths to and around the building with engraved bricks, offered to the public at three price points, making them affordable to as many as possible. People’s names, names of children and/or pets, personal logos, business names and logos, and a wide variety of messages could be ordered on the bricks. This was one of our most popular fundraising efforts.

As construction proceeded, we staged a third art auction and considered another antiquarian book fair, but most thought the book idea had been exhausted. Without Barbara Cooney’s personal involvement, the auction of children’s book illustrations was not bringing in much more than $40,000—a handsome sum, but again, had this idea lost its appeal? We explored online events but these never materialized.

Local schools were brought into the action early in the project, and the local school union sponsored a “Bucks for Books” project for all the elementary school students. Skidompha would get twelve cents for each book read, and this amount would be matched. More goodwill than money was raised by this celebration of reading, but then, goodwill is priceless.

By the end of 2000 we had raised $2,800,000. The exterior of the building was complete and finish work on the interior proceeded fairly quickly, with no big surprises or delays.

We originally intended to maintain ownership of the Dixon House and to use it for library programming. Some board members still hoped it could become the new home of the Skidompha Used Book Shop, but this was not financially wise because of fairly hefty maintenance expenses. After much discussion, the board agreed to sell Dixon. A generous Skidompha supporter stepped forward and bought the Dixon House, relieving the board of nagging financial demands and adding to the funds available for the new building. (In 2016 we were able to repurchase the Dixon House and make it again part of the Skidompha campus The space within the building is rented, giving us much needed operating funds.)

Doors to the new Skidompha Public Library opened on May 18, 2001.

A last push for funds had to be made after the doors opened. It wasn’t the warmest summer in history, but it felt like that inside the building. Air conditioning had been dropped from the original plans to save money. We learned this was a mistake right away and launched an urgent appeal so that central air conditioning could be installed. Happily, the “hot flash funds” were raised quickly.

In 2017 we launched the first annual Community Read, which has become a favorite summer event. The library chose The Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown that first year, the fascinating true story of the University of Washington’s men’s crew team, which won the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin. Against all odds, the “boys” defeated Hitler’s German team. The library held special events to complement the book, such as an exhibit of Olympic memorabilia on display at the Carpenter’s Boat Shop. We set up a series of group reading sessions so that participants could get together and discuss what they were reading. The Community Read was wildly popular and has been repeated with equal success in subsequent years.

The Skidompha Secondhand Book Shop has grown into an important source of funding for the library. When it began decades ago, it was a summer operation only and occupied a small, shed-like addition to the Dixon House. Today it is located in a spacious former restaurant on the banks of the Damariscotta River. It has ample parking, room enough for an enlarged collection, and reading areas for patrons. It is staffed entirely by volunteers and draws a steady stream of customers.

The library building made possible by Barbara Cooney’s generosity has proved itself worth of her gift and more than lives up to her high standards. In terms of people served—adults and children, residents and visitors—Skidompha is the most important non-profit in the area. Local artists’ paintings and quilts are displayed on the walls, The Maine State Library’s interlibrary loan system makes it possible for Skidompha to find any book any patron might desire and bring it here to Damariscotta for enjoyment, study, or research. The Porter Meeting Hall is in regular use for library programs, senior college courses, and seminars sponsored by businesses and other non-profit organizations in the area. The small library staff is augmented by a large and capable volunteer force, which accounts for over a thousand hours of service every year and makes the operation possible.

The library has won many Star Library awards from Library Journal. In 2008 Skidompha was awarded the National Medal of Library Service at a formal reception in Washington, D.C. First Lady Laura Bush presented the award.

The community will always remember Barbara Cooney’s generosity and honor her memory. Her gift inspired the creation of a truly important community resource. Skidompha Library is the custodian of civilization here and will remain so well into the future.