CHESTERVILLE – Local residents have initiated plans for the development of a community library; working mother Erin Dyar is spearheading the project. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dyar realized that her hometown was lacking a source of internet access, which became crucial for students to participate in class.
“I wanted to promote literacy in rural areas and our community,” Dyar said.
Dyar is passionate about her love of books and reading and hopes to get more community members involved with planning. The town has never had a library, according to Dyar.
The planning group met on Tuesday night to discuss opportunities for fundraising and are currently seeking options for a building to house the library. They’ve applied for a $50,000 grant from The Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation to be used for the purchase or lease of a building in the area and are currently waiting for a response to their application.
Dyar has also spoken with Rob Johnson, the Sales Manager of New England Rent to Own LLC, and received a quote of $28,000 for a prefabricated turn-key building option that would require a small plot of land. She plans to look into the possibility of purchasing one of the unused town-acquired properties as a potential location.
They already have a large selection of books and are placing an order with Scholastic Books for a new children’s selection. Though they already have quite a collection, Dyar says they won’t turn away book donations.
The next fundraising event, to be held Memorial Day weekend, will be an outdoor yard sale on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chesterville Heritage building. Donations for the event will start at 2 p.m. on Friday the 28 at the same location. All proceeds will go toward financing the library building, and any unsold items will be donated. Interested participants, or anyone looking to stay up to date with events, can visit the Facebook page here: Our Chesterville Community Library.
While the library is still in the planning stages, Dyar wants Chesterville residents to know that they can be reimbursed for out-of-town library costs from the town library fund.
Anyone with questions or interest in participating can email Erin at chestervillelibrary@gmail.com.
