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The Underwood Memorial Library in Fayette, seen here after recent renovations, features updated spaces and a reorganized layout to better serve patrons during ongoing improvements. Submitted photo

FAYETTE — Fayette Underwood Memorial Library is staying open to patrons as renovations progress, including the addition of a bathroom in the back room. While plumbing and septic installation are still pending, the library remains accessible, with books and furniture being temporarily rearranged to accommodate ongoing construction.

“We are more than happy to locate items for you, especially as items are moved to different places,” library staff noted in the newsletter, asking patrons to be patient during the transition.

The renovation project is supported by the Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation. Jason Williams of Happy Customer Carpentry and Scott Bridgham of Trip Wire, LLC are leading the transformation, with additional funding from an anonymous donor covering electrical work.

As renovations continue, the library is expanding its summer programming. Weekly Kids Night/Story Time will be held on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 6 to 7 p.m., with a rotating lineup of stories, crafts, activities and snacks.

A newly added bathroom at the Underwood Memorial Library in Fayette awaits final septic hookup before becoming fully functional for patrons. Submitted photo

Adult programming continues as well. The library’s Book Club will meet June 12 at 6 p.m. to finish Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. The club will continue throughout the summer with upcoming selections including Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah [July], We Took to the Woods by Louise Dickinson Rich [August], and The Cider House Rules by John Irving [September]. Books are provided upon request; donations are accepted to help offset costs. To sign up, call 207-685-3778 or email [email protected].

A new Cooking Club will hold its first meeting June 21 from 6 to 7 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring their signature dish, the one friends and family always ask them to make, and share the recipe with the group. The club offers a chance to meet neighbors and connect through food.

The library continues to offer free Wi-Fi, two public computers, a printer, and a growing list of resources, including free passes to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay Railway Village Museum [available starting June 17], and Maine State Parks and Historic Sites.

For updates, visit the library’s website at https://sites.google.com/view/underwoodmemoriallibrary/home or follow on Facebook.

Rebecca Richard is a reporter for the Franklin Journal. She graduated from the University of Maine after studying literature and writing. She is a small business owner, wife of 33 years and mom of eight...

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