Senator Collins Visits Patten to Celebrate $3.9 Million for New Library

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Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the incoming Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, attended an event at the Patten Lumbermen’s Museum to celebrate a $3.9 million grant she secured in the fiscal year 2023 government funding package to build a new library for Patten.

“The Friends of Veterans’ Memorial Library are spearheading a tremendous project to reimagine the town’s library to serve the needs of Patten and the surrounding region in the 21st century,” said Senator Collins.  “A new building will enable the library to continue its core function as a book lender while also serving residents and visitors of all ages by expanding computer literacy, workforce development, and other programs.  I was delighted to support this project that will help strengthen and grow the community.”

“Having this grant allows us have a library for 21st century users, giving them expanded opportunities they have not had before in a building that will have spaces for multiple purposes for all ages,” said Rae Bates, Chair of the Friends of Veterans’ Memorial Library.

The funding will support the efforts by the Friends of Veterans’ Memorial Library to build a new library for the Town of Patten and surrounding residents.  The library has been temporarily housed in the Lumbermen’s Museum since 2020.  Prior to 2020, the library operated in a building that was constructed in 1848 as a Baptist Church before it was signed over to the town in 1928, when it became a library.

Despite the current space limitation, the library provides National Digital Equity courses and trains volunteers through Educate Maine and Maine Math Science Alliance to offer coding as an after-school and/or summer program.  In addition, the library established an electronic library card system.

The Friends have made significant progress toward building a larger, permanent home for the library to better serve the community.  The new facility will provide more computer workshops for all age groups while also offering outdoor equipment such as mountain bikes, skies, snowshoes, etc., to community members as well as to tourists.  Additionally, the Friends hope that the new facility can host small nutrition/cooking classes to youth to teach healthy habits.

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