Turner Library benefits
from $1 million donation
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Meeting the growing and ever-evolving needs of the community just got a lot easier for the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library, thanks to a donor’s $1 million gift that will allow plans for the expansion of the facility to move forward sooner than expected.
On Monday, city officials — including library staff, members of its Board of Trustees and city officials — gathered at the library for a press conference to announce a California woman with Aroostook County ties had donated $1 million to expand the library.
“Presque Isle City Officials were notified by Attorney Richard Engels that his client was interested in donating substantial sum of money for a project within the city. The donor wishes for the sum to go to the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library expansion/ADA project,” said City Manager Jim Bennett.
Librarian Sonja Plummer-Morgan said the donor visited the area last year. While here, she stopped by the library to use a computer.
“It was during that stop that the woman — Mary Barton Akeley Smith — made the decision to donate a large sum toward our renovation project,” said Plummer-Morgan.
Before the gift could formally be accepted, City Council had to approve the action. Following nearly an hour of discussion, Council voted Monday evening 6-1 in support of accepting the gift, with Councilor Mel Hovey in opposition.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to make some changes at the library,” Bennett told the councilors.
Bennett said this was an initial step in making the project happen, with three goals in mind.
“First, the library marginally meets ADA Act requirements, but it’s not close to meeting the spirit of the law. Second, libraries have changed over the last 10-15 years from a quiet place to research to a new place to create a niche in the community and close technological gaps. Libraries are now a go-to place with big rooms where people of all ages can gather. Third, the building is in need of improvements — upgrades such as windows,” said Bennett. “I recommend accepting the million with the goal to come back with a plan on how to use it.”
Councilor Walt Elish asked what it would take to make up the difference to complete the project.
Bennett said the final total was in the ballpark of $1.4 million. He said other organizations — Kiwanis, Rotary and such — could get involved in raising the remaining funds needed.
“The city’s portion could be less than the minimum needed to upgrade for ADA requirements,” said Bennett. “We’d look at every possible source of funding.”
Hovey expressed concern, noting he had figures showing the project could run $1.7 million. He said he felt Bennett committed Council 100 percent based on Bennett’s letter to the attorney regarding the donation. Hovey added that in an ever-changing world, fewer people used libraries and more used the Internet.
“I think I’m entitled to an answer, in view of the digital world that’s moving extremely fast, many libraries are reducing in size and reducing space. For us to embark on a project like this when others — the Rec Center is falling down — are falling down around our ears … As far as I’m concerned, the manager has committed to a project full force and we’ve accepted a donation based on a commitment of $250,000 that I don’t know where it’s coming from,” said Hovey.
“Obviously I don’t have the authority to bind you to a project; it’s up to you (Council) to accept the money,” said Bennett.
Brian Sipe, chair of the Library Board of Trustees, offered to go over the expansion plans and funding details whenever Hovey wanted.
“I’d be happy to address Mel’s concerns,” said Sipe.
Trustees have pledged $250,000 toward the project, leaving a balance of approximately $150,000 for city officials to come up with to complete the upgrade.
Councilor Calvin Hall called this the “most shovel-ready project we have in the city.”
“We’ve discussed this for years. We have this woman generously coming forward. This is exciting news for Presque Isle. I want to make it happen,” said Hall.
Councilor Emily Smith said it was a generous donation and a conditional plan that may change, depending on what’s built.
“My client, Mary Smith, definitely wants this project to go,” said Engels, emphasizing Smith’s willingness to commit will be evident once money is moved to an escrow account following a vote to accept the donation. “Hopefully that will alleviate any concern about the project’s funding.”
Plummer-Morgan said the money will be used to enlarge the facility and upgrade access to be ADA compliant.
“The plans for the library are to add 5,700 square feet and an elevator to increase usable space and improve accessibility as outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Smith’s ties to the area date back to the early days of the library, when her grandmother, Bealah Barton Akeley served as librarian from1932 to 1945. Her father, Robert V. Akeley, was born and raised in Presque Isle, graduated from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, before moving the family to Spring, Md., where he served as leader of the Potato Investigation Crop Research Division. Her mother, Hope Greenlaw Akeley, was born and raised in Masardis, attended Ricker Classical Institute and Aroostook State Normal School and taught school in Portage Lake, Spragueville and in Maryland.
Rodney Smith, her husband, was born in Oldham, England, and educated as an electrical engineer in the British Army, then moved to the U.S. — first to New York and then to California. He worked for Fairchild Semiconductor and then became the first CEO of Altera Corp., a semiconductor company that specializes in programmable logic. He was killed while riding his bicycle in 2007.
Smith is retired and lives in California near Stanford University with her two dogs. She has two sisters, a stepdaughter and a step-granddaughter.
Plummer-Morgan said Smith saw how important the library was to the community during her visit.
“We’re excited to get the project started. It’s been a long time in the planning. We’ll be scheduling meetings to discuss fund-raising and construction in the coming weeks,” said Plummer-Morgan.
For more information about the library, contact 764-2571.
