Goodall Library Relocating During Renovations

By Nicole Bowley, Assistant Director, Goodall Library
The time has finally come – renovation time at the Louis B. Goodall Memorial Library – and we couldn’t be more excited! This project has been two years in the making, and thanks to a $3 million federal grant that Susan Collins, Angus King, and Chellie Pingree helped to pass through Congress, alongside a generous endowment from the Rothwell estate, it is officially time to begin. 

Because the renovation and expansion are expected to take about a year to complete, Goodall Library will be moving to a temporary location during that time. This will enable the construction to take place more efficiently and allow us to continue serving the Sanford community as we have for nearly 100 years. We will be closed to the public from September 5th – September 30th while we move our collection, computers, and staff over to 1324 Main St. Unit #11 – a space right next to Planet Fitness in the Shaw’s Plaza. During this time, our book drop will still be open at our 952 Main St. location, and e-books will still be available to enjoy on our Cloud Library app. 

We are encouraging patrons to stock up on books, DVDs, and puzzles before Labor Day so they have enough materials to get them through the month of September. As we have no late fines, we ask everyone to please not worry one bit about any computer notices or “overdue” dates on their items; they are welcome and encouraged to hang on to all materials for the month and return them to us in our new location in October. 

Artist’s rendering of the future new main entrance of Goodall Library.

On October 2nd, Goodall Library will officially reopen in our new, temporary location in the Shaw’s Plaza and we hope you can join us in the new space! Most of our regular services will resume there right away, while weekly family programs like Baby Rhyme Time, Pre-K Story Time, and Lego Club will resume there the second week of October. 

We are so excited for this new chapter in the library’s journey, and even more excited to look forward to the day when we return to our regular space at 952 Main St. For those curious about the renovation and expansion in our historic space, don’t worry – we have incredible architects from Barba & Wheelock and fantastic local construction managers from TPD Construction at the head of this project, and they are going to do some truly wonderful work on our building. In the historic 1937 section, there will merely be a spruce (some fresh paint, new carpeting, fixing leaks in the roof), but in the remainder of the building, exciting changes are coming. These include adding a dedicated teen space, an outdoor reading garden, private study rooms, a new meeting room with after-hours booking capability, updated technology, expanded parking, and more. 

We cannot thank our community enough for their flexibility and support during this time of transition, as adapting our library to better serve the city of Sanford is truly a vital endeavor that we are honored and delighted to embark on. In the words of author Isaac Asimov, “Congratulations on the new library, because it isn’t just a library. It is a spaceship that will take you to the farthest reaches of the Universe, a time machine that will take you to the far past and the far future, a teacher that knows more than any human being, a friend that will amuse you and console you — and most of all, a gateway, to a better and happier and more useful life.” We look forward to continuing to be that gateway; we could not do it without you.