ELLSWORTH, Maine – The Ellsworth Public Library invites community members to
participate in its Public Renovation Planning Meeting on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, at 6:30 PM.
The meeting will be held on the main floor of the Ellsworth Public Library, located at 20 State
Street, Ellsworth, ME. This crucial gathering is part of the ongoing efforts to collect community
input which started with the release of the library’s Space Planning Survey which ran throughout
July 2024.

Press photos are available here.

During this event, Library Director Sarah Lesko will update attendees on the survey results and
present preliminary floor plans during a tour of the library. This will be followed by an open forum
for attendees to discuss their ideas and suggestions and a chance to get involved in various
committees that focus on design, community engagement, youth spaces, advocacy, finance,
and technology at the library. These committees will meet at varying frequencies throughout the
different stages of this project.

Architect Carla Haskell, who drafted the initial floor plans, will participate in the event. Haskell is
the owner of Design Group Collaborative in Ellsworth, a LEED-certified architect, a past president
of The Grand’s Board of Directors, and the current chair of the board of directors of Ellsworth’s
Historical Society, where she plays an active role in the Old Jail Preservation Committee.

This meeting will be a kid-friendly event! The library will set up a creative pop-up space where
the youngest attendees can let their imaginations run wild by sketching or drawing their dream
library. Details and information about how to register are available on the events page:
https://ellsworth.libcal.com/calendar/20223/space-planning-meeting-2024

This meeting will be the first in a new monthly series called “Community Conversations” in
partnership with Heart of Ellsworth. Heart of Ellsworth originally launched this series in 2018 as an
opportunity to foster open dialogue in downtown Ellsworth. The goal of “Community
Conversations” is to promote healthy discourse about timely local topics relevant to the
community.

The Ellsworth Public Library is a vibrant community institution dedicated to inspiring and
educating the communities it serves in Hancock County. Through diverse programming for all
ages, it strives to deliver equitable opportunities to upskill and engage in play, conversation, mindfulness, community, and nature.

Housed in the historic Tisdale House since 1897, it hosts a collection of more than 46,000 items in-house including books, large print books, audiobooks, movies, music CDs, its growing Library of Things, and free access to the Ellsworth American’s online edition through the library’s Wi-Fi connection. An EPL library card also gives its holder access to the New York Times, and free passes to many renowned Down East museums. http://www.ellsworthlibrary.net/

Media Contacts – Ellsworth Public Library:
Berit Becker (Out of Office August 4 – 11)
Communications Director
Ellsworth Public Library
bbecker@ellsworthlibrary.net

For urgent requests or to register please get in touch with
Sarah Lesko
Library Director
Ellsworth Public Library
slesko@ellsworthlibrary.net
207.667.6363

About Heart of Ellsworth:
Heart of Ellsworth is a registered 501c3 non-profit that promotes economic, artistic, cultural,
educational, historical, and environmental activities in the “Downtown” area of Ellsworth to
provide a vibrant community for all residents, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and local
government. https://www.heartofellsworth.org/

Media Contact – Heart of Ellsworth
Zabet NeuCollins
Program Coordinator
Heart of Ellsworth
zabet@heartofellsworth.org

Download the Press Release