Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 2 : Fall 2010 | Page 63

A Promise Kept

Limestone

By Dianne McCormack Edgecomb

When traveling to Limestone on Route 1A nestled
under Main Street hill stands a small brick structure with white
shutters which has become the information center for the town
and frequent travelers. This is where students research and
study, where community groups meet, where those without
the internet have access to the world, and where the occasional
tourist stops for directions and information. The Robert A.
Frost Memorial Library may seem, at first sight, to be just a
building of brick and mortar but in effect it is alive with activity
and learning.

The original library was actually constructed in 1941
with a donation from the Aubrey Frost Family. The town was
to build a free public library for the community, to promise to
fund and maintain it, and it was
to be named the Robert A. Frost
Memorial Library in memory of
their son. As Limestone grew
so did our library needs, and the
Erwin Somers family donated
monies in the early 1970’s for
the addition on the south side
of the library to be used as a
reading room in memory of
his parents Linwood and Ruth
Somers. This room has carpeted
floors, soft comfortable chairs
and was designed to be a quiet,
comfortable place for reading and studying. Today the citizens
of Limestone are once again standing faithful to their promise
to the Frost family of maintaining and supporting our public
library to meet the needs of all our citizens by constructing a
handicapped accessible addition on the east side of the library.
This two-level addition will be in compliance with the Americans
with Disabilities Act.
Dreams and plans for this library expansion began
approximately ten years ago under the chairmanship of Leitha
Doughty. Fund raising began in earnest. With the demolition
of the old fire station the library finally had the space it needed
to construct this new addition and expand its parking area.

When completed, the new addition will be a twolevel structure offering a room for local and area history and
genealogy, an activities and after hour group, a program meeting
room and more tutoring space. Our librarian Rhea Caldwell
will have wireless internet available and more computers for the
public use. With the addition of three donated computers she
plans to have one computer for the children’s use; one for young
adults and two for the adults. An elevator will be installed for
our handicapped and disabled to move from one level to the
other and the facility will accommodate wheelchairs.

Many in Limestone view the Frost Memorial Library
as a focal point in our community. For some they have fond
memories of scout meetings in the basement and piano lessons
with Ms. Bailey were held there. Many of us were excused
from our classes in school to walk to the library for our weekly
piano lessons. What a thrill that was! Independent learning!
At one time many children did not have encyclopedias and
reference books at home, so the library was where they found
their research information. The library was where you met your
friends, worked on your projects and reports, and the librarian
was always there ready and willing to help. Today many families
cannot afford internet access and our library is there once again
to help bring the latest information to inquisitive minds. Our
grown-up children remember
summer reading programs held
on Wednesday mornings for six
weeks where they met with twenty
to twenty-five children to be read
to, to sign out books for the week,
to do crafts and play games. They
looked forward with anticipation
to these weekly gatherings at
the library during their summer
vacation. It was a positive and
fun learning experience and the
programs continue to be offered
to Limestone youngsters today.
Our librarian and her assistant continue to work to build the
library as a strong center of learning within the community.

Even though construction for the new addition is
underway--fundraising continues. An endowment fund has been
established where each dollar donated will be matched dollar for
dollar up to $25,000 by the Maine Community Foundation
Grant to be used to keep the library and technology up to date.
Leaves on the Tree of Knowledge can be purchased in memory
of, or in honor of a business or individual and those monies
go to the building fund. The library also has an established
memorial fund.

The Robert A. Frost Memorial Library will now become
a more accommodating center for Limestone, offering more
accessible technology in the form of an in