Making a Local Library Accessible

<p>Rice Public Library in Kittery, Maine, was renovated with the help of an NEH Challenge Grant.</p> — Rice Public Library in Kittery, Maine, was renovated with the help of an NEH Challenge Grant.

Built in 1888, the Rice Public Library in Kittery, Maine, (pop. ~11,000) was desperately in need of updates by 2019. It had little space for gathering, and the children’s area was in the basement. With 14 granite steps into the building from the main street level, it was not accessible for many in the local community. NEH funding proved crucial to helping the town make their newly renovated library accessible for community members from pre-schoolers to the elderly. While a bond issue supported structural renovations and a modern, wrap-around addition for the library, an NEH Challenge grant helped the city buy much-needed technology, furniture, and accessibility software and devices.

The library reopened in June 2022. The children’s and young adult areas are now on the second floor, with views overlooking Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the town square. With ample public space, the library can host events including storytime programs for children, poetry readings, and pizza and movie nights. Where only 20-30 children could attend storytime in years past due to space constraints, the library is now hosting around 70 attendees per event—more than 5,000 people attended storytime events over the course of 2023. And the building is accessible, with automatic door openers and elevators to help people get into the building and reach different floors. More space for books means that the stacks are wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers. The library even purchased hearing assistive technologies to make its events more accessible for hard-of-hearing populations.