Renovations complete at Abbie Greenleaf Library

by Amy Bahr, Director

Converting the Abbie Greenleaf Library, a 1912 building in Franconia, to a handicapped accessible library has taken the help of many in a series of stages. In 1995 a ramp was added by the town providing handicapped access into the main floor of the building via a new doorway. Also in 1995, the Lafayette Lions provided the man and woman power to remove all the books from the shelves in the stacks. The shelves were turned to achieve the maximum use of space making the aisles meet the handicapped accessibility code. The Lions finished the job by returning all the books back to the shelves in amazingly good order.

Thanks to the help of one of the last LSCA grants and of many individual donors, in 1998-1999 a lift and handicapped accessible restroom were added to the building. The lift is located directly opposite the doorway from the ramp and delivers patrons into the Shores Meeting Room downstairs. The handicapped restroom is adjacent to the meeting room.

The Trustees and those of us who work at the library are thankful that the library is now available for visits from all interested people.