Thompson Free Library receives grant to promote remote workers in our area
By Jon Knepp, Thompson Free Library director
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft is excited to announce that we have received a grant from the Maine State Library totaling over $96,000 as part of MSL’s Remote Work Through Libraries Program. This money will be used to improve the library’s ability to help our community no matter what the need.
Especially in the last few years, there has been a large increase in community groups and individuals using the library — especially for employment needs. Whether it’s remote workers looking for a place to get out of their home office for the day, people on vacation who can’t 100 percent get away from work, people attending trainings or doing job interviews, we’ve seen it all and it is becoming more frequent.
In addition, the library has provided wireless access to well over 10,000 patrons since we started tracking usage in March 2021 and is averaging over 100 users per month on our public access computers. Through a separate grant, we are providing wireless hotspots and Chromebooks to patrons, with tremendous success! We have been doing what we can with what we have, but thanks to this grant, we will be able to do much more. Every remote and hybrid worker is different and has different needs. By providing spaces for individuals and groups of remote workers with diverse spaces suited to their needs, we can help to ensure their productivity and comfort in the library.
Throughout this grant process, we have incorporated feedback from remote workers in our area, and will be making changes and purchases based on this input. Most noticeably, we will be remodeling and modernizing the basement of the library, as well as adding another public use room there that will allow us to host both small and larger groups at the same time. We will also be adding two ROOM brand soundproof privacy booths upstairs which will allow patrons to work quietly without being distracted by others or take a phone call while working without being a distraction. Additional technology (laptops, dual-monitor docking stations, etc.) and furniture will round out the grant and help us provide spaces in line with the wants and needs of our remote working neighbors. Some of these purchases have already been made, and the bulk of the construction will start this fall.
We are incredibly grateful to the Maine State Library for providing us with this funding which will allow us to better serve our patrons. The library would also like to thank Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce, Piscataquis Valley Adult Education Center, UMaine Cooperative Extension, Maine Department of Labor, Maine Highlands Broadband Coalition, Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District, Penquis CWSS and all the remote worker patrons I’ve reached out to. These groups and individuals worked closely with us in this process, providing ideas, feedback, and letters of support that helped make this project a reality.
Thompson Free Library is located at 186 East Main Street in Dover-Foxcroft and is open Tuesday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact us by phone at 207-564-3350 or by email at thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com. To keep up-to-date with what is going on at the library, visit our website www.thompsonfreelibrary.org, Facebook www.facebook.com/thompsonfreelibrary, or Instagram @tf_library.