The traditional warnings about keeping quiet around libraries don’t apply these days to Brooklin’s Friend Memorial Public Library. As you see, heavy machinery is busy excavating a foundation for another expansion and revitalization of our Library.
Libraries have been important community centers in New England for centuries and the FMPL is no exception. A small library was located in Brooklin during the 19th century. It was enlarged primarily through efforts of summer residents in the 1890s. The current building was constructed in 1912 and funded primarily by Leslie, Robert and Victor Friend, who ran a successful baked bean business.
New Yorker editor Katherin Sargent White and her author husband, E.B. White, were among Brooklin residents who were instrumental in significantly improving the FMPL in 1940. The building was again expanded and renovated in 1998 and reportedly had some architectural work done in 2000.
It’s hoped that the current expansion will be completed by early 2027, when there again will be all quiet on the library front. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on May 4, 2026.)