By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

Among the scores of Epsom residents gathered at the Friday, Sept. 9, groundbreaking of the town's new library, conversation centered not on floor plans, square footage or additional parking spaces. Rather, the topic of the day was community.

After decades of dedication from people throughout town, ground was finally broken for the new Epsom library on Friday, Sept. 9. Pictured from left are Library Trustee Joyce Heck, Library Trustee Bobby Mongeon, project engineer Frank Lemay, Epsom Library Capital Campaign Chairman Val Long, Board of Selectmen Chairman Mary Frambach, Library Director Nancy Claris and 25-year volunteer Betty Bickford. (Nicholas Brown Photo)

"This is one of the biggest things ever to happen to Epsom," said library trustee Joyce Heck.

"We're breaking ground for something special, and that's building a community," said Val Long, chairman of the Epsom Public Library Capital Campaign.

"I think it's so important to have a place where people can gather and be together," said State Rep. Charles Yeaton, whose family donated money for a children's room in the new building, one in honor of Yeaton's mother, Madeleine.

Supporters of the new library have good reason to celebrate.

The groundbreaking has been decades in the making. Overcrowding and lack of site space have inhibited the current library, opened in 1902 at a cost of under $1,000, for as long as some residents can remember.

Selectmen Chairman Mary Frambach said she remembers checking out popular children's books in the 1950s, and, later as a high school student, volunteering at the library.

Frambach's mother, Hazel Steele, was a lifelong library supporter, and the family has donated some land for the project.

"It's always been my wish to follow in my mother's footsteps," Frambach said after the ceremony. "I think she would be very proud today."

Plans for a new library began to take shape more than 20 years ago, but finally came closer to fruition thanks to a $250,000 bond approved by voters in March, and a capital campaign that has generated most of the remainder of the building's $1 million cost.

"People have been so generous," said Long. "When we started this, none of us knew anything about fundraising."

The new 7,200-square-foot library - at five times the size of the current library - will sit off Route 4 behind the old town offices.

Plans for the new building include stacks and a spacious reading room for adult patrons, areas for both children and young adults, a quiet area for tutoring, a computer area with public internet access and a meeting room.