With few indoor public spaces on the island, the library is a special place. Our patrons might be tucked into a corner reading a book, sitting at a table using a laptop, or constructing a masterpiece with Legos in the children’s area.
We rely on your support
Find out how you can help sustain our work.
Lending library
Our collection of over 17,000 books, magazines, movies & CD’s is freely available to the community.
Children’s Center
We are dedicated to nurturing children of all ages. Shelves in the children’s area overflow with books, movies, games and toys. Year-round, school children fill the library with sounds of delight as students explore our collection. During the 2021 summer, 47 children attended 8 different workshops discovering the science and art of “The World Around Us.”
Educational Hub
Our summer lecture series has featured some legendary authors. Overflowing audiences (pre-pandemic) have enjoyed authors as varied as swordfish-and-lobster-boat captain Linda Greenlaw; our own Pulitzer prizing winning David Shipler; and island-based poet Gary Rainford. Author Peter Blanchard shared the story of long-time residents of Placentia Island; his book, We Were an Island, was the basis of an independent film screened on the island.
Art Gallery
Creations by local artists, including school children, grace our walls. A small portion of their sales benefits SIES.
Meeting Place
Groups use our meeting room throughout the year. Our state-of-the-art conference technology is freely available and allows summer residents to serve on island committees during the winter months.
Internet Hotspot
A place where patrons can access high-speed internet 24/7 from the screened porch or the parking lot.
Emergency Shelter
During power outages people can come to the library to stay warm, heat up food in the kitchen, get drinking water, and use the bathrooms.
Financial Stewards
Since the new library opened, we have been careful stewards of the support we receive from the community, foundations, and the Town of Swan’s Island. On average, our income exceeds expenses by a slim margin of about $3,000 – a rainy day fund.
Donations
In this first year of many in our efforts to build an endowment. Your gifts secure our future! Purchase an engraved brick for our new walkway, a plaque for a granite stone, or a granite bench. You can also pay for current, operating expenses. Gifts of any amount are gratefully received to support either the operating fund or the endowment.
Gifts of Time
Our staffing is bare bones. A part-time director and a very part-time cleaner, and 30+ volunteers form our operations team. Volunteers staff the circulation desk, shelve books, plan and conduct events and programs, help manage our finances, and oversee building maintenance. We are a community organization fueled by the energy of community members.