Scarborough Public Library Executive Director Nancy Crowell and Board of Trustees President Bill Donovan. Drew Johnson / The Forecaster
Nancy Crowell, executive director of Scarborough Public Library, has announced her retirement in September 2023 after holding the position for 45 years.
Crowell announced her retirement April 19 at the Scarborough Town Council meeting.
“Next week is National Library week and the theme is ‘there’s more to the story,’ ” said Crowell. “It seems a fitting opportunity for me to publicly announce my intent to retire as library director this coming September. I’ve served the library in this position for 45 years. I started at a time when books were checked out with rubber date stamps and the new technologies were VHS and Betamax tapes and our new equipment was a used 16mm projector to show films.
“I bought the library’s first electric typewriter which had a whole half-page of memory. And you might have known since then, we’ve added a few computers, and the internet has certainly changed the profession. We’re a very different community since I started, but its heart and soul are still found at the library 45 years later, and I believe this is going to be true for the entire history of the library. We are going to be 125 years old next year.
“I encourage everyone to subscribe to our newsletter. It’s scarboroughlibrary.org. And there you’ll find more about our services, what we provide, and the many offerings we have with other organizations that we host there. The position will be posted by the end of this week. And I look forward to promoting this dream job in a vibrant community on the beautiful coast of Maine. But I have a few more months of work to do, at the helm, before I get piped off … so there’s definitely more to this story, and I look forward to the library’s next chapter.”
A transition committee has been appointed by the library’s board of trustees to help search for the new library director.
“Under her leadership and direction, the library has grown to become an integral part of the town fabric, becoming a center for children, adults, and retirees to not just browse and read, but also to gather and take advantage of the Library’s many resources – much more than the humble beginnings Nancy found when she joined 45 years ago,” said Bill Donovan, chair of the library’s board of trustees, in a written statement.
“I certainly want to recognize Nancy and her tremendous service to this community,” said Town Manager Tom Hall. “Nancy is certainly the face of the Scarborough Public Library, but much, much more than that. This woman has given her life to this community and that organization in particular.”
When Crowell began the job in 1977, the library was a small wooden building on Black Point Road. Since then, the library has moved to Gorham Road. It had a budget of $35,000 in the late-1970s to over $1 million today.
“I have witnessed tremendous change, not only in how library services are delivered, but in how libraries are perceived within the communities they serve,” Crowell has said. “21st-century libraries are the heart of their communities. They are equalizers. They are learning centers. They are business partners. They are advocates for strong schools. They are champions of community organizations. They are resilient. And most, importantly, they are essential.”
“We hope you will reach out to Nancy to share your appreciation for her devoted service and many contributions to the Scarborough Public Library over her tenure, and that you will join us as we celebrate her career in the months before her retirement,” Donovan said.
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