Andrew & Laura McCain Library celebrates 40 years
The first library in the District of Carleton North opened on March 13, 1970, largely thanks to the efforts of Laura McCain, who chaired the Library Association. Its first home was the West Florenceville Women’s Institute Hall, and it held only 1500 volumes.
Quickly growing, in September of 1972, the library moved to a space above the Florenceville Fire Hall. By August of 1975, the library had grown to house over 5600 volumes and boasted of having a full-time librarian.
When Laura McCain died on March 11, 1982, the surviving McCain family members decided to build a new library as a tribute to the woman who worked tirelessly to open the first library in town.
The new Andrew & Laura McCain Library, located on the corner of Main and McCain streets, opened in early 1984, a gift from the McCain family to the Village of Florenceville.
Over the years, the library continued to grow in volume size, members, and programming to the point that in 1997, the library began a significant expansion thanks to generous assistance from the McCain Foundation.
The expansion created a reading room furnished in memory of Dr. Sutherland, DDS, and a new children’s room in memory of Peter McCain. Today, the library holds over 26,000 volumes and has over 3,000 members. In 2023, they had over 9,000 visitors and circulated over 17,000 items.
On April 11, 2024, the community came together to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Andrew & Laura McCain Library. The event was attended by local dignitaries, including District of Carleton North Mayor Andrew Harvey, who extended a warm welcome on behalf of the District.
He also underscored the significance of literacy and the invaluable role of the library in the community.
In her reflection on the library’s history, Carleton-Victoria MLA Margaret Johnson paid tribute to Laura McCain’s instrumental role in its establishment.
The event was made even more special by the presence of Clement and Rory McCain, Andrew and Laura McCain’s great-great-grandchildren, who shared their heartfelt appreciation for the library.
“We hope that Mrs. McCain would take pride in the work that we do, to honour her spirit and the generosity of her family, and we look forward to being the ‘living room of the community’ for years to come,” said librarian Julie Craig.
