First National Bank invests $50,000 to support the Camden Public Library

First National Bank has made a $50,000 commitment to support the Camden Public Library. First National Bank representatives presented the check during National Library Week, “Libraries = Strong Communities”: Ashley Chickering, Camden Branch Supervisor; Jake Miller, VP, Senior Business Development & Corporate Sales Officer; and Sarah Tolman, EVP, Branch Administration were joined by Camden Public Library Executive Director Nikki Maounis and Children’s Librarian Amy Hand, along with Gary Stone, VP, Portfolio Manager & Senior Business Development Officer for First National Wealth Management. 

Camden, Maine - First National Bank has pledged $50,000 to support the Camden Public Library. Executives from First National Bank presented the Camden Public Library with a check to support the long-term sustainability of the library and its capacity to create young readers, foster lifelong learning, and sustain its historic building and parks, today and into the future.

“We are proud to support our local libraries,” said Tony McKim, President and CEO of First National Bank. “Camden Public Library is a community hub for people to come together to read, connect and discover.”

“With its commitment to contributing daily in the community, First National Bank is such a natural partner with the Camden Public Library,” said Nikki Maounis, the library’s executive director. “Thanks to First National Bank and the generosity of our greater community, the library is able to keep our doors open 7 days a week, providing essential services and a safe, welcoming setting for individuals to gather and share ideas.”

On April 6, the library kicked off National Library Week, “Libraries = Strong Communities,” with the launch of its Campaign for the Future. The goal is to raise $2.5 million. Thanks to the generosity of the library’s largest donors and friends, the campaign has surpassed the $1.5 million mark. That total includes more than $100,000 of support from the library’s Business Leadership Circle, led by First National Bank.

Members of the community are invited to join the library’s Campaign for the Future by sponsoring a brick. For $250, donors can inscribe their message to be included in the Brick Garden, located alongside the wall on Atlantic Avenue, nestled among the crocuses that bloom each spring. This gift will enable the library to continue offering the programs, services, and beautiful building and parks that we know today. Donors may also support this effort by making a gift of any amount. For details, stop by the library or visit librarycamden.org/future.

The Camden Public Library is the center of Camden’s public life, bringing people together to read, connect, and discover. For more than 100 years, the library has provided essential services to the greater Camden community and today attracts some 230,000 visits each year. Since 2008, the library has earned “star” library status from the Library Journal, making it one of the top 85 libraries in the country. This distinction is remarkable in light of the public funding and support necessary for the library to operate: More than half of the library’s budget each year is provided by charitable donations, fundraising events, and fees.