“I hope there will always be a place for books,” reflects longtime library volunteer Sue Kreahling. “I have a Kindle and downloaded one book, then went right back to the real thing. Agatha Christie and Daphne du Maurier are favorite writers I often return to. I have always had a book in my hand since my earliest memory.

“My parents always read to me. When I got my first library card I felt like the Queen of England! I lived in a small working class steel town in Western Pennsylvania. Our town library was upstairs in the police and fire department. I remember going up and trying to check out some fairy books and the librarian told me I couldn't read them, as I was too young. I was so upset. Our neighbor, who was a teacher, heard the story and marched right back up and told the librarian that I was 3 or 4 reading levels above my age and she shouldn’t restrict or limit children. She was my warrior!

“Everywhere I have lived, I have always volunteered at libraries. We lived in Pennington when Skip was transferred to Princeton University in New Jersey, and I ended up becoming the volunteer coordinator at the library there. 

“We summered in Boothbay staying in a B & B on a tidal island in East Boothbay for years before finally buying the place we had been renting on Linekin Bay. It was a log cabin, and if you want to see what it was like, just go to Camp Knickerbocker and look at their arts and crafts lodge. Skip paid the Rotary to take it down and donate it to them! We built a 2 story home in its place and I am still there today.

“Once we moved here full time, back in 2003, Skip started working at the library right away. He joined the board while I ended up volunteering. My background was as a school teacher, Skip’s was in physics and chemistry but he was good at anything he turned his hand to. He was one of those people that always looked on the bright side. I used to have to try really hard to make him mad. He was such a great guy. He was very close with our director, Joanna Breen and she and I have consoled ourselves with stories about him on many occasions. He served as library bookkeeper and was a loyal and trusted member of the board for many years.”

Skip Kreahling passed in July 2021 and is much missed. In fact, there is even now a building on the library grounds honoring Skip’s memory,  made possible by a generous donation from his friends at Rotary.

“I worked closely with Skip, he was like my consigliere here” Library Director Joanna Breen says in closing. “I miss him, I think he would enjoy knowing he’s still supporting the library mission. But, I’ll have to ask Sue!”

Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, 4 Oak Street, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538. (207) 633-3112. For more information visit bbhlibrary.org