RICHMOND -- Proponents who want a new, larger library say Richmond needs one that's more attractive to children, less so to squirrels and mold.

Right now, the Umberhine Public Library is attracting more than its share of all of the above. And they aren't sharing the less than 1,000 square feet of usable space with each other very well.

Rainy day leaks have produced mold so bad an entire section -- the library annex -- has been condemned by the code enforcement officer.

There's only space for a dozen children at reading events. And aisles are so narrow one can't stand back far enough to see all the books in the stacks.

"We're jammed with children in the afternoon," said Judy Batty, president of the library's board of trustees. "We have no space. When we bring new books in, we have to pack books away and put them in storage. We have four leaks in the roof, with buckets underneath them. The annex, shut down per order of the code officer, is so bad and moldy it's permeating the rest of the library, which is scary."

In place of the current library could be a new but similar-looking, single-story library of just less than 6,000 square feet complete with a meeting room; children's, young adult and adult reading areas; and plenty of space for books and computers.

But that estimated $1.3 million new library is about $700,000 away from reality.

About $600,000 has been committed to the new library so far, including $300,000 in funds the library has and a commitment of $300,000 in town funds voters at the annual town meeting agreed to commit if the remainder of the funds can be raised within three years.

An auction Saturday is one way proponents hope to raise funds.

Events start at 3 p.m. with a silent auction and, from 3 to 5 p.m., a preview of the live auction, which starts at 5 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.

Batty said numerous theme baskets have been put together, each assembled with the goal of providing potential gift items.

"This is kind of a one-stop-shopping situation," Batty said of the auction. "It's an opportunity to support your library, get some Christmas shopping done, and have fun while you're at it."

In addition to donations, they're also hoping to secure grant funding.

"I'm optimistically hopeful," librarian Donna McCluskey said of the prospects for raising enough funds to build the new library. "We're trying really hard, we really need it."

McCluskey said a squirrel got into the building last week.

The hole the critter apparently got in through was covered up with a piece of duct tape, Batty said.

Features of the new library would include gardens; a meeting room with a kitchenette that could be used by the community for meetings and other events, even when the library is closed; donated stained-glass windows; and a layout that would allow librarians to see most of the interior at the same time.

At least one resident at the annual town meeting questioned the need for the library to be so much bigger than the current one.

"We're not going into this like we've got money coming out of our ears -- because we don't," Batty said, noting shelving from the current library will be reused in the new building.

"We felt it was important to create a library that would last at least 20 to 30 years without someone saying, 'Gee, I wish we'd built a larger library.'

"In a town like this the kids need a place to go besides hanging out where there's a problem. It becomes a place for everyone. A place for children. A place for adults to sit down, meet some friends and have a cup of coffee over the newspaper. A good library makes a town a better place to be."

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com