I read with sadness of the recent passing of Eleanore Beane. When I was a child, Miss Beane, as we called her, was the children’s librarian at Lithgow Library. Miss Beane was a lovely presence, very understanding of children’s ways, and gentle and kind.

In those days, the children’s library was located upstairs in an airy, beautiful room where I spent many happy hours. Lithgow Library was one of the four pillars of my childhood, the others being my home on Amherst Street, Lincoln School and St. Mary’s Church. Unlike my teachers at school, the children’s librarian didn’t change every September. Miss Beane was an important figure to me for years and she influenced me as surely as my teachers, priests and family did. To me, Miss Beane was Lithgow Library.

I was lucky enough a few years ago to have a chance meeting with Miss Beane. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to tell her how much she meant to me. I was amazed and delighted to discover that, at that time, she was living at the exact location of my childhood home on Amherst Street. In my teens, my family moved and my childhood home was torn down, to my immense sadness. An apartment house was built in its place. I felt honored that Miss Beane now lived in that apartment house, on the very spot where I had lived when I visited Lithgow so often. The circle was complete, and I felt happy.

For all these reasons, I plan to make a donation in memory of Miss Beane to www.lithgowfriends.org toward the long-overdue renovation of the library.

Augusta residents have the opportunity to vote on June 10 to help finance the renovation through a bond issue that will not incur a tax increase.

Peggy Z. Lessard

Belgrade