When the weather warms a little, visit the new brick patio behind the Used Book Room at Wiscasset Public Library to see the inscribed bricks that are now permanently a part of the patio. Some of them memorialize deceased loved ones, while others contain names of living friends, and others are inscribed with sayings such as "Books Forever," "Love one another" and "Anyone Who Has a Library and a Garden Wants for Nothing — Cicero."

Stoneworks Masonry of  West Bath installed the inscribed bricks in mid-December to replace blank ones in the small patio built in the fall. The patio is located on the lower level of the library outside the library's Used Book Room.  

Members of  the library's board of trustees financed the building of the patio with a two-fold purpose: as a pleasant place to sit and read or chat with friends in the warmer months, but also as a  fundraiser for the library.

Each inscribed brick is sold for more than it costs, which is how the library raises money.  The funds initially will be used to help pay for a major re-roofing of the building, but in the future may also be used to build a brick walkway to the sidewalk, making the Used Book Room more accessible to patrons.

Since the brick campaign began last year, the library has sold 55 inscribed bricks — six 8-by-8 and 49, 4-by-8 bricks. All of the 8-by-8 ones are installed and 34 of the 4-by-8 ones. When the next order of  inscribed bricks arrives, those too will be added to the patio.

Inscribed 4-by-8 inch bricks cost $50 each; inscribed 8-by-8 inch bricks cost $100 each; and bricks with artwork on them cost $200 each.

To order a brick, come to the library at 21 High Street with your payment and fill out a form with your desired inscription.  Then, once in the ground, your inscribed brick will be a forever memento, and you will have helped the library in this fundraising endeavor.

For more information please call Library Director Pamela Dunning at 882-7161.