Walker Memorial Library, Maine, is getting made over, from the outside in

The historic Walker Memorial Library is getting made over, from the outside in. The Walker Memorial Library's exterior was restored last year. Today's ceremony kicks off a campaign to raise funds for restoring the interior. The Walker Memorial Library was designed by Frederick Tompson, who also designed the Castle in the Park at Deering Oaks in Portland. Renovations last year restored the exterior of the Queen Anne-style building, saving it from the brink of being beyond repair. Now, the interior of the 118-year-old library, which has suffered extensive water damage because of the structural deterioration, is ready to be redone. A ceremony at 11 a.m. today will serve as a celebration of the recent renovations and kick off a campaign to raise $500,000 for the improvements to the building's interior, including the restoration of stained glass windows and wainscotting. The money would also pay for new furnishings, so the original portion of the library could serve its intended purpose - to be enjoyed by the public, said library director Karen Valley. Built in 1894, the library was designed by Frederick Tompson, who was the architect for the Castle in the Park at Deering Oaks in Portland and the Portland Armory, which is now the Portland Regency Hotel