Solomon is Topsham Public Library Sarah Whitten Community Award winner

TOPSHAM — The Topsham Public Library honored Janice Solomon posthumously with its 2019 Sarah Whitten Community Award at a special reception on June 7.
Solomon was a regular patron of the library who bequeathed the library $770,000 from her estate.
In 2015, the Topsham Public Library’s Board of Trustees launched the Sarah Whitten Community Award to recognize the outstanding contribution to the Topsham Public Library and the community, of an individual, group, or business. Sarah Whitten donated her family home to the Topsham Public Library in 1941. Janice Solomon’s overwhelmingly generous gift exemplifies the essence of this award.
As Betsey McCandless, her estate trustee, who sent a letter to be read at the reception commented, JaniceSoloman would have likely hated the idea of winning the award. According to McCandless, Solomon “felt safe and welcomed” at the library. Solomon’s friend and neighbor, Sally Von Benken, accepted the award on her behalf. The plaque will be displayed at Highland Green, where Solomon used to live, before coming back to a permanent home in the library.
Topsham Public Library is setting aside a portion of her bequest and using it to offer Monday hours for the next three years. The new library hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
The library is at 25 Foreside Road in Topsham. For more information, call 207-725-1727 or visit topshamlibrary.org.