The Blue Hill Public Library (BHPL) serves all people of the Blue Hill Peninsula by offering rich collections, presentations, programs, events, technologies, displays of art and artifacts.  As a dynamic cultural center, the library offers welcoming indoor and outdoor spaces that invite exploration of ideas, information, recreation, and civic engagement.

In its most recent strategic plan, the BHPL Board of Directors set three goals to advance the library’s mission. One of the goals is to enhance the nature and configuration of the library grounds as a learning and social resource for patrons of all ages and to add a small number of parking spaces. This effort would incorporate a small parcel of land BHPL purchased in 2021 (13 Parker Point Road), which abuts the library’s parking lot.

However, a new opportunity to advance that element of the strategic plan arose in December. A Northern Light Blue Hill Hospital approached BHPL, offering to sell a vacant hospital property located at 10 Parker Point Road, across from the library’s grounds.

Recognizing the opportunity to further address goals of its strategic plan, the BHPL Board of Directors negotiated and subsequently purchased the 10 Parker Point Road property in March, 2026.

The library’s intention is to use a majority of the property’s grounds to add parking lot for library visitors. The library is currently exploring options for the existing building, hoping to preserve it for future use.

The following information provides additional detail about the library’s purchase and plans.

FAQ

Q: How does this purchase align with BHPL’s previously announced plans to enhance its grounds adjacent to the library building?

A: The purchase complements the redesign plan the library has developed for its east side. That plan will add more green space to accommodate outdoor programming and other features for the use and comfort of patrons and community members. One element of that plan — based on considerable community input — is a reconfigured parking lot adjacent to the library building featuring new safety and accessibility elements, such as walkways and a separate one-way entrance and exit. (More details below.)

Q: What is the size and nature of the purchased property?

A: 10 Parker Point Road is approximately four-tenths (0.4) of an acre in size and features a two-story building that sits on roughly one-third of the lot. The building has been unoccupied for approximately five years and is currently uninhabitable due to its condition.

Q: What is the property’s recent history?

A: Blue Hill Memorial Hospital acquired the property in 1989. Initially, it used the building for a variety of medical offices and administrative purposes. It most recently served as the offices for Healthy Peninsula.  According to the hospital, over time, the building’s age and deteriorating condition made its continued use financially inefficient and impractical. The hospital has not used the building for about five years.

Q: What are the library’s plans for the two-story building? 

A: The library is not interested in using the building; it is interested only in the portion of the property that can be converted to safe, accessible off-street parking. The library respects the building’s history and potential value to the community and is exploring future feasibility for its use.

Q: Why does the library need more parking?

A: The library is one of the most heavily used public spaces in the community. In 2025, the library recorded nearly 100,000 visits by patrons and guests. Programs, lectures, meetings, art shows, and other events attracted more than 12,000 attendees over the course of the year.

Such a level of use puts significant pressure on parking and access, particularly during peak hours and events. Many library users are older adults, families with young children, or people with mobility challenges. Providing more adequate off-street parking will increase public safety and accessibility for library visitors.

Q: What are the library’s parking plans?

A: The need for safe, accessible parking is real and longstanding. The library’s previously announced campus expansion plans — one of three overarching goals of the library board’s 2024 strategic plan — already include reconfiguring the existing parking lot adjacent to the library building. That work will add safety and accessibility features and increase the number of existing parking spaces from 18 to 24.

With the purchase of 10 Parker Point Road, the library will create an auxiliary parking lot featuring an additional 20–32 spaces. The final number will depend on how many spaces are set aside for the eventual owner of the existing building at that location.

In total, the improvements would create parking for 38–56 vehicles — a significant improvement over current conditions.