A few months ago when they announced that Filenes would be closing in 24 hours, people stormed the mall to scoop up every last bargain. The news reported people saying that though they didn’t need the stuff, they scooped up the bargains because the price was right.

This “once in a lifetime” opportunity had come up right after I had made a conscious decision to stop buying stuff that I didn’t need, regardless of price.

Nothing beats a “once-in-a-lifetime” deal that comes along on something that you really need. That’s when I can throw my arms up in the air and say: Score! Something that you can look at for years to come and say – boy did I get a good deal on that! I’m sitting on one of those great deals – and its pure luck on my part. A few years ago when home mortgage rates hit their all time low, I managed to lock in at 4.625 percent for a fixed rate on a 15-year loan. Now there’s a deal, and who doesn’t need an affordable roof over their head?

There’s something to be said about a home. It’s a safe and comfortable environment that all yearn for. And within our community, finding those comfortable safe places that emulate a home away from home is to find a cherished asset that greatly improves your quality of life. Today, community centers are the trend to meet the home-away-from-home need.

But while Scarborough residents have voted down a community center, and a senior center, the library is busting at its seams. Perhaps the lost vote is because, in a sense, the community views the library as our true community center – and conceptually, library offerings have trended in that direction, as the development of the Internet has challenged them to become more.

Case in point, this past week the library hosted Small Business Week. A visit to the center of the library is to experience first-hand how well the library is able to physically connect us to our community. As the Internet develops, local libraries change and evolve with the times though they haven’t lost sight of the importance of human contact. What once was a quiet wall of books has evolved into a very resourceful community center that beckons us to connect with one another – and yes, we can connect to the Internet too.

This week, Nancy Crowell, director of the library unveiled the library expansion plan to Scarborough Rotary Club. I noted that no stone was unturned, and that all segments of our town’s population have been carefully considered in the proposed expansion. Adjusting with the times, the once open concept developed in the 1980s has given way to adding walls. And with these walls will create inviting areas for the many varied needs of community members. Whether you’re looking for a comfortable space to curl up in front of a warm fire and read a book, or grab a quick cup of coffee in the cafA?© to peruse the newspaper, or perhaps spend some time in the computer lab, attend a workshop, or a children’s program, or do reliable research – a greatly expanded library, in keeping with a rapidly growing population has a great plan in store for our entire community.

In the case of the library expansion Nancy did instill a sense of urgency, and for good reason. This is a “once in a lifetime opportunity” that makes perfect financial sense. Here’s why: Unlike other town projects, the library is a non-profit, 501 (C) (3) corporation. This IRS status enables the library to qualify for a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development loan at a 40 year fixed rate of 4.35 percent. These loans are available to communities whose populations are under 20,000 people. Scarborough’s latest census (2004) states our population at 18,446, therefore qualifying our community for this loan. Given our growth rate, another official census would no longer make us eligible for this loan. Additionally, the expansion planned has carefully considered environmental efficiency and a full upgrade to the library, so that sustained maintenance costs will be minimal in the years to come. The total estimated cost of the project is $6.75 million – of which the library board has committed to privately raise $1.5 million to assist with upfront building costs.

A public hearing will be held May 16 at the Town Hall at 7 p.m. This proposed library expansion is a community center and library all in one with an ideal purchase arrangement too good to pass up. We should take advantage of this unique opportunity without hesitation. In the years to come, we’ll be looking at this facility saying boy did we get a deal on that. Please vote yes on June 13 – or if you prefer, absentee ballots are available now at the Town Hall – the price is right – let’s scoop up this bargain!