KENNEBUNKPORT — It’s only natural that the speaker of an open house for a local public library was a librarian, but it was quite a surprise that the former librarian who showed up at Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library Friday night was former First Lady Laura Bush.

The library in June launched a $1 million capital campaign to raise funds to construct an addition and make updates to the brick building on 18 Maine St., which was built in 1813 as a bank. Friday night, to celebrate the campaign, the library hosted a “Front Door Open House,” in which the long closed-off front door was once again reopened.

The front door of the building had been shut off in 1988 to accommodate shelving for the library’s audiobook collection when the library built an ADA compliant entranceway, according to Director Mary-Lou Boucouvalas.

While the entranceway that has been used in recent years will remain open, library officials decided to rearrange the library and open up the Maine Street entrance again. The front foyer has been decorated with artwork and photographs that honor some of the founding families of the town and has a welcoming feel that honors the building’s historic nature.

Bush stepped out the front door Friday night and greeted the crowd that had gathered in front of the building to celebrate the event.

“I’m a former librarian, so as you might guess, libraries have a very special place in my heart,” she said.

“Libraries are the souls of communities,” said Bush. “They’re one of the few public places available to interact with your neighbors and to enjoy the very best of your community and the world of reading.”

Bush donated to the library a number of books written by members of the Bush family, and Boucouvalas presented her with a tote bag, a bookmark and a book by local historian Joyce Butler.

The proposed 4,500- square-foot addition to the library will be constructed to look compatible to the existing building. The planned addition will be called the Mothers Wing, in honor of all the mothers who have come to the library over the years to encourage their children to read.

“And I love that, because nearly every one of us that love to read, love to read because our mothers did,” said Bush.

The Perkins House, located behind the library and primarily used to house book sales, will be torn down to make room for the addition.

George Emery, chair of the library’s fundraising committee and member of the library’s board of trustees said Friday night the library is already more than halfway to its goal.

“This plan will allow for so many things that we can’t do today because we don’t have enough room,” said Emery. He said the proposed addition will add larger space for public lectures and other programs, as well as more administrative space and a larger computer area. An elevator will be constructed and the existing heating and cooling system will be replaced under the plan. The proposed project will also add six new parking spaces, he said.

“It’s going to be fantastic,” said Emery.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.