Haskell Free Library Opens New Canadian Entrance After U.S. Access Restrictions
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House, a historic building straddling the Quebec-Vermont border, officially opened its new Canadian entrance on Wednesday, restoring easy access for Canadian visitors after months of restricted entry.
The new door opens to Stanstead, Quebec, complementing the existing entrance in Derby Line, Vermont. A distinctive black line runs across the library floor, marking the international border between Canada and the United States — a feature that has made the building a unique symbol of cross-border harmony for more than a century.
Why Was Canadian Access Restricted?
In October 2025, U.S. authorities canceled a longstanding agreement that had allowed Canadians to enter the library through the Derby Line, Vermont entrance without going through customs. The decision was announced in March of that year, shortly after then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited the library and referred to Canada as “the 51st nation” while siding with Stanstead residents.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated the change was in response to drug trafficking concerns, saying, “Drug traffickers and smugglers took advantage of the fact that Canadians could use U.S. immigration without having to go through customs. We are ending this exploitation by criminals and protecting Americans.” However, no specific evidence was presented at the time. The spokesperson did reference a 2018 case in which a Quebec man named Alexis Vlachos was sentenced to 51 months in a U.S. prison for smuggling over 100 handguns from Vermont to Quebec, some of which were hidden in the library’s restroom trash can.
Sylvie Boudreau, president of the library’s board of trustees, told the National Post she was not entirely surprised by the decision. “I had already been thinking about where we could put an entrance on the Canadian side,” she said. The library had faced similar access restrictions before, including after the September 11, 2001 attacks and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How the Library Adapted
Following the October 2025 restrictions, Canadians wishing to use the library’s main entrance were required to report to a port of entry and clear U.S. customs. A repurposed emergency exit on the Stanstead side initially served as a makeshift entrance, but the arrangement proved cumbersome.
“We had to use the tower, which has four flights of stairs, and after you got to the opera house you went back down through the staff office to get to the library,” Boudreau explained. Only library members and staff were permitted to enter directly from Canada, with exceptions made for emergency personnel, people with disabilities, and school groups.
Building the New Canadian Door
The new entrance was converted from an existing emergency exit, requiring extensive renovations. The project received approval from both the Quebec and Vermont governments as well as their respective Historic Preservation Societies, given the building’s heritage status.
Construction included excavating and creating a Canadian handicapped parking space, expanding exterior walkways on the northeast side of the building, masonry work on the exterior, interior plastering and repainting, and the installation of a portico. Final steps involved installing doors and windows, building a retaining wall, and paving the Canadian parking lot.
Funding the $700,000 Project
The total cost of the project was approximately $700,000. Boudreau noted the high expense was due to the building’s heritage designation. “It cost a lot of money because it’s a heritage building,” she said. “We had no choice in design, no choice in materials. Everything had to be approved and the only thing we could do was pay.”
Beyond the door itself, costs covered work on sidewalks, stairs, a roof, parking accessibility improvements, and related infrastructure. About $350,000 was raised through a GoFundMe campaign that drew donations from around the world, with the remainder coming from the library’s construction fund originally reserved for other projects.
A Message of Hope and Friendship
Americans cannot use the new Canadian entrance, though Boudreau noted that some visitors have accidentally tried to use the wrong door since the new entrance is located next to the American parking lot. Inside the building, however, people from both countries continue to share the space equally.
“When access was restricted, people were frustrated,” Boudreau said. “The new entrance means that Haskell will continue to exist. It is a message of hope and friendship. It will not defeat us.”
