Maine Library Association


Maine Memo Archive

 

Maine Memo

 

Newsletter of the
Maine Library Association

December 2005
Vol. 28, No. 12

Table of Contents

Noteworthy
Library Programs & News
Sales
Resources of the Month
Education/Training/Workshops
Job Opportunities
Library Electronic Mailing Lists

The Maine Memo comes out during the first week of each month. Please send information before the deadline of the 25th of each month. You can e-mail the editor, Lyn Smith, at lsmith@pittsfield.lib.me.us.

 

If you have a change of address, please contact:
Joan Kiszely
Maine Municipal Association
60 Community Drive, Augusta, Maine 04330
Tel: 623-8428/1-800-452-8786
Fax: 626-5947

Maine Library Association
Maine State Library
Maine Association of School Libraries

Noteworthy

New MLA Business Manager
Edna Comstock is the new Business Manager for the Maine Library Association as of December 1, 2005. The Association's contract with the Maine Municipal Association runs out on December 31, 2005. The month of December will be one of transition and MLA President, Pam Turner, truly appreciate MMA's and Edna's flexibility as we make this transition.  Due to her new position, Edna has resigned from the position of Parliamentarian of the MLA Executive Board. This creates an opportunity for someone new to become involved in the MLA Board. If you are interested in this position, please let Pam know.

2006 Maine Libraries Week Celebration
You are invited to attend the 2006 Maine Libraries Week Celebration to be held at the Hall of Flags in the State Capitol in Augusta on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The first Maine Libraries Week was declared in January 2004 at the State Capitol by Maine Governor John Baldacci and First Lady Karen Baldacci. A special press conference featured State Senator Beth Edmonds, and State Librarian J. Gary Nichols.

2006 Hall of Flags Celebration
The Maine State Library and the three Regional Library Districts in cooperation with the three Regional Library District Public Relations Committees, the Maine Library Association’s Communications Committee, and the Maine Association of School Libraries are planning an event for Maine legislators to promote and publicize MARVEL. The event is scheduled during the 3rd annual Maine Libraries Week. We encourage Librarians to contact their legislators and ask them to attend the demonstrations.  This year’s event will celebrate "What is so marvelous about MARVEL?!" Maine ’s Virtual Library. Librarians will be set up at six information tables to demonstrate a different database and offer an opportunity for hands-on participation.

Maine Libraries Week January 8 – 14, 2006
Librarians are encouraged to celebrate Maine Libraries Week, January 8 – 14 at their local libraries. Some ideas: 1) an open house with demonstrations of the different databases for staff, trustees, legislators, or the public; 2) an article for the local newspaper; 3) a display inside or outside the library. Think about an audience you want to reach and a message you want to send about YOUR library. This is an opportunity to promote the MARVEL databases or local library programs to a new audience.

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Library Programs & News

Cundy's Harbor Library - Pamela Masters Kenney has recently replaced Dallas Van Koll as the director of the Library in Harpswell.

Lewiston Public Library invites all to celebrate the opening of their new Marsden Hartley Cultural Center. The festivities begin with an open house this Sunday afternoon (12/4) and continue with a trio of free public events in the coming week, featuring everything from a musical travelogue of Tajikistan to a hip hop coffeehouse for teens to a classic Charlie Chaplin silent movie featuring a live (and very inspired!) pianist.

Sunday, 12/4, 1 to 4 p.m. * Opening Day Celebration - A festive reception featuring live music, light refreshments and tours of our splendid new facility. Highlighting the afternoon is a keynote address by Gov. John Baldacci at 2 p.m. Free admission; no advance reservations necessary.

Tuesday, 12/6, 7:30 p.m. - "On the Road to Tajikistan" with Old Grey Goose International - A multi-media presentation by the itinerant Maine folk quartet Old Grey Goose (Doug Protsik, Jeff McKeen, John Gawler & Bau Graves) documenting their recent tour of Tajikistan. This program combines live music with video footage of the musicians' colorful journey of this Central Asian country and their interactions with the people they encountered there.

Wednesday, 12/7, 7 p.m. - Teen Coffeehouse featuring "Say It Loud" - "Say It Loud" is a hip-hop/spoken-word ensemble of teen girls from Portland. They will present an evocative blend of original poetry, dance and music exploring the themes of cultural identity and the struggles and rewards of growing up female in contemporary America.

Thursday, 12/8, 4 p.m. - Silent Movie Matinee: Charlie Chaplin's "The Kid" - Pianist Doug Protsik adds an authentic old-time spin to this classic Chaplin comedy. Make it a family affair: we've scheduled it in the late afternoon to enable seniors to bring their grandkids (or great-grandkids)!

Rangeley Public Library
The Friends of RPL met for a program on ice harvesting and a cookie swap.  The  library trustees, staff and friends will have Holiday Dinner at the Rangeley Inn on December 17.

Spaulding Memorial Library, Sebago
Annual Holiday Craft Fair - Sat. Dec 3rd. Raffles, baked goods and crafts to make and to buy will be available. Sebago Girl Scout troop will be here selling bookmarks, Sebago Seam rippers will have lovely handmade quilted items and a lot more local crafts will be available. Proceeds will go to Spaulding Memorial Library.

Friends of Spaulding Memorial will hold their annual Cookie Walk on Sun, Dec 11 from 1-3 pm. Come and fill a decorated can with yummy homemade cookies and candies.

Winslow Public Library
This month's Artist of the Month at the Winslow Public Library is Jim Donahue. Jim is a lifelong resident of Winslow who is employed in the construction trades. He's a self-taught nature photographer who uses 35 mm and digital format. He searches for simple, unique subjects and attempts to compliment each piece with the appropriate matting and framing. His work is currently on display at several locations in Waterville and Augusta in addition to the library. Last month the library collected food and non-perishable items for the Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter.

Auburn Public Library Children's Room
Holiday Gift and Card Workshop. December 14, from 1 - 3:30 Young patrons 6- to 12-years may drop-in to make and wrap simple holiday gifts and cards for friends and family.

December 29 the library will host a Vacation Sleep-Over (Well, Nap-Over) Read-In from 9-10:30 A.M. for children in first through third grades, and from 4 to 5:30 P.M. for kids in fourth through sixth grades. Kids are invited to come in their jammies, or at least slippers, to enjoy cocoa and animal crackers, make their own gorp, and read to each other for a coupon for a free kids' meal at Friendly's. Don't forget your pillow and favorite bear.

Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library, Presque Isle received three MBNA Grants 1) $900.00 to purchase books for our Adult Library Book Club  2) $1,300 to purchase end-of-range shelving for our Children's Section 3) $2,000 to purchase fiction books.

The Library Board of Trustees have begun demolition of their house adjacent to the library to build a parking lot and green space with benches and a new library sign (maybe even a statue).  This is a precursor to building a new entrance and elevator on that side of the library.

The City of Presque Isle just finished a salary study and the library staff received some significant increases as a result.  Information about the study and its results are available for other librarians facing the same salary issues upon request.

The library is participating in the ALA's "Adopt a Library" program and has been selected to "adopt" the New Orleans Public Library.  We have sent $100.00 in donation monies to them thus far.

Springvale Public Library
Cozy up to the fireplace for a Holiday Treat! Join us on Wed., Dec. 7 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the  Library to continue the new holiday tradition of story time with Mario Mauro. Mario, a deaf storyteller, will be signing holiday stories for families in American Sign Language (ASL). The stories will be translated into English from ASL for the hearing audience. Mario will teach how to sign a few Traditional Carols and Holiday refreshments will be served.

War Flowers Exhibit in Gallery The Union of Maine Visual Artists & Peace Action Maine Artists have joined to present an exhibit that is touring Maine and will be showing here from Dec. 2nd -23rd, in the Community Room. Join us for a finger-food potluck opening reception & community gathering from 5-7:30 p.m. on Friday Dec. 7th.

Berwick Public Library is featuring a display of storybook quilts by the Merrimac Valley Quilt Guild. Each quilt is based on a children's picture book that features quilts in the story. There are ten books which accompany the exhibit, including The Quilt Maker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau, Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson, and Agatha's Feather Bed by Carmen Agra Deedy. The quilts will be at the Library until the middle of December. The traveling display is available to schools and libraries interested in offering teachers ideas for teaching a variety of subjects through the use of quilts.

Portland Public Library
Upcoming Brown Bag lectures include: December 7 Christopher Castellani, The Saint of Lost Things and December 14 John McDonald, Down the Road A Piece: A Storytellers Guide to Maine.

Lewis Gallery: VSA arts of Maine, "A Matter of Perception 2005", this is the fifth juried exhibition by artists with disabilities. Opening Reception, Thursday, 5-7pm, exhibit on display through December 29

Portland Room Exhibit - Opening to parallel the First Friday Art Walk, "The Art of the Printed Book", in the Portland Room beginning on Friday and showcasing some of the treasures of the PPLs Special Collections. The emphasis is on the printing and binding of books, and volumes printed in the city of Portland are included in the exhibit, such as the Southworth, Anthoensen, and Thomas B. Mosher presses. Additional collections highlights include volumes from the Maine Collection, the Art Book Collection, and the Children's Antique Book Collection.

Children’s Scottish Dance and Music with Laura Scott, Saturday, December 10, 11am-Noon, Children’s Room. This fresh and exciting dance and music is rooted in the traditions of Scotland and Cape Breton, with a good dose of innovation.

Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library
Artist of the Month is Lynne Nicoletta of Liberty Farm. A County Christmas.

Saturday, Dec. 3 - Lights Up at the Library! The Library will be offering a festive array of activities during the towns annual Harbor Lights Festival. This year the library is proud to present four local reading celebrities for Stories by the Fireside from 10:00-12:00 in the Great Room. Open House from 10:00-3:00 includes a legendary, old-fashioned Groaning Board, holiday crafts and movies in the Children's Room.

Sunday, Dec. 4 - CLICK presents The Polar Express and other Holiday Tales at 2:00 p.m. at the Opera House. No charge, donations welcomed. CLICK is an After School Arts Collaborative between the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library and the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor. 

Camden Public Library
Saturday, December 3, 2:00-4:30 pm - Art reception and art demonstrations at the Camden Public Library, hosted by Art Endows.org. The art exhibit in the Picker Room for the month of December is from Art Endows, a novel organization which creates high-quality reproductions of artwork and donates a portion of each sale to local non-profit groups. Artists will be on hand to discuss their work, demonstrate techniques, and share insight into their creative process.

Tuesday, December 6, 6:30 pm - Tom DeMarco presents "Rachel DeWoskin, Non-fiction and Poetry" at the Camden Public Library. Rachel DeWoskin stars in a Chinese soap opera seen by millions of Chinese, and has written a book about her experiences. Video shorts from the soap opera will also be presented.

Wednesday, December 7, 2:30 pm - First of the Wednesday Holiday Movie Matinees at the Camden Public Library. Three short videos will be shown: "Hanukkah/Passover;" "Kwanzaa;" and "Christmas Around the World."

Thursday, December 8, 5:30 pm - Gaming evening at the Camden Public Library. The Belfast Game Loft will conduct board games centered on political issues in Asia. These "China Foreign Policy" games will enhance participants’ knowledge of the region. Part of the Camden Conference Community Events.

Sunday, December 11, 2:30 pm - David McCullough will be speaking at the Camden Opera House as part of the Camden Public Library’s Arts & Lecture Series. For tickets call 236-2823.

Tuesday, December 13, 6:30 pm - Michael Shell will present a Nonviolent Communication workshop at the Camden Public Library. NVC is a language of compassion, a tool for conflict resolution, and a spiritual practice. This workshop seems particularly appropriate for this season of peace.

Wednesday, December 14, 2:30 pm - Holiday Matinee at the Camden Public Library: "Prancer" will be shown and refreshments will be available.

Thursday, December 15, 6:30 pm - Slide show of Jerusalem and the Holy Land by photographer Nikolay Tarkhanov at the Camden Public Library. Tarkhanov lives in Lincolnville, and has traveled and photographed extensively in Israel. The images are unusual and compelling -- from Bedouins to churches, mosques to synagagues.

Tuesday, December 20, 6:00-7:00 pm - The MSBA (Maine Student Book Awards) Booktalk and Pizza Club will be meeting at the Camden Public Library. The club is for students in grades 4 through 8.

Wednesday, December 21, 2:30 pm - Holiday Matinee at the Camden Public Library: video showing of "A Child’s Christmas in Wales."

Tuesday, December 27, 6:30 pm - UMVA (Union of Maine Visual Artists) presentation of clips from the Maine Masters series, at the Camden Public Library.

Friday, December 30, 6:00 pm - Dine in Narnia at the Camden Public Library. Enter the famous wardrobe that leads to C.S. Lewis's magical land of Narnia! A family potluck banquet will be held in the library Rotunda; please bring a salad, casserole, or dessert to share.

Thursday, January 5, 7:00 pm - The Camden Library Coffeehouse will take the form of a song swap this month.

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Book Sales

Portland Public Library
Children's Book Sale! Saturday, December 3, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm and Monday, December 5, 11:00 am - 1:30 pm in Rines Auditorium. Items for sale will include novels, non-fiction, picture books, audio books and videos. Great prices for a great cause proceeds go towards Children's and Young Adult programming.

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Resources of the Month

Do you have some print resources or web sites that you've found especially usefulness or unique? Something you found to do an excellent job answering some questions or books that were really good. Send in a few of your favorites. Thanks!

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Education/Training/Workshops

Check the Library District sites for calendars of events, local meetings and training sessions.

Northern Maine Library District http://www.bpl.lib.me.us/nmld/
Central Maine Library District http://www.maine.gov/msl/cmld/
Southern Maine Library District http://www.maine.gov/msl/smld/

A statewide calendar with all the consultant dates plus statewide events, workshops, deadlines ,etc. is found at:
http://www.maine.gov/msl/calendar/index.shtm

Continuing Education Website Links
Find out about workshops, classes, etc from NELA, ACRL, Nelinet, colleges and more.

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Job Opportunities

Listings of jobs in Maine from the Maine State Library http://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/jobjar.htm

Job Finding Aids from the New England Library Association http://www.nelib.org/resources/jobfinding.htm

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Library Electronic Mailing Lists

The Maine State Library manages three listservs.  Subscriptions are free.

MELIBS-L hosts discucssion of issues, events, activities, and question relating to library service in Maine.
MEINFO-L is a "read only" medium for distribution of Maine State Library announcements.
MEFIND-L was created in response to requests from libraries wishing a medium for broadcast ILL requesting.

For general tips, "Netiquette", and specific listserv commands including how to subscribe and search the archives look at listserv website http://www.maine.gov/msl/infotech/listservs.htm.

Library-Oriented Lists & Electronic Serials is a compilation of electronic discussion lists, distribution lists and serials that are of interest to library professionals and staff. Visit the website at http://liblists.wrlc.org/home.htm. Enough lists to subscribe to and do nothing but read e-mail all day long!

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Thank you for reading the Maine Memo.