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Note: The Library Lookout is published every month except January and July. The printed edition is usually out on or about the first of the month, and the selections are posted here sometime during the first week.

Selections from the May 2003 Library Lookout

Library Director’s Corner

Well, I’m back! Not as rested as I would like to be, but none the less.
Françoise is coordinating our book sales this summer. The first book sale will be May 5 through May 10 inside the library.


After sitting down with Katherine and Corilla the other day, it looks like a busy Spring and Summer. We’ll be calling our normal FOL helpers as well as asking for help from other people. We know you only need to be asked.


The recently purchased library shelves have arrived. They are being assembled as I write. Special thanks goes out to all of the Friends of the Library who made this purchase possible. Once the painting, shelving, and wiring is complete, we will be having an Open House to show our appreciation for your help and dedication.


The library has been completely weeded for the first time, with over 11,000 volumes being removed. We are finishing up call number labels and wiping each individual book.


We want to give thanks to the Bloomfield Garden Club for their presentations and doing decorations on the mantel. Also, to Tim Gould and his Treasure’s from the Attic presentation. It was well attended.


The library has come a long way in the last eleven months. Now comes the real challenge of changing peoples views, and getting the word out.

LATEST NEWS

Grant for Reading Program
The Library received $400.00 from the Maine Nutrition Network to help fund the summer reading progrma. A budget was submitted to the program using the majority of funds for books and the remainder to help make educational snacks and teach good eating habits. This will be in conjunction with the Laugh it up at your Library program.


Library Lunch a Success
The Library Brown Bag Lunch was a great success with 215 lunches sold for a profit of $1029.26. It takes a lot of work and cooperation to earn this amount of money and we want to thank everyone who helped to make this possible.


Corrilla Hastings, Christine Smith, Marcia Granville and Dottie LaCasse spent hours planning the menus, grocery lists, and delivery routes. Marcia created menus, labels, and order blanks on her laptop computer. Christine, Marcia, Marilyn Renfrew and Lee Granville distributed menus and collected the orders. The Skowhegan town Office printed 100 sets of menus and order blanks and stapled them together for us. You saved us a lot of time, Jodie. Thanks.


Figuring how many eggs, vegetables and breads to make so many sandwiches requires a certain knack for estimating amounts and finding the best buys. Corrilla is a whiz at this with Marcia coming in a close second. Chopping vegetables, boiling eggs, collecting the apples and setting up the lunch bags on Thursday was done by Corrila, Christine and Marcia.


At eight 0’clock on Friday morning seven ladies, Corrilla, Christine, Kathy, Marcia, Marilyn, Maureen Calder and Mary Stuart, got to work making sandwiches and stuffing lunch bags with napkins, pickles, apples, desserts and chips. Delivery teams started arriving by ten o’clock and were loaded and away in short order. Mary and Marilyn left before 10:30. Then Lucille Currier and Scott LeBlanc took a load. After that were Dottie LaCasse and her granddaughter plus Maureen Calder and Kathy Hughes. Robin Moore and Lee Granville delivered the final load. We appreciate you all for your time and effort.


A valuable contribution was made by all those who donated cookies and bars for our desserts. These ladies were Thelma Butler, Katherine Connell, Lucile Currier, Marcia Granville, Corrilla Hastings, Kathy Hughes, Carol Jarvais, Dottie LaCasse, Maxine Russakoff and Christine Smith. Can you imagine what it would have cost to buy 215 home-style desserts? Thank you all.
We mustn’t forget to thank the Library Lunch sponsors. We received donations of store certificates from Hannaford’s Food and Drug, Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart. North Star Orchards was especially generous in donating two bushels of beautiful apples. Thanks, everyone.
Finally, we especially want to thank everyone who purchased a lunch. You have treated yourselves to a great lunch and helped your library while doing it.


Fundraisers
The first Library Brown Bag Lunch of the year is now in the past, but we have another already lined up for you. The next Library Lunch is scheduled for October 24th.


Do you have a collection of magazines, a few dishes from an old set or some outgrown children’s toys? Now is your chance to clean house. The annual lawn sale will be held at the Hastings farm on May 17th and we are always looking for things to sell. The Hastings barn is open for any donations. Of course, if you need a toy or two for those grandchildren or like to hunt for an unrecognized antiquity, you just might find what you are looking for at the lawn sale.


Are you a gardener? Or do like to see what other people have done with their garden space? Then you should join us at the Skowhegan Area Garden tour and Art Show. That’s right, we are having an art show at the same time – with judges, ribbons and prizes. You will find it at the Tewksbury Building us behind the Federated Church on Saturday, June 28th.

What is the Trouble at Serenity Pond? Why was the bookkeeper called in to her boss’s home on a Saturday? The play will be presented sometime this fall. Watch this space for time and place.

MAY FOL MEETING
We hope all members and their guests will attend the May meeting at 7 PM on Wednesday, May 14 when Lee Sharkey will be the speaker.


Lee Sharkey has been involved with just about every aspect of the poet’s trade. She has written and published seven books of poetry, edited three anthologies of Maine literature and a book of art and poetry by adults with mental illness, taught poetry and poetry writing to school children, teachers, and university students, performed her poems with jazz musicians and dancers, edited a literary magazine (Beloit Poetry Journal), and served on the Maine Arts Commission.


Currently a resident of Vienna and a professor of English and Women’s Studies at the University of Maine at Farmington, she is happy to be returning to the Skowhegan area–where she lived for fifteen years–to read from her work and talk about what poetry can contribute to a troubled world with the Friends of the Skowhegan Library.


Please remember, too, that May is the month for payment of annual dues.


VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Would you like to volunteer for the Library? You would be most welcome!


There are a great variety of jobs, some requiring just a few hours, and some that can be accomplished in your own home.


You’ll find a sign-up sheet at the Library for the following jobs:
Book Sale, May 5 through 10, selling books, a few hours on any day this week
Lawn Sale, May 17, pricing the day before or selling on Saturday
Cleaning books, any day for any length of time
Garden Tour, June 28, baking brownie desserts, welcome table, kitchen help

LIBRARY OPEN HOUSE
The Open House to celebrate National Library Week, held on April 12, was ably hosted by Dottie LaCasse and Kathy Hughes. Guests enjoyed the musical entertainment provided by David Calder. Kathy Evans’ Middle School students exhibited some of their poems, and Poster Contest winners from SAD 54 Elementary Schools were awarded prizes. Receiving Gift Certificates, contributed by Mr. Paperback, were Logan LeBlanc, Abigail Welch and Kristen Sylvain. The contest entries were judged by Patty Berry, Françoise LaBonte and Bill Randall.


Thanks go to all who helped make this event a success.