Selections from the November 2002 Library Lookout

From the Library Director

Fall is here and another report. There isn’t enough time between months. This has been another busy month. I have a feeling they all will be.

Françoise is busy with her on-line cataloging course and is doing extremely well.

Katherine has been busy with her storytelling sessions (two per week), Curious George Birthday party (38 participants), school class visits, and reorganization of the children’s library. Come on in and see the changes.

This past month we have had over sixty volunteers working in the library. We had two pumpkin painting sessions which were spearheaded by the hair stylists from Serenity Shears, Sue Almendinger and Heidi Chartrand. Over fifty participants were here. Special thanks to these ladies.

The ladies from Semper Fidelis met with us, and will once again take the children’s library on as a two year project. They will be painting, sewing, repairing furniture etc.

I’ve just been hanging around and letting things happen. With two great staff people and wonderful volunteers, things are happening. See you next month.

–Blynn Currier, Library Director

Introducing our new Children’s Librarian

By Marcia Granville

Katherine Connell comes from a long line of readers and is raising her children to read also. She has always felt at home at the Skowhegan Free Public Library – partly because she is related to the former Children’s Librarian, Lois Moody – and has been bringing her children for story hour and books. It was important to her and her young family that there was a friendly place with activities that had no cost. As she says, “We are not all wealthy.” She will work to provide more free programs to give our children the benefits of education and fun at the library.

While Ms. Connell doesn’t have a degree in library science, she has had twelve years of experience working in a bank developing verbal and writing skills as well as learning how to deal with people. She also ran a day care for three and a half years and knows how to manage children. For any areas where she lacks skills, she says, “I will be a sponge and get all I need.” Library Director Blynn Currier will provide the training. In addition, she is attending various library related seminars and meetings.

Our new Children’s Librarian brings a real enthusiasm to her job. She is brimming with ideas. Among her plans in the toddler area are a music area and a LEGOs table. (Donations of simple musical instruments will be welcome.)

“The library is a touchy feely place now,” she says. “The children can take books down and look at them. I will put them away. That’s my job. The library should be a fun place to come.”

An example of the touchy feely place this past month were two pumpkin painting events. The Wednesday morning toddlers were provided with pumpkins, paints and plastic aprons on October 23rd. They had a glorious time painting their pumpkins – white all over or mostly green and a few with jack-o-lantern faces. Older children painted their pumpkins one afternoon.

A bookmark contest is in the works as well as a reading program for February school vacation. Ms. Connell would like to institute a monthly family night when all the children would come dressed in their pajamas and both parents for stories, games or crafts and refreshments.

Another goal is to bring more teenagers through the door. There is a wonderful collection of books for young adult readers. There may be, at some time in the future, “Java and Jam” sessions for teens.

In the meantime, Semper Fidelis has adopted the Children’s Library and will be painting, making curtains and finding playtime rugs for the area.

Other volunteers are busy labeling books with call numbers, making sure they all have card pockets, reading to children during story hour and anything else they can do to help.

Letters have been sent to schools inviting classes to come visit the library. Some classes and Girl Scout troops have already visited for stories and/or crafts. “Whatever they request, we do.”

A basic need right now is new books for the children. The Curious George campaign was very successful with every one of the titles being donated, but this is just the beginning. The Friends of the Library also have sponsored a Dr. Seuss campaign and a non-fiction campaign, and dedicated the proceeds of April’s Library Lunch to children’s books. There are still shelves to be filled with current fiction, picture books and reference books for toddlers and preteens.

These are but a few of Ms. Connell’s ideas and plans for the future. She says, “Every day when I go home, I think how much I love my job.” We are fortunate to have a Children’s Librarian with this amount of enthusiasm and energy.

MEET A LIBRARY VOLUNTEER

By Corrilla Hastings

Almost daily during the last two months, Phraba Charma has been volunteering her time at the library, performing a variety of tasks and making many new friends of all ages. On one occasion she accompanied Katherine Connell to the Bloomfield Elementary School where she told the children about India and its culture.

Phraba has been visiting her brother, Dr. Krishna Bhatta, and returned to her home in India on October 29.

Although sad to say goodbye, the Library staff expects to keep in touch with her via email. “She is a very gracious lady, helpful, knowledgeable, and very much likes working with kids,” said Library Director, Blynn Currier. Thank you, Phraba, and we hope you’ll visit again some day.

PLAY A HUGE SUCCESS

On October 11, Anna Freeman’s play, The Trouble With Books, brought in $990.50 to benefit the Skowhegan Free Public Library. Despite its being a holiday weekend, well over a hundred people gathered to watch the fun on stage.

Herb Paradis made a convincing if “unorthodox” judge. Veronica Wright was a passionate Chairman of the Friends of the Ebenezer Stone Library. Cheryl Seamans was hilarious as the Courtesy Custodian of the First Coast Breeze Bank. (She just happened to be working in the hall when the villain was conferring with the banker.) In fact the whole cast did a wonderful job of portraying their characters. Ezra Freeman as bailiff, Iver Lofving as City Attorney Frank Lean and Rick Bonneau as Police Captain Henry Clay brought just the right touch of reality to the courtroom. Jeffrey Stone, the villain of the piece, was masterfully portrayed by Chris Wright. Mickey Powers and Rean McGinley admirably filled the parts of Gamble Potts, President of the First Coast Breeze Bank, and Gordie Lancaster, First Selectwoman. Richard Roberts as Lawrence Jives made a very proper butler. Carla Burnham brought just the right touch of blushing maiden to the part of Librarian Laura Hill. Bob Lovelace made a fine hero, busting into the courtroom at the last minute as retired Head Librarian Brewster Dunlop.

The star of the show was Mary Stuart who played the part of Edith Stone. This normally vigorous lady displayed as convincing a case of advanced arthritis as we’ve ever seen. Her back was bent. She needed a cane to hobble around with. Even her finger, as she pointed it angrily at her son, was bent as though it were deformed by the disease.

A rousing thanks goes to the actors who all spent so much time and effort in getting their parts right. Many of them also sold tickets and set up and took down chairs. Their only pay was a piece of homemade pie and a cup of coffee. All in all, the play was a rousing success, but it wasn’t only the actors who were responsible. A great many people made the evening possible. Anna Freeman generously donated her time and expertise to write and direct the play. Milt Christianson contributed the poster and program art. Nancy Warren produced the posters and programs. The Skowhegan Town Office printed the programs and posted the play on their sign as well as acting as ticket agents. The Skowhegan Information Booth also displayed the play on its sign. Boynton’s Greenhouse, The Blueberry Cupboard, Spice of Life and the Skowhegan Free Public Library sold tickets. Kathy Hughes, Corrilla Hastings, the Library and Marcia Granville donated door prizes. Matthew Moore gave up part of his evening to round up chairs from upstairs and other rooms. Thank you everyone. Special thanks go to all the ladies who baked pies - members of Semper Fidelis, North Comville Ladies Aid and many others. Without the help of Linda Powell, Jan Downing, Dottie LaCasse and the rest of the kitchen crew, the pies wouldn’t have been rounded up or served. Thank you folks. Finally, thank you to the Centenary United Methodist Church for allowing us to use your facilities so often.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The Library is seeking volunteers for:

1.Audio book bibliographies, annotated

2. Video tape bibliographies, annotated (Children and Adult)

3. Typing catalog cards for paperbacks (Children’s section)

4. Typing and installing call numbers on materials (Adult section)

5. Summer reading program

6. Photocopying obituaries from History House

* Right now we are looking for volunteers to work at both circulation desks while the staff has a working lunch on the third Tuesday of every month. The time involved would probably be about 1-2 hours. Training will be provided.

If you are interested in any of these jobs, please call Blynn Currier, Library Director, at 474-9072 or Kathy Hughes, Volunteer Coordinator, at 474-8969.

Correction:

We wondered why people were condoling with us on our “unsuccessful” Lawn Sale, until we checked the last newsletter. The amount raised was $965.98, not $65.98! Oops! Incidentally, material is already being accepted at the Hastings’ barn for next May’s sale.