Friday, April 26, 2013

May Day at the Wells Public Library

It's hard to believe, but next week is the first of May.  Spring seems to be taking its sweet time getting here, but the past few days have been warm(ish) and sunny.  

The first day of May has been celebrated around the world for centuries with each culture and era observing the day in many different ways.

As a child in the Midwest our teacher had us make cone-shaped baskets  out of construction paper.  We were then instructed to fill the baskets with flowers and treats and place them on a neighbor's front step. Since then I've always enjoyed the idea of welcoming spring with flowers and celebration; especially the celebrations in Great Britain, where there's dancing around a Maypole, as seen here from the village of Lustleigh.

In some countries May Day is also Labor Day, and is observed as the International Day of the Worker.  This arose out of the Labor movements in the late 19th century, and in many place the day is marked with protests.  During the Soviet era it was a major state holiday in Eastern Bloc countries, and was observed with parades that demonstrated the military strength of the region.

Since 1958, May 1 has also been designated as Law Day here in the United States.  Not a legal holiday, it was established to "reflect on the role of law in the foundation of the country and to recognize its importance for society."

In the State of Maine, lawyers and libraries have partnered together in a program called "Lawyers in Libraries," where local lawyers visit libraries to present information on the justice system.  On Wednesday, May 1 from 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. attorney Scott Geise will be here at the Wells Public Library to give a brief talk with time to take individual questions in private.  We are asking anyone interested in this to please register by calling the library.

On Thursday, May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Owen Grumbling will be here to give a presentation on "Hitting the Trails in Wells!" Owen is the chair of the Wells Conservation Commission whose work has protected ecologically significant conservation lands that are accessible to the public for walking, hiking, and much more.  He will show you the beautiful places here in town that are waiting for you to explore.  If you want to learn more about the hidden treasures of Wells, please register for this event by calling the library.

Then, on Friday, May 3 at 12:00 p.m. marine educator Carol Steingart will be the presenter at our next Lunch and Learn program.  Her program, entitled "Green Eggs and Sand," is about the horseshoe crabs that lay their eggs on beaches along the Atlantic coast.  You're invited to bring a lunch as  Carol along with Alyssa Lyon describes the secret life of these "living fossils" and explains why they are so important in keeping humans free from disease.  We'll provide dessert and beverages; this program is sponsored by the Friends of the Wells Public Library.
 
This busy week will be capped off on Saturday, May 4th at 11:00 when artist Wyatt Barr will discuss his art which will be on display in the Weymouth Art Gallery during the month of May.  Wyatt is a Portland artist who specializes in large scale realistic portraits.  This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Wells Public Library.

As you can see there is a lot going on at the library next week.  We hope to see you soon.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Spring Break in Wells


Next week is Spring Vacation here in Wells, but at the Wells Public Library it's business as usual.

On Monday at 10:30 children ages 0-2 years along with their parents or caregivers are invited to join us for Mother Goose Storytime.  Children ages 2 and up along with their parents or caregivers are invited to Storytime on Wednesday at 10:30.

For a special vacation treat families are invited to our Piping Plover program on Wednesday, April 17th at 3:00 p.m.  Virginia Calvo and Cynthia Riley, volunteers who work to protect the piping plovers here in Wells during the spring and summer will read a book and present a craft to help us learn more about these beautiful, endangered birds.  We are requesting pre-registration, but it isn't required.  For more information, please contact Devin Burritt, 646-8181 or dburritt@wellstown.org.

In addition to these special programs, we'll be here to help you find books, information, or use our computers.  You're also welcome to come in just to read a newspaper or magazine, or to work on our ongoing jigsaw puzzle.