March Madness

March seems to have come in like a lion this year, but we're hoping that Spring is right around the corner (today's due date: March 29th!). March is also when we observe St. Patrick's Day, and basketball fans start filling out their brackets for the NCAA basketball tournaments, or "March Madness."  Here at the Wells Public Library we have a couple of programs to entertain, inform, and help you get through the last gasp of winter.

On March 19th at 4:00 p.m. children ages 5 - 9 are invited to attend our "March Madness Storytime."  Devin has planned a fun event involving sports stories and a sports-themed craft. Devin and Kayla are also featuring some of our children's books in our first "March Madness Match Up."  Come in anytime between March 19th and April 8th and select a book in order to determine the favorite book in the children's room. 

For those interested in Irish culture we invite you to "The World of Mary O'Connell" on Tuesday, March 19th at 6:30 p.m.  Historian Erin I. Bishop, PhD will share the story of Daniel O'Connell, a young Irish barrister and politician, and his distant cousin, Mary O'Connell.  In 1800 the two began a clandestine correspondence that led to their marriage two years later, jeopardizing Daniel's inheritance.  Erin will explore through their story an intimate portrait of one woman and her family, providing us with a panoramic view of the fascinating social and domestic life of the 19th century Irish Catholic middle class.  Although I have an avid interest in history, I don't know much about Irish history, so I'm really looking forward to this program.

As always, these programs are free of charge, and are made possible by the Friends of the Wells Public Library (the Mary O'Connell program is co-sponsored with Wells-Ogunquit Adult Community Education).  Registration is not necessary.

A Celebration of Reading

March 2 marks the birthday of Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.  Since 1997 the NEA has marked this date with "Read Across America" events in schools, libraries, and museums as a way to celebrate and encourage reading.

Here in Wells, Maine, the Wells Elementary School hosts a Celebration of Reading Day on the first Friday in March.  Guest Readers are invited to visit a classroom and read some of their favorite books to the students.  It's a day I always eagerly look forward to; the only problem being deciding which of my favorite books I would read.

Today I read to a great group of students in Mrs. Guerrette's 4th grade class and selected an excerpt from The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  The Little House books were childhood favorites, and for many reasons The Long Winter is one of my favorites.  It recounts the events in the Ingalls family during the winter of 1880-1881, and how they nearly starved due to the fact that the trains couldn't get through with supplies (to read more about that winter, click here).

My favorite part of the book is towards the end.  It's April, and the blizzards continue to rage on. The family is subsisting on coarse brown bread, and is burning hay to keep warm.  Laura is dragging through the days of cold and hunger and darkness, but Pa keeps up a positive outlook for his family.  "It can't beat us!  It's got to quit sometime and we don't.  It can't lick us.  We won't give up."  Laura goes to bed a bit more optimistically, and in the middle of the night, 

"Laura heard the wind.  It was still blowing furiously but there were no voices, no howls or shrieks in it.  And with it there was another sound, a tiny, uncertain, liquid sound that she could not understand...The little sound that she heard was a trickling of waterdrops.  The eaves were dripping.  Then she knew...The Chinook was blowing.  Spring had come.  The blizzard had given up; it was driven back to the north."

Every year about this time, I start to feel a little like Laura, thinking that I can't take much more of the snow and the cold and the dark.  But then, one day I leave at 5:00 and it's still light out.  The crocuses start peeking up at the edge of my foundation.   The wind still blows, but it's warmer and gentler, and the giant snowbanks in my backyard start to recede. Whenever the winter starts to feel a bit too long, I think of the Ingalls family, and appreciate the fact that despite the blizzards, I still live in a nice, warm house, and can get whatever food I need.  It also helps to remember that just when winter feels like it's gone on too long, the Chinook appears and takes it away.

I want to thank Mrs. Guerrette and her students for listening to me today.  It was a great pleasure to share one of my favorite books with you and to  remember that spring is just around the corner.

Valentines Day at the Library

Earlier this week I was looking at another library's website and I saw that they are doing an event called "Blind Date with a Book." A few minutes later Kayla came up to me and told me about this thing called "Blind Date with a Book."  After a bit of research we discovered that many libraries across the country are doing this in celebration of Valentine's Day.  It sounded like fun, so we thought we'd try it, too.

So, we have pulled several books from our shelves representing a variety of genres.  We wrapped them in pink paper so that you can't see the title or author, and have set them on a table near the front entrance.  All you have to do is choose a book, take it to the desk and check it out.  When you get home, unwrap your "date," and start reading.  

It's a great way to read a book that you might never have selected .  Who knows, you may discover a new favorite author.  And if the book doesn't grab you, no worries, just bring it back.  We'll keep this display up through Valentine's Day, so you'll have an opportunity to have more than one date if necessary.

For children we have planned a special Valentine's Day event.  On Thursday, February 14 we will have a special Valentine's Day Storytime at 4:00 p.m.  There will be themed books and an opportunity to create some beautiful cards and crafts.  No registration is necessary for this program, which is for children ages 5-8.

And while not directly related to Valentine's Day, there is one event coming up next week that you won't want to miss.  On Thursday, February 8 at 6:30 Kayla and I will be repeating our "Journaling through Art and Words" workshop.  We will provide writing prompts, to help you get started writing your family story, and then Kayla will teach some special art techniques to make your journal special.  Please bring a blank journal of your choice; all other art supplies will be provided.  If you're interested in this program, please contact the library at 646-8181.

The Mother of My Invention

Tomorrow evening the Wells Public Library is pleased to present author Patricia Taub, who will be discussing her memoir entitled The Mother of My Invention.  Taub, a former journalist and family therapist, describes  the last two years of her mother's life, and along the way relates the difficult relationship the two shared during Pat's lifetime.

Taub is the story of a daughter who was finally able see her mother in a different light - as someone who faced many struggles and challenges, and coped as best as she could.

The Mother of My Invention is a book that can help all daughters to see their own mothers as real people with real problems, and that what we can learn about them might help us to live better lives.

The program starts at 6:30, and registration is not required.  For more information please call the library at 646-8181.  We look forward to seeing you for what should prove to be a most enlightening talk. 

Talking about Books

The book I'm reading right now is The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas.   I've been a fan of Dallas ever since her first novel, Buster Midnight's Cafe.  I read Persian Pickle Club when it was first published in 1995, but I'm re-reading it in preparation for next Tuesday's Book Discussion Group.  

Cheryl Mills facilitating a lively discussion

The Wells Public Library currently hosts two Book Discussion Groups; our evening group has been meeting for about 6 or 7 years, and last fall we launched our afternoon group.  I have to say that Book Discussion day is my favorite day of the week.  What could be better than spending a pleasant couple of hours in a library talking about books with a group of people who enjoy reading as much as I do?

We co-sponsor the groups with Wells-Ogunquit Adult Community Education, and the Director of that program, Cheryl Mills and I work together to plan the discussions.  We try to select books that will appeal to a number of people, taking in to consideration such practical matters as availibilty of titles and length of the book.  Most of the books are contemporary fiction, although we also try to include a classic and a non-fiction title.  from time to time. We try to ensure that enough copies are available in the MINERVA online catalog in a variety of formats - audio, regular print and large-print.

Cheryl and I also share the responsibity of facilitating each discussion, spending extra time preparing for the group by researching background information and preparing questions for discussion.  During the discussion the facilitator is not only there to ask questions, but to make sure that everyone has a chance to participate and that the discussion doesn't stray too far off topic.

Occasionally one of the members will let me know they aren't going to be there because "I just didn't like the book."  I always encourage them to come anyway, because it's interesting to get that different perspective.  Some of our best discussions have been when there are dissenting views on the book, and one of my favorite discussions was a couple of months ago when I immensely disliked a book that everyone loved.  It's great seeing people get passionate over stories and ideas, and I find myself re-energized after every discussion.

We invite all of you to join us and see for yourself how invigorating a Book Discussion can be.  For more information about dates and times as well as a list of the upcoming titles, please visit the Book Discussion page of our website.

 If you would like more information just  give me a call - 646-8181.

Hannah Hill's Sampler

In 1985 the library received a very special  donation from Leonard and Barbara (Hill) Berry of New Castle, New Hampshire.  Most of you are probably familiar with the large Grandfather clock that stands next to the Check-out Desk; if not by sight, then by sound as it chimes (mostly) on the hour.  

But very few people are aware of the framed sampler that hangs in the Director's office.  This sampler was made in 1827 by twelve-year-old Hannah Hill, who lived in Wells with her family.

From January 12 through March 2 you will be able to view this lovely sampler at the Saco Museum as part of its exhibit "I My Needle Ply With Skill": Maine Schoolgirl Needlework of the Federal Era.  Along with the exhibit, the Museum has planned several related programs, including a "Stitch In" by the Embroiders'  Guild of America, and "Stitching for Beginners and Beyond.  For more information about this exhibit, please visit sacomuseum.org.

IN March, after the sampler returns  to its permanent home here in the library, if I'm in my office, please feel free to stop by and take a look at this treasure from Wells history.

A Short List of the Wells Public Library's Most Popular Titles of 2012

As 2012 winds down we're taking a look back at some of the most popular books of the year. A few weeks ago I posted some of the "Best Of" lists that abound this time of year, but now I'm going to focus on the books that were popular here in Wells.

Probably the most popular book of the year was, and continues to be, Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn. Published last June, the last time I checked there are 354 people throughout the Minerva system still waiting to read it.  Fortunately, there are over 100 copies, so the wait shouldn't be too long if you haven't had a chance to read it yet.

Other fiction titles that were popular in 2012 include Mission to Paris by Alan Furst, Defending Jacob by William Landay, The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman, A Wanted Man by Lee Child, The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny, Home Front by Kristin Hannah, Lone Wolf by Jodi Piccoult,and Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand.  The Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, and Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead were popular this summer. Janet Evanovich's two books,Notorious19 and Wicked Business were also popular, as were the several books published by James Patterson this year.  And we can't forget the enormous popularity of the 50 Shades of Grey series by E.L. James.  

Nonfiction titles that were popular this year include the memoirs When We Were the Kennedys by Maine author Monica Wood, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed, and Lots of Candles Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen. Other popular memoirs were Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling, and Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson. Another non-fiction book,  Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain has been growing in popularity since it was published earlier this year.

These are only a few of the thousands of books checked out this year; we'd love to know what your favorites were in 2012.

Happy New Year, and here's hoping that 2013 brings you health, wealth, and a few more good books to read.