You’ve been visiting Topsham Public Library for years. Your next door neighbor is a staff member. You bring your grandchildren to the storytimes. You knew us when we were still in the house. You think you know us pretty well, but below are 10 things that you might not know.
- Did you know we once sponsored and hosted Topsham Public Library Teen Idol? We did! It was quite popular through its run! From 2006 – 2010 an audience of upwards of 65 teens voted on 10 contestants (the contestants qualified through auditioning) to be the next Topsham Teen Idol.
- Did you know that if you are a Topsham resident, a Topsham Public Library card is free? That’s right! If you want a library card, and I don’t know why you wouldn’t want a library card, bring a photo id and a piece of mail or car registration that has your Topsham address on it, and we can get you set up. If you are not a Topsham resident you may purchase a library card for $75 a year.
- Did you know Topsham Public Library has a Books on Wheels program? If you are a Topsham resident and you have a library card, but you are unable to get out, we can deliver books to you thanks to our volunteers.
- Did you know you can borrow video games from Topsham Public Library? There are games for wii, xbox one, xbox 360, ps3, ps4. There is a limit of two games per card, and they are checked out for three weeks and can be renewed once for an additional three weeks if no one else is waiting for them.
- Did you know you can borrow binoculars from us? Yup. Binoculars, and telescopes, and fishing poles are all available to borrow. You must be a patron in good standing, and in the case of the telescope, you must have had a Topsham Public Library card for at least six months and you must fill our a survey before checking out and after checking in the telescope.
- Did you know you can get discounted passes to local attractions? Through Friends of the Topsham Public Library, you can get a one-day discount pass to either Maine Maritime Museum, Children’s Museum of Maine, Portland Museum of Art, or the Maine Wildlife Park. It’s easy to reserve your pass. Simply pick a date and contact the library to see if the pass is available. When you stop by the library to pick up the pass make sure to bring your library card. Passes can only be issued to card holders in good standing. We are only able to issue one pass a day for each attraction so if your plans change let us know so that the pass may be used by others. The pass may vary for each attraction, but they are money savers, so check it out.
- Did you know there is an online database you can access with your Topsham Public Library card? Go to our website (topshamlibrary.org) and click on “Resources & Materials” that is along the top of your screen. A drop down menu will appear, click on the “Online Resources” option. Scroll down until you see Marvel! Your library card gives you access to Marvel! Maine’s Virtual Library. Marvel! provides every resident of Maine with access to a collection of full text articles and abstracts from magazines, newspapers, journals and reference books. Some other online resources available (accessed by that same page) are Mango (learn a language), cloudLibrary (download audio books and ebooks to your device using your Topsham Public Library card), and more. Don’t miss out!
- Did you know we have an interlibrary loan service? If we don’t have an item you want, we can request it from another library and have it delivered here for you to pick up. And it’s not limited to just books – we can request audio books, music, movies, magazines, and video games.
- Did you know our programming is paid for by Friends of the Topsham Public Library? Music in March, the various children’s programming, the Joy of Art, Joy of Pen, Joy of the Lens, all these plus more would not be possible without them. Consider joining them and supporting them as they support us.
- Now, this next little unknown tidbit you can give or take. There is a mixture of feelings even amongst our staff, but did you know that there are some that think that Topsham Public Library may be haunted? So far the ghost has been friendly, spooky but friendly. A whispered conversation between two women when the library was empty of all but staff. A piano being played after the piano had been removed from the library. Books falling off the shelf for no apparent reason. Someone coughing when, again, the library was empty except for staff. I have not witnessed the spectral events, but there are some who believe.