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Topsham Public Library is blessed to have two of the best library administrators in the State of Maine. Director Susan Preece and Assistant Director/Teen Services Librarian Cyndi Burne are great women to work for and are passionate about what they do.

In July, 2005 Susan was named Director of Topsham Public Library. Susan does it all and more. She reports to the Board of Trustees concerning the operating of Topsham Public Library. She is responsible to the town for how we utilize our resources, and she works closely with our Development Coordinator to encourage fundraising goals and opportunities. She works closely with all staff members to make sure we are living up to Topsham Public Library’s mission to be a community center for people of all ages, to communicate and receive input on any policy changes and operating standards, and to check-up on us and make sure we are doing well in all aspects of our lives. She must be a public relations master, financially accountable, and someone who can work well with others. Susan is all that.

Even though Susan spends a lot of her time working on reports or attending meetings, she can still cover the circulation desk. Susan also holds a book discussion group that meets monthly at the Highlands. She enjoys the more personable side to her work when she gets out of her office and visits with patrons and especially the children.

It is vital that a Director and Assistant Director get along with each other, and Susan and Cyndi have such a chemistry between them. Even though they don’t see eye to eye in every situation, they have a mutual respect for each other’s experience and point of view that makes them a great team.

Cyndi’s responsibilities are just as varied: she supervises staff on the director’s behalf, assists the director in implementing Topsham Public Library’s long range plan, keeps informed of developments and participates in activities of professional and community organizations, manages library operations in the absence of the director, works the circulation desk, assists with the formulation and administration of library goals, policies, and procedures; she prepares reports and manages special projects, represents the library in the community, attends meetings, serves on the interview team, participates in budget development, formulates and maintains staff scheduling, submits payroll, processes bills for town payment, handles patron billing and problems, tracks utility usage, orders supplies and tax forms, handles vendor inquiries, schedules meeting room use, organizes staff safety training, oversees all things wi-fi and internet, and much more.

Not only is Cyndi the Assistant Director, but she also is the Teen Librarian. In that capacity, Cyndi develops and organizes teen programs, maintains mail chimp and a website for teens, is a reference resource, and is in charge of collection development for the Young Adult Room.

There is so much more to libraries than just checking out books, and this series of blog posts sheds a little light on what goes on behind closed doors.

On a grand scale, Sharon’s job as Topsham Public Library’s Development Coordinator is “to create community where everyone feels welcome and connected to the world around them.” On a basic level, she raises funds through opportunities like the Business Roundtable, Whitten Society memberships and grant applications, so that staff can continue to create and build a community center for all; a center where all are welcome and have access to information, entertainment, lifelong learning, and community. These funds also help the library build a collection that meets the interests of our users, sparks enlightenment, and cultivates new ideas.

When asked about her favorite part of her job, Sharon says, “I get to witness my neighbors find new friendships, escape loneliness, and discover new things. I get to watch our staff help patrons feel welcome, find the information they are looking for, and create programs that are engaging and enlightening. I feel so lucky that I work in a place where people of all ages and backgrounds walk in wearing smiles because they’ve come home, and where the staff sing while they work because they love what they do.”

Emma and Mariah are Topsham Public Library’s fine librarians. Let me give you a peek into their world.

Mariah is our children’s librarian which means she does pretty much whatever is going on in the children’s department. She reads reviews and orders the books for the entire children’s department including the parenting items. She also works with the community at large and coordinates with the elementary schools for visits and literacy programs, and she picks the books that go in the bus book bag program.

Mariah also handles the Children’s Facebook page and runs the children’s page of our website. She plans the summer reading program, and all of the other kids programs that we host year round like the storytimes to book clubs, to drop-in art projects. That is about 150 programs each year!

There are two things Mariah enjoys the most: participating in the programs with the kids and helping young readers find just the right book for them.

As the children’s librarian, Mariah not only plans the programs, but also joins in on the action. She says, “There is nothing that immediately makes your day better than a baby laughing during the spinning rhyme, or a whole room of preschoolers hanging on every word of a story. I love the fact that my actual job includes me pretending at times to be a dinosaur. It really doesn’t get any better than that!”

When a child is looking for just the right book, or isn’t too sure about reading at all, Mariah loves helping them to find that next read. When she is asked for help in choosing a book for a child, Mariah asks the reader a few questions to gather some clues about what they like, “and then the look on their face when I find a book that they can’t wait to read (sometimes they start reading in the library and walk out the door with their face in the book), finding whatever it is that sparks their imagination and makes them curious – makes me feel so lucky,” she says.

Emma, if you don’t know who Emma is just listen for the British accent, is our Adult Services Librarian and her job entails anything that relates to providing library services to the adults of Topsham. From collection development, buying books and other materials, creating and collating online resources to organizing and presenting programs and events, answering reference questions, recommending books and helping people use technology, she gets to wear many hats in her role. She is also the “keeper” of the library’s message and voice, meaning that she oversees all of Topsham Public Library’s PR efforts including press releases, social media outlets, and our website.

There are many things that Emma loves about this job: she works with great people, she comes to the library and helps people every day, she has a wide purview that is always challenging and fun. For example, she says, “When I am at work, sometimes I am listening to Bowdoin’s Artists of Tomorrow play, or I could be engaged in a lively book discussion, and I am amazed that I get paid to do this!” Emma loves that she works in a place that is open and available to everyone from the tiniest baby to the teen to the oldest adult and they each are just as important to us. She considers this the community’s living room, “where everyone can come and hang out at a place that isn’t work or home and you don’t have to buy anything.”

Emma’s absolute favorite part of her job is choosing what books and resources go in Topsham Public Library’s collection. The community of Topsham is always at the forefront of her mind – what books do they want to read, who are the most popular authors, what informational resources do the people of Topsham need the most? Emma is thrilled when people come here and mention a book that someone suggested but they can’t remember the title or maybe they can’t remember the author or they only have a vague recollection of what the book is maybe about, and she knows exactly what they’re talking about and can show them where it is on the shelf. Emma is a firm believer in the transformative power of stories and literacy, including computer literacy, and that conviction is what keeps Emma engaged in and enjoying her work here at Topsham Public Library.

My only fear in what I have written about Mariah and Emma is that I have not explained well enough what hard work they do and the dedication these two have in their work. Emma has a Masters in Library Science and Mariah will soon to be receiving hers as well (This is her final semester!). They certainly do enjoy their work, but have no doubt, they work very hard to bring Topsham Public Library the best.

More than likely, when you visit Topsham Public Library, Dave, Dale or I will be tending the circulation desk, but we each have our own responsibilities beyond what you see us do out front. We have a good time together when working hard at the circulation desk: Dale keeps us informed about the current sports teams and various victories and defeats, Dave is a great one for dining, travel, and entertainment ideas, and I bring in English toffee, all while we check books and other materials in and out, help patrons and answer their questions, answer the phone and unpack and prepare interlibrary loans that go to and from our library, among many other tasks.

Dave is like a human database containing numerous suggestions of books and movies, but he is also our volunteer coordinator. Dave has developed a new volunteer application and a volunteer manual. Dave works with the volunteers and trains them in various procedures that they are responsible for. He also works with the staff and volunteers to maintain a schedule that is beneficial to both.

Dave’s favorite aspect of his job is speaking with patrons and offering reading recommendations. He especially enjoys British TV as “the Anglo funny-bone” fits him better.

If Dale isn’t behind the circulation desk, he is more than likely updating computers, installing new programs, fixing issues on our computers, and generally ensuring all things IT are running correctly. He also uses that IT experience to assist patrons who may need help setting up an email or learning how to download audiobooks and/or ebooks to their devices. Dale is available every Wednesday from 1pm-3pm for drop-in tech support.

Dale is also embarking on a new adventure as he is facilitating a new book group. Are there any graphic novel lovers out there? On the fourth Tuesday of every month, Read Between the Panels meets at 6pm. To find out what they are reading for December call Topsham Public Library at 725-1727 for more information.

Dale’s favorite thing to do is troubleshoot network and computer issues which keeps me from slamming my computer with the closest blunt object available.

If you are reading this blog post, you are experiencing my task. I am responsible for writing blog posts and communicating all things Topsham Public Library. I also do a bit of event planning and offering my assistance to anyone who may need it.

My favorite thing to do is to talk with the patrons. If I could do anything I want, I would own a little hole-in-the-wall diner with a long lunch counter and yell orders to the cook of all things delightful, make my regulars comfortable, and ensure everyone has a full belly when they leave. Sometimes I pretend the circulation desk is my lunch counter.

Come by and say hi and check out Topsham Public Library.

Though you may see Julie and Linda around Topsham Public Library, much of their time is spent in the offices working on a variety of responsibilities.

Sometimes people just forget to bring back library items they have checked out. It happens. Julie, Library Aide Plus, sends notices to remind patrons to return these items, and if the items are still not returned, a bill for those items is sent out. Someone has to keep track of these things, and Julie is the one to do it.

But there is much more that Julie does: if you cannot find an item in Minerva or MaineCat she can request it through Maine State Library. They may be able to find an item from a library outside of Maine. In order to use this service, the item has to be older than six months, and if it is costly to replace, Julie informs the patron because if the item is lost in the mail it still has to be paid for. Due to this, Julie likes the items that are requested to be $30.00 or less.

Julie doesn’t just request things, but she also fulfills requests from other libraries. The Area Reference and Resource Center Library is comprised of Maine State Library, Bangor Public Library, and Portland Public Library. They make 3 -4 requests a week that Julie fills with items from our collection.

Other aspects of her job include ordering supplies, cataloging magazines and deleting those that have been in circulation for a year. Julie is also our unofficial official organizer. She loves to organize and sort and clean and make tidy.

Julie’s favorite thing to do is to repair items because she can do some crafting at work. She glues bindings, tapes rips, buffs CDs, re-covers books and audio/visual items, and puts new audio books in the plastic covers. Did you know that the audio books do not come in the plastic cases? Julie does that. Those cases are expensive, but when an audio book is being loaned to hundreds of people, those cases are needed.

It’s a whole different world across the room at Linda’s desk.

Linda gathers all the information about Topsham Public Library programs coming up each month. Then she organizes the information into an article for The Cryer, and this becomes her template for information that is spread all over town via the airways and the internet. That forms the basis for everything else Linda does. Linda creates PowerPoints for each program to put on our electronic bulletin board and to go on the community bulletin board on the town TV station. She also enters the information onto several online calendars around the region, as well as maintains the calendar that is on our website, and she creates a paper copy of the monthly calendar that anyone can pick up at the circulation desk.

That Up & Coming list that everyone looks forward to–well, you all can thank Linda for that, and she is also the one who sends out the weekly newsletter and the special announcements you get via email.

Linda’s favorite thing to do involves mysteries. Annually, Linda organizes and leads an interactive murder mystery evening. About a month prior to the mystery evening everyone chooses a part to play, and they dress up according to their part, and then they all try to solve the murder. It’s a crazy evening with costumes, good food, and quirky characters.

She also facilitates the Mystery Readers’ Roundtable, a monthly mystery book group. What could be more fun than reading lots of books you like to read and then sharing them with others who love them too?

And along those lines–Linda has created a new online resource for all you mystery lovers, Mysteries Abound contains information about Mystery Readers’ Roundtable, a link to a source for all your mysteries in order, and a link for Linda’s own mystery picks. Make sure you check it out!

As I write this Saturday morning, Topsham Public Library is bursting with activity. The meeting rooms are full and people of all ages are coming and going. Many are getting stocked up for Thanksgiving weekend.

Whether you are enjoying a traditional Thanksgiving or trying something new, whether you are staying home or travelling far and wide, whether you will gather with friends and family or you will enjoy time alone, Topsham Public Library wishes you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

(Please note: Topsham Public Library will be closed Thursday, November 24, 2016, but we will reopen on Friday, November 25 at 9am.)