This is just a friendly reminder that we are closed Friday, November 11, 2016 in honor of Veterans Day. I hope you enjoy your day, and for those who have served, Thank You!
Veterans Day was established as a national holiday in November, 1938. It was originally called Armistice Day in reference to the ending of World War I. In 1954, the day was changed to Veterans Day and became a day to honor all veterans from all American wars.
If you haven’t heard the news yet, Topsham Public Library’s 2016 Annual
Report has been released! You may read it by clicking here, or by looking in the center section of November’s issue of The Cryer, or by picking up a copy at Topsham Public Library.
The Development Committee has been working on the annual report since July. They used our long range plan to think about and discuss what we hit and what we missed. They reviewed numbers – financial numbers, numbers the staff collected about program participation, services used, and numbers of patrons served, and numbers of new patrons, and all kinds of numbers. Then they organized all this information into an 8-page report with graphs and photographs and reports. As you will see when you get your copy, a great deal of time and thoughtfulness went into the annual report.
But why? Why spend so much time on an annual report? Why should people read it? The term “annual report” sounds dull and boring and sleep inducing, but Susan Preece, Director of Topsham Public Library, thinks every member of Topsham, every patron of the library, should be eager to read the annual report “because,” she said, “this is our report to the community about what we’ve done with their tax dollars.” The annual report is a way that keeps Topsham Public Library accountable to the townspeople and to those who use our services and come to our programming. The community can see and evaluate how Topsham Public Library is doing.
Not only is it a way to keep Topsham Public Library accountable, but it is also a great way to recognize all of our volunteers. Topsham Public Library receives 60-70 hours a week in volunteer support. Our volunteers are our unsung heroes and we want to give them credit and a big Thank You, so we dedicate space to them in the annual report.
The annual report is also a place we thank our donors – from Whitten Society Members to our Business Roundtable Members. These individuals and local businesses donate significant amounts of money to keep Topsham Public Library growing and accessible for all community members.
In short, the annual report is a snapshot of what is going on and gives readers a sense of what we are doing and why we are doing it.
As we were finishing our discussion about the annual report, Susan said something that I had not thought about before and I liked it. She said, “This [Topsham Public Library] is the people’s living room. We want to be as transparent as possible so that people feel comfortable to come and get the services they need and want.”
So as you’re reading The Cryer this month, pay special attention to the Topsham Public Library insert. Find out what’s happening, read about what we’ve done and what we plan to do, and know that Topsham Public Library is a community center for all, and we have something for you.
Halloween is almost here and in honor of all things scary, freaky and unnatural, here are some horrific suggestions from the staff at Topsham Public Library.
Linda does not read horror, but her idea of scary includes 1984 by George Orwell, The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin and “anything that gets me locked up in an asylum.”
Susan, is another staff member that hesitates when it comes to horror, but she suggests The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe, and Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
I, too, do not read horror. It scares me. For days. For weeks. I am haunted by the fear. I have though come up with one suggestion and that’s because I saw it on Emma’s list of suggestions (don’t worry, her list, in its entirety, is coming later) and was relieved I could offer one suggestion. My suggestion is Perfume: the Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind. The protagonist is freaky.
A few of Lynne’s favorites include Salem’s Lot by Stephen King, In the Dark of the Night by John Saul, The Strain by Guillermo del Toro, Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix, and The Restorer by Amanda Stevens.
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix also made Julie’s list, as well as It by Stephen King and House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski.
Dave’s suggestions are The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon, and Cujo by Stephen King.
Cyndi heads to real life for her sources of horror. Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic by David Quammen tops her list, and a close second is Kitty Genovese: The Murder, the Bystanders, the Crime that Changed America by Kevin Cook for “the example of a group of people ignoring the obvious distress of another human being for a prolonged period.” But even Cyndi can’t escape Stephen King’s genius when it comes to scary as she completes her list with It.
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski tops Emma’s list followed by: Night Shift by Stephen King, Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oates, Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix, Perfume: the Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind, and The Lottery by Shirley Jackson rounds off her list.
And last, but certainly not least, Helen’s list is comprised of Stoker’s Manuscript by Royce Prouty, The Graveyard Apartment by Mariko Koike (and she notes this is one of our new books), Omega Days by John Campbell, and Terminal Freeze by Lincoln Child. I find Helen’s list interesting because Stephen King is one of her favorite authors, and yet, she does not have one of his books on her list. Of course, Helen had to be stopped when I asked her for suggestions, as she could go on and on and on and on. Helen loves horror.
Have a Happy Halloween and be safe!
Over Columbus Day Weekend, I headed north for a few days. I love heading north. I like the quiet and the beauty and harshness of nature. I am totally unplugged up there – no phone and no internet. There is electricity but no running water in the camp. It’s a very simple life. A life less cluttered.
The scenery was exceptional. I thought with the lack of rain that the leaves would be dull, but those red and yellows popped and the evergreens gave everything a depth to it. I am sharing a few pictures, taken by my sister, Laurie, that don’t do the views justice but will give you an inkling of the beauty of fall.
Naturally, I took a book with me. Well, to be honest, I took five books with me. My brother, Tim, made an attempt to convince me to leave one or two home – we were only going for three days – but I would have none of it. What if I didn’t like one?
I chose The Light Between Oceans by M.L.Stedman to start my weekend reading. I fell into the story from page one. This book has been popular at Topsham Public Library, and I wanted to read it before I saw the movie adaptation, and I was not disappointed. I am not spoiling anything by saying that much of the story takes place on an island only inhabited by the lighthouse keeper and his family. In the northern Maine setting, I was able to imagine the cut-off feeling of being the only family living on a remote island. Certainly, it was not the exact same thing, but it was a little bit closer to that feeling of solitary living.
When I wasn’t reading, I was visiting with relatives or walking in the woods with my brother and sister. This photo was taken on one of those walks. We were surprised by two Moose calves coming out of the woods a few hundred feet in front of us. They gave us a look and then sauntered on their way. We never saw the mother, but a little while later, I spotted the bull moose on our left. Can you find him? (Click on the picture and it will show you a larger version.)
I hope you get out to enjoy some of this beauty before the cold arrives.
This month our Rare Reads book group discussed Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf. Do you have any other thoughts about the book? Please comment!
Are you aware this is Fire Prevention Week? Well, it is! Topsham Fire and Rescue in conjunction with the American Red Cross of Maine is providing FREE smoke alarms installed on Saturday, October 22, 2016. Registration is required – read below for details and the link to the American Red Cross of Maine can be found at the bottom of the blog post or by clicking on the flyer.
It is hard to believe Friends of the Topsham Public Library
Annual Book Sale has come and gone! Hundreds of hours are put into the book sale by many volunteers and all to support Friends of the Topsham Public Library.
Perhaps you are new to our community and aren’t quite sure what Friends of Topsham Public Library (FoTPL) is. Let me tell you. FoTPL is an organization run by volunteers that provides funding for the programming you enjoy at Topsham Public Library.
As some of these volunteers were setting up for the book sale, I was able to spend a few minutes with them and discuss the importance of FoTPL.
First, I should introduce you to the volunteers with whom I spoke. Ruth Mlotek has been with Friends of the Topsham Public Library since its inception in 1998, Kim Fletcher has been a Friend for six years, Lori Alberti for seven years, Alison Harris for nine years, and Bob and Joyce Munier for three years.
The first question I asked them was why are they members of FoTPL. The answers were summed up nicely by Joyce: “We love Topsham Public Library. That’s why we’re here.” These volunteers do so to help their community by supporting their library.
We talk a lot about FoTPL around here, but I asked them, “What does FoTPL do for the community?” They looked at me like I was balmy. Kim pointed out that FoTPL provides all the programming offered at Topsham Public Library, and Alison expanded and said the programming that libraries offer is accessible to people who may not normally participate as libraries are open to the public and not just specific segments of a community.
If you noticed, these volunteers have been with FoTPL for a number of years, and they love it, but they need more help, more families involved. So I asked, “How would you convince someone new to our community, or a young adult, or a parent, to become involved in FoTPL.” They were all quick with their responses. Ruth noted that FoTPL support the programming that many parents bring their children to; Kim said that it is a great way for parents to teach their children about volunteering; they all talked about the fun they have, that individuals decide how much time they want to give, so they can spend as much or as little time as they want, and that fresh blood brings new ideas that make an organization vibrant.
Thank you to the many volunteers for the hundreds of hours they worked to support Topsham Public Library! And if you would like to become a member of FoTPL and to contribute your time to this community organization click here.
I have always thought of Topsham Public Library as a place to go and relax and enjoy programming and find books and talk with others about books and ideas and enjoy garden spaces and check out books on gardening and get good movies and bad movies too, but as I was thinking about Banned Books week, I realized Topsham Public Library, and all libraries really, are Defenders of my rights as well. Libraries, and the American Library Association, defend our “freedom to read.”
If libraries didn’t defend our right to read and to make sure books aren’t banned, I never would have been able to read Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, or Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Green or Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien or The Holy Bible which was in the top 10 of 2015’s most challenged books.
There are some books I won’t read, and there are some books that you won’t read. It’s what makes us individuals, and that’s how it’s supposed to be. Topsham Public Library provides me with the books that I want to read, just like it provides you with books that you want to read, and it defends our right to read what we want. There are some people who will strive to control what books are available, and libraries will strive to defend people’s right to read.
Emma has a display of banned books. Are any of your favorites there?
It’s fast approaching, folks! Do you know what this weekend is? It’s the Friends of the Topsham Public Library Book Sale! If you are a member of Friends of the Topsham Public Library, there is a preview sale open to you on Friday, September 23 from 5pm-7pm. (If you are not a member and would like to become a member, you may purchase a membership at the door.) Then on Saturday, September 24 from 9am-4pm and Sunday, September 25 from 10am-2pm the book sale is open to the public. Sunday is the brown bag sale!
I look forward to this sale every year as I stock up on books I’ve already read and want to own and discover unique books or authors that are new to me. I asked members of the staff of Topsham Public Library if there were any special books that they had found at the annual book sale over the years, and here is what they said:
One of Cyndi’s favorite finds is Nightmares in the Sky text by Stephen King and photographs by F-Stop Fitzgerald. This is a collection of spine chilling photographs of gargoyles that will leave you feeling a little creeped out.
Emma’s unique find is an illustrated edition of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Not only is Wuthering Heights one of her favorite books as it is set in Yorkshire where she (and the Brontes) are from, but the book is illustrated by Fritz Eichenberg with wood engraving, a printmaking technique that Emma is fond of.
Just last year, Mariah was excited to find the ENTIRE Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. That’s thirteen books!
And Julie says, “My favorite and best pick from the book sale is the Pictorial Guide to Perennials. I look at this book all the time. I dream about some of the plants being in my own garden. I say dream because I can never find the time to actually get the plants into my garden! Or I might have some of the plants ( I can tell because the pictures actually look like my plants!) but I just wish I could spend more time enjoying them. But this book does not mess around. It has a picture of the plant, it’s Latin classification names, common names, descriptions of the plant, what kind of soil it prefers, how it ‘winters’, which zones are best for growing it, spacing of the plants and how to propagate them. That’s just some of the information it gives! It really is a fantastic book and I glad I found it at our book sale!”
As you can see from this small sampling, there is something for everyone: non-fiction, fiction, scary, educational, inspiring, and a grand selection of children’s books as well. So clear your calendars and come see us at the Friends of the Topsham Public Library Annual Book Sale!
You can find a flyer here: book sale poster 2016.
Below is an update by Jim Demosthenes about the gardens at Topsham Public Library. The gardens are maintained by a talented group of volunteers.
Our demonstration gardens behind the library are producing vegetables to help support food security needs in our community.
Last October seed garlic was planted on the keyhole garden, a round mounded garden area that includes a compost bin to naturally provide soil nutrients to the plant roots. Individual cloves were separated from the bulb and planted in the soil. 
Newspaper and straw was applied on top of the mound to help prevent weeds from growing and to protect moisture content in the soil. The cloves began to grow roots in the fall. After overwintering, the garlic began to grow green shoots out of the soil and the root system, established in the fall, began to mature. In June garlic scapes were harvested. Scapes are the flower bud of the garlic plant. They can be used as an addition to a flower bouquet, and they are delicious to eat! By removing the scapes, the plant energy is directed to the root system to produce larger garlic bulbs. In early July the green shoots began to die indicating that harvesting the garlic bulbs would need to be completed within the next few weeks. Otherwise, the cloves contained in the bulbs would start to separate and garlic storage could be compromised. In mid July the bulbs were harvested, allowed to naturally dry for several days, and then cleaned and cut. A total of thirty one bulbs were harvested. Five bulbs were set aside to replant in October as seed garlic for next year’s crop (avoiding the cost of purchasing additional seed garlic). The remaining garlic bulbs (similar to the one on display) were donated to the Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP) in Brunswick.
Within the same garden are onion plants which are growing nicely. They will be harvested in the fall and donated to MCHPP as well.
The construction of the keyhole garden (with compost bin) helps to maintain moisture and provide food for the plants. No additional watering, artificial fertilizers, or weeding was needed. This demonstration garden shows how easily food can be grown and also shows one of the many ways the Topsham Public Library contributes to the needs of the community.