As many of you know, we had an unexpected closure last week. Unfortunately, we had a water pipe burst, and as it seems to happen (at least in my experience with my house that is a fixer-upper and needs more fixing than it’s been upped) the repairs weren’t quite as straightforward as we would have liked. Though the break happened in a back corner of Topsham Public Library where the public seldom is, when a public building does not have water, the public building must stay closed.
Though it was discouraging for us to be closed, we have been so encouraged by the community’s show of support and the fact that we were missed during our shutdown. Here are some numbers that prove my point. After being closed in the early afternoon on Friday, July 1, 2016, we were not able to open again for business until Thursday, July 7, 2016. On that Thursday that we re-opened 484 people came through our doors, Friday 318 people, and on Saturday, we had 249 people enjoy our facilities. That is a total of 1,051 patrons in just three days! That is big for us.
Our community is home to many writers of all ages. One of those budding writers, Anneke Stewart, diligently worked on a poem for us while we were closed and I am sharing it with you below.
Catastrophe at the Library
by Anneke Stewart
What a catastrophe!
We can’t go to the library.
For now what will we read?
Lots of library books we need!
What keeps us away?
A pipe that will leak every day.
That large pipe must be fixed!
Our feelings toward plumbers are mixed.
The plumbers seem too slow.
To the library we must go!
It is so nice to know we were missed. We are nothing without our community, and you should know that the entire staff here at Topsham Public Library missed you too! Thank you, Topsham! Thank you, Anneke!