Category Archives: Libraries

Libraries

October is National Family History Month

Leave a comment

Did you know that October is National Family History Month? Well, in Australia it is! I’d like to take advantage of that fact to remind you that Ancestry.com (AncestryLibrary) is available for free at the Long Island Community Library, using one of the library computers or the Wifi: Ancestry Library Edition Resources. This is a great way to get started on your family history, or try to find that elusive family member (perhaps the black sheep) in your family tree. Genealogy was prominent this summer on Long Island, with the wonderful exhibit that the Long Island Historical Society put on about the Murphy family. Cheryl Nickerson Nutter did a fabulous program about her research for the exhibit, as well as pointing out some great resources. Stay tuned for more genealogy programs in the future!

Gaylord, a source for archival materials, offers “My family history kit” to get you started on housing your family treasures. The Gaylord Archival® My Family History Kit includes all the materials needed to start collecting and recording family history and genealogy. Use the 15-generation pedigree chart to plot your family tree. A helpful brochure provides a starting place for genealogical research and questions to ask in oral history interviews. File folders, envelopes and polypropylene sleeves provide safe storage and organization for photographs and important documents, such as letters and certificates.

As far as my own personal family history, no, I’m not related to anyone on the island. But my mother reminded me that this month both sets of my grandparents were married 100 years ago! Coincidentally, they were married one day a part – my paternal grandparents (Morton and Pansy Noble, see below) in Cleveland, Ohio (at the Old Stone Church) and my maternal grandparents (William and Anna Goudberg) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. And here I am today, working at the Maine Historical Society, and encouraging you to research your family stories.

 

 

Libraries

Symbols of love and 19th century gentility: Fans, valentines, and heirlooms from the Angell, Arnold and Dyer family of Rhode Island

Leave a comment

(from the collections of Meredith Dyer Sweet)


Just in time for Valentine’s Day, and during the time of year when we can use some extra beauty and grace in our lives, we present to you an exhibit of fans from the collections of Meredith Sweet, as well as some family valentines and items that were used by the genteel citizens of Rhode Island, such as calling cards.

Fans were used as early as 4000 years ago in ancient Egypt, and Chinese ladies used fans 3000 years ago. In the 17th century China was exporting fans to Europe, where the fans served many purposes, including offering “fan flirtation rules,” as a way of coping with the restricting social etiquette. For example, resting the fan on the right cheek meant “yes,” and resting it on the left cheek meant “no.” The fans in this collection are made of silk, cloth, and paper, and some have ivory handles and tassels. One fan is made in Japan, and another is an 1893 calendar fan. Floral designs can be seen, as well as an elegant black and gold fan.

The valentines range from 19th century to early 20th century, including valentine postcards and moveable valentines. Family valentines are represented (Meredith and her brother Jerry sent cards, and there is a card “sent to Arthur by Aunt Emily when he was a little boy”), as well as valentines sent between friends (Meredith exchanged valentines with Long Island’s Gail Wood). One charming valentine contains this verse: “Hustle! Mr. Bachelor get yourself a wife, there’s nothing in this world thus half so sweet, you’re wasting half your life.”

Finally, in the exhibit can be seen a pair of delicate black hand mitts, which allowed a woman to do handwork, as well as show off flashy rings. A calling card which belonged to “Mrs. William O. Dyer” is clasped in a metal hand clip – another way to showcase how polite society handled visitors in the 19th century.

For more information on the history and language of fans, see:
http://www.angelpig.net/victorian/fanlanguage.html
And valentines at the Maine Historical Society:
https://www.mainememory.net/sitebuilder/site/229/page/488/display?use_mmn=1
Calling card etiquette can be found here:
https://hobancards.com/calling-cards-and-visiting-cards-brief-history
Significance of gloves:
http://www.fashionintime.org/history-gloves-significance/

Long Island Community Library
The exhibit is open during library hours
in the small meeting room glass case

Libraries

“Away in the manger” : ceramic nativity set by David Singo

Leave a comment

Just in time for Advent, we present to you a new exhibit showcasing a ceramic nativity set made by David Singo in 1980.

And just in time for St. Nicholas’ Day (December 6) we include a ceramic Santa, also made by Dave in 1980.

Long Island Community Library
Small meeting room glass case
The exhibit is open during library hours

Libraries

Knit for Your Neighbors – Sit n’ Knit

Leave a comment

How’s this for a great idea?
Yesterday, at the Portland Public Library, they had a gathering of knitters, to kick off an initiative to knit items to keep people warm, such as hats, mittens, and scarves. So, gather those items you have already made, and drop them off at the Reference Desk at PPL, or make this an inspiration to gather up your needles or hooks and knit and crochet to keep our neighbors warm! (just in time for this brisk weather we’re having)

After I stopped in to PPL to check out the activities, I stopped in a downtown store to buy a candle, on my way to the ferry – the woman behind the checkout desk was knitting hand warmers, so I told her all about the PPL initiative, and gave her the hat knitting pattern I had picked up at the sit ‘n knit. She was very excited!

I love when libraries and knitting intersect* – well done, Meg Gray, the Science and Technology Librarian at PPL, who organized the activity and initiative.

For more information:

https://www.portlandlibrary.com/events/knit-for-your-neighbors-sit-n-knit/

And about collecting the items:

https://www.portlandlibrary.com/events/knit-for-your-neighbors-collection-site/

*Just a reminder that at our own Long Island Community Library, we have a group of knitters that gather on Thursday afternoons – no doubt they are knitting up items such as these for various charities. If you are a knitter (or crafter, in general), I’m sure they would love to have you join in!

Books, Libraries

Art and Soul July 21 2018

Leave a comment

The Long Island Community Library is in the midst of preparing for this year’s library fundraiser: Art and Soul. Yesterday a group of us sorted books into categories in one of the classrooms – categories include gardening, travel, cookbooks and food, biographies, history, children’s books, puzzles, and self-help books. Baskets are being created for raffling off. Annie is working away on gathering delicious food items to sell. Jeanne is hanging some beautiful artwork for the silent auction. So, mark your calendars! and come support your favorite island library.

Libraries

Comic artists: exhibit at Portland Public Library this month

Leave a comment

There is a fabulous comic exhibit at the Portland Public Library this month, up for a few more days – if you have a chance stop by! Here is more information about it:

June 1 – 23, 2018:
30×30: Comic Artists
Held in conjunction with the Maine Comic Arts Festival
Portland Public Library and Casablanca Comics celebrate the comic arts in our June 2018 exhibit, 30”x30”. Artists’ panels will be enlarged to an exaggerated size to amplify the expression and detail of each unique work, creating the experience of a giant comic strip throughout the Lewis Gallery. Though the works are non-sequential, each artist has submitted their comic book vision of a library scene—a visual love letter to libraries everywhere. 30”x30” premiers in conjunction with the Maine Comic Arts Festival (MeCAF) at Portland Public Library, a day-long celebration of comics arts and creators (held June 2nd)

Books, Libraries

Tribute to Connie Brayley

Leave a comment


Last month we lost a beloved former island librarian, Connie Brayley. For many years Connie was our Library Director, and one could often find her behind the desk on Saturday mornings. She and her husband Warren (“Dout”) were on the board for many years, assisting in any way that they could, from technical support to Art and Soul, the island’s big summer fundraiser. They were both involved in creating our island’s current library, serving on the planning committee. When Connie retired the library board named the new library’s circulation desk for her. Connie was a real lover of books, and was part of the island’s classic book group for years, including a subsidiary book group we started of classic women writers. She will be dearly missed by all of us on Long Island, and especially her fellow library and book lovers.

Libraries

“A friendly, cozy spot” : 30 years of the Long Island (Community) Library

1 Comment

As early as 1931 efforts were made to create a library on Long Island. A letter in the Long Island Historical Society archives is evidence of this. On February 10, 1931, Postmaster Everett E. Clarke wrote a letter to Mrs. Fred Demarest regarding a donation of books for a library on Long Island. Everett wrote: “We have a nice library started here and are collecting books for it by asking our friends to look around and see if they can’t find one more book they can share for our library.”

There was a small lending library in the home of Derrick and Charlotte Gibbens (where our current library director, Paula Johnson, lives) in Harbor de Grace in the 1970s. Portland Public Library would later send books to the school that could be borrowed. But it wasn’t until the 1980s that a real effort was made to create a library for the islanders. At first Alan Bernstein offered the Long Island Civic Association a 100-square foot lot at the northwest corner of Ocean and Beach for a possible library site. But by March 1988 when LICA president Francis Murphy announced in the LICA newsletter, “We have been successful, with cooperation from the City of Portland, in receiving an allocation of $2,700 of current Community Development funds for developing an island library and community center in our school building,” a committee had already been hard at work.
The committee members were:
James Dodwell and Nancy Jordan, co-chairs
Bobbie Blaisdell
Joan Hutchinson
Karen Zywiec
Kathi Lovell
Maggie Carle
Jacquie [Lunt] King

That summer an open house was held, to celebrate the new space, including fundraising for more books. Christine Caliandro established the Ernest Caliandro Memorial Fund, in memory of her husband, whose monies were used to purchase a Maine and regional collection. Bobbie Blaisdell was primarily responsible for the content of this Maine collection: she combed second hand book stores to find all the old Maine classics that we now have. Jacqui Lunt asked Portland merchants to donate office supplies, including Loring, Short and Harmon, and another business donated four colorful little chairs for the children’s corner, and a carpet. Linda Greene painted all the walls and the floor. And many folks processed the early book donations. The new space was lovely and inviting.

By December of 1988 Nancy Jordan was inviting everyone to enjoy the new library in the Long Island Civic Association newsletter. “Looking for a friendly, cozy spot to spend a winter Wednesday evening? Try the new library!” She goes on to say that “we now have approximately 2500 books ready to read… Fifteen busy volunteers are keeping the library open 4 times a week, plus providing a weekly story hour for 2 age groups and Saturday matinees. … 63 of us have library cards and we are circulating 35 books a week, not counting magazines and paperbacks. Two island organizations are using the library for monthly meetings.”

By 1989 computers became available for public use and a book discussion group was started. However, by 2001 the space so happily begun in 1988 was inadequate and plans started to build a new library/school addition. And the rest is history!

A small exhibit about the history of the library can be seen in the Long Island Community Library’s small glass class. It includes photographs, photocopies of items from the Long Island Historical Society, and excerpts from the Long Island Civic Association’s newsletters, which celebrates 30 years in the current building, where our beautiful library now stands.
Open during library hours

Books, Libraries

Tea and libraries

1 Comment

I just came across this – how exciting to combine two of my favorite things: tea and libraries ! (for a good cause)

Friend —

We are excited to partner with Arbor Teas, a family-owned organic tea company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan to create a new way of supporting libraries in the United States. You can now purchase tea for yourself, friends, family, and for your staff at your office through Arbor Teas and they will donate 10% of each purchase if you use the coupon code EveryLibrary at checkout. That means you can give the gift of tea AND give American communities the gift of literacy and learning through libraries.
________________________________________
Buy your teas from Arbor Teas this Holiday Season and use the coupon code EVERYLIBRARY to support libraries in the United States.
________________________________________
“Our primary focus is delivering the highest quality organic teas as sustainably as possible, but underpinning this is a passion to use our success to do good and give back,” said Aubrey Lopatin, co-founder at Arbor Teas. “That’s why Arbor Teas is excited to become a sustaining contributor to EveryLibrary’s efforts to rally communities in support of libraries facing funding challenges.”
Arbor Teas first partnered with the library community to support the Ann Arbor District Library’s Summer Game 2017, a points-based program that rewards reading and library use. EveryLibrary and Arbor Teas view this promotion as the beginning of an ongoing partnership which may include other charitable programs in the future.
Individuals looking to support this new partnership can shop online at www.arborteas.com for certified organic teas as well as teaware, gifts and tea-infused sweets. At checkout, enter EveryLibrary as the coupon code, which will remain active indefinitely as a means to generate ongoing funding for library campaigns. One-time and sustaining donations can also be made directly to EveryLibrary at: action.everylibrary.org/donate.

More information is available at: https://www.arborteas.com/everylibrary

Libraries

San Juan Happy Tummies Library Trip

1 Comment

So, here’s a good cause – we are so blessed on Long Island to have a beautiful library – doesn’t everyone deserve a library in their neighborhood? Julie Williams, the Librarian at Willard School in Sanford, Maine, is heading to Guatemala in June, and one of her goals is to build a library. Julie would love to have some support from folks in Maine for this wonderful project. Barbara and Dave Ramey are Long Islanders who spend the winters in Guatemala, and bring back great stories about their time there. Here is a great way for us to connect with Barbara and Dave, as well as support a good cause.

For more information go to Julie’s GoFundMe site:

https://www.gofundme.com/san-juan-happy-tummies-library-trip