Category Archives: Libraries

Libraries

A fellow island library – Matinicus Island

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My bucket list includes a visit to Matinicus Island. Some people think Long Island is the wild frontier, but of all the populated Maine islands, Matinicus seems like the one that is especially on the edge of civilization.

A recent article in the Bangor Daily News, more about banned books than about the library, brought to light this small island’s tiny library. It was picked up by the Smithsonian magazine, NBC news, NPR, Portland Press Herald. One of the best articles is by author Eva Murray, on the Maine Boats website.

I shared the Bangor Daily News article with some of my fellow LICL board members, and we thought that the Matinicus Library’s experience mirrored ours, almost 35 years ago, when we started up our island library. (See our blog post about our own humble beginnings)

The Matinicus Island Library was founded in 2016, beginning its life in an 8×10 foot shed. In 2020 they added an adjoining shed. They now have a children’s room. The library is run solely by volunteers, like the Long Island Community Library. As Eva Murray says, “Matinicus is neither stylish nor convenient as a tourist destination,” which makes it all the more appealing. Hopefully they will someday welcome this fellow islander (and librarian) to their beloved island library.

For information, see their Facebook page.

Libraries

Librarians across the water

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This month brought us a lovely visit from our neighboring library, across the water – The Chebeague Island Library. Library director Chloe Dyer, and Assistant Librarian, Corie Meehan, hopped on a ferry on a late Sunday morning to pay our library and staff a visit. I (Nancy Noble) picked them up, and Paula Johnson and Nancy Jordan greeted them at the entrance to our library. We had a lovely time, showing Chloe and Corie our beautiful library, and talking with them about the history of our library, our programs, and the challenges of running a library during COVID. Our visiting librarians also had a chance to check out the crafters in the Dodwell Gallery.

Many years ago, when we were starting to get ideas for our new (to be built) library, we visited the Chebeague Island Library on a winter’s day, much like this one in December, and loved seeing their wonderful facility (see blog entry for February 2013). Martha Hamilton was the librarian at the time. Since then, Deb Bowman has been the director. Last year she retired, and Chloe was hired. I came across her name on the Maine Libraries Listserv, reached out to her, and invited her to visit our library. Most people say, “yes, sure, I would love to…” (in the summer, maybe…), but Chloe quickly set a date to come visit us. Fortunately, the weather was perfect, and after their visit to the library they had some time to explore the island, before hopping back on the ferry down the bay, back to Chebeague.

I love connecting the various islands, especially through one of our greatest island resources – the library.

Books, Libraries

Island reading in the time of Coronavirus

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If you’re a book lover  this is the prime time to be living on an island. Although our library is closed, there are still a myriad of opportunities for folks who love the written word. First of all, most of us have a “Tsundoko” – it’s a Japanese term, which refers to the stack of books on a bedside table waiting to be read. When that runs out, we can delve into our libraries to reread old favorites. Then, we borrow books from friends (social distancing, of course).

For those who don’t mind reading books on a device, you can download books through a variety of sources, including the Long Island Community Library e-books and audiobooks – see Long Island Community Library website for more information.

Beyond reading books, for those who have access to a computer, there is a whole world out there for literary experiences, as businesses and organizations in the business of the written word are expanding their offerings to the online community.

For example, here in Maine, you can attend poetry readings online such as this one at Longfellow Books’ website, which offers a poetry reading by Scott Withiam. Longfellow Books is also willing to mail books.

For the writers in our midst, there are online classes available through the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance

Maine Women Writers Collection offers a fun Instagram as well as a Quarantine Book List by Maine women writers.  Greater Portland Landmarks also offers their suggested book list

That’s just the tip of the iceberg – there are many more out there. (Anyone have any favorites?)

So, there’s no excuse, in these days of quarantine, to not be able to expand your universe beyond the walls of your home – especially through books!

Libraries

Harbingers of spring: birds from the collections of Long Islanders

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While many of us have patches of snow in our yards, and the winter wind can still bring a chill, it feels like spring is around the corner, with longer days, and occasional mild temperatures. Some folks claim to see the beginning of crocuses, and some of us have heard birdsong. In honor of spring, our latest exhibit, in the small glass case in the island library, celebrates our love of birds.

Thanks to the generosity of Nancy Berges, Florence Brown, Ann Caliandro, Henry Donovan, Penny Murley, Meredith Sweet, and Marion Ulmer, we can all enjoy seeing up-close representations of our feathered friends. Types of birds include goldfinch, bluebird, bald eagle, chickadee, penguin, seagull, orion, robin, Baltimore oriole, cardinal, crow, sandpiper, Alaska Thunderbird, hummingbird, blue jay, puffin, and duck. The birds come in all sorts of materials: clay, glass, plastic, wood, metal, ceramic, and fiber. We even have an image of a bird painted on a mushroom! One can see a snow globe and a “rocking crow.” We have a (stone) egg with nest, a birdhouse, postcards, feather (turkey and hawk), and beautiful informational cards.

Books from the LICL collection give examples of the types of books in the library collection (see 598 section for more bird books). And more birds can be found all over the library – in the new Blue Butterfield exhibit, and in a display case in the school. Once you open your eyes, birds are everywhere!

A special treat in this exhibit are pottery birds made by Lucy Donovan, a Christmas tree ornament made by Gail Wood, and a bird house made by David and Sally LeBreque.

Please come see our wonderful birds the next time you visit the island and library.

Open during library hours

 

Libraries

Mobile librarians in fiction

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There seems to be spate of novels recently about mobile librarians – that is, librarians not in the traditional “brick and mortar” library. Of course, this is nothing new – years ago Masha Hamilton wrote “The camel bookmobile,” about a bookmobile in Kenya. I recently read, “The library at the edge of the world,” by Felicity Hayes-McCoy, which is about an Irish librarian who drives a bookmobile, from time to time.

Closer to home, and more recently, one can find both “Giver of stars,” by JoJo Moyes and “The book woman of Troublesome Creek” by Kim Michele Richardson, novels centered on the Kentucky Pack Horse library service.  

In researching this blog, I came across Mary Lemist Titcomb (May 16, 1852–June 5, 1932), a librarian who developed an early American bookmobile and helped establish a county library system in Washington County, Maryland. A recent book about her, “Library on wheels : Mary Lemist Titcomb and America’s first bookmobile” by Sharlee Glenn, tells more of her story. We have Mary Lemist Titcomb to thank for this wonderful concept of bringing books to the people!


Libraries

October is National Family History Month

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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

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(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

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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

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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

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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.