Email: davismemoriallibrary@yahoo.com

 
            Hello from your library.  Last month was a bit topsy-turvy for us. Both assistant librarian, Mary Braley, and #1 volunteer, Doris Powers, were gone on family trips.  Fortunately, their trips only overlapped a bit, and with careful planning and extra fill-in work by Heidi Libby, we made it through all right.  Everyone is back home now, and no more extensive trips are planned, for a while at least.
 
 
            The free-standing sign on our front lawn has finally been repaired.  Several years of Maine weather had left it in sad shape.  After removing the damaged parts of it, James Whiting, who built the sign originally, asked young Brian Harmon to re-paint the background.  After a very busy summer, Brian got the job done early last month. In the meantime, James had redone all the decorations. He came to the library one hot day, remounted the decorative bookshelves, re-did all the hours and information, and then added two big gold finials as a final touch.  Our sign is back, and better than ever!  Thank you so much, James & Brian.
 
 
            Our Fall Clean-Up Day will be Saturday, October 27th.  Since nearly everything that needs to be done this year is an outdoor job, we have a rain date of November 3rd.  The Clean-Up starts at 10am.  Coffee and goodies are provided to keep up the workers’ strength, and a lot of work gets done in a short time.  Chores include trimming bushes, raking leaves, taking down screen doors, and such.  Call or come in to let us know you can help, or just show up that Saturday morning.  You know you will be welcome!
 
 
            On September 27th, a young man from Saco Valley Community Television (SRCTV), a local community access cable channel, stopped in to ask directions to Horne Pond. He was filming various locations in town for his TV channel.  He started looking around our little library and commented on what a pretty place it was.  He asked us if we had ever been filmed for a TV feature, and we said we hadn’t. He asked if we would like to be filmed sometime, and we thought that would be nice.  Then, he told us his camera was in the car and he could do it right then!  So, with no rehearsals or preparation, he filmed and interviewed both Kay & Mary, and some of our patrons.  It made for a surprising and interesting afternoon, to say the least.  He will notify us about when the story will be aired, and send us a couple of copies so those without cable can see it too.  We are very anxious to see the library’s show biz debut!
 
 
            Kay recently put in a lot of time updating our web site.  Now all the information is accurate and up to date, and there is a list of the new books we’ve gotten over the past months. There is a history of the library and information on programs, too.  Check us out at www.davismemoriallibrary.com.
 
 
            Laurie Kelley & Bunny Libby have recently put in a lot of work on our gardens.  They thinned and weeded, and then mulched it with very attractive cocoa hull mulch, which has really improved the look of the east garden.  David Braley removed a small locust tree, which had decided to grow right in front of our south window.  In addition to blocking the window, it was scraping the eaves and interfering with some wires. Now that it is gone, Laurie & Bunny will do some work on the garden on the south side too.  Thank you, Laurie, Bunny & David.  You are making the library look much, much better.
 
 
            Last month Kay took a book repair class given by the Southern Maine Library District at the Portland Public Library.  She was very pleased with the class and is eager to put her new skills to work. We have quite a number of books that are being “loved to death” or which have various misfortunes befall them.  Having someone here who can repair our old, battered books can be a big savings for the library.  In addition to that, some older books are irreplaceable, and repairing them is the only way to keep them in circulation.
 
 
            Our Pre-School Story Hour started up again on September 13th, and is off to a great start.  We have been averaging 14-15 kids each week.  In addition to the stories, Kay has been teaching them basic craft skills, such as how to use scissors (blunt ones, of course) and glue. We adults learned these things so long ago we tend to forget we weren’t born knowing them. The youngsters are so proud of themselves for learning these skills.  They put their new skills to use making a paper plate framed collage. When Kay put on strings so they could be hung on a wall, the kids promptly hung them around their necks and went home showing off their new “wearable artwork”.  The Story Hour kids always make us smile.  Bring your pre-school age children to the library at 10:15 on Thursday mornings to have a lot of fun.
 
 
            Our book display this month will be about the earth and the various different parts of it. Every year one of the H.B. Emery classes does reports on landforms and biomes of the world and we have gotten quite a few books trying to keep up with them. We have adult books on the subject, too.  After all, this planet of ours is a fascinating place, for adults as well as kids.  Check out the display when you come in.

Library Meetings
Trustees: 2nd Thursday at 7pm
Friends: 4th Monday (quarterly) at 6:45pm
Call the Library to confirm the meeting date
Pre-School Story Hour: Thursdays at 10:15am
Red Tent Book Group: 3rd Monday at 7pm
Classics Book Group: 1st Monday at 7pm