LibraryAware Holiday Edition 2022

Holiday Edition 2022 | Library News

Message From the Director

Stone Soup

The folk tale of Stone Soup was one of the earliest picture books I remember. My takeaway was that when times were tough, people shared what they had tucked away to make a delicious life-saving soup that sustained them all. It started with a stone.

I sometimes think of our community as that village of people who are ready to step forward to make everyone's life better.

Community Connections

Santa in the Park Drive Through Has Been Moved to Wentworth

We are now ready to kick off the holiday season INSIDE Wentworth School on Saturday, December 3 from 6-7:30pm.This year's Santa in the Park event, which was planned as a drive through, is now a Santa in the School event. It will still be possible to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus! Be sure to tune into FM 105.5 on your drive over to Wentworth. Scarborough Rotary will be there to collect non-perishable food items to donate to the Scarborough Food Pantry. In addition to the Library, event supporters this year are: Saco and Biddeford Savings, The Home Depot, Scarborough Rotary, Scarborough Fire Department, Scarborough Police Department, and the Town of Scarborough.

Your Library Is a Project G.R.A.C.E. Drop Off Location
for Holiday Food Donations

Project G.R.A.C.E. volunteers will stop by the Library through the end of the month to pick up donations of regular staples and traditional holiday fixings for the Scarborough Food Bank. All shelf stable items are welcome. We thank you for your generosity at Thanksgiving this year AND we thank you in advance for anything you can contribute between now and the end of December!

Project G.R.A.C.E. Community SANTA Project Giving Tree at the SPL

So that kids around town and our neighbors have a merrier holiday, we at the Library are one of several Giving Tree locations that will be collecting traditional holiday gifts: new hats and mittens, cozy socks for kids and adults, new toys for kids of all ages, crafts and games for families, pajamas and read-aloud books, sporting goods, shampoo and hygiene items, and spices for the food pantry. Grocery gift cards to help a family or senior stretch a tight budget; retail cards for coats, boots, and pajamas for kids; tickets to fun activities or a family night out; hoodies and modest gift cards for teens are also needed. Gifts to the Keep Our Neighbors Warm fuel fund or our Neighbors Helping Neighbors fund are also very much appreciated.

Friday, December 16 is the last day to donate a gift or gift card to Project G.R.A.C.E!

Library News

Second Annual Sketch Yourself a Merry Holiday Art Sale

The Library Sketching Group will be front and center on Saturday morning, December 3 (in the center of the Library, that is!) Stop by to meet them, see their amazing work, and do a little holiday shopping. Cards, prints of all sizes, sculpture, gift tags, fabric creations, and much more will be available for purchase. Cash and check sales only.

Scarborough Middle School students have been reading A Snake Falls to Earth. Stop by and check out a print copy or access one on cloudLibrary with no wait. Jennifer Bishop from the Middle School Library and Deanna McNamara, the SPL Youth Services Manager, look forward to welcoming family members and their middle school students on Wednesday, December 7 at 6:00pm in the Library Meeting Room!

New Community Engagement Manager Position

Lucy Norvell, our Coordinator of Programming and Communications, will be leaving her role at the SPL on Friday, December 9 to return to her professional roots. Lucy says she is grateful to the SPL community, especially program attendees and staff members, for all she has learned in three wonderful years with us. We wish her well and look forward to seeing her around since she lives right in Scarborough. Perhaps you know someone who would like to apply to join our team? Click below to review the job description that has been posted.

What's Happening in Youth Services?

The Ultimate Oreo Challenge
Early Release Day Activity - Ages 10 & up
Wednesday, December 14

Drop in anytime from 2:00pm to 3:30pm

Did you know that there are over 85 different flavors of Oreos? Have you ever been curious about the Jelly Donut Oreo or maybe the PB& J flavor but didn't want to commit to a whole package? If so, this challenge is for you. Join us for a blind taste test of 5 different Oreo flavors and see how discerning your palate is! We will take visitors on a first come/first served basis. Each group tasting will last for about 15 minutes and then the next group can enter. A list of ingredients will be supplied.

Winter Solstice Story Time
Date TBA

Scarborough Land Trust educator Kelly Pietrzak and SPL Youth Services Manager Deanna McNamara will team up once again for a special Story Time! This one will have a Winter Solstice theme. Stay tuned for details.

Monday, December 26 - Closed for the holiday.
Tuesday, December 27 - Fairy Tale Day! Drop in anytime 10:00am to 6:00pm .Come dressed as your favorite fairy tale character and participate in fun activities, crafts and a DIY Photo Booth.
Wednesday, December 28 - Finding Nemo Interactive Movie at 2:00pm. Join us for this fun audience participation showing of Finding Nemo (rated G). In our version the audience will participate through song, call-back lines and other actions throughout the show.

Thursday, December 29 - Family Fun and Games. Drop in anytime 10:00am to 6:00pm for some good old-fashioned family fun. Try out some of our favorite classic games. You supply the family; we supply the games.
Friday, December 30 - Puzzle Day. Drop in anytime 10:00am - 4:00pm. Whether you like decoding ciphers or putting together a classic jigsaw, this program is for you!

Free and open to the public. No registration is necessary.

New Backpacks Are Ready!

Denise Menard, SPL Cataloger, Abby Wilson, Summer Education and Communications Specialist for the Scarborough Land Trust, and Deanna McNamara, SPL Youth Services Manager with three Nature Backpacks that were presented by Scarborough Land Trust to the Scarborough Public Library. These backpacks are designed for families to check out of the library for day trips to Scarborough Land Trust preserves. Each backpack is specific to a property (Blue Point Preserve, Fuller Farm, or Pleasant Hill Preserve) and is themed to a specific type of animal or ecosystem. Backpack users can create art, do puzzles, and read books about nature. Come check them out!

Weekly Youth Programs

Join in the fun at these weekly groups! No registration necessary.

Note: Weekly groups do not meet during vacation.

Preschool Learning & Discovery Time: Mondays at 10:00am.
Mind Readers: Middle School Book Group: Mondays from 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Teen Advisory Board: Alternating Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:00pm
Rhythm & Rhyme: Thursdays at 10:00am (Birth to age 3)

Dungeons & Dragons: Fridays at 3:00pm - WAITLIST ONLY (Registration is necessary.)
LEGO Block Party: Saturdays 10:00 - 3:00pm

Upcoming Programs for Adults

Monday Movie Matinee
Top Gun: Maverick
December 5, 2022 - 1:30pm

Library Meeting Room

A 2022 American action drama film directed by Joseph Kosinski. It is the sequel to the 1986 film Top Gun and the second installment in the Top Gun film series. The film stars Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer reprising their roles from the original film Rated PG-13; 130 minutes.

Seating will be limited and registration is required. Call 883-4723 option 4 or email askspl@scarboroughlibrary.org to register.

Camden Conference

Global Trade and Politics: Managing Turbulence February 17-19, 2023

Live from the Camden Opera House, the 36th Camden Conference will highlight the importance of global commerce and how it impacts our everyday lives. Speakers will explore alternative ways in which the interdependence of commerce, global politics and national security could be successfully managed for both competition and cooperation. Camden Conference Member Online Registration is open now! Public Registration will begin December 5, 2022.

Camden Conference Community Events

Schedule of Talks Coming Soon!

We are changing our approach to offering Camden Conference Community Events this year. We are delighted to host one of two community events on Monday, January 23, 2023 at 6:30pm. Remarks on Our Bilateral Trade Agreement with Canada will be provided by Consul General Rodger Cuzner. During this virtual talk our Library will offer an opportunity to attend a watch party at the Library to view Consul General Cuzner's presentation in real time on the screen in our meeting room. The second Scarborough Camden Conference Event topic and speaker will be announced shortly.

New this year is a programming collaborative with four other Maine libraries: Kennebunk Free Library, Patten Free Library in Bath, Prince Memorial in Cumberland, and York Public Library. Together we will offer several virtual Camden Conference Community Events that are related to the Camden Conference topic this year: Global Trade and Politics: Managing Turbulence. A team of representatives from each library has worked hard to coordinate a wonderful slate of speakers, soon to be announced.

Scarborough Public Library patrons can benefit from assistance provided by Omolola Ochuba from the Portland office of the Maine Department of Labor right here at the Library. Make an appointment for December 13 or drop in that day to discuss search, resume & interviewing, locating a registered apprenticeship, training and education assistance, federal bonding information, and Veterans services & job search assistance. For an appointment or more information, contact the Reference Desk at
883-4723 option 4 or askSPL@scarboroughlibrary.org.

Library Groups

Recent Photos

Left: Joanna Goodridge, a member of the Library Knitting Group brings knitted critters each Saturday. These sell for $1 each to benefit the Library. Center: Librarian Hailie Posey assists Elizabeth Ann Sawyer with cloudLibrary. Right: The recent Snug It Up Weatherization Workshop at the Library.

Programs Available 24/7

Many of the Library's virtual program offerings have been recorded. You may enjoy viewing some of them during the holiday season.