York Public Library
July 2020 Newsletter
We are pleased to announce our next phase of reopening:
 
Starting July 14, 2020, we will expand curbside hours, resume interlibrary loans, and make our computers available by appointment. 
  • Curbside pickup will be from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM on Wednesday evenings. 
  • Computer appointments will be 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM on Wednesday. 
  • Our staff will be available by phone between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM Tuesday through Friday.
To make an appointment to use the computer, please call the library to set up a time. We will have four time slots each hour, with one slot set aside for walk-in use each hour. Our goal will be to give as many people as possible access to computers while maintaining a clean and safe space. Computer appointments will last for 30 minutes, beginning at the top of the hour and ending at the half-hour. All patrons will need to leave at that time so that we can fully sanitize the space between users. For those who need to print, we ask that you bring correct change and leave it in a box at the front desk. 
 
At this time, general browsing and other library services will not be available. As with all patrons, those using library computers will need to request items for curbside pickup or call for reference assistance. In alignment with the Governor's order, all who enter the library will be required to wear a face mask, covering both nose and mouth, for the duration of the visit. Alternate service arrangements will be provided for those who are unable to wear a mask. And finally, please note that public restrooms will not be available at this time.
 
This first step is an important one as we assess our capacity to safely welcome members of the community into the building. With any luck, things will go smoothly, allowing us to expand hours and enable general library visits and services. Please know we are anxious to throw open our doors, but above all else we value your health, the health of our staff, and the health of our community.  
 
Minerva, our shared library consortium of over 60 libraries throughout the state, will be resuming interlibrary loan and delivery service as of July 13th. Adding more moving pieces to an already complicated environment will be challenging for all, but we are excited to resume this essential piece of library service. As of July 13, you will be able to order and request items through the Minerva system as you have in the past. Deliveries may be slower than usual as everyone gets back up to speed. Dependent on their own timelines, not all libraries will be able to participate right away, but we hope a return to this expanded network of materials will help fulfill your needs. 
 
To make it easier for those in our community who are more vulnerable, our Books on Call delivery service will expand to include those who are unable to participate in curbside pickup. Please call or email the library to find out more and to be added to our delivery program. 
 
Not sure what to read? We can help!
We would also like to emphasize our willingness to help select books for you if you tend to be a browser. All of us realize how challenging it is to decide what to read, watch, or listen to next, and we're happy to provide assistance. Simply call or email with your name and a few details about what you normally enjoy reading, and we'll put some books aside for you to pick up during curbside hours. Or you can fill out our new online form. While we can't promise you'll love every title we choose, we can guarantee we spent time thinking about you and doing the best we could to meet your interests. 
 
As we hope you already know, we are ever thankful for your kindness and support over this period of uncertainty. We truly appreciate your patience as we work through our process to reopen in the safest possible way. We look forward to welcoming you back into the library soon!
 
-YPL Staff
 
 
Summer Reading
Our Summer Reading Program is not just for kids! All ages are invited to join our Summer Challenge.
Just 3 easy steps:
  1. Create a Beanstack Account
  2. Register for YPL's Dig Deeper Summer Challenge
  3. Start Reading!
You will automatically be sorted into the appropriate Summer Challenge category based on age.
Log your reading, complete activities & earn points for chances to win prizes!
  • You will earn points for each day you read and each activity you complete! (June 22 - August 22) Earn raffle tickets for a chance to win REAL prizes.
  • Earn extra points for each book review you write! Book reviews will be made public. Librarians will publish your reviews using the the library policies as guidance.
  • If you prefer to stay offline, we have a paper version you can download.

Read Woke
 
As outrage, protests, and marches continue to shake our nation in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and others, we encourage our community - adults, children, and teens -  to elevate, amplify, and support Black voices. To that end, we are launching a special, ongoing reading challenge for ALL AGES in Beanstack, the online home of YPL's 2020 Summer Reading Challenge.
 
The "Read Woke" Challenge was created by Cicely Lewis, a teacher, writer, librarian, and Person of Color with a "passion for promoting literacy in nontraditional ways" at the Meadowcreek High School Media Center in Norcross, Georgia, where she works. She was recently chosen as School Library Journal's 2020 School Librarian of the Year. 
 
In the READ WOKE Challenge on Beanstack, readers earn badges for completing books written by authors of various marginalized communities. The Library will focus on one disenfranchised group each month, suggesting reads of all genres that educate about the experience of that particular community. We invite you to follow along with a book of your choosing each month, or read at your own pace, and proceed in any order you like. The book doesn't need to be from one of the lists we share; simply log your woke reads in Beanstack to earn badges that signify your commitment to exploring books with viewpoints and voices that differ from your own.
 
So what makes a book woke? Lewis determined that a Woke Book should be by and about marginalized persons, and must:
  • Challenge a social norm;  
  • Give voice to the voiceless;
  • Provide information about a group that has been disenfranchised;
  • Seek to challenge the status quo;
  • Have a protagonist from an underrepresented or oppressed group.  
 
In Lewis's words: “Read Woke is a movement. It is a feeling. It is a style. It is a form of education. It is a call to action; it is our right as lifelong learners. It means arming yourself with knowledge in order to better protect your rights. Knowledge is power and no one can take it away. It means learning about others so that you can treat people with the respect and dignity that they deserve no matter their religion, race, creed, or color."
 
Unlike our Summer Reading program, this will be a year-round Challenge - and, we hope, a lifelong habit for our patrons, our community, and country. You can register for the READ WOKE Challenge on your Beanstack dashboard and peruse the different Activity Badges you will earn. July’s focus: African American Voices.  Read more about the Challenge.
Voting Information
Voting Regulations, Absentee Ballots, and Sample Ballots
Information courtesy the Town of York. View the Voter Guide here. 
Due to restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 Pandemic, the State of Maine has postponed the June 9th Primary Election to now be held on July 14, 2020. For social distancing and financial reasons, the Board of Selectmen agreed to postpone the May 16th Town of York Budget and Special General Referendum Election to be held concurrently with the State Primary on July 14, 2020. 
 
Any United States Citizen of at least 18 years of age is entitled to vote. To be eligible to vote, you must first register with the Registrar of Voters at the Town Hall or any Motor Vehicle Office. You may also register at the Polls with two forms of identification and proof of residency. In order to vote in a Primary Election, you must register as a member of one of the political parties. Absentee Ballots are obtained through the Town Clerk. The polling location is York High School.
 
How do I register to vote?
Complete a voter registration card in the Town Clerk’s office and submit to the Registrar of Voters (also in the Clerk’s office). At that time you will need to provide a Maine Driver’s license with your York address or two utility bills that show your name and physical address as proof of residency. The Maine Voter Registration Application may also be found here.
 
Application for Absentee Ballots
Due to Covid-19 precautions, the easiest way to vote by absentee will be by completing an application for absentee ballot and mailing it to: Town Clerk’s Office, 186 York St., York, ME 03909 faxing it to: 363-1009 or e-mailing it to: townclerk@yorkmaine.org Upon receipt, the Town Clerk’s Office will send you a ballot. Vote, sign your envelope, and return by mail. 
 
How do I vote by Absentee Ballot?
Absentee ballots are available thirty (30) days prior to an election. During that period you can:
• Vote in the Town Clerk’s office
• Call the Town Clerk’s office and request one be mailed to you
• Obtain one in person at the Clerk’s office for yourself and/or an immediate family member and vote at home
 
You will be required to complete an application for each ballot that you take out of the office. All Absentee Ballots must be in the hands of the Election Official by the close of the polls on Election Day in order to be counted. More information may be found on the Town’s website: www.yorkmaine.org, or by contacting the Town Clerk’s Office at 363-1003 during regular business hours.
 
 

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Please note:
Curbside pickup will not be available on Friday, July 3rd or Saturday, July 4th.
 
 
ADULTS
Online Meditation
Wednesdays, July, 1, 8, 15, 22
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
In partnership with area practitioners, the Library is pleased to offer a weekly meditation program this month with sessions led by Maia Rizzi and Avi Magidoff alternately. This program is free and open to all ages and abilities. Dress comfortably. No prior experience needed. This program will be available on Zoom and you can access the direct link from our website just prior to each session.
 

KIDS

1000 Books Before Kindergarten
The goal is easy. The rewards are priceless. Read 1000 books before your child enters Kindergarten. You may repeat books as many times as you wish. Register for the York Public Library's online program and track your progress using Beanstack. This program is for children birth - preschool age.
 
 
TEENS
 
YOUNG ADULT (YA) VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer from home! The library is closed, but we still need your help.
Do you love the library? We are always looking for great young adult (5th – 12th grade) volunteers to join our team. There are lots of fun ways to volunteer your time and give back to the community at York Public Library, even while the library is closed.
 
Ways to Volunteer:
  • Reviewers – Help people hear about books you like or review a book we pick for you!
  • Create Social Media Bites – Help us connect with the community!
  • Bucketeers – Make craft kits for kids!
  • Agents – Spread the word about our incredible community library!
  • Tutorials – Showcase your talents!
For more information please see our website.
 

 
 
York Public Library
15 Long Sands Road
York, Maine 03909
207-363-2818
www.york.lib.me.us
 

 
 
 
 
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