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January 2026 |
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Welcome to 2026! The beginning of a new year is always an exciting time as we gaze ahead to the future of Dyer Library/Saco Museum. Stay tuned in coming weeks and months to hear about new projects, long-term planning, and opportunities to learn, to connect, and to contribute.
Our January calendar is full of programs to pique your curiosity and and keep you (and your kids!) busy while the temperatures drop outside! Whether you'd like to hear about the great outdoors, build a blanket fort with your family, or find a new book club, we've got something for you. Winter in Maine is also a wonderful time to rest, to recharge, to reflect - and to curl up with a good book!
You might notice that some of our programs now ask for, or often require, registration. We use this information to make sure we have enough supplies for everyone to particpate--so please register! It's easy to do it yourself (and to cancel if your plans change) but you can give us a call if you need any help getting started. |
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As we ring in the new year, we'd like to thank everyone who made 2025 such a success, from our weekly shelvers to our book sale volunteers to our Festival of Trees designers and beyond. We couldn't do it without YOU!
With love, Dyer Library/Saco Museum staff. |
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Thanks to our amazing community, the TREX® Recycling Challenge collection has been an incredible success! Together, we have helped DLSM collect over 10,000 pounds of plastic, earning 11 TREX® benches that have been donated to community organizations throughout Saco. We are thrilled by your enthusiasm and commitment to keeping plastic out of landfills!
And now, an important update: With updates to the TREX® Recycling Challenge program, the library will no longer collect plastic on-site starting in January. But don’t worry—you can still recycle your plastic film and bags by dropping them off directly at participating locations, listed here! |
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Local author Rand Clark will join us on Thursday, January 29th at 6:00 PM in the Deering Room to talk about his book "The Appalachian Trail, God, and Life". The evening will include slides from his journey along the storied Appalachian trail and anecdotes from his book. Clark will be available for book signings after his talk.
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Whether you love to cook, love to eat, or just want to spark your culinary curiosity, join our Cookbook Club! We’ll meet monthly to discuss and try recipes from different cookbooks and build community. Our first meeting will be on Saturday, January 17th from 11:30AM-12:30PM.
For the January meeting, please bring a dish from your favorite cookbook to start the conversation! We’ll pick the next selection as a group at our meeting. Please visit the events calendar on our website to register so we can get an idea of the number of people attending! |
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Join us for a special book club hosted by Melissa Milem with Southern Maine Agency on Aging. Using novels as a starting point, we'll meet to discuss the books and connect with others on topics related to aging, caregiving, and everything in between.
On Tuesday, January 6th from 1:00-2:00 PM we'll be discussing The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. This historical fiction novel follows the stories of two sisters in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, focusing on their different paths to survival and resistance, inspired by real women's stories. Need help getting a copy of the book? Please let us know and we'll order one for you!
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Saco Bay Garden Club: Member Cameos
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Dreaming of spring and planning your plantings for 2026? Join Saco Bay Garden Club on Thursday, January 8th at 6:00 PM to hear from members about their own gardens! SBGC meeting to follow.
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Whitney Blethen, Community Engagement Manager from University Credit Union, will join us on Tuesday, January 27th from 1:00-2:00PM as she presents "Setting Your Financial Goals for the New Year". This financial literacy workshop will focus on budgeting, understanding and reducing debt, and planning ahead.
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Just in time for early February, join us for the comedy classic Groundhog Day on Monday, January 26th at 12:15pm! We'll provide lemonade - please feel free to bring a lunch or snack to enjoy while watching the movie on the big screen in the Deering Room.
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Tween Crafternoons |
Firsrt Mondays, January 6th, 2:30 pm | Deering Room |
Get creative with our monthly Crafternoons on the first Monday of every month! We provide the supplies—you bring the imagination. Have fun, make something, hang out with friends. Ages 10+. No registration required. |
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Early Release Day Movies |
Early Release Wednesdays (Saco Schools) - January 14th & 28th 12:30-2:30 PM |
Deering Room | Unwind after the short school day with a movie screening just for kids! We show a kid-friendly feature film on the big screen, complete with popcorn and good vibes. For ages 9+, or younger with a caregiver. |
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Toddler Drive-In Movie Morning
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The meeting room will be transforming into the Dyer Drive-In movie lot on Saturday, January 17th at 10AM for a special preschool event! Young drivers will decorate their own cardboard box vehicles, cruise around the library, and park for the show. Children will create their very first license plates, make sure their cars have just the right number of wheels, and add fun accessories like antennas and colorful trim. Once the cars are ready, we’ll enjoy a short animated version of a favorite children’s book on the big screen. For ages 0-5 and their grownups. Registration required.
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Fort Night at the Library
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What could be better than building your own fort? Building a fort at the library! Join us on Thursday, January 22nd from 6:00-8:00 PM for a glowtastic Blanket Fort Bash. Bring a sheet or two, flashlights, and the whole family—we’ll provide reading materials and “walking s’mores” to enjoy. Registration required.
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Spectacular Stuffie Sleepover
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Do you have a stuffie that you think needs to make some new friends? Do you just know it would love the library? Good news! Ms. Megan’s story time friend, Simon the bear, is hosting a Stuffed Animal Sleepover at the library on Friday, January 30!
How It Works: You’ll drop your stuffie and registration form (available in person or on our Events Calendar) off anytime on Friday before 5:00, and you’ll pick them up on Saturday morning between 10am and 12pm. We’ll make sure to take lots of photos of all the fun Simon and the stuffies have overnight, and we’ll have a slideshow to share with you so you can relive all of their adventures! Registration required.
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Join our new Tween Book Club! At our first meeting on January 29th at 2:30 PM in the Library Board Room, we’ll spend time talking about whatever you’re currently reading - whether it’s graphic novels, fantasy, historical fiction, realistic stories, or something else! After sharing what you love, we’ll vote together on books to read this year from the Maine Student Book Award nomination list. We’ll meet once a month to discuss our book, eat snacks, and do games or activities to bring the stories to life. All tweens ages 10+ are welcome! Come swap recommendations, make new reading friends, and explore great books together. Registration required.
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Click on the book cover to be taken to its MINERVA listing, where you can request the book even before its release date, when possible!
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The First Time I Saw Him |
Laura Dave |
A gripping, rich, and deeply evocative novel about the power of forgiveness, The First Time I Saw Him picks up right where the epilogue for The Last Thing He Told Me left off, giving readers the eagerly awaited and absolutely exhilarating sequel to Dave's global blockbuster
Releasing January 6. |
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My Husband's Wife |
Alice Feeney | One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.
My Husband’s Wife is a tangled web of deception, obsession, and mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. Prepare yourself for the ultimate mind-bending marriage thriller and step inside Spyglass – if you dare – to experience a story where nothing is as it seems.
Releasing January 20. |
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Woman Down |
Colleen Hoover | In this twisty thriller, a frustrated author looks for her muse in a remote hideaway, but what she finds defies all expectations…and reality.
Releasing January 13. |
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Dear Debbie |
Freida McFadden | A brand new twisted thriller that will have you cheering "good for her!".
From #1 New York Times and international bestselling author Freida McFadden comes a biting, subversive thriller about what happens when women finally choose to take justice into their own hands – with killer results.
Releasing January 27. |
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We have currently paused book donations while we clear out and organize our (very full!) storage area. We anticipate accpeting donations again beginning January 15. We appreciate your review of the book donation guidelines listed on our website!
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| Book Donations
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Also, a reminder that the book collection boxes behind the Saco Museum go to another organization, NOT Dyer Library/Saco Museum. They are great for items we don’t accept, like textbooks, manuals, and books in less-than-stellar conditions. But we would love if you saved your best books to donate to us!
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Coming Next Month: Author Talks |
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We're fortunate to have two author events scheduled in the month of February! Maine author David S. Florig will be here to discuss his new novel "Negative Peace", and local author Sheri Aube will present slides and discuss her book "A Loop of the United States of America". Visit our Events Calendar for more information! |
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Why not try joining a new book club in the new year? Traveling discussion group Lone Pine Book Club will be holding their January meeting at Dyer Library on Saturday, January 10th at 10AM and will be discussing "Where Sleeping Girls Lie" by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. Lone Pine Book Club is free, open to the public, and always accepting new members! Please contact lonepinebookclub@gmail.com or visit their instagram for more information.
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Unfortunately, our exterior Book Drop is no longer functional and we have to say goodbye. We are working on a replacement, but in the meantime please return all items inside the library. Thank you for your cooperation! |
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Closing Announcements |
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Mon: 9:30 am - 5 pm
Tue: 9:30 am - 8 pm
Wed: 9:30 am - 5 pm
Thu: 9:30 am - 8 pm
Fri: 9:30 am - 5 pm
Sat: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Sun: Closed |
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Mon: Closed
Tue: noon - 4 pm
Wed: noon - 4 pm
Thu: noon - 8 pm
Fri: noon - 4 pm
Sat: 10 am - 4 pm
Sun: Closed |
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