What is This!?

A s we discuss the need for Library renova-tion and expansion, a common public reac-

tion is: “The Library looks just fine as it is.” The truth is, looking good sometimes takes cal-listhenic effort. Like the scenery of a play that changes to fit the script, buckets and plastic sheeting come out to protect the collection when rain pummels the Library roof. While new shelv-ing fills space once intended for quiet study, it takes a gymnast to collect a book from the high-est or the lowest shelf. Supplies have crept into Meeting Room closets, the Conference Room has become a stand-in for additional office space. Program seating available to the public is restricted by fire code. And then there is the parking . . .! This is the short story, the bare bones behind plans for expansion. We will keep you fully in-formed of the details as the story develops. A part of that story will include raising funds from public as well as private sources and having a

place on the ballot in 2006. In the meantime, we will try to work our magic behind the scenes so that your visit to the Library will be a safe and pleasurable one.

MARVEL! Research at home Many of us feel like “old hands” when it comes to using the internet for research but know that it can be a tangled , not particularly reliable, web of information. When an especially useful tool comes to hand, we know how to latch on to it. MARVEL! is just such a tool offered by the Maine State Library to all residents of Maine. Its databases provide access to the full text of arti-cles in over 29,000 journals and newspapers, as well as full text works of poetry, literature, ency-clopedias and reference works. Other services include statistical reports, com-pany financial and investment reports, and busi-ness directories. If you want to keep up on the news, MARVEL! includes over 500 US and international newspa-pers, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Times of London, Bangor Daily News, and the Portland Press Herald. Half of the research databases provide access to social, scientific and governmental resources. Mainers may also reference or check out 8000 electronic books, including the world’s classics. The print value of the all of the resources pro-vided in these databases would be in excess of $500,000 per library! MARVEL! is all yours. For access and instruc-tions for logging on, visit the Library start page and choose the MARVEL! link. Questions? Call Reference at 883-4723.

Quick Notes Take advantage of passes to the Port-

land Museum of Art and the Children’s Museum of Maine or enjoy a copy of BookPage courtesy of the Friends of the Library

Was the weatherworn staff picnic table be-

yond repair? Our thanks to The Piper Shores Wood-workers who proved that it wasn’t!

“OOPS! I forgot!” Avoid a late fee and

renew your materials by phone. (One renewal for each item unless a reserve has been placed on it.)

Which way Out? Avoid a fender-

bender. Follow the sign.

The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball.

Doug Larson

Scarborough Public Library

2006

Inventory 2005 The Library will be

CLOSED FOR INVENTORY December 29 & 30

Materials may be returned in

the book drop during this time.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Oh, mother dear, we sadly

STORY TIMES BEGIN Tuesday, January 17

and end Thursday, May 18. Kindertales ends

Saturday, April 15 There will be no Story Times

January 16, February 19 - 25, or

April 16 - 22. TODDLER TIME

Library Meeting Room Monday at 10:30 a.m. Ages 18 - 36 months

Includes nursery rhymes, picture books, stories and

movement activities. READ TO ME

Children’s Story Time Area Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

Ages 3 and up Picture books, stories,

fingerplays, songs and more. LAPSIT

Library Meeting Room Thursday at 10:15 a.m.

Birth - 18 Months Short rhymes, songs and

fingerplays make this fun for adults and children.

KINDERTALES

Children’s Story Time Area Saturdays at 11:00 a.m.

Ages 3 - 7 A thematic story time for

good listeners. Parents and caregivers, please plan to accompany your three

year old to this program.

CHILDREN’S ROOM SPECIALS

ERIC CARLE CELEBRATION Wednesday, December 7

at 4:00 p.m. Ages 5 - 8

Eric Carle’s picture books are enormously popular at the Library. Come listen to Eric Carle’s classic title, The Very Hungry Cater-pillar. Create your own tissue paper collage. Registrations are currently being accepted.

MITTENS, MITTENS

Wednesday, January 11 at 4:00 p.m. Ages 4 - 8

Jan Brett’s The Mitten is

the perfect way to celebrate this important, but often-lost, piece of clothing needed for winter. We’ll also read Froggy Gets Dressed, by Jonathan London, to learn more about what you might need for the snow. Decorate your own paper mittens and cut out paper snow-flakes to get yourself in the mood for winter. Registration begins Monday, December 19.

MAGIC TREE HOUSE Wednesday, January 18

at 3:30 p.m. Ages 7 - 12

The Magic Tree House has landed at the Li-brary. Jack and Annie can’t go on this jour-ney, so you’ll have to go in their place. How well do you know the books? Play the Magic Tree House trivia game. Participate in activi-ties and crafts based on the books: hiero-glyphic bookmarks (Mummies in the Morn-ing); moon rocks (Midnight on the Moon). Registration begins Monday, January 2.

ME AND MY SHADOW Wednesday, February 1

at 4:00 p.m. Ages 4 - 8

Groundhog Day, February 2, usually tells us if spring is just around the corner or if we have to wait 6 more weeks. We’re starting a day

early. Join us for stories about groundhogs, learn about Groundhog Day, and make a groundhog craft. Registration begins Monday, January 9.

A SERIES OF

UNFORTUNATE EVENTS Wednesday, February 8

at 3:00 p.m. Ages 8 - 12

Beware of an unfortunate upcoming event which is too terrible to read about. Join us and have an unpleasant time. Registration begins Wednesday, January 18.

BEACH PARTY Wednesday, February 22

at 3:00 p.m. Ages 5 - 12

Can’t make it to the tropics? It will be nice and warm at the Library. Join us for stories featuring the beach, try a taste of the tropics, and make sand art. Registration begins Wednesday, February 1.

PAJAMARAMA

(ages 4 - 6)

First Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m.

February 7, March 7, April 4, and May 2

Library Meeting Room Wear your pajamas!

Bring a favorite stuffed animal. Enjoy stories and crafts for

kids and parents. In case of bad weather, Pajamarama

will be postponed until the following Tuesday.

Note: There will be no Pajamarama in January.

. . . our mittens we have lost.

WINTER PROGRAM SCHEDULE

T he staff of the Library along with the Friends of the Library have come up

with a good recipe for conquering winter doldrums. Programs, entertaining and edu-cational, are on the menu.

The tracks are being laid for

another meeting of the Portland Terminal

Model Railroad Club.

Model Railroad Display

Saturday and Sunday, December 17 & 18

During Library Hours This popular presentation brings us a vari-ety of HO Scale model trains. Members of the club will share their enthusiasm with visitors of all ages.

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

Wednesday, January 18 7:00 p.m.

(Snowdate: January 24) An eye opening, heartburn inducing eve-ning! What effect does the food industry have on our health, landscape, and world economy? A teacher at Scarborough High School, the entertaining and irreverent Sean Munkasci, makes his Library speak-ing debut.

1-2-3 Organization Nation Professional Organizer

Joan Rosenberg Simply Organized!

Wednesday, January 25 7:00 p.m.

(Snowdate: February 1) Realize the benefits of Home Organiza-tion, one cabinet, one closet at a time.

“The Letter” A Film Documentary

Directed by Ziad H. Hamzeh Monday, February 6

7:00 p.m. (Snowdate: February 13)

A firestorm of controversy erupted when the mayor of Lewiston sent an open letter to the newly-arrived Somali refugees, ask-ing them to tell other Somalis not to move to the city. This award winning documen-tary explores the emotions and events that followed. African American Experience

in Maine a presentation by

Maureen Elgersman Lee Wednesday, February 15

7:00 p.m. (Snowdate: Tuesday, February28)

Dr. Elgersman Lee will speak about the history of African Americans in the cities of Portland and Bangor. She is an Associ-ate Professor of History at the University of Southern Maine and serves as the Fac-ulty Scholar for the African American Collection at the University’s Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine. She is the author of Black Bangor: African Ameri-cans in a Maine Community, 1880-1950, recently published by the University Press of New England.

“Sports Done Right” Initiative Maine: “The Way Sports Should Be”

Karen Brown, Director Maine Center for Sport and Coaching,

University of Maine Monday, March 13

7:00 p.m. (Snowdate: March 20)

Find out more about how Maine is leading the country in realigning priorities, re-vamping expectations and putting the fun back into kids’ sports. Parents, coaches and student athletes welcome.

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP Tuesday Mornings

10:00 a.m. Library Conference Room

Pull up a chair and join in the lively dis-cussion of an interesting book at the Li-brary. You are invited to attend any or all of the discussions; no registration is re-quired. A good place to share ideas and perhaps form new literary friendships. December 6 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini A successful Afghan writer returns home from the United States to rescue a child enslaved by a Taliban official. January 3 Sisterhood of Spies: The Women of the OSS by Elizabeth P. McIntosh The author was an OSS operative during WWII who became a legend for her work against the Japanese in Burma and China. After the war, she worked for the CIA. February 7 The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus In this satirical novel, affluent New York-ers view their children as little more than fashion accessories to be raised by nannies. March 7 April 1865: the Month that Saved America by Jay Winik April 1865: the collapse of the Confeder-ate Army and the assassination of Abra-ham Lincoln. A few controversial asser-tions by the author will invite debate.

Gotta Dance Astaire and Rogers, the perfect dance partners, have arrived at the Library on 5 remastered DVDs. Every era welcomes a diversion from worldly hardships, some-thing Astaire and Rogers managed to de-liver to society in the late 30s and 40s. Perhaps they can work their magic today! We invite you to sit back and watch Shall We Dance (1937), Follow the Fleet (1936), Swing Time (1936), Top Hat (1935), and The Barkley’s of Broadway (1949). Check them out! But wait, there’s more— Duke Elling-ton’s 1981 Tony Award winning musical Sophisticated Ladies brings us the lights, colors and spectacular dance of Broad-way. If you haven’t done it before, it’s time to sit back and enjoy taking the ‘A’ Train.

CAFE Visits the Library

REMINDER: Story times may be cancelled when Scarborough Schools are closed due

to weather or vacation days. Call 883-4723 ext. 433

for storm closings and program cancellations.

New & Special

ECRWSS

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE

PAID PORTLAND, ME PERMIT NO. 7

POSTAL CUSTOMER SCARBOROUGH ME 04074

SCARBOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY

48 GORHAM ROAD SCARBOROUGH, ME 04074

207-883-4723

Library Hours

Monday, Friday, and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED: Saturday, Dec. 24 & Sunday, Dec. 25

Inventory - Dec. 29 & Dec. 30 New Year’s Day - Sunday, Jan. 1

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Monday, Jan. 16

President’s Day - Monday, Feb. 20 HOW TO REACH US?

Write: 48 Gorham Road

Scarborough, ME 04074 Call: 207-883-4723 Fax: 207-883-9728 TTY: 207-883-8143

Visit our web site & catalog: http://www.library.scarborough.me.us

http://www.scarboroughlibrary.org We thank Great Works Internet for

hosting our web site.

Program Nominated for Maine Library Excellence Award, 2005. New Library members from CAFE enjoy a special Friday morning reading hour at the Library.