The library is currently open Monday through Friday from 10:00am-5:30pm and Saturday 9:30am-12:30pm. The Children's Room and Archives are open by appointment. Please call for details: 207-582-3312.

Book Discussion

What’s Happening In The Library

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As we roll into fall, school starting, apple picking, falling leaves, etc. etc., I took a few minutes to reflect on how busy we were over the summer months.

And it has been a busy summer here at the Gardiner Public Library.  We had 18,793 people walk through our doors. That’s up from 16,489 last summer between June 1stand August 31st.  735 people attended 59 different programs in 2016.  That’s up as well – 683 people attended programs during the summer of 2015.  I wish I could give you accurate statistics about the Summer Reading Programs – both children’s and young adult – but I don’t currently have access to those figures.  From my perspective at the Adult Circulation Desk, I will say that there were definitely many more Young Adult participants this year!
So, what will we be doing this fall?  We have a variety of events in the offing.  Local author, Anne Valley is offering a journaling class – More Joy, Less Stress – journaling for perspective, peace and prosperity.  This is a six week class, on Tuesday mornings from 10:00am to 12:30pm, beginning Tuesday, September 6th.  Registration is limited, but there are still a few spaces available.  Give us a call to reserve your spot – 207-582-3312.
Miss Jenn and the Nutrition Detectives will be here for Story Time & Crafts on Tuesday, September 13th.  Join us then with your little one to learn more about good nutrition!
Tuesday, September 13th begins an eight week series – Voices of the Kennebec.  Over the eight weeks we will host several local authors, as well as a writing workshop.  Please join us on September 13th, from 7:00pm – 8:30pm as we welcome Gay Grant discussing hometown Pulitzer Prize winners Laura E. Richards, Edwin Arlington Robinson, and Robert Peter Tristram Coffin.
In October we are planning another ghost story event.  Thursday, October 27th from 6:30pm to 8:00pm we will host our community in recalling local ghost stories.  If you have a story to share, please email Kelly at hauntedgardiner@yahoo.comand she will gladly add your story to her collection.
Don’t forget – Story Time and Crafts every Tuesday from 10:00am – 11:00am, and Babies Love Babies every Friday from 10:00am – 11:00am in the Children’s Room!
We also have two different book discussion groups that meet monthly.  The Paranormal group meets the first Tuesday of the month, and our more literary group meets the third or fourth Tuesday of the month.  Each of these groups meet from 6:00pm – 7:00pm.
Fall is still young, and I’m sure we will add several events as we discover them.  Keep your eyes open to posters in and around Gardiner, and we’ll see you in the library!
Ann Russell, Technology Librarian

Meet The Authors!

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Have you had an opportunity to come to any of our local author series?  It is a great way to learn about the process of writing and to discuss the new books being written by very talented authors.  You have only 2 more events to attend before the series ends.

On Tuesday, September 16th at 6PM the staff of the Gardiner Public Library is pleased to host New England author, Chip Bishop, author of Quentin and Flora-A Roosevelt and a Vanderbilt in Love during the Great War.  Copies of the book will be for sale and the author will be available to sign them.
Quentin and Flora is a moving tale of courage, heroism and young love.  Set against the backdrop of Theodore Roosevelt’s lofty expectations for his sons and his own tragic demise, it is a richly-drawn and gripping tale, superbly written and forcefully told.  Just in time for the centennial of the Great War, Quentin and Flora is a classic page-turner with relevance for today. 
On Wednesday, October 15that 7PM novelist Paul Betit will be our final speaker for this series.  Paul Betit is the author of three mystery-suspense novels featuring U.S. Army CID investigator John Murphy.  His books include Phu Bai, Kagnew Station and recently –published The Man In The Canal.
For nearly 40 years, Paul has worked a sportswriter or a general assignment reporter. His newspaper career has included lengthy stints with the Kennebec Journal in Augusta, the Portland Press Herald and the Maine Sunday Telegram. He continues to cover high school, college and pro sports on a free-lance basis for the two Portland newspapers.
Following his graduation in 1965 from Cony High School in Augusta, Paul served as an intelligence analyst with the United States Army Security Agency. He received letters of commendation for his work in South Vietnam and Ethiopia, the settings for his first two books.  The author will have copies of his book for sale as well.
These programs are free and opened to the public…come spend an evening discovering new authors!

What’s going on at the library?

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Port City Sound: a Barbershop Quartet will join us here Tuesday, June 11, 2013 from 6:30 – 7:30 in the beautiful Hazzard Reading Room.  Port City Sound will enchant us with their robust and vibrant harmonies.  Members include lead singer Walt Dowling; tenor Fred Moore; baritone Jim Curtis and bass Jim Simpson.  Come and listen!
Our annual Summer Reading Programbegins in a couple of weeks.  Charlene Wagner, our Children’s Librarian, blogged about that a few weeks ago.  This year’s theme is “Dig Into Reading”.  Join us for Crafts on Tuesdays, and watch for other fun events to happen!  Don’t bury yourself in front of the television or computer – dig into a new author!
Visit the Young Adult area on the last Thursday of each month for “Snacks & Games for Teens”.  Enjoy a rousing game of “Apples to Apples”, “Scrabble” or even “Tic Tac Toe”!  We’ll provide water and something to munch, and the teens provide the enthusiasm.
Interested in a temporary tattoo?  Explore the art of henna on Tuesday, June 18th beginning at 6:00!  We’ll have 2 local henna enthusiasts here to fix you right up with a henna tattoo.  There will also be several different colors of fingernail polish available while you wait.  I’m not sure, but . . . I think there will probably be snacks as well!
Like many libraries around the country, we have 2 book discussion groups that meet here at the library.  One group reads a very eclectic and varied list of titles.  They usually meet the 3rdor 4th Tuesday of each month to discuss a book chosen the previous month.  The other group, fondly called the “RIP-pers”, meets the 1st Tuesday of each month.  This group “Readers Into Paranormal”, reads a variety of items, both fiction and non-fiction, but everything is at least a bit out of the main stream.  Each of these groups is open to new members, so join one soon. 
Something new we are trying here in Gardiner – loaning out book group sets.  The library purchases several copies of books for our discussion groups, and, once the discussion has happened, those books are available for borrowing as groups.  Each book group set contains between 3 and 8 books, and is available for you to borrow for your book group.  Check out the list here, and come on in for books for you and your friends.
Did you know you could use your Gardiner Public Library card at two other area libraries?  A few years ago, library directors of Gardiner, Waterville and Augusta formed a partnership.  Since so many of our library users live and work in different communities, it made sense to them that these 3 libraries begin a reciprocal borrowing agreement.  Here in Gardiner, we have visitors several times a month using their library cards from either Lithgow Public Library, or Waterville PublicLibrary.  We all know how wonderful our borrowing and lending is through the state wide Inter-Library Loan program – sometimes it is even more exciting to know you can borrow items from another library with your home town library card.  Try it the next time you are in Augusta or Waterville!
These are just a few of the exciting things happening in Gardiner.  Please check back often for other exciting events or check the library calendar!
Ann Russell, Technology Librarian