On a frigid January morning, Michele Moran, librarian at Totman Memorial Library in Phippsburg, and Inga Cesh, a library volunteer, gather their materials for the weekly children’s story and craft hour, which begins at 10. Despite the challenging weather, five mothers arrive with children ages 2 to 5, as well as Charlie and Marilyn Stevens, who regularly bring several children from their day care, just five minutes away. In addition to stories and crafts and the opportunity to check out books on their own library card, these children are given a bonus: Cesh begins each session with an animated lesson on a few German words and phrases – today, special words having to do with snow.
This scene is being repeated on different days of the week at numerous small libraries located on the peninsulas that give Maine its ragged coastline. Some of the libraries date back to the late 1890s and early 1900s. They serve small villages and towns that are 15 to 45 minutes away from the nearest larger town and library. Most are utilized heavily by the older population and families with small children; people who try to keep trips to town to a minimum. Older youth tend to use their school libraries, but home-schooled children depend on these community libraries as well as many youth who are doing research for school papers or want to play computer games after school.
These libraries play a vital part in peninsula community life. They have much in common besides books – videos, books on tape, Internet access, copy machines – but each also has unique programs which grow out of the interests of their particular population and location. Like the Totman Memorial Library, most have one paid part-time librarian and rely on volunteers to help her so the library can remain open for hours beyond what she could do alone.
All peninsula libraries see a large increase in patronage, often double, during tourist season. In addition to checking out books, many summer residents come in to check their e-mail or do research on the Internet. The Totman Library allows anyone who is staying in Phippsburg, including campers at Hermit Island, to take out books. The Friend Memorial Public Library in Brooklin, located on Eggemoggin Reach, cherished by sailors, carries their circulation policy a bit further. “We loan books to people who are cruising,” says librarian Gretchen Volenik. “They take the books with them and bring them back on the return trip.” Southwest Harbor’s library also loans books to residents from nearby Cranberry Isles, Swan’s Island and Frenchboro, allowing an extended time because of the complexity of coming to town by ferry.
Most peninsula libraries have special collections unique to their community. The Totman Library boasts a large amount of material on Phippsburg history and genealogy, plus original bound editions of “The Bath Independent,” from 1890 to 1961.
Southwest Harbor librarian Candy Emlen says they have a large historic collection of photographs taken by three photographers who summered in the area. “It beautifully documents the architecture of the community and early days of fishing,” she says. “Many people use them for historic purposes, such as looking to see what a house they’ve bought looked like when it was built.”
The Friend Memorial Library in Brooklin has an E.B. White corner to honor the author, who bought a farm in North Brooklin in 1938. “His wife was on our board for 20 years,” says librarian Volenik. “She was instrumental in expanding our children’s collection and donated many books. She did a huge amount of fundraising for us.”
Stonington Public Library has a large collection of books on art. “It keeps getting better,” says librarian Judith Jerome, who with other partners runs the Stonington Opera House. “When Emily Muir, the architect, painter and sculptor who lived on the island many years, died last year, the bulk of her art and architecture books came to us.”
The Dorcas Library in Goulds-boro has been expanding its audio book collection, which along with videos, are widely used. “A number of the fishermen use the audio books when they’re off season and doing trap repairs,” says library Sheila Daley. “They find it helps distract them from the tediousness of the work.”
Each of these libraries also sponsors or provides space for special programs. Stonington’s library, 40 minutes from Blue Hill, holds a well-attended (20 to 50 people) monthly Writers’ and Readers’ Series featuring local published authors reading from and discussing their work or other residents reading books aloud. The library also sponsors a variety of music programs. Southwest Harbor and Brooklin libraries have similar programs featuring local authors.
The libraries in Brooklin, Southwest Harbor and Lubec hold monthly art exhibits to display the work of local artists. The Brooklin Library also sponsors a gardening group and a variety of other programs. These are held in an addition built two years ago, ingeniously designed with rolling bookshelves that can be pushed aside to make room to seat 70 people.
All of these libraries, which provide so many opportunities for their communities, struggle to raise funds for operating expenses and to expand their hours. They receive varying amounts of money from their towns, and some have a small endowment.
As Charlie Stevens says of the Totman Library, these libraries provide an invaluable introduction to libraries and reading that many children growing up on peninsulas probably would not have if the library wasn’t close by. “It teaches them the value of a library,” he says, and “all the things that have to do with going there – how to behave, how to respect books. It provides far more than a story and opportunity to make a craft.”