What's New at BML

Closed Monday, September 6th, for Labor Day

Baxter Memorial Library will be closed on Monday, September 6th in observance of Labor Day.

We Will Be Open Saturdays This Summer!

In response to patron requests, Baxter Memorial Library will remain open from 9:00-1:00 on Saturdays this summer. By adjusting staff schedules, we are able to do this without any increase in budget.

Also, starting July 10th we will be offering themed story hours on Saturday mornings.

Summer Reading Programs

June 16th from 1:00-6:00pm is our annual Spring Into Summer event sponsored by the Friends of Baxter Memorial Library. In addition to food and fun for all ages, that also means the start of Summer Reading Programs for both adults and children. We invite you to join us for the kickoff activities.

To enter the Youth Services program, simply stop in and pick up your Summer Reading Program bookmark. Track your time spent reading by crossing out one of the words "READ" found on the back of the bookmark. Cross out one READ for every fifteen minutes spent reading or being read to. Bring back your bookmark any time after August 6th to receive a free book and enter our prize drawing.

For the Adult Services program, stop by and pick up a Frequent Reader card. You'll receive a stamp for each book you complete. Read eight books in eight weeks to be eligible for our Grand Prize drawing for a $100 gift card to The Bookworm! The more you read the better your chances. Each filled card gains entry into the Grand Prize drawing! Every book you read also enters you into weekly drawings for gift cards to local businesses and other prizes.

The Adult Summer Reading Program is free and open to everyone, but teens wishing to enter one of our programs must choose either the Youth Services or Adult Services program. This program runs until Friday, August 13th. Check out the calendar of events , visit the Adult or Youth Services circulation desk, or call 839-5031 for more details on these exciting summer programs.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Pass

The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay (www.mainegardens.org) is the latest organization to participate in our free pass program. Two passes (good for one person each and valued at $10) are available for a three day loan period. This pass works a bit differently than our other passes in that the organization does not accept photocopies so the two physical passes we have are all that's available. They must be returned promptly so that others may enjoy them.

We are happy to take reservations for these passes as they become available but reservations may not be made more than 24 hours in advance. For more information, please call 839-5031.

Picturing America

Picturing America is the newest initiative of the We the People program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Launched in 2002, We the People seeks to strengthen the teaching, study, and understanding of America’s history and founding principles by bringing some of our nation’s most significant images into classrooms (and libraries) nationwide.

This program offers a way to understand the history of America — its diverse people and places, its travails and triumphs — through some of our greatest artistic masterpieces. Baxter Memorial Library has been provided with a wide variety of prints, two of which are now framed and hanging near the Maine Collection upstairs. We will periodically change this display.

Many thanks go to the Friends of Baxter Memorial Library for providing the picture frames.

2010 BML Writing Contest Winners

Another year, another group of exceptional authors!

All the winning entries can be viewed in PDF format on our 2010 Writing Contest page along with a list of the judges who helped make this contest possible.

Many thanks to the Friends of Baxter Memorial Library, the judges, the entrants, and all who helped make this year's competition such a success.

The Grocery Cart at BML

The Gorham Ecumenical Food Pantry was formed in 1996 when Gorham area churches banded together to provide assistance to the community. The grocery cart that sits in the lobby of Baxter Memorial Library is also part of that cause and donations of non-perishable items are welcome.

Downloadable Audio Books Now Available

Baxter Memorial Library is pleased to announce that downloadable audio books will now be available through the Maine InfoNet Download Library! Simply click the image above to visit http://download.maineinfonet.org and get started today.

A PDF version of the instructional brochure is available by clicking here and the official FAQ is located at http://download.maineinfonet.org/help.htm.

This service is made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Friends of Baxter Memorial Library.

Maine Answers Tough Times

Whether it is called a recession or a depression, all of us are now facing an economic downturn that can be simply described as tough times. How we respond and what we need to make it through these tough times will differ from person to person; family to family.

With that in mind, the Maine State Library has created a list of links and resources to help us all get through these hard times; whatever form they may take. For more information, please visit Maine Answers Tough Times.

What is Your Library Worth?

Have you ever stopped to consider the dollar value of the services you enjoy at Baxter? We did. Based on our last fiscal year's circulation figures entered into the Library Use Value Calculator, Baxter Memorial Library delivered $2,862,908 in services to our patrons on a budget of $442,645. Which is to say that for every $1.00 in funding the library received it returned nearly $6.50 in value.

Why not try out the Library Use Value Calculator yourself. It will help you put a price on the materials, programs, passes and functions of the library that you use most. You may be surprised just how much that little library card is really worth!

Portland Public Library Cards

Did you know that all residents of Cumberland and York counties are eligible for a free Portland Public Library card and, with the 14-digit number it provides, access to their amazing online resources? It's true. Many of the most valuable resources Portland Public Library has to offer can be accessed for free without ever leaving your home. All you need is a library card.

With that in mind, you will now be able to obtain a free Portland Public Library card at the circulation desk here at Baxter Memorial Library.

Highlights of what PPL has to offer include:

- Genealogy information from HeritageQuest and Ancestry Plus
- Learn-a-Language audiobooks from the Pimsleur Language series
- Thousands of audiobooks you can download to your MP3 player
- Auto Repair manuals
- Learn-a-Test programs you can use from home
- Business Research from Mergent and other references
- Kids' e-books from Tumblebooks Library

For more information, please ask the helpful staff at the front desk or call 839-5031.

Literary Map of Maine

The Portland Press Herald / Sunday Telegram has posted their Literary Map of Maine online. It can be viewed by clicking here.

We have a mailing list!

Curious about Library closings and other special bulletins? Wondering what our Friends group is up to? Want to stay fully abreast of all that we offer in upcoming programs and events but not interested in checking our online calendar of events? Why not subscribe to our mailing list? We'll send all the news you need to know directly to your email!

The Baxter Memorial Library and the Friends of Baxter Memorial Library have just added a free, subscription-based email service for news and other announcements. Simply follow this link: BML Email Subscription. It will take you to the Town of Gorham's website, where you can subscribe (or unsubscribe) to any of a number of lists the Town offers, including ours!

Recent Acquisitions

New Adult Fiction

New Non-Fiction

New DVDs

New Books on CD

New YA Fiction

Movies

View a complete list of our DVD Holdings

View a complete list of our VHS Holdings