What's New at BML
Spring Into Summer!
Presented by the Friends of Baxter Memorial Library
Wednesday, June 20th from 2:00-6:00pm
Our free annual event this year featuring live prince and princess characters, Happy Hearts Creative Movement, touch-a-truck, face painting, hot dogs, snow cones and more!
Let's Talk Food & Family
Tuesday, June 26th at 6:00pm
July 26th at 6:00pm
August 21st at 6:00pm
Aan interactive discussion between parents and a registered dietitian focusing on strategies to take guesswork and stress out of mealtimes. The discussion will be a no-judgement zone for parents to discuss their questions, concerns, and successes with family meals, and to share meal ideas and feeding resources.
Andrea Paul is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian in Southern Maine. Her experience includes working as a supermarket dietitian, corporate wellness dietitian, and in clinical oncology. She also manages the blog and social media platform Kale, Quinoa & Cookies, which combines two of Andrea's passions: nutritious and delicious recipes, and cultivating positive relationships with food and body. Andrea finds joy in spending time with loved ones, especially her husband and their dog, Archie, eating delicious food, whether prepared at home or a Portland restaurant, and getting outside for a walk, run, or hike.
Shared Borrowing Agreement in Effect
Did you know that you can now use your Baxter Memorial Library card at several other nearby libraries? We have entered into a reciprocal borrowing agreement with Thomas Memorial Library in Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough Public Library, Walker Memorial Library in Westbrook and South Portland Public Library which gives our users walk in access to their collections, and their users the same access to ours! This provides the opportunity to check out available items directly from these libraries without waiting for interlibrary loans to arrive through the delivery system!
Having your card in hand is required, and your account must be in good standing. If you have questions before getting started, give us a call at 222-1190 or stop by the circulation desk.
Borrow books through the Download Library
Baxter Memorial Library is now subscribed to the Maine Infonet Download Library - powered by Bibliotheca/3M cloudLibrary. Download popular eBooks for free to your phone or tablet from cloudLibrary. CloudLibrary will also auto-generate a virtual barcode located under the app's settings that can be scanned at the circulation desk for regular library checkouts as if you had your physical card with you!
Download the app
Download the cloudLibrary™ by bibliotheca App from the Apple App Store, Google Play or install the Windows PC or Mac OS X cloudLibrary App.
Log into our library
Using the drop down menu, select United States, Maine, Gorham: Baxter Memorial Library, and enter your library barcode. Click agree to terms and log in.
Browse, borrow and read
Now you are ready to browse, borrow and read eBooks! Questions about using the app? Visit the library with your device, device passwords, and library card.
Winter/Spring 2018 Book Group Selections
Meets Thursdays at 10:00am
Dates and Titles TBA
New Library Cards
Library cards are issued to those aged 5 and above.To apply for a new card or to update your account, please click here and follow the prompts. After that, simply visit the library at your convenience with a valid photo ID (and proof of address if your ID isn't current) to sign the form and pick up your new card. As always, students through Grade 12 may use their school and grade as ID/proof of residence. For children below school age, no ID is required. Children 5-13 years old will need a parent/legal guardian to sign their form as well. Finally, keep in mind that everyone, including children, needs to be physically present to receive their new card. The form can be filled out at any time but to complete the process and receive a new card each person applying needs to come to the library in person.
Thanks! We look forward to seeing you here soon!
Veterans Survey
In conjunction with our annual Veterans Day Ceremony, the Veterans Day Committee is developing a database of veterans from Gorham or with Gorham ties. This is an effort to preserve this part of our local history.
Veterans, and the loved ones of veterans, are welcome and encouraged to participate.
If you are a veteran, please use this link: Gorham Veterans
If you are the loved one of a veteran, please use this link: Loved ones of Gorham Veterans
If you have any questions about either survey or this database project, please contact James Rathbun at 222-1190 or jrathbun@msln.net.
Thank you,
The Gorham Veterans Day Ceremony Committee
Georgia Humphrey
James Rathbun
Ron Shepard
What You Need to Know About Health Insurance
If you're curious about the new government regulations regarding health insurance and what they might mean for you, the Maine State Library has created a page with links to all sorts of valuable resources here: Health Insurance Information.
View Our Newsletter Online
Did you know our newsletter is available in PDF format online? View current and past issues here or use the link near the bottom of the sidebar to sign up to receive the newsletter in an email every month:
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
July/August 2017
June 2017
May 2017
LearningExpress Online Resource
Simply click the link to visit LearningExpress, the latest addition to our online services.
Funded by the Maine State Librarys BTOP grant and available to Maine public library patrons, LearningExpress Library is an interactive online learning platform featuring over 770 practice tests, tutorials, and eBooks related to job search and workplace skills improvement, career certification and licensing exam preparation, college entrance and graduate school admissions exam preparation, GED exam preparation, and basic skills improvement in reading, writing, and math, for all ages.
You will get immediate scoring, complete answer explanations, and an individualized analysis of your results. In addition, you will find interactive popular software tutorials/courses that are video-based and allow you to learn at your own pace.
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 222-1190.
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.
Maine Legal Help Resource
Visit www.helpmelaw.org to find people who may be able to help you with a specific legal problem, information about the laws that affect you, a library of legal resources, contact information for low-cost legal help, and many other valuable legal resources.
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!
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.