Hello everyone!

       I’ve decided to start a little “library update” type of thing that I’ll post periodically throughout the year. I hope that it can keep everyone updated on what’s happening in the library, and help you all get to know me a little better!
       So, for those of you who don’t know: Hi! I’m Jess, and I’m the director of the library. I started working here in February 2018, mostly at the front desk. It was so much fun meeting and talking with everyone about books and the library. The Farmington community definitely has many interesting and amazing people in it! One of the things I love about working in a relatively small town is how well you get to know everyone who comes into the library.

       So, what have we been doing here in the library? As I’m sure many of you are aware, we had to return to curbside-only service over the winter holidays due to the significant increase of COVID-19 cases in Maine. It was a difficult decision to make, but we had to put safety first. Thankfully, the cases have gone back down and we can let patrons in again! I know I’m not the only staff member looking forward to seeing and talking to you all!
       We’ve kept busy in here while the building has been closed. We’ve continued to provide curbside service, and have done our best to help everyone out however we can within the safety parameters. We’ve also put together some knitting kits so people can try out a new craft if they want to. I’m hoping to make some kits for different crafts as well, such as crocheting or maybe embroidery. I’ve also been thinking about starting up a craft club over Zoom--anyone interested? Let me know! I absolutely love knitting and crocheting, so if you’re crafty and want to participate in something like this keep your eye out!

       Another project the library has been working on is cleaning up our collection a bit. Our shelves are getting a bit crowded, so in order to have space for new books we need to remove some of our old ones that haven’t been checked out in a while to make room. Don’t worry, all books will go to a good home! I’m thinking we might have another library book sale in the future once it’s warm enough outside. In the meantime, check out our ongoing book sale in the computer room while you’re in for your appointment and see if anything catches your eye.
       Speaking of library fundraisers, it’s about time to start thinking about plants you might want to propagate for the library plant sale. Our plant sale is going to take place on May 1st, and drop-off of plants at the library will be from April 24th-30th. We had a great plant sale last year, so mark the date on your calendar!
       The library has also recently received a grant from the United Way to update our WiFi system. We hope that this will allow us to provide faster, more reliable internet to everyone who comes to the library. The work is scheduled to take place later this month.
       Alright, last thing: I have to talk a little bit about what I’ve been reading!

       I just finished Insomnia by Stephen King and it was an amazing book. I’m a huge Stephen King fan, and I’ve been going through quite a few of his books recently (mostly in audio format--I do quite a lot of driving). I read a variety of genres and always like talking with people about books, so if you see me at the library feel free to stop by and chat about what you’ve been reading that you enjoy! It’s great to hear about what books people are interested in, it helps us pick out new books to add to our collection.
       That’s all for now! We’ve definitely missed having patrons in the building, so please don’t hesitate to call and make an appointment to come in, look around, and catch up with us all! We’d love to see you!