Voters to determine fate of Windham Middle School repurpose proposal

By Ed Pierce

The Windham Town Council has approved placing a referendum question on the ballot in November for purchasing Windham Middle School for $1 once it is vacant in the fall of 2027 and repurposing the facility into a Community Center and housing town offices and the Windham Public Library.

Windham Town Councilors have approved placing a 
referendum before voters on Nov. 3 to approve issuing 
general obligation bonds of up to $19.5 million to
finance the costs of repurposing Windham Middle School
for use as a community center and moving town offices and
Windham Public Library there. This is an artist's depiction
of the completed project. COURTESY PHOTO     

A motion was passed unanimously during Tuesday evening’s town council meeting to ask Windham voters on Nov. 3 to approve issuing general obligation bonds up to $19.5 million to finance the costs of rehabilitating the Windham Middle School for use as a community center, including the costs of design, engineering, professional services, site preparation, construction, renovation, operating costs, and other improvements and furnishings as may be required in connection with the project. The proposal includes appropriating up to $2 million of the town’s fund balance as the Town Council deems reasonable and necessary to reduce the borrowing amount and directly pay for costs of the project.

Councilors will conduct a Special Town Meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19 to answer questions the public may have about the proposal, which addresses shortfalls in the current municipal buildings, each of which carries long-term replacement costs and short-term maintenance and repair costs. The project was developed over the past two years by the WMS Repurpose Advisory Committee and would consolidate town hall offices, parks and recreation, social services, the food pantry, clothing and medical closets and the library to the building, which RSU 14 is vacating upon opening of the new Windham Raymond Middle School in August 2027.

An amendment to the motion advancing the referendum was made by Windham Town Councilor Katie Cook for the council to recommend approval of the referendum.

The existing Windham Middle School building first opened in 1974 and was intended for a capacity of 483 students. That number has grown in the past 52 years to 650 students and some sixth graders being housed for classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, which was built in 1949.

In November 2023, a plurality of voters in the school district, which encompasses Windham and Raymond, approved a referendum to build the new Windham Raymond Middle School with about 77 percent of construction costs paid by the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program. The total project budget to construct the new school is estimated at about $171.5 million, with the state funding $131.7 million of that expense and residents of Windham and Raymond paying the remaining $39.8 million.

As part of the referendum to obtain $131.7 million in state funding for the new middle school, RSU 14 voters agreed that the existing Windham Middle School could not be used as a school again, since the state had already contributed funding for substantial repair costs over decades of the building’s use.

In formulating the proposal as to how best to repurpose the WMS building, WMS Repurpose Advisory worked with an architect and design team and toured the Westbrook and Gorham Community Centers to see how those towns adapted old school buildings for community center facilities.

Determining that the basic structure of the school was sound and that it offered 80,000 square feet of available space, the committee looked at the existing town buildings with long-term replacement costs and short-term maintenance, parking improvements and repair costs and decided that a number of municipal services could be relocated to the site for a fraction of the cost of renovating or replacing current buildings.

Committee members also reviewed the community center engagement results from August 2019 which identified multigenerational flexible spaces for a range of activities. Members determined the building can accommodate those identified spaces within the current structure and/or future spaces around the facility. They will also further determine any new spaces not in the current building and the phasing opportunities and costs.

The intent of the August 2019 study was to identify the need to create a multi-generational facility for all Windham residents that enhances the quality of life for Windham, provides flexible spaces for a range of activities, and is a self-sustaining site that fosters fun for residents. The 20-member Middle School Repurpose Advisory Committee serves as an advisory body to the Town Council and was used to analyze the potential re-uses for the school and a potential benefit as a community center or municipal offices.

Windham Town Manager Robert Burns said the WMS Repurpose Advisory Committee also received guidance from Great Falls Construction, which has assisted the town in other projects, such as reconfiguring and expanding Windham’s Public Safety Building in 2022.

Burns said although the benefits of the Windham Middle School Repurposing Project come with a cost, in the long run it will be cost-effective for the town.

“This building represents an opportunity for us to move forward,” Burns said. “This is still the best way forward for us.” 

He said Windham’s Social Services Office, which houses the Windham Food Pantry, requires more room, as does Windham Public Library. Windham’s Medical Loan Closet was moved temporarily last fall to the East Windham Fire Station stemming from structural issues with its building near the library on Windham Center Road.

Councilor Maggie Terry said she read comments about the WMS Repurpose Project posted on social media earlier this week and said residents need to understand that the cost to maintain municipal buildings continues to grow. She said she doesn’t like spending, but realizes the long-term savings offered by this repurposing project are the lowest costs the town will see.

“This is an opportunity for us we’ll never see at this value again,” Terry said.

The proposal does not include a community swimming pool, but the option is there should future phases of the repurposing project arise. It does include reconfiguring access for residents entering the site from Route 202 (Gray Road) and first-floor access to the Windham Town Clerk’s Office for conducting transactions such as automobile and boat registration, obtaining dog licenses, hunting and fishing licenses, registering to vote, property tax collection, notary service and marriage licenses.

It also would construct pickle ball courts, a redo of property sidewalks and fencing. <

Historic trees at Windham Public Library receive long-awaited identification tags

By Masha Yurkevich

Visitors to Windham Public Library can now learn the stories behind several trees that have quietly grown on the library grounds for decades. The Friends of Windham Public Library recently completed a tree-tagging project, installing identification bracelets on historic trees planted on the property.

New identification tags at Windham Public
Library tell the stories behind three historic
trees, including a tulip poplar, a ginkgo and 
a Princeton elm, connecting visitors to the
library's history and community partnerships.
SUBMITTED PHOTO    

Jennifer Alvino Wood, director of the Windham Public Library, said the project helps identify trees that were planted in honor of the groups that donated them.

"This project has been a way to identify the trees on the library property that were planted in honor of the groups that donated them," Wood said.

Three trees on the property are now tagged, including a tulip poplar, a ginkgo and a Princeton elm, which was planted by the Windham High School Class of 1962. The tags identify the type of tree, where it came from, who donated it, who planted it and the date it was planted.

The Friends of Windham Public Library identified the trees and created the tags.

For Laurel Parker, a member of the Friends of Windham Public Library and co-president of the Longfellow Garden Club, the project has been decades in the making. The Longfellow Garden Club purchased the two historic trees planted at the library in 1995. The club, established in 1924, continues its mission of supporting gardens and community beautification projects throughout the region.

Parker’s connection to the trees dates back to 1995, when she led Girl Scout Troop 705. The troop was part of the National Historic Tree Project, which distributed seedlings connected to historically significant locations across the country for communities to plant.

"It is always said that the best time to plant a tree is 20 years before you want it to grow," Parker said.

Working with the Longfellow Garden Club, the troop planted two historic trees on the library grounds in May 1995. Although the trees have continued to grow for more than 30 years, they remained unidentified until this summer, when the Friends of Windham Public Library completed the tagging project.

One of the trees is a tulip poplar grown from a seedling connected to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's home in Hyde Park, New York. The other is a ginkgo descended from one of architect Frank Lloyd Wright historic properties.

The identification plaques are attached to each tree in the form of what Parker described as a “tree bracelet.” The 4-by-6-inch plaques are secured with a spring that expands as the tree grows.

Parker said the bracelets were designed so they would not damage the trees as they mature. A protective plastic sleeve covers part of the spring, allowing the bracelet to expand as the trunk grows without cutting into the bark. The design ensures the tags can remain in place for years while continuing to identify each tree for library visitors.

"I thought it was important that the trees be tagged so everybody knew who they were," Parker said.

The library was chosen as the planting site because of the involvement Parker had with both the Girl Scouts and the Longfellow Garden Club, along with her longtime connection to the library. Parker served as the children's librarian for 25 years and said the project reflected a desire to improve the library grounds while encouraging environmental awareness.

"I hope that people realize that it does make a difference when you make a planting like this," Parker said. "It connects history and people."

She summarized the purpose of planting and identifying the trees with just one word, "Connection."

Wood said the tagged trees are only part of the library property history.

"We have many types of trees, plantings, and other items on our property donated and planted to recognize groups or volunteers and library supporters who have passed away," Wood said. "The library is a place where people can come, see the items, and remember the people and groups who are honored by them."

Wood says she encourages residents to explore the grounds and discover those stories for themselves. "Take a walk around our property," Wood said. "There is a lot to see and a lot of history here."

More than 30 years after the first two historic trees were planted, the new identification tags ensure visitors can better appreciate the history, partnerships and community connections rooted throughout the grounds of Windham Public Library. <

Unique interactive exhibit asks library visitors to grab art and explore

By Erin Rose

Visitors are welcome to touch and explore art in a new exhibit by artist and Windham resident Tony Prizio on display until the end of July at the Windham Public Library.

A unique new hands-on exhibit by Windham artist Tony Prizio
at the Windham Public Library features a collection of 500
different works ranging from as large as a sheet of paper to
as small as an index card and will be displayed through
July 31.  PHOTO BY ERIN ROSE  

“A lot of artists say, ‘don’t touch my stuff, that’s why it’s on the wall,’ said Sally Bannen, Technical Services Librarian. “This is very different. He really did create it to be interactive.”

Prizio has curated a collection of 500 different works ranging from as large as a sheet of paper to as small as an index card, and divided them into different easels, crates and boxes. Visitors are asked to take a crate or easel and go through the selected art pieces to see what sparks their inspiration or starts their mind thinking.

“I’m encouraging people to pick up one of the crates, and take a seat and thumb through them,” Prizio explained. “Art is instructive; it’s supposed to bring you out of the shell you’ve built around you so you can expand your view to see.”

The works range from photographs, both new and from the past, to collages, pen and ink and watercolors, and include some realism, pointillism, and pieces for the viewer to interpret. They are on top of the stacks on the second floor, as you exit the stairway, along with some works hung around the area.

“Some of the pieces, to one person they may look incomplete or just an idea, but to other people it may look like a cool piece,” Bannen said. “It does really make you look at things.”

The artist hopes that viewing the pieces will help others expand their mind as to what art may be, and potentially inspire them to start to create works of their own.

“It’s as simple as a scribble or a doodle on a piece of paper that’s representative to the way you’re thinking or what’s on your mind,” Prizio said.

“People say they ‘can’t draw a straight line with a ruler’ or ‘I can’t draw a tree.’ There are plenty of pictures and photographs of trees,” he said. “So, do your thing instead of trying to imitate what you saw at a museum.”

Prizio was inspired to shift to smaller canvases after retiring and needing to create in a way that considered his smaller surroundings.

“I used to be able to paint in a large barn and in an attic space, and now, I live in an apartment, so I don’t have a ton of space,” he said. “I started making a lot of desktop items in paint, collage, pen and ink, and drawing.”

Retired after a career in construction, Prizio has spent his life making art and even majored in painting and sculpture at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, New York.

“I did not make my living that way [through art], because you can count on two hands the number of people who have actually made successful living from painting or sculpture,” he said. “Throughout it all, and I’m 76 years old, I’ve painted and made drawings and whatnot the whole time.”

Exhibits that infuse artwork into the library’s stacks help bring art to those who may not otherwise have access, Bannen said.

“It’s important especially since not everyone can get into places like galleries or museums,” she said. “To be able to look at and interact with art because you just happen to be at the library, and here’s something like this, whether you’re looking at art on the wall or sitting down and interacting with it, I think it’s important.”

“That might be the only time that someone is exposed to it,” Bannen said. “Like Tony says, if it gets someone thinking about ‘hey maybe I can do this,’ I think that’s great.”

Prizio is a longtime visitor to the Windham Library making the exhibit more meaningful for the staff who have gotten to know him over the years.

“I love getting anyone in to show their work at the library, but it’s extra special when it’s someone you’ve interacted with and chatted with, and you find out there’s an aspect to them you didn’t even know about,” Bannen said.

The exhibit will continue through July 31. More information can be found on the library’s website at https://www.windham.lib.me.us/. <

Local author to discuss his noir fiction novel at Windham Public Library

By Erin Rose

Author and longtime Windham resident Charles J. Pickelhaupt will give a talk about his novel, “One Week of Romance and Murder,” at the Windham Public Library at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18.

Longtime Windham resident and author
Charles J. Pickelhaupt will appear at
the Windham Public Library at 6 p.m..
Wednesday March 18 to discuss his
noir fiction novel 'One Week of
Romance and Murder."
COURTESY PHOTO

During the presentation, Pickelhaupt will read some of the book’s chapters and give attendees an insight into how he decided to embark on his writing journey.

The book, which was published in 2023, is the first in a trilogy, with the second installment being written currently. It is a noir fiction book, following seven days in the journey of World War II and United States Army Air Force veteran David Gardiner as he works to rejoin society in 1946 and falls in love. However, his trajectory is altered when a murder in Boston brings a detective into his life.

“It’s a guy who’s a former pilot trying to make his way through life. He’s 30 years old and he’s had numerous affairs with women but is looking for something more solid, and he finds it,” Pickelhaupt explained, saying that bringing the detective and the main character together “is the crux of the story.”

Noir fiction, which features heavier storylines and more gritty details than a mystery book, appealed to Pickelhaupt, as movies from the same genre are particular favorites. The time period was also selected because of the state of post-war America.

“I am a fan of 1940 noir movies, like Casablanca with Humphrey Bogart,” he said. “I think it’s a fascinating time, when America was together, for the most part.”

The book was a sudden revelation made one Sunday afternoon in 2022 while watching television, the author said, and the first three chapters were written by hand the same day his inspiration hit.

“This idea popped into my head. ‘Oh my god, I want to write a noir novel, with a hard-nosed detective or soldier or something,” he said. “I went to our office, grabbed some paper and all afternoon, I wrote three chapters.”

The entire process of writing the more than 120,000-word novel took about a year, as it was all written longhand before being transcribed slowly into a computer, and Pickelhaupt admits, “I’m not a typist.”

“I was very much aided by my wife, as far as spelling goes,” he said, praising his wife Nancy for her guidance in engaging technology to help his writing, in addition to her continued encouragement. “I would say ‘how do you spell this’, and she would say ‘doesn’t your spell check work?’”

He says that, “you have to get reasonably close in spelling for spell check to have it pop up.”

The sense of accomplishment has been the best part of the writing process for the novel, as it was an unexpected goal in Pickelhaupt’s life.

“The best part of writing a book is accomplishing something I never thought I would,” he said. “I never in my whole life said, ‘I’m going to write a book.” But somehow, that Sunday afternoon, I started writing a couple of chapters and I said, ‘by God, I’m going to do this. And it developed. As you start writing a book, you start out with some ideas and then you enlarge it and add detail.”

Some of the details in the book are particularly familiar to the author, as his father was a member of the Air Force, working as an electrician on B-17 bombers, which are also known as “Flying Fortresses” in North Africa and Italy. Pickelhaupt also spent time in his childhood moving through Air Force establishments in Germany, Italy and England before returning to the United States. His father was also stationed in Detroit, giving Pickelhaupt personal insight into the city that he used in the pages of the novel.

“I know Detroit, I know Michigan. It’s my home state,” he said, noting that his hometown is Port Huron, Michigan. “Detroit is a big city, and a lot of people were gathering there at that point.”

“And I wanted to get them out of Maine,” Pickelhaupt said.

The author, however, made it to Maine and never looked back, as he met his wife of 56 years while his father was stationed at Dow Air Force Base, located in Bangor before closing in 1968. The pair have two children, Charles and Kathryn, and five grandchildren.

“My son and his wife have encouraged me to reach out to the world,” Pickelhaupt explained, saying that he is hoping to give talks at the Gorham Public Library and possibly some senior facilities in the area.

“One Week of Romance and Murder” is available for purchase on Amazon. Copies will also be available for purchase during Pickelhaupt’s presentation at the Windham Library. <

Historical fiction author prepares to discuss novels at Windham Public Library event

By Ed Pierce

A great writer can take readers to faraway places they may never experience themselves or tell stories that inspire their imagination. Michael Meeske of Windham is one of those rare writers whose work is not only commercially successful, but also provides some great storytelling.

Author Michael Meeske of Windham, who
writes under the pen name VS Alexander,
will appear from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday,
Nov. 6 at the Windham Public Library to
discuss his novels The Taster and The
Novelist from Berlin.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Meeske, the author of 11 novels, has sold nearly a half-million books in the past seven years and he will be on hand from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6 at the Windham Public Library in a free event to meet the public and discuss his writing. Through the years, his novels have received critical acclaim from Publisher’s Weekly, the Library Journal, and other industry publications and he’s been a speaker at numerous writing conferences and events around the United States.

His novels for Kensington Publishing are under his pen name of V. S. Alexander and have been published in more than a dozen countries including Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Mexico, the United States and Lithuania. A novel of his called The Taster has been optioned for a film.

During his appearance at the library, Meeske will discuss The Taster, his novel about a food taster for Adolf Hitler, and The Novelist from Berlin, based on a true story of a writer during the late days of the Weimar Republic and the early days of the German Reich. He’ll be talking about both of these heroines and their different lives under Nazi rule.

Originally from Kansas, Meeske is a natural at writing.

“I was a storyteller from an early age, but I didn’t know it. I wrote a play – an extremely short one – plus a couple of short stories about astronauts and visitors from another planet. It was kid’s stuff. My last semester at the University of Kansas, I needed a class, any class, to fulfill my credits,” he said. “I enrolled in a fiction writing course taught by James E. Gunn, then President of the Science Fiction Writers of America. I didn’t know who he was, so I went in with no expectations. Also, I knew how hard it is to write good science fiction, having read it for many years in my youth. Most everyone in the class had enrolled because of Gunn’s reputation and stature in the writing world. I didn’t write science fiction, and I got A’s on my stories. He lit the fire.”

After taking Gunn’s class, Meeske said he had a burning desire to write, but his big break didn’t come until much later in life.

“I’d have to say, I enjoy the creative end of writing more than any other part of the business – creating characters, moving them around, keeping the story fresh and exciting for readers which is easier said than done,” he said. “But I realize how far-reaching the editing process is, and how a good working relationship with an editor is crucial. Editorial work is fine tuning and makes the book so much better. Beta readers are important as well. Find one you trust. I’ve had the same beta reader for all my books.”

He says the ideas for his novels are ones he comes up on his own.

“A magazine article, a news story, or a thought, triggers the process,” Meeske said. “If it digs its claws firmly into my head, I know I should do something with it. My editor also has pitched me ideas. He’ll say I want a book on the Magdalen Laundries, or the Irish Potato Famine and I’ve done both of them. When I first started writing, I was a total panster, just thinking that the creative juices would guide me wherever I needed to be in the book. I wrote myself into a corner a couple of times and shortly thereafter, I made bullet-point outlines. The Taster, for example, I developed from a grocery list. I had 15 or so points, and I wrote the book from them. At one point, the heroine grabbed the story, and I followed. It was an exhilarating experience, and her unscripted journey added immensely to the novel.”

When he’s able to write, Meeske enjoys writing in the afternoon or early evening after he’s completed his other tasks for the day. And, unlike some writers, he doesn’t write every day.

“There’s some kind of rule that says writers have to write every day, but I have to take a day off once in a while,” Meeske said. “I find that I’m very productive on weekends – that’s because I used to work full time. I gauge my writing time by word count. My goal is to write 1,000 to 1,200 words per session. That usually takes two or so hours. If you write a page a day, say 350 words, for a year, you’ll have a book. Breaking the process down into manageable tasks helps.”

He previously lived in New England for 20 years before moving to Florida.

“After 23 years there, I was ready to move back. I was tired of hurricanes, the congestion, and a quality of life that had changed since I left Boston in 2001,” he said. “New England has changed as well, and I’ve had some adjustment pains, but I love living in Windham. I grew up in small-town Kansas. The population here is much like my hometown when I was growing up.”

Enjoying an excellent relationship with his publisher, Meeske found a literary agent through a referral from a colleague who couldn’t do a book his editor wanted.

“So, I sold my first book on 75 pages, a 25-page synopsis and three chapters,” he said. “That became The Magdalen Girls in 2017. We’ve been working together for nearly a decade.”

Now firmly established in his career, it took some time for Meeske’s family and friends to approve of his decision to focus on writing.

“When I first told my parents that I wanted to be a writer, sometime after college, they asked, ‘Fine, but how are you going to make a living?’ Probably every kid going into the creative arts has heard that line,” he said. “Eventually, they got behind me. My friends have been supportive and sometimes amazed. It’s hard to make a living as a writer. Only about 15 percent of writers make a living from their craft, and many take on other jobs to pay the bills. You have to love it, and persevere, to succeed.”

Putting together his novels have not come without challenges and one has been the most difficult to overcome.

“I’d say my writing of The War Girls was the most difficult. I had the idea of two Jewish sisters separated by the start of World War II, one living with relatives in England and the other in Warsaw,” he said. “I had to research the Warsaw Ghetto, Special Operations Executive, and, most difficult of all, what a traditional Jewish home would be like in Warsaw before and after the invasion. Not being Jewish, I called upon friends, historical resources, and a sympathetic freelance editor to help me navigate a 5,000-year-old religion. It was a challenge, but the book has been well-received and I’m very proud of it.”

He’s just signed a contract to write his eighth historical novel for Kensington.

“It will be out sometime in 2026. I can’t talk about it at this point, but I’m excited and ready to get to work.” <

Presumpscot Regional Land Trust announces partnership with local libraries for Nature Story Times

By Ed Pierce

Combine the beauty of the outdoors with some fantastic children’s literature and you have the basis for some memorable times for kids. That’s the premise of an exciting new partnership between the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust and Baxter Memorial Library in Gorham, the Gray Public Library, Walker Memorial Library in Westbrook, and Windham Public Library.

Families and children will gather for a Nature Story Time
at Black Brook Preserve in Windham on April 10 as part
of a new partnership series between local libraries and
Presumpscot Regional Land Trust. SUBMITTED PHOTO  

According to a press release issued by the land trust, this new collaboration aims to bring the joy of reading and the wonders of nature together through a series of Nature Story Times on Presumpscot Regional Land Trust trails.

Presumpscot Regional Land Trust Community Engagement Manager Brenna Crothers says that the Nature Story Times are set to take place at local preserves within each town.

She said the free Nature Story Times events will incorporate themes such as streams, fish migration, fairies, gnomes, and more. Each event will be around an hour long, including one or two books read aloud, followed by a nature hike. These outings are geared toward families with kids ages 2 to 5, although older children will be welcome as well.

Families and nature enthusiasts alike can look forward to engaging storytelling sessions surrounded by the serene beauty of these preserved areas, Crothers said.

The Presumpscot Regional Land Trust believes that connecting children and families with the outdoors fosters a love for nature and a sense of environmental stewardship from an early age, she said, and the Nature Story Time Series offers engaging and interactive experiences for children and families to connect with the outdoors.

The first Nature Story Time was held at Pride Preserve in Westbrook in conjunction with Walker Memorial Library on Wednesday. Crothers said the theme revolved around fairies and gnomes, allowing participants to create their own fairy/gnome crown and explore the wooded terrain of Pride Preserve while searching for enchanting fairy houses along the trails.

The next event is what is being called a “Stream Explore Nature Story Time” at Black Brook Preserve in Windham with the Windham Public Library from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. April 10.

Crothers says Black Brook Preserve offers diverse habitats including meadows, woods, and wetlands where a variety of critters can be discovered along the trails, making it a perfect setting for children to explore and learn about nature.

“On May 15th, there will be another Nature Story Time event in anticipation of the annual Alewife Migration at Mill Brook Preserve in Westbrook with Walker Memorial Library from 10 to 11 a.m.,” Crothers said. “Participants can immerse themselves in this beautiful preserve, as they search for signs of fish making their way upstream every spring.”

She said Presumpscot Regional Land Trust staff members are enthusiastic about this new Nature Story Times project.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with our local libraries to combine the magic of storytelling with the natural wonders of our region,” Crothers said. “It's a fantastic opportunity for families to bond, learn, and create lasting memories in the great outdoors."

The Presumpscot Regional Land Trust is dedicated to preserving and protecting the natural landscapes in the Presumpscot River watershed. Through conservation efforts, educational programs, and community engagement, the land trust strives to ensure that these valuable natural resources are enjoyed by generations to come.

PRLT has 20 public access preserves and 3,000 acres of conserved lands with miles of public access trails and water access in the area and partnered with the Town of Windham Land to create the East Windham Conservation Area. That site opened in December and is 99 percent forested and includes 661 acres with 1,545 feet of undeveloped water frontage on Little Duck Pond, some 38 acres of wetlands and numerous headwater streams.

For more details about the land trust’s collaborative project with the libraries, call Crothers at 207-200-4067 or send an email to [email protected] <

Local public libraries beef up activities, programs for public heading into fall season

By Elizabeth Richards

The Raymond Village Library resumed walk-in
services on Sept. 1 and the public is encouraged
to visit and check out library materials, use
computers or shop the library's ongoing book sale.
Both the Raymond Village Library and the Windham
Public Library are set for a number of events and
activities this fall. SUBMITTED PHOTO

As fall approaches, the public libraries in Windham and Raymond continue to serve the communities with online programs, curbside pickup, and limited in-person hours of operation.

In Windham, Library Director Jen Alvino said staff members are prepared for the busy fall season ahead.  

“The important thing to note at this time is that all our programs at Windham Public Library are continuing online,” Alvino said. “We have lots going on and something for all ages, but everything will be posted on our Facebook or done with staff through Zoom.”

These online programs include Story Time and Books and Babies either posted or held via Facebook Live at their usual times each week. Story Time happens on Mondays and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m., and Books and Babies is on Tuesdays at 10:15 a.m.

The Windham Public Library has a regular Book Group and Socrates Café program offered on Zoom.  On Sept. 22 at 4 p.m., via Facebook Live, Tim Caverly will present The Allagash – New England’s Wild River, a virtual canoeing experience on the 92-mile Allagash River complete with lore, legends and characters that Caverly experienced as a Maine Park Ranger.

For more information and program links, contact Reference and Technology Librarian Ray Marcotte at [email protected].

The Windham library also offers a writing group, an Author Talk and Art Nights online, Alvino said.

According to Alvino, the library is still operating with reduced hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday because of the pandemic. Curbside pick-up is available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We have a limit of 15 people in the building and we ask that people wear a mask and keep their visits under 30 minutes,” Alvino added.

Because of the limitations on number of people and time limit for visits, the library cannot accommodate students after school as they have in the past, according to a notice on the Windham Public Library website. 

“Winsome Wednesdays,” a program designed for grades K to 6, will feature a new video on Facebook most Wednesdays with “a smorgasbord of interesting activities to try out by yourself, or with your family,” according to the description on the website.

The Raymond Village Library (RVL) is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and

Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The library resumed walk-in services on Sept. 1, and patrons can feel free to drop in and check out materials, use computers or shop the library’s ongoing book sale, according to their September newsletter.

Reserving time for computer access at the Raymond Village Library is highly recommended at this time because of the limited availability of computer stations.

Face coverings and social distancing guidelines are in effect, and access is limited to five people in the library at a time. No-contact parking lot pickups of materials to check out are still available by contacting the library for a pickup time.

While the library isn’t currently offering story time, plenty of activities remain to captivate and entertain all ages, Raymond Village Library Board Member Briana Bizier said.

“The Children’s librarian, Karen, who is amazing, still has the story time packets that parents can pick up, and those are for all ages,” Bizier said. “The packets include books, songs and a craft.”

The library has also set up a new story walk at the Raymond Shopping Center, Bizier said. 

The Raymond Village Library children’s librarian worked with the owner of the shopping center and independent stores to display a page from “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault in storefront windows throughout the center. 

This story walk is in addition to the “Jack and the Beanstalk” story walk in the community garden next to the library.

With community assistance, the Raymond Village Library also recently purchased picnic tables to expand their outdoor seating area. Bizier said this area will be available throughout the fall so that school children, and anyone else, can access the free wifi at the library.

Bizier said that in addition to the indoor book and movie sale the library has going, they are selling “some really cool Maine and Raymond T-shirts” as well.  She said that the library plans to hold its holiday basket fundraiser again this year.

The library also will conduct a “Grow with Google” workshop online from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14.  This workshop will offer tips on selling online, including the benefits of setting up an online store with Shopify and how to list products on Google Shopping.  Registration will open soon. Interested individuals should contact the Raymond Village Library for more information.

The Raymond Village Library will also host a virtual discussion of “The Nickel Boys” by Colson Whitehead, on Monday Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. through Zoom. Participants should contact the library for specific meeting information.

For a listing of additional activities this fall offered by both the Raymond Village Library and the Windham Public Library, the public is asked to review up-to-date information on the library websites, as well as on their Facebook pages. <

Windham Library’s ‘Calm as a Critter’ Program promotes relaxation, self-awareness in children

Windham Library Children's Room Coordinator
Diana Currier leads a session of 'Calm as a
Critter' for a You Tube segment on July 25.
The program promotes relaxation and self-awareness
for children. COURTESY PHOTO,
WINDHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY

By Elizabeth Richards

The Windham Public Library’s Saturday morning Calm as a Critter Program may seem perfect for helping children deal with life during a global pandemic, but it began long before the days of COVID-19.

Children’s Room Coordinator Diana Currier said the program has been offered in the summer every year since 2017. 

The program was designed to give children things to do with their body, hands, mind and breathing to relax and feel good about themselves, she said.

Over time, the audience began to get younger, Currier said, so she modified activities appropriately.  Adults who came with their children were invited to participate, and did so, even asking if there was a similar program for adults.

The program was going to be phased out this summer, Currier said, but had a tie-in that reflected the need people had to be able to handle themselves. 

“Calm is the key word here, of course,” she said.

Though Children’s Librarian Samantha Cote “stepped right up to the plate to do virtual story time,” Currier said she wasn’t entirely comfortable with the platform.

But before summer began, she offered “Good Old-Fashioned Fun with Miss Diana” online on Saturdays at 9 a.m., and they carried that time slot over to Calm as a Critter. Although that’s when videos are posted, since they are pre-recorded, people aren’t limited to watching on Saturday mornings.

Currier puts a lot of effort into the information she presents, using books and other resources to design the program each week.  Each episode offers a craft so children can do something with their hands, a breathing activity, and a challenge or “homework.”

In the Fresh Air episode, for instance, she challenged children to try going for an extended period of time without talking, and to watch either a sunrise or a sunset.

She tries to keep episodes to about 15 minutes to hold the attention span of her young audience.  She also plans the order intentionally, such as putting the craft first to keep their hands busy so they can focus better when she is talking. Feedback is appreciated, she said, so she can please the audience.

There was a demand for this type of activity even before the pandemic, Currier said.

Parents often come to the library asking for books to help their children deal with nervousness and anxiety. And the suggestions she offers are things she enjoys, Currier said, adding that she tries the suggestions first to see what works for her before suggesting them to others. 

“I really want to make the world a better place,” Currier said. “I’m trying to do it through these videos somehow, and if people can walk away with a good thing or two, hopefully it’ll pay it forward somehow, someday.”

The Calm as a Critter program will run on Saturday mornings through Aug. 22. 

Past episodes are available and are posted in the Calm as a Critter Playlist on the Windham Library’s Facebook page. <

Windham Public Library’s Summer Reading Challenge goes virtual

By Elizabeth Richards

The Windham Public Library is presenting a full slate of summer reading activities for children, teens and adults this summer.  This year, all programs will be held online. The summer reading program, with the theme “Imagine Your Story,” runs from June 22 to Aug. 22, 2020.

The reading program will use an online platform called Beanstack, as well as the library’s Facebook page, You Tube channel and, for teens, Discord.

In Beanstack, participants can find activity lists and track their progress to receive virtual badges that qualify them to be entered into prize drawings at the end of the summer. Paper copies of the activity ideas and reading trackers are also available.

For children, there is a program for kids who are not yet school aged and another for kindergarteners through sixth graders. Participants need to complete a set number of tasks to receive a prize at the end of the summer. 

Younger children will need 15 badges, while the older children need 25 to receive the prize bag, which will include a book and some other small items, said Children’s Librarian Samantha Cote.

Children’s programming will also include the typical preschool Storytime on Monday and Thursday mornings, as well as Books and Babies on Tuesday Mornings. 

Other special activities for children are also offered in the summer.  On Tuesdays, Lab Coat Adventures will feature science programs.  Wednesdays will alternate between a craft program and building challenges.  Finally, on Saturdays, the library offers the Calm as a Critter program, which features calming activities like breathing exercises, simple crafts, relaxing activities and a personal challenge.

For the interactive programs, Cote said there are some make and take bags available at the library. 

“We tried to plan them all to use materials that people would commonly have at their house,” she said, but if families need them, the bags contain all the supplies needed for the entire summer. Those bags are available for all the programs except the building challenges. 

For building, Cote said, “I’ll probably be using Legos, but people can use whatever they have at home.”

The make and take bags can be picked up at the library, either inside or as part of their curbside service, which can be requested by calling the Children’s Room.

Two stand-alone Zoom programs for kids will also be offered this summer.  On Monday, July 6, Sharks4Kids will present a program on the world of sharks, and on Thursday, July 30, Marine Mammals of Maine will present one about seals. To participate in these programs, contact the Children’s Room for the Zoom link.

A Beanstack account can be created at windham.Beanstack.org.  Families can create one account with multiple readers in the account. There is also a smartphone app available. 

Designing an entire summer program online had challenges, Cote said. In the summer, they’ve historically offered a lot of interactive programming.

“Trying to figure out how to still make an active and engaging program without the personal contact was hard,” Cote said.

It was important to keep up the summer reading challenge tradition, she added, to provide some sense of normalcy and give families new ideas.

“If you’ve been quarantining for a while, you might have gotten into a routine and maybe you’re starting to get a little bit bored,” Cote said. “Now, through our different programs you can get ideas of new things to do and try.”

One popular summer activity in the month of July has been to hunt for the rubber chicken hidden throughout the library.

“This year we partnered with Parks and Rec and the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust and our chicken is being hidden at some trails around Windham so people can still get the joy of hunting for the chicken while also enjoying some of the trails we have,” said Cote.

This is just one of the activities that can earn a badge in Beanstack.

The teen program includes tracking reading, writing book reviews, and Blackout Bingo.  Summer Reading program events for teens will be held on Discord. Teens must sign up for the Discord server by filling out a form at http://www.windham.lib.me.us/teens.  Discord events will include Make it Monday, Teen Movie Tuesdays, Wellness Wednesdays, Teen Anime Thursdays, and Escape for the Weekend Fridays.  Details can be found on the library website.

“I tried to balance out social screen time and active time with activities teens could learn and do quickly at any time,” said Teen and Emerging Technology Librarian Cassandra Lull.

She also created a teens’ only closed Discord server to provide a safe place to chat, discuss interests and host online programs, as well as creating a teen specific Instagram account so they see information that only pertains to them.

“I hope to start cultivating the idea that the library isn’t just for kids and adults, but teens have a place here, too,” she said.

For the adult reading challenge, Reference/Technology Librarian Ray Marcotte has designed five tasks that incorporate the theme and Maine’s Bicentennial.  There will also be three online events and attending one of these is one of the five tasks.

On Tuesday, June 30 at 6 p.m., New England Author and Humorist Tim Caverly will present “So You Think You Know Maine” via Zoom.  This presentation will also be aired on the library’s Facebook page.

On Wednesday, July 29, a Maine Bicentennial Concert featuring Bilodeau Family Music will air at 6 p.m. via their YouTube channel. A link will be posted on the library website on the day of the event.

Finally, on Wednesday, Aug. 5, USM History Professor Libby Bischof will offer a visual history of Maine via Facebook Live on the library’s Facebook page.

Marcotte said it was a challenge to figure out how to present the events, but it’s working out.  “It’s definitely not the same, but we’re making it work,” he said. 

Marcotte has been doing virtual book group and Socrates Café for months now, he said, with decent participation.

For more information about any of the summer reading challenges and events, visit http://www.windham.lib.me.us. <

Book lending resumes at Windham and Raymond libraries

Both the Windham Public Library (shown) and the Raymond Village
Library have reopened and are once again offering checkout
for books and other items after several months of only being
able to provide online/digital services as a result of the
COVI-19 pandemic. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

By Elizabeth Richards

June brings good news for library lovers in Windham and Raymond, as both the Windham Public Library and the Raymond Village Library resume lending physical materials after an extended period of offering online/digital services only.

Library staff were far from idle when their doors were closed to the public, even if traditional library services weren’t available. At the Windham Public Library, some of the things staff worked on included online programming, including story times for all ages, craft activities, discussion groups and book chats; did inventory, removed old materials and ordered new items for the collection; conducted welfare checks on community members; provided phone or email support to patrons; planned the online Summer Reading Program; and instituted curbside service after securing grant funding, and participated in statewide discussions about library services and best practices, said Director Jennifer Alvino.

In Raymond, staff spent a lot of time helping patrons get set up to access digital/online resources.  The library’s book club met via Zoom, and staff provided reference services online or by telephone according to Library Director Allison Griffin.  The Children’s librarian also spent time compiling baby book bundles, which contain three board books, a song or game, and another activity related to the books, and similar Storytime sets for preschoolers that include a related craft and materials.

Both libraries kept patrons updated and engaged through their websites and Facebook pages while closed, including posting recorded story times, craft ideas, resources and announcements.

Currently, the Windham Public Library is open to Windham residents or current Windham Public Library card holders only.  There is a limit of 10 people inside the library at one time, and the first two open hours of the day are only open to vulnerable patrons, including seniors and those with underlying health concerns.  The library will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Their curbside service also continues Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Alvino said that although things look different at the library, and hours have changed, they continue to work hard to provide the best possible service under the current circumstances.

“We will slowly bring back services and hours as it is safe to do so but our main goal is and always remains to provide our patrons with the services and materials that they need from us,” she said.

In Raymond, the library building is still not open to the public, but no-contact parking lot pick up of books, audiobooks, and movies has been available since June 1.  Patrons can use their online account to put items on hold, or call/email the library to request materials, including the baby book bundles and Storytime bundles. 

The Raymond Village Library is also offering limited home deliveries to patrons unable to come to the library. 

Curbside pickup will continue through the month of June, with a goal of opening the building in a limited way in July. 

Because it’s a small library, Griffin said, there’s a need to control how many people are inside at a time. They will either designate someone to ensure that limit is followed, or they will offer “library by appointment,” she said.

Currently, however, they are still trying to get some of the protective barriers in place – and finding plexiglass is proving difficult.

The Raymond Village Library currently has both a book sale and a plant sale taking place. The plant sale had been by appointment only, but this week remaining available plants were placed out front with payment envelopes.  The sale is operating on the honor system, and patrons can place payment envelopes in the book drop.  Anyone wishing to pay via credit card can contact the library to make those arrangements.

A link to a document listing items available in the book sale is posted on the Raymond Village Library Facebook page.  Listings will be updated weekly, and the sale continues for the month of June.  In addition to individual books for adults and children, leveled reading book bundles are available, as are some movies.

The staff at the libraries in Windham and Raymond both remain committed to offering their valuable services to the communities they serve in whatever ways they can.

“As a community gathering place, I think the library’s role has shifted to finding alternative ways to connect with our patrons,” Alvino said.  “For now, since our in-person programming cannot take place, we are continuing online programming utilizing Youtube, Facebook Live, and Zoom.”  Other services, such as access to public computers, will be slowly resumed when alternative ways to offer them safely are found, she added. 

In Raymond, Griffin said they saw a large increase in the use of digital and online resources, particularly ebooks.  She said many people who had not explored these resources before had a chance to learn how to use them.

Griffin said that she believes that the increased use of digital tools will continue, but she said that there were many patrons who were not interested in using those resources.  She said that when the library can safely reopen, digital resources won’t change the way many patrons use the library.  

Both libraries offer a range of online services and resources, which can be explored via their Facebook pages and websites.  One unique resource that Windham library card holders can access is an online database of courses called Universal Class, which offers classes from Excel to Knitting to Cake Decorating, Alvino said.

For more information or to access digital services visit the library websites at  http://www.windham.lib.me.us/ and http://www.raymondvillagelibrary.org/. <