Isaac F. Umberhine Public Library – 86 Main St, Richmond, ME 04357

Summer Reading Time

The Library’s summer reading program has 6 weeks of special events with Miss Michelle on Wednesdays, 2:30-4:00pm from July 10 to August 14.

Contact the Library to check for sign up space for discovering how “Adventure Begins at Your Library” with these special activities: birds (making bird feeders, identifying bird calls and more); a visit from the Silver Circus; fort building (using cardboard and other materials to build forts); rocks, geodes and geology (do some mining and rock identification); robot making (make DIY hexbug nanos and doodle bots); and complete the summer’s fun with a pizza party in week 6.

Library Pass for the Boothbay Railway Village Museum

The Library has been working on acquiring some library passes to area museums and attractions. The second one is now ready. Joining the pass to the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden is a pass to the Boothbay Railway Village Museum, https://railwayvillage.org/. Come in to the Library to reserve a date for either of these passes.

Library Pass to Coastal Maine Botanical Garden

The Library has been working on acquiring some library passes to area museums and attractions. The first one is ready: Coastal Maine Botanical Garden. Come in to the Library to reserve a date.

Enchanted Richmond Days

During Richmond Days (more detailed information will be available closer to the time), the Library will dedicate the children’s area of the Library as the Donna McCluskey Children’s Area with a sign and new rocking chair in honor and memory of “Miss Donna,” Richmond’s Librarian for over 34 years.

The Friday night of Richmond Days will have the annual Children’s Parade at 6:00 pm. Please come and be ready to march by 5:45 pm at the Richmond Utilities District building. All participants will receive an enchanting bookmark. Two book prizes will go to the best “Enchanted” themed costumes.

Also during Richmond Days, on Saturday, July 27, from 10am-2pm, the Umberhine Library will have its summer booksale-by-donation. Donations of gently used books to go into the sale-by-donation event are appreciated. They can be dropped off when the Library is open the days just before Richmond Days, July 23-25: Tuesday, 2-8pm, Wednesday 9am-2pm, and Thursday 2-8pm. The Library will be open the Saturday of Richmond Days from 9am-noon for regular Library use.

July and August Book Discussions

The July book for discussion on Tuesday, July 16, from 6:30-7:30 pm is Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns. Set in Georgia in the fictional town of Cold Sassy in 1906, Cold Sassy Tree tells of small-town Southern life in a bygone era. It follows the life of a 14-year-old Will Tweedy. Will’s grandfather shocks the family when he announces his intention to marry a young lady many years his junior just three weeks after his wife passed away. Will, however, likes Miss Love Simpson, even though she is from Baltimore, so practically a Yankee.

The August book discussion has a replacement title (the original title – The Boys in the Boat – will be read during a later month). On Tuesday, August 20, from 6:30-7:30 pm, the discussion will be on The Diary of Lady Murasaki by Shikibu Murasaki. Derived from the journals of an empress’s tutor and companion, this unique book offers rare glimpses of court life in eleventh-century Japan. Lady Murasaki (circa 973–1025) recounts episodes of drama and intrigue among courtiers as well as the elaborate rituals related to the birth of a prince.