Hello, friends! I’m substituting for Matthew this week while he is enjoying a well-deserved vacation.
Libraries are a space where we all, patrons and librarians alike, are encouraged to explore the many forms literacy can take. There are so many means of engaging with narratives, through books, films, documentary sources, and beyond. We’re adding another element to this diverse array of forms- I’m very excited to share that Skidompha will soon be able to lend video games! Games can work in so many ways, on so many levels, just like other media. Some are great for pure relaxation, while others are primed to exercise our focus; some are cozy, some unsettling; some are all style, while some possess rich narratives. Above all, just as with books, games allow us to come together and share experiences, thoughts, opinions, and fun.
We are adding some staff favorites to the Library and will continue to enrich our collection every month- and you can help! If you have any Nintendo Switch or Playstation 4 or 5 games you’re ready to pass on, we would love to accept your donations. Did you know, too, that you can request games through interlibrary loan? We’re pleased to be joining a number of other libraries in Maine with games in their collections, and there are a great number of titles available. We can’t wait to get some more game-oriented programs in the works, and hope you’ll stop by to check out this new offering!
It’s deeply important to us that Skidompha, and all libraries, continue to be robust sources of literary, social, and cultural value. I want to thank everyone who has reached out to our state representatives about current threats to library funding, and would humbly ask that our patrons and supporters keep doing so. All grants to libraries have been halted, and nearly all the staff at the Institute of Museum and Library Services have been suspended. This is alarming news, but please know that your calls, emails, and letters really are making a difference. Your comments are making it clear that libraries are vital and that revoking funding for them would be a terrible misjudgment. Again, thank you so much for all your words and actions of support.
Please be well, and we’ll see you soon at Skidompha!
Chloe Deblois
Adult Services Librarian
Skidompha Public Library