9304-R4_NewGloucester_2024-2025_AnnualReport_Web

The library held a Winter Carnival for February vacation week, including Lego building, making wonder spinners, and a movie matinee. During April vacation, the library offered Superhero Week themed games, mask making, slime making, and a movie matinee. In June, “Color Our World” Summer Reading 2025 kicked off with a reading party, author/illustrator Chris Van Dusen, Crafty Kids art program, STEM kids’ science program, and Chewonki Traveling Natural History Program (Animals of Maine). Outreach and Community Engagement: In September, the library and the Friends of the Library each had booths at the New Gloucester Community Fair. In October, the library hosted weekly GNG Community Connector sessions to help community members connect with services and assistance in and around the GNG community. In December, the library coordinated with the NG Historical Society and the Friends of the Library for the annual Tiny Timber tree lighting. Ms. Emily began visiting Rise and Shine Childcare monthly to bring story time to local pre-K children. Ellie began attending the monthly Community Cafe, a GNG Recreation event to interact and help bring library information to community members. In April, the library hosted a seed give-away with the Environmental Resource Committee and the Friends of the Library held a gardening/cookbook pop up book sale. The library staff and two community volunteers took classes to become facilitators for the National Digital Equity Center. This program offered free computer classes to community members held at the library. In May, the library attended Memorial School Spring Family Night signing people up for library cards and making crafts with the kids. Staff: Tonya Kinzer, the library’s first Interlibrary Loan Technician, and the first ever third paid staff member, started working on July 1, 2024. Due to the interlibrary loan shut-down statewide, Tonya charged into helping the adult and children’s programming grow. She created an early release crafternoon for students one Wednesday a month, continued to create take it/make it craft kits for families, started a popular monthly teen and adult evening crafting programs, and created a special four-week holiday gift making program. Once the interlibrary loan system returned to service she picked up that workload as well. Alice Wheeler took over the Interlibrary Loan Technician position on May 19, 2025. In addition to all the interlibrary loan requests from patrons, and book clubs, she has continued creating take it/make it kits and working with students for early release crafternoon programs. Alice has rapport with our families and children and assists with story time in Ms. Emily’s absence. She has brought new ideas for programming in FY2026, including a baby story time!

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