2017 Events
Collecting School Supplies
“The new school year will be upon us before you know it! Last yer we were the collection site for donations of school supplies for students at Mt. Vernon Elementary School, pre-K through 5th grade. We were asked us to do it again, and we were so heartened by the community’s generous response last time, that we of course agreed! As of this week (first week of August) we are looking for donations of school supplies such as: pencils (lots of those), crayons, markers, erasers, paper & notebooks, backpacks and lunch boxes for our elementary school students whose families might not be able to provide the essentials. Please bring your items to us, we’ll have a basket set up by the fireplace in the main room, and we’ll make sure it is delivered to the school. Thank you for your help last year — the school staff was so grateful for what you provided!”
Wednesday, August 30th, 7pm at the Vienna Grange Hall – “The White Lions of South Africa”. The Grange is co-sponsoring this event with us, and it looks to be an interesting evening. Ruby Rubins will show a brief (approximately ½ hr) film entitled “Return of the White Lion” and has pictures of her own time spent there to share with us. She will talk about her experiences and will lead an open discussion and question & answer period. We’ll have refreshments. Join us at the Grange Hall at the end of the month to learn about this amazing topic!
Saturday, August 19th, 10am-Noon – Annual Mushroom Walk with Barbara Skapa. We will start at the library parking lot. Wear clothing suitable for hiking; bring a basket or bag, and a small knife for collecting mushrooms. The walk may be local, or might involve a short car trip to get to another location. In the event that it is necessary to cancel due to weather conditions we ask that you preregister for the walk by calling us at 293-2565. Leave a message if we aren’t open, and we’ll sign you up. Barbara asks that you give a donation for the walk, which she then gives to us. We have some mushroom identification books, if you want to check one out!
Monday, August 14 and Monday, August 21, 3-5pm at the library – Basic Technology 101 for Adults. We will set up appointments (about a half-hour) on those afternoons, with our young volunteer, Kaydee Martin, who can sit down with you and help you set up email or download ebooks or create a facebook page, or learn how to text, on various devices. Bring your cell phone, tablet or ipad, or laptop, and work with Kaydee for a bit to get you started on connecting with others via your device. Please call the library in advance (293-2565) to set up an appointment – leave a message if you call when we aren’t open, and we’ll get back to you. If this is something some of our elder community members find useful, we’ll try to have more tech learning opportunities in the future.
Book Sale-on going in our back room during library hours. There will not be a book sale at the Community Center this summer.
“Stories from the Metroplex” Thursday, August 10, at 7pm, also at the Mt. Vernon Community Center. The folks at the MVCC are joining with us to co-sponsor our first-ever event. Anyone in the area is invited to share brief stories, musings, and odd or sweet or funny bits of writing they’ve come across.
Annual Poetry Reading will be a the Mt. Vernon Community Center, at 7pm on Thursday, August 3rd. Bring a favorite poem or two to share with all of us!
Wednesday activity programs. Older readers coming to help younger readers are always appreciated! Refreshments are served at each program.
Wed. August 9–Ruby Rubins will come read a book (about a service dog who doesn’t quite pass the test, but manages to save the day any number of times) and talk with the kids about service dogs on Ruby trains different types of service dogs, and will bring her wonderful canine companion, Ruthie, along for the program!
Wed. July 24–Alice and Linda will assist children in two art projects–a dried flower collage which will make a lovely framed souvenir and a skyline nightscape. We’ll try to find just the right accompanying story!
Wed. July 19—Some local teens (Claire and Kusha) will prepare and present an interactive puppet play of The Three Little Pigs. Children may then build a house using manipulative toys and also make and take their own cardboard house.
Wed. July 12–Learn about a variety of common woodworking tools, and then make your own boat or structure using nails, screws, sandpaper, washers, hand drill, glue and a variety or other materials –explore and create! Parents are encouraged to stay and assist with this hands on activity.
Wed. July 5--Learn about the layers in a tropical rain forest and Build your own rainforest in a box! This art project will be a hands on use of an assortment of materials.
Tax Help Days
Free Tax Help Days will be offered once again at the library. Call ahead for an appointment beginning in January 2017.
Saturday February 18, Saturday March 4, Saturday March 18, and Saturday April 1.
2016 Events
Annual Christmas Tree Lighting
Alice Olson, Librarian read A Christmas Fantasy by Carolyn Haywood and prepared a holiday craft for children at the Mt Vernon Community Center Tree Lighting on Dec. 3.
Trick or Treating and Halloween Crafts 5:00pm-6:00pm October 31. 27 children joined the fun before heading into Trunk or Treat Activities in town and at the Community Center.
Mushroom Walk with Barbara Skapa
This walk was cancelled due to our dry summer season and lack of mushrooms. Look for it again in 2017!
Saturday, August 27, 10-noon starting at the Library parking lot.
Wear clothing suitable for hiking; bring a basket or bag, and a small knife for collecting mushrooms. The walk may be local, or might involve a short car trip to get to another location.
In the event that it is necessary to cancel due to weather conditions we are asking for preregistration, which may be done by calling the library at 293-2565, emailing at aolson815@gmail.com or drshaw@shaw.lib.me.us or by coming to the library before August 13. A recommended $10.00 donation to benefit the library may be contributed the day of the event.
Making Kabobs and Tortillas!
Summer Reading Program–Ready, Set, Read!
Decorate your hoola hoop (or use one of ours) on Monday July 25 at 4 PM at the library. Watch a demonstration and learn some new moves! 
Annual Book Sale will be held July 16, 2016 at the Mt. Vernon Community Center from 9:00am-2:30pm.
Creating and Eating your own healthy snacks–Monday 4 pm at the library.
Bonnets, Bubbles and Baseball Caps-Monday at 4 pm at the library.
Yoga for Kids-Sat. July 2 at 10 am at the library. Stories and refreshments included!!
Get into action and join the Summer Reading Program at the Dr. Shaw Memorial Library. This year’s theme, Ready Set Read, will be filled with hands on activities that include stories, movement, healthy snacks, and creative crafts. Read for fun while working towards a personal goal that rewards you with prizes along the way. Everyone who signs up to read will be given a certificate for a free ice cream cone at the Flying Pond Variety Store as well as a pass to a Sea Dogs Game. Prizes for reading will be based on pages or time read (your choice). Prizes will be given in increments of 200 up to 1000. Just track your time or pages, bring your reading log up to the library to show us, then pick from the appropriate basket. If a reader goes past 1000 they can simply start all over!
The first program will begin Saturday July 2 at 10 am at the library.
All other programs are Mondays at 4 pm in July (11, 18, 25)
Programs last about an hour, are free, and registration is not required.
July 2-Saturday-10:00 AM Yoga with Leah Hayes…come learn the tree, cat, cow, dog –Creep and crawl and bend and stretch as Leah teaches many fun poses and moves throughout the library. If weather permits, we may do this outside so dress accordingly.
July 11-Monday 4:00pm —Bonnets, Bubbles and Baseball Caps — Create a Cap, and Blow Big Bubbles! With Alice Olson.
July 18 –Monday 4:00pm— Enjoy creating and eating your own healthy snacks! Bring your apron if you have one! With Alice Olson & Linda Smith.
July 25 –Monday 4:00 pm — Make and Decorate your own hoola hoop, see a demonstration, learn some moves and play some hoola hoop games (Bring your own hoola hoop to decorate if you have one!). With Karen and Megan Woodcock.
August 20 –Mushroom Walk with Barbara Skapa-Saturday, August 20, 10-noon starting at the Library parking lot.Wear clothing suitable for hiking; bring a basket or bag, and a small knife for collecting mushrooms. The walk may be local, or might involve a short car trip to get to another location. In the event that it is necessary to cancel due to weather conditions we are asking for preregistration, which may be done by calling the library at 293-2565, emailing at drshaw@lib.me.us or coming to the library before August 13.
A donation is recommended to benefit the library which may be contributed the day of the event.
Sign up for reading will begin June 20 and children may continue reading toward their goals until September 1. For more information, call the library at 293-2565 or email at DrShaw@shaw.lib.me.us
Mount Vernon Summer Swim Program!!
The Kennebec Valley YMCA will offer lessons at the town beach from Monday to Thursday for six weeks, beginning July 5th and ending August 11th.The cost is $25 per child with a $40 limit per family, and scholarships are available. Registration forms can be picked up at the Mount Vernon Town Office and the Dr. Shaw Memorial Library.
Questions? Call Trish at 293-8012.
Annual Bird Walk-Join Linda Smith and Dona Seegars at 4:00 pm on Monday May 16 in the library parking lot. They will walk around town town and help identify whatever is flying, perched in a tree or gliding on water. Bring a pair of binoculars, comfortable walking shoes and what ever else you might need to protect against flies and sun. Friends, neighbors, children welcome! This walk usually takes about an hour.
Maine Poet Carolyn Locke will present Poems and Images on Wednesday May 18 at the Vienna Union Hall. This event is sponsored by the Vienna Union Hall Association and The Dr. Shaw Memorial Library. Donation are appreciated. Books will be available for sale and signing. Refreshments will be available. Check out her web page at: Carolyn Locke
The last Tax Help Day organized by AARP volunteers is on March 26, 2016. David Fuller and Stephanie Ralph are on hand to assist with free tax preparations. Slots are full for this year, 2016. About 4 Saturdays are devoted each year in February and March to assist those in need. You may contact the library after January 1 to set up an appointment.
Town Meeting Food Sale: The library will have coffee, muffins, coffee cake and other sundry items for sale at the Mt Vernon Town meeting, set for June 18, 2016 at 9:00 am at the Mt. Vernon Elementary School. Anyone willing to bake for this sale would be welcomed. Please call or email the library with this generous offer! Email Drshaw@shaw.lib.me.us or call us at 293-2565.
Annual Book Sale will be held July 16, 2016 at the Mt. Vernon Community Center from 9:00am-2:00pm. Books for all ages in all categories will be available as well as a small assortment of DVD’s, VHS and audio books. Our book sale is the third Saturday of July each year at the Mt. Vernon Community Center.
Cheesemaking 101, Hands on Make and Take: Yogurt, Mozzarella, and Ricotta, sponsored by Echo Ridge Cheese-Mt. Vernon-and held at: Echo Ridge Farm on 2080 North Rd in Mt. Vernon was another very successful program held in February 2015.
The library hosts several annual programs, including a summer reading program with weekly story hours, a bird walk, a mushroom walk, a book sale, and an annual poetry reading. More information to follow about these and other upcoming events.
Other programs are planned throughout the year as requested.
