BLUE HILL — It’s June, which means summer is almost here! As it slowly gets warmer, my thoughts turn to reading in the sunshine and preparing for summer events at the Blue Hill Public Library. As it gets sunnier and the plants become lush and green again, we move some of our regular indoor events outside. When the weather is nice, it’s not uncommon to see blankets out on the lawn and little ones running and rolling around as Storytime takes place or some sort of energetic teen activity going on once school is out.
Many visitors enjoy the library grounds to work, read and play. You will find me out there occasionally, reading during my lunch break, working on completing my Summer Reading bookmark. The theme for Summer Reading this year is “Plant a Seed, Read!” which couldn’t be more perfect (in my humble opinion), as it combines the beauty of nature with the beauty of reading. Summer Reading starts June 22 for kids, teens and adults, so I hope to see some others reading outside with me.
And if you want to learn more about nature, kids can come to a special outdoor workshop, “Ants and Plants,” on June 24 at 3:30 p.m. Kids will get to learn about spring ephemerals and investigate ant behavior, while playing some fun games. There will also be some time for nature journaling so kids can record their findings.
Beyond the library lawn there are a plethora of exciting things to do inside the library during June too! To kick off the season for kids we have an interactive history program, “Hands On History,” on Saturday, June 6 at 10:30 a.m., that will allow kids and families to try their hand at traditional crafting and tools from the 18th century. Our community partner, the Wilson Museum, will even bring a drawshave for demonstrations and practice.
Adults can also connect with history during our discussion series on the book “American Revolution: A Continental History, 1750-1804”. There will be three sessions for this series, the first one being June 30 at 1 p.m., that will lead up to a talk in July with Historian Alan Taylor. If you like history you won’t want to miss this, so make sure to register through the library website.
If you’re like me and still thinking about books, we have not one, not two, but FOUR authors visiting in June to talk about their news books! Jeanne Bartlett will be here on June 8, Rylan Hynes in conversation with Bill Carpenter on June 11, Margie Patlak on June 18 and Caroline Bicks on June 25. Each of these authors bring unique stories and information that will captivate audiences. Maybe one of these authors’ books will inspire you to join in on the Summer Reading fun.
Artist Rick Landesberg is displaying his beautiful watercolor, gouache, and oil paintings here at BHPL for the month of June. Many of which feature blue skies and open seas, the perfect vibes for summer. There will be a reception for the show from 3 to 5 p.m. on June 13 that everyone is welcome to attend, while on June 10 at 7 p.m., Rick will be speaking on the art of “capturing place.” It will be an informative talk for beginner and experienced artists alike. And if that’s not enough art for you, Professor Christopher Brumfield will be at the library on June 22 at 6:30 p.m. to talk about LGBTQ+ art and art history and queer identity depicted in art.
Kids can get in on the art this month too with “Little Artists’ Storytime” on June 24 at 2 p.m. Librarian Ms. Jen will read some art themed stories and guide kids through a fun, creative (possibly messy) art project after.
As if that’s not enough, kids can also look forward to the return of Music & Movement on June 15, Storytime & Open Gym at the Blue Hill YMCA on June 17, and crowd favorite Dash the Therapy Dog on June 27. Perhaps most exciting, the Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers will be here on Saturday June 27 at 6 p.m. for a free performance of their popular show “The Legend of the Banana Kid!” I can’t express how excited we are for these amazing performers to be back (especially you Goaty).
June is proving to be an exciting month full of fun events and great books. BHPL will be closed on June 19 for Juneteenth, but you’ll find the doors open Mondays-Wednesdays and Fridays (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Thursdays (9 a.m. to 8 p.m.), and Saturdays (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). To learn more about any of our events, visit our website at www.bhpl.net or call us at 207-374-5515. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram at Blue Hill Public Library. All of our events are free and open to the public, and free Wi-fi is accessible 24/7 from the library’s parking lot. Hope to see you there!