Footnotes: February 2026

Keep scrolling for the director's note, two vignettes, save the date, and one cool library resource! 

Scarborough is a town made up of givers. This is frequently demonstrated through Project GRACE's Fuel Rally, that is coming to the library in a week, and our Community Book Baby Shower. We see so much support toward Scarborough Food Pantry, Maine Needs, and Project Linus with countless items donated inside the library, and are direct beneficiaries of donations to the Annual Fund, Charlie Cart, and ebooks. Whether it is the Friends' working hard to coordinate book sales, or someone chipping in towards the free coffee we leave out every winter morning, the staff at the library is continually impressed by the generosity of Scarborough's people.
 
As a Rotarian, I can speak to the amazing dedication people in our civic organizations have-- we all appreciate the work of the Lions Club, the Kiwanis Club, and the many organizations that support our community and our environment.
 
We consider ourselves very lucky to have community partners supporting our work so we can be here for you when you need us. And with our new generator ready to go, we'll be able to serve the town when the weather may let us down (as long as we can drive here safely!)
 
Thank you for helping us help you and our community.
 
Chip

Let's Raise More Book Babies with a Community Book Baby Shower

Are you expecting a baby or have you welcomed one in the past year? This Valentine's Day families are invited to celebrate love, learning, and new beginnings at our Community Book Baby Shower, a joyful event designed to support babies and caregivers right from the start. Every participating family will receive a reusable book bag to fill with free board books, enjoy light snacks, and connect with local organizations that support families with young children.

Reading with your baby from birth plays a powerful role in early brain development, language growth, and emotional bonding. Even before babies can talk, hearing stories, songs, and the rhythm of language helps build the foundation for future literacy and learning. Sharing books together also creates meaningful moments of connection—turning reading into a comforting, everyday experience from the very beginning.

We’re especially delighted to welcome beloved author and illustrator Charlotte Agell, who will be offering free quick-sketch portraits of babies—an unforgettable keepsake for families to treasure. Held on Valentine’s Day, this celebration is a perfect way to honor love in all its forms: love of family, love of community, and love of reading.
Bring the whole family! We have a sibling table with activites and books for them to take home too. 

 

This free event is in partnership with the Book Fairy Pantry Project, a grassroots family literacy movement founded by author and family literacy activist Pam Leo.

 

Don't have young children in your life but you'd like to support this project? We're accepting new and gently-used board books all the time in the library lobby. 

 

Deanna McNamara

Youth Services Manager

Remembering Our Past with Truth, Healing, and Change

In honor of the Day of Racial Healing, and with grant sponsorship from the National Recreation & Park Association, the Library is partnering with Scarborough Community Services and the Scarborough Land Trust to bring Wabanaki REACH to the library in February. Although this program is already full, the Library is eager to bring more Wabanaki REACH programs to the community in the future, with the help of community partners.  

Understanding Wabanaki history is essential to understanding Maine, and Scarborough, today. The Wabanaki Nations have lived on this land for more than 12,000 years, yet their histories, cultures, and lived experiences have often been marginalized or misrepresented. Racial equality begins with truth-telling: acknowledging whose stories have been centered, whose have been excluded, and how those choices continue to shape our communities. As an organization that prioritizes both education and community building, we hope the library can help us all learn about our shared past and our collective responsibility moving forward.  

With approximately 8,000 tribal members today, Wabanaki people, comprised of the Penobscot, the Passmaquoddy, the Maliseets, and the Mi'kmaq, are still an active part of our Maine culture. By acknowledging their stories and learning from them, we can ask ourselves what kind of future our actions today will create, and how we can choose to live with intention, equality, and justice guiding our path forward as a community. 

 

Elsa Rowe

Community Engagement Manager

Tumblebooks are e-books and e-audiobooks especially tailored for youth and young teens (grades K-6). These books are always available and often have a read-along option. They can be accessed on a computer, or through the Tumblebooks app on your Apple or Android device. Use your library card number to login after you install the app.

 

TumbleBookLibrary has over 1100 titles for grades K-6, and includes our unique animated, talking picture books, read-along chapter books, nonfiction books and videos, curated playlists, as well as books in Spanish and French. Plus, the collection features Graphic Novels – a student favorite!

 

For more information: Tumblebooks | Scarborough Public Library

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Scarborough Public Library
48 Gorham Rd Scarborough, ME 04074
Phone: 207-883-4723