Catch Up with the Jesup--September 2020

A Note from Our Director

As we get ready for September we are having yet another change of season during this pandemic time. Did we think that would be the case when spring turned into summer? We know the leaves will turn and fall, but getting ready for school and the usual autumnal visitors is so very different. At the Jesup we usually do a little less programming beginning now, but, since it doesn't matter where you are physically, we are happy to continue to offer a mix of engaging topics and hope you will join us.
We are working to be able to make the basement collection open for browsing soon, including the Maine titles, and for limited computer use. Lack of computer access has been an incredible hardship on people, but we've had recent evidence in our state that being in an enclosed space for an extended period of time is not yet reliably safe and we don't want to be That Place.
In other news, you will see that we have given our website a fresh look with lots more information on it. Several sections still need to be expanded, but that will be finished soon. Please do let us know what works for you and what isn't quite right yet.
We are still a community, continuing to work together to get to the other side of this experience. It is a pleasure for us to see each of you as you come to the library, whether to browse or just pick up a bag we've prepared for you. It is not the same, but we are maintaining the threads of attachment as best we can.
Ruth Eveland

Overdue Notices

We have gotten a lot of concerned calls and emails from people who have returned their items and then received an overdue notice. We are quarantining all items for 96 hours before checking them in and because our overdue notices go out automatically, your items could still be in quarantine and just have not been checked in. The 96-hour quarantine is based on studies done by the the IMLS and guidance from the Maine State Library and it is in place to keep our staff and you safe. No fines will accrue during this time. If you know you returned an item and you get an overdue notice please disregard it. Please contact us by calling 207-288-4245 if you have any questions.

New Faces at the Jesup!

You may have noticed a few new faces around the Jesup in the past few months. Isabella Connelly, our new Circulation Assistant, started working behind the desk in June when the library reopened to the public. Also, in August, we hired Lila Miller as our Advancement and Community Relations Director. She started right away with the Pop-Up Book Sale and has hit the ground running in her new position. We are happy to have these great new members to our team. If you see them around the library, please make sure to say hello and welcome them!

Online Events with the Jesup

Join the Jesup for a series of great events in September. Registration for all these events is required to attend. To sign up for these virtual events please fill out the forms linked below or email Kayla. And if you missed an event there are recordings of the previous programs here.

Mon., Sept. 7 at 7 p.m.

Author Talk with "Colin Woodard "Union"

co-sponsored by Acadia Senior College and the League of Women Voters of Maine, Downeast

In Woodard's book "American Nations," he contends that we have never been one America, but a collection of rival regional cultures. In his newest book "Union," Woodard asks the next question: when and how did we come to convince ourselves that we were "one nation" with a shared past, purpose and future? Woodard explores how the idea of a unified country has ignored the basic facts of our history. In the years following the Revolutionary War, the United States was still a murky concept for its citizens. But some figures realized that establishing a united vision was key and to do this they would essentially invent a story of nationhood. Woodard examines how the myth of our national unity was created and fought over by key players--George Bancroft, William Gilmore Simms, Frederick Douglass, Woodrow Wilson and Frederick Jackson Turner--and how it continues to affect us today. Woodard is a New York Times bestselling writer, historian and journalist who has reported from more than fifty foreign countries and six continents. Books will be on sale for this virtual event from co-sponsor Sherman's Books. To register fill out the form here.

Fri., Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.

"Mexico to Canada (Almost): A Six-Month Journey on the Pacific Crest Trail" with Carey Kish

In April 2019, Kish set off to hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), a 2,653-mile path through California, Oregon and Washington, which traverses seven national parks, 25 national forests, 4 national monuments and 48 designated wilderness areas. Join him as he shares his 187-day journey that left him just 177 miles shy of the Canadian border. The first 700 miles of the PCT are through the deserts of southern California, where waterless stretches of 20 to 30 miles and 90 to 100-degree temperatures in the Mojave contrast sharply with snow and ice at 9,000 feet on Mt. San Jacinto. The 500-mile section through the Sierra Nevada is the crux of the hike, with the possibility of deep snow and rivers swollen with snowmelt, plus several dozen high mountain passes, including Forester Pass at 13,153 feet, the PCT's highest point. In northern California, the PCT swings west around lofty Mt. Shasta to connect with the Cascade Range, which it follows past Oregon's Crater Lake and Mt. Hood and then Washington's Mt. Rainier to Canada. Kish is veteran hiker and outdoors and travel writer. To register fill out the form here.

Tues., Sept. 15 at 7 p.m.

Primary Source Speaker Series: "Making New Kidneys: Insights into Regeneration" with Dr. Iain Drummond from the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory

Learn how regenerative medicine could be used to treat age-related degenerative diseases and injuries during this talk. Dr. Drummond pioneered studies with zebrafish which have discovered mechanisms of organ development and kidney regeneration, as well as the biology behind kidney disease. Zebrafish share about 71% of the human genome, in some key cases, fish genes are near-perfect matches for people and 82% of genes associated with human diseases and disorders have a zebrafish counterpart. Zebrafish also have the unique ability to regenerate cells that humans cannot. Dr. Drummond is Professor and Director of the Davis Center for Aging and Regeneration at the MDIBL. This talk is part of the Primary Source Speaker Series, a partnership between the Jesup and The Jackson Laboratory. The Primary Source Speaker Series presents science talks for a general audience. This series highlights current research in a trusted and comfortable setting where questions may be directed to the primary source - the research scientists and the public library. To register fill out the form here.

Fri., Sept. 18 at 7 p.m.

Words Unleashed! Story Slam: My First Time

Tell us about your first time. The theme of this slam is "my first time" and everyone is welcome to share a story that fits the theme. Maybe it was your first time in Bar Harbor or your first time driving a car. Attendees are welcome to interpret the theme any way they want. Join emcee Jeff Miller and tell your story. The setup of the story slam is similar to "The Moth" Radio Hour on NPR. All stories are true, first-person stories that last around five minutes. At the end of each slam, the theme for the next slam is chosen. To register fill out the form here.

Sat., Sept. 19 at 5 p.m.

Authors Christina Baker Kline and Monica Wood in Conversation

Join #1 New York Times bestselling author Christina Baker Kline as she talks about her newest book "The Exiles" in conversation with award-winning Maine author Monica Wood. "The Exiles" captures the hardship, oppression, opportunity and hope of women's lives focusing on the story of English convicts and an orphaned Aboriginal girl in nineteenth-century Australia. While most English convicts transported to Australia were men, 25,000 were women. Kline recreates the beginnings of a new society, telling the story of Australia from a new perspective. Kline is the author of of eight novels, including "Orphan Train" and "A Piece of the World" and has been published in 40 countries. Her novels have received the New England Prize for Fiction, the Maine Literary Award and a Barnes & Noble Discover Award, among other prizes, and have been chosen by hundreds of communities, universities and schools as "One Book, One Read" selections. Wood is a novelist, memoirist and playwright. Her most recent novel, "The One-in-a-Million Boy," has been published in 22 languages in 30 countries and won a Nautilus Award and the New England Society Book Award. Books will be on sale for this virtual event from co-sponsor Sherman's Books. To register fill out the form here.

Tues., Sept. 21 at 7 p.m.

Building on the Past, for our Future

The Jesup is creating a public library for the 21st century. This will include an addition to the building--a modern addition on an historic structure. Please join us to hear our architects talk about how the two parts will integrate and reflect each other. First, Earle Shettleworth, former State Historian and the longest-serving director of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, will place the architecture of the Jesup in its historic context. Then, Pamela Hawkes, Principal at Scattergood Design and a Professor of Practice in Historic Preservation at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design, will talk about researching our Historic Preservation Plan and will highlight some of its special features. Finally, Scott Simons, Principal at Scott Simons Architects, will demonstrate how the modern plan speaks for itself but also enhances the Jesup building.To register fill out the form here.

Thurs., Sept. 24 at 7 p.m.

Author Talk with Mac Smith "Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine"

It is a well-known fact that Peyton Place, the controversial, scandalous blockbuster was filmed in Camden, Maine and the surrounding towns in 1957. But few have heard the true story of how the film came to Camden and what happened next. Join author Mac Smith as he shares the true story behind the film. Beginning with the arrival of film crews, he traces the making of the movie, what happened after the crews left, and the premiere of the film, which was held in Camden. Included are quotes from locals who were featured in the film. Smith is the author of the book "Mainers on the Titanic." Smith is a Navy veteran of the First Gulf War and former news reporter for the Bar Harbor Times. Books will be on sale for this virtual event from co-sponsor Sherman's Books. To register fill out the form here.

For the Kids

Pinwheels for Peace Craft Kits

There are craft kits at the library for kids to make their own pinwheel to display on the library's front lawn for Pinwheels for Peace on Mon., Sept. 21. Each child can create their own unique pinwheel and drop it off at the library for display. Sept. 21 is the International Day of Peace and we are happy to join other institutions on the island, including the Wendell Gilley Museum to celebrate. Contact Miss Mae to get a kit.

Weekly Story Times and New Programs

Miss Mae is doing weekly story preschool story times on Thursdays on our Facebook page. She reads a story, sing songs and does a craft. If you have missed any of Miss Mae's previous story times check out the playlist here. In September, Miss Mae will start bringing children on virtual field trips. The first destination will be the Hancock County SPCA. Also, in September stay tuned for "Cooking with Cas and Miss Mae." These videos will be posted on our Facebook page.

Thank You to Our Business Council

We want to thank our Jesup Memorial Library's Business Council Members for their generous support. We are extending 2019 Business Council Membership through the end of 2020 even if they are not able to continue their support at this time. We understand that the coming year may be difficult for many of our local business sponsors and want to do as much as we can to help them. If you are able, please visit, call, order take-out or refer these businesses to your family and friends as you need products and services in the coming days and weeks.

Visionary (5,000+)

Machias Savings Bank/ Bar Harbor Bank & Trust

Champion ($2,500-$4,999)

Sherman's Books & Stationery

Vanguard Level ($1,000-$2,499)

Henry Hotels, Inc. / Bar Harbor Campground / Window Panes / Mystery Writers of America: New England Chapter / Fiore Artisan Olive Oils & Vinegars /

Bar Harbor Savings & Loan / First National Bank and First National Wealth Management / Coston, McIsaac & Shea / Bar Harbor (MDI) Rotary

Trailblazer Level ($500-$999)

G.F. Johnston & Associates / Hannaford / Shannon Cottage /

Acadia Corporation / Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company /

West Street Cafe / Reel Pizza Cinerama / Cas Ole Catering

Rusticator Level ($250-$499)