Library Connections: An ulterior motive

The phone call itself was not surprising. My aunt and uncle had retired to Maine and built a home on Orr’s Island in the mid-1980s. They had not had children together, so we were effectively their only family. Being invited for a visit was not, in itself, unexpected. We gladly accepted. What we did not know at the time was that there was an ulterior motive.

What we did not know at the time was that my aunt, Billie Metzger, had already become active in the Harpswell community. She had annually made Christmas wreaths from scratch as part of a fundraiser for the Orr’s and Bailey Islands Fire Department. However, as we would soon discover, her main passion was for the Orr’s Island Library. The ulterior motive concerned the dates she wanted us to visit — the first week in August.

Ellen and I arrived with our two young daughters, blissfully unaware that the first week in August corresponded to the annual library book and bake sale. We were “invited” to help with it. The day before the sale was setup day, when all the books were brought out to the library lawn. My back, 40 years younger at the time, was enlisted to bring out box … after box … after box … of books from the shed. Ellen then assisted with sorting those books on tables, all under the watchful and encouraging eyes of librarian Joanne Rogers. We found out in the following days, during the sale, that this was a truly anticipated event. It was a delightful, albeit exhausting, week.

For 28 of the next 30 years, at least one member of our family came to work the book sale. For some of those years, Aunt Billie was president of the library board. We looked forward to that week almost as much as the “regulars.”

During those years, changes happened. My aunt and uncle both passed away, but we continued to come, knowing that Orr’s Island would become our retirement home.

Nine years ago, our retirement dreams were realized and we became full-time residents. Two months after arriving in late July, I was elected to the library board, and now I have followed in the family tradition of serving as board president.

I tell this story to make a point (and it is not just that the annual library book and bake sale starts on Thursday, Aug. 6). The love of a library and the passion for reading is passed from generation to generation. Over the years, the number of booksellers has decreased, but the children and grandchildren, ours included, continue to attend the sale. Some are looking for that perfect book or something by their favorite author. Others simply browse. And many enjoy sharing a sense of discovery over the book tables with people, otherwise strangers, who have the common bond of enjoying reading.

So, join us from Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 6-8, for the books, the conversation, and the marvelous, homemade baked goods (Thursday and Friday only).

While you are here, step inside the library. We have 10,000 books to check out, a year-round used bookstore, public computers and printers, and free, 24/7 Wi-Fi. Follow us on Facebook and visit our website for updates on the programming we conduct all year for book lovers of all ages.

The book and bake sale is now serving its third generation. Our commitment is to adapt where appropriate to serve the needs of those who call Harpswell home for generations to come. And maybe one day, one of my children or grandchildren will become board president, too.

One further note: The 2027 Harpswell calendar is now available for $25 with beautiful photos of Harpswell, a working waterfront community. All proceeds from calendar sales support the library’s services.

“Library Connections” is a monthly column that rotates among the three libraries that serve Harpswell: Cundy’s Harbor, Orr’s Island, and Curtis Memorial.