The Monhegan Memorial Library

Jane Varnum will remain in the heart of the Monhegan Memorial Library. She passed away January 9, 2013 in Massachusetts. Her passion for reading directed her to dedicate hundreds if not thousands of hours to her dear library. She along with Eileen Cameron sat on the corner of the lupine field every afternoon for 15 years selling raffle tickets to tourists and residents, she showed real dedication and boy could she sell tickets! In addition to her years as co-chair of the raffle sales, she served on the library board, served as treasurer, and c0-chaired Tea by the Sea. She told vivid, highly entertaining stories of life on Monhegan in the recent and distant past. She will be missed and there is much in the library that will bring her to mind.

Please post your own comments and stories about Jane here on the site.

Pictures from Library Day 2012 are now posted on Facebook! Follow the link to enjoy more:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.409605739102951.99704.250132818383578&type=1

After a busy summer of exciting events at the Library, things have started to wind down. Looking back on the past few months, I would like to share these pictures, kindly sent to me by SallyAnn Rogers, taken at Steven Rogers’ Poetry Reading in August. It was a beautiful reading and the Library felt warm and cozy as we all drew up chairs to sit in a circle and night gathered outside the windows. The whole event just confirmed my feelings that sitting in our lovely Library listening to poetry is the best way to spend an evening! I am sure the rest of the audience felt the same.

All photographs copyright SallyAnn Rogers

If you have any photos of Library events and daily happenings this year that you’d like to share, send us an e-mail!

Nude by Zero Mostel. Oil on paper 18 x 22

Zero Mostel (1915-19777) was a famed actor of stage and screen. Many might recognize him from his work in the 1968 film The Producers  or on stage as Tevye in the musical Fiddler on the Roof. Zero was also a longtime summer resident of Monhegan, where he spent his time painting. This work has been generously donated by his family for the annual Library Day Raffle.

The drawing will take place at  Library Day on Saturday, September 1! We have many other raffle prizes as well, and more great art will be available on the Clothesline Art Gallery. Please stop by the Library to see the painting and buy raffle tickets!

If you love our Library…

then join us on SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 1 for (Celebrate the) Library Day!!

Since its beginning, the Library has always relied on lively fundraisers to keep our shelves full and our doors open. The fourth annual Library Day revives classic Monhegan traditions of lots of baked goods, community spirit and the “clothesline art gallery.” This fun event occurs when artists hang their work on a clothesline, buyers scout out their favorites, take them down and clip money to the clothesline in their place. This year Library Day also means the drawing of our Library Raffle! The grand prize is a painting by renowned actor Zero Mostel. Other prizes include stays at hotels, boat trips, gift certificates and even a massage!

What better way to welcome September!

Saturday, September 1    2 to 4pm on the Library lawn

This classic novel of the Lost Generation is hailed as  ”the most impressive first novel ever written by an American writer.” Tell us if you agree on Friday August 31st at 7:30pm when Jan Kornbluth will lead our last book discussion of the summer!

To get ready, check out these pages:

http://www.nytimes.com/books/99/07/04/specials/hemingway-rises.html

http://ebible.org/web/Eccl.htm

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1954/hemingway-bio.html

(You are also welcome to come if you haven’t read the book. Maybe you’ll discover a hidden passion for Hemingway…)