Sustainable Scarborough Day may be more than a week away, but the town’s library is already gearing up for it.

Next week, the library is hosting a series of programs to encourage Scarborough residents of all ages “to take action on behalf of the planet.”

“It’s sort of a promotional tool, and it’s also an educational tool,” said Elsa Rowe, the community engagement manager with the library.

Leading up to the third annual Sustainable Scarborough Day on Sunday, Oct. 5, Rowe wanted to provide a variety of sustainability and nature-related offerings, many with direct relevance to Maine.

And the community has been receptive to environmental programming. She said they are usually the most well-attended events at the library.

“Climate change really hits in Scarborough,” she said. “We’re really in danger here as a town, with flooding, and it’s just a topic that people in Scarborough are really interested in.”

Library Director Chip Schrader said that the library is uniquely poised to facilitate conversations about sustainability.

“We often see reports on what’s happening with the environment, and we feel hopeless,” he said. “The library being a place of information, we feel that we can do our role within our mission to help inform people on how to participate and be a thoughtful consumer.”

The library will be screening “I Am the River, the River is Me”, a documentary about the Whanganui River in New Zealand, on Monday at noon. This river was the first in the world to be recognized as a living and indivisible entity, with legal rights as a person.

Naturalist Kate Borduas will appear at the library on Tuesday at 6 p.m. to discuss the loss of old-growth forests in Maine and New England. She will highlight the importance of this particular ecosystem, the consequences of deforestation and local efforts to protect and restore these habitats.

Scarborough is working to become a Tree City, which would involve creating a tree board or department, developing a tree ordinance, spending $2 per capita on community tree care per year and observing Arbor Day, according to the Arbor Day Foundation. At the end of this event at the library, Borduas will discuss what this designation means and why it’s important.

Thursday will be focused on seals and marine mammals. Author Alix Morris will read an excerpt from her book, “A Year with the Seals,” that chronicles her yearlong journey to understand these animals. She will be joined by Lynda Doughty, executive director of Marine Mammals of Maine. The pair will discuss conservation efforts for these creatures.

“When I was younger and lived in Maine, I felt like I saw seals out and about all the time, and it’s been a while since I’ve seen one,” Rowe said. “I’m curious myself to learn about how the seals are doing.”

The library will screen “Sea Change: the Gulf of Maine,” a documentary focusing on the local impact of climate change, on Friday at 11:30 a.m.

“There’s something about the immediacy of what’s happening here and now that’s very interesting,” Rowe said.

These events are designed for adults, but Rowe said it is open to all ages.

“Anyone interested can attend any of my programs,” she added.

There will also be activities specifically for children, such as ecology-related coloring pages and a scavenger hunt to encourage children to look for sustainable initiatives within the library.

“Can you find all the recycling bins in the library?” Rowe said. “Where is the new water-filling station? Can you find a solar panel?”

All of these programs are geared toward engagement.

“It’s important to spread the word and to provide opportunities for people to participate,” Schrader said.