Right outside the window of the children’s area in Memorial Park in Old Orchard Beach, looking toward the ocean, is the most gorgeous and enormous apple tree that I think I’ve ever seen. I was admiring it from the Children’s Area circulation desk at the Libby Memorial Library the other day and noting the beautiful pink blush on the baby fist-sized green apples and thinking about apple picking and making applesauce — two of my favorite fall activities. It dawned on me … autumn with its cooler weather, back-to-school, changing leaves, and apple-picking is upon us.

We’ve made it through another wonderful and event-filled summer here at the beach, and as happens, the wheel makes a turn, and we’re on to the next great adventure.

For us, here at Libby Library, while change is in the air, slowing down isn’t. Our September is chockful of exciting activities and events. As we mentioned last month, we will begin our extended hours starting Sept. 6 with our doors opening at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10:30 a.m. on Saturday (even librarians like to sleep in a little on the weekends).

In fact, we are very excited about the entire month of September, because September is “Sign Up for a Library Card” month. All residents, property owners, and year-round employees of year-round businesses are eligible for a free card here at the library. And did you know that any Libby Library card holder is also eligible for a free Portland Public Library card? Ask us at the circulation desk about getting your free PPL card!

Having a library card opens up worlds of possibility, but it can also be a bit of a subversive act. Did you know that in 2021 over 1,500 books were challenged and/or banned? We love banned books here at Libby Library, and strive, not only to read them, but to also be sure that they are available to anyone else who might want to read them. Sept. 18-24 is National Banned Book Week. Be sure to stop by and celebrate with us by checking out what someone else thinks you shouldn’t be able to read.

Speaking of celebrating, we are very excited to be collaborating with the Community Friendly Connection (CFC), the Town of Old Orchard Beach, OOB365 and the Chamber of Commerce for the first

Annual OOB Fall Fest on Sept. 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Memorial Park. Libby Library will have a table where our own, Heather, will be issuing library cards, answering questions and guiding some fun activities for the kiddos. Stop by, say hi to Heather and buy a few raffle tickets for a chance to win one of two fabulous fall baskets. In addition to our table, the library will also be host to the very cool, Bookmobile! What could be better than a huge bus filled back to front, floor to ceiling with BOOKS? The bookmobile will be in the Library parking lot from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Be sure to check it out! And not to be outdone, the Friends of Libby Library will be having their annual end-of-season book sale and a flea market at the Festival.

Students in third through sixth grades are invited to participate in a Community Art Contest to celebrate our local pollinators that perform such an important job. Submissions should focus on pollinators and/or the plants that attract them, and should utilize 5”x7” cardstock, available at the library right now. Submission deadline is Sept. 20, and all art will be up for display in the Library for the OOB Fall Fest. The winning piece will be used to create signage for the local pollinator gardens, sponsored by Libby Library and the CFC.

If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s that there’s always something happening at the library, and as our favorite Aardvark likes to say, “Having fun isn’t hard, when you’ve got a library card!”