Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library

Tue, 10/10/2017 - 9:00am

Several months ago, we were awarded a grant to outfit a space with all kinds of digital media equipment—GoPros (little video recorders that you can easily mount to a stand, wear on your head or chest, or even harness onto your dog!), Zoom audio recorders, a new Apple computer with Final Cut Pro, and the Adobe Creative Cloud software to edit audio and video recordings. This is part of an initiative to produce oral histories of citizens of the Boothbay region, so that we can preserve our stories for the next generation.

We are going to set up this digital media lab in what we currently call the “Tween Room” and rechristen it as the “Maine Room.”  It will house Local History and Maine Non-Fiction. On Tuesday, Oct. 17 we will be moving books around to create this new space (so we will probably be closed, check the library website to be sure).

You’ll be able to check out the GoPros and the Zoom recorders to put together movies, podcasts, audio histories, or anything else you’d like. We’re working with Cody Mitchell at Boothbay Region Community TV to be sure we’re not duplicating resources that he has available to the community and vice versa, assuring instead that the equipment at each location complements the other. Ultimately, between the Library and BRCTV, you’ll be able to produce and keep, archive, or air whatever you’d like.

When the “Maine Room” is all set up, we’ll have a small open house and reception to show off our the lab; we will let you know when that is, and hope you come to check out it!

Until then, start thinking about projects to create in the lab, whether that’s an interview with a parent or grandparent, an edited family video of Thanksgiving 2017, promotional videos for your business, or your own documentary. The digital media computers can be reserved in 3-hour blocks, so you have dedicated time to create.

I’ve always wanted to strap a GoPro to my yellow lab and look at the world through his eyes. It’d be fun to collect the video at the end of the day and find out what kind of trouble he’s getting into while we’re not looking. I’ll call it A Day in the Life of Marley, unless I come up with something snappier.       

Upcoming events

Minecraft Play Club: Wednesdays, 2-3 p.m. Come build and play in a virtual with friends. Kindergarten and up.

Artist of the Month June Elderkin: Oils on display for October in the upstairs Community Room.

Story Hour: Fridays, 10:15 a.m. Hear a story, make a craft, and sing a song!

Book Focus Group: Wednesday, Oct. 18, 4:30 p.m. Facilitator John O’Connell, jwoconnell@gwi.net.

Pumpkin Painting: Saturday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m.–noon. Paint and pumpkins provided; feel free to bring your own pumpkin. Library lawn.

Author Reading: Wednesday, Oct. 25, 4:30 p.m., lawn. P.G. Smith will read aloud from his new novel “Prayers for Evil.” Light refreshments.

Halloween Parade: Tuesday, Oct. 31, 4 p.m. Gather on the library lawn and then parade through town in your best Halloween costume.