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Image by Alexander Grey

Director Updates:

Smiling woman standing in front of a bookshelf

December 2025

The Library Lookout

Official Newsletter of the Skowhegan Free Public Library

As the nights get longer and longer, I find myself turning to activities that can be done inside underneath a warm blanket or beside a crackling fire. For me, this means lots of reading, movie watching, listening to audiobooks and podcasts, and knitting. (Sometimes I do multiple at a time even.) 

If you haven't been in the library in a while, maybe now is a good time to visit and stock up on some books, games, puzzles, or DVDs, to keep yourself busy during these long nights. We have tons of new items on the shelves to satisfy all different types of readers. 

We want to take a moment and wish you and your family the happiest of holidays. No matter what you celebrate this time of year, we hope that you are able to pause the demands of life and spend quality time together with loved ones. 

That being said, our own library staff will be off for an extended period of time to celebrate the holidays with our families and for some much-needed rest. We will be closed from December 23rd- January 4th, reopening on Monday, January 5th for normal business hours. We do ask that during that time you keep your books at home if possible until we reopen.

 

From all of us to all of you, 

Happy Holidays.

Four smiling women standing in front of a memorial plaque and fireplace.

Upcoming Events: 

Recurring: 

Every Wednesday- Storytime @ 10:30AM

Every Friday- Sit & Knit @ 1 - 3PM

12/03- BooOOooks in the Basement @ 6:15PM
12/06 -  Santa Storytime @11AM
12/06- Holiday Bake Sale 10AM-3PM
12/18 - LEGO Club @ 3:30PM

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12/23-01/04- Winter break

Closures: 

Click the links for our December and January event calendars

Image by Jan Mellström

Library Updates

Image by Jan Mellström

Library Updates

Image by Alexander Grey
Smiling woman holding a children's book, standing in front of a book shelf.

News from Emily Ecker, Youth Services Librarian

   In November, we had our friends from Holland's Variety Drug back as guest storytime readers. The kiddos loved the pie-themed stories and making their felt pie crafts. We also welcomed back DelilahIris Designs to lead a two-day sewing workshop to create kawaii felt toys. LEGO Club's color challenge was a lot of fun to see what everyone would build with their randomly-chosen color!

   December will seem like a short month, but we'll still have some exciting things in store! Our Santa storytime will be on the 6th at 11am, Holland's will return for storytime on the 17th, and LEGO Club will be on the 18th from 3:30-4:30pm. And, of course, there will be a new Doodle Day theme at the start of the month.

Image by Alexander Grey

News from Bree Bussell-Fitzgerald, Adult Services

Smiling woman placing a book back on a bookshelf.

    Hi everyone! I’m back from maternity leave and I’ve missed you all! I have to say, being home with my little one was the best time of my life but I’m ready to get back into the swing of things here at the library. With 2025 coming to a close, I’m interested in what you, the patrons, want to see offered at our library. I’m always looking for more programming ideas, authors to invite to speak, crafts we can make together, etc. If you have any specific ideas feel free to let me know and I’ll see what I can do! If you’re someone who has any interesting stories to tell, talents you want to show off or hobbies you’d like to share, we're interested in them! Can you tie flies? Do you have any interesting local history you’d like to give a presentation on? Can you lead a paint night? Let’s work together to offer something fun for our community! 

Image by Alexander Grey
Smiling woman with arms folded.

News from Nikki Hathaway, Tech Services Librarian

  Our little pantry is still going strong! Thank you again for all of your continued support, neighbors helping neighbors is really wonderful to see. If you have a specific need, we have a list inside the door of the pantry to leave notes. While there isn’t a guarantee these items will be purchased, it’s a great way for our volunteers and donors to know what items to shop for. 


   BooOOooks in the basement are currently reading ‘My Friend Anna by Rachel DeLoache Williams for our December meeeting and will be starting ‘The Hunger’ by Alma Katsu for our January meeting. Love all things spooky and true crime? We’d love to have you join us the first Wednesday of the month at the library @ 6:15PM!

Fundraising Updates

For the month of December, we’re excited to announce that the library has been selected by the Skowhegan Hannaford for their Community Bag program! We are so very grateful for these local partnerships, thank you Hannaford! 
   

Shopping bag fundraiser flyer sharing that buying a community bag for 2.50 supports the library. Two smiling women looking at shopping bags along with image of fundraiser bag.
Image by Jason Leung

Staff Book Picks for December 2025

Illustrated book cover showing a dollhouse with two girl dolls running up the stairs and a large cat looking on.

Angie-

The Winter of the Dollhouse

by Laura Amy Schlitz

Book cover of Alice Hoffman's 'Magic Lessons' with an image of a dark haired woman.

Nikki-

Magic Lessons

by Alice Hoffman

Book cover of Tom Fletcher's 'Space Band' with three children jumping in the air, two holding guitars and one holding drumsticks.

Emily-

Space Band

by Tom Fletcher

Book cover of  Jenny Colgan's  'The Secret Christmas Library' featuring a book case decorated with a bow and a christmas tree to the right.

Bree-

The Secret Christmas Library

by Jenny Colgan

Our mission

At the Skowhegan Free Public Library, our mission is to foster a community where the freedom to read and access information is paramount. We are dedicated to providing a well-rounded and diverse collection of resources that cater to the educational, recreational, and cultural needs of all our patrons. Our library serves as a welcoming space for every community member, promoting inclusivity and accessibility. We are committed to sustainable practices, ensuring that our operations and services contribute positively to the environment and the well-being of future generations. Together, we empower minds, inspire lifelong learning, and build a brighter, more informed world.

The Library Lookout

9 Elm Street

Skowhegan, ME 04976

Library Staff

Director: Angie Herrick

Adult Circ: Breanna Bussell-Fitzgerald

Youth Services: Emily Ecker

Technology Librarian: Nikki Hathaway

Volunteer: Janet Mayhew

President: Lynda Quinn

Devin MacMichael

Debra Sterling

Lynn Perry

Maureen Provencal

​​Noella DesPres

Robert Washburn

Kristina Canon

Patricia Horine

Bloomfield Academy Trustees

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