We have gotten a lot of patrons asking about our book sale. At Portland District Library, we do a semi-annual book sale and it's coming up soon. Stop in September 8-19 and fill a bag with not only books but anything else that we set out on the tables to sell for only $2.00! 

You can also visit the cart upstairs and the book room to find things to stuff in your bag. You can certainly bring your own bag but if you don't, we have you covered - we've got (free) bags here. Please stop by the circulation desk to ask about bags or anything else related to the book sale.

If you can't make it during this date, know that we keep the cart and the book room stocked full of things for you to peruse, buy, and take home. From books to CDs to movies to puzzles, there is an array of things to choose from all year round. Spend some time looking at our selection and see if there is something(s) you would like to take home with you this next book sale!

We are getting a new coat of paint

The library has been under light renovations to introduce new colors to our space. If you stop in you can see the swathes of our new paint on the walls and ceilings, but please be aware that certain areas will be more restricted or closed entirely while the painters are working. The painters are working their way from the top-down and soon each floor will have a new look. It would be worth a gander to pop in and see what your local library looks like now, but you can always wait until it's completely finished as well. We anticipate this task being completed in September.

And while you're in, you can also explore the programs and materials we have available to borrow. We have new items freshly rotated from our new shelves, giving you the opportunity to see different titles. These are right at the front of the collections so it is easy to explore them as they become available. You can also inquire about our programs at the Circulation Desk which is also right at the front. We have a library calendar of events that outlines everything happening here, and its color coordinated so its easy to find things based on age ranges. 

With a new set a of paint, you may be interested in trying something new as well. The library is a perfect, free way to explore some low-pressure activities including (but not limited to):

• A new hobby
• A new skill
• A program
• A board game
• Doing a community puzzle
• Exploring local history

You have access to so much when you utilize the library and it can be so new and surprising to simply visit. We invite you to come and admire, but stay for the array of options we offer.

Memories at the library

It's natural for us to want to make memories, curating our schedules to work around a carefully planned vacation that is sure to make them. We organize our lives in compartmentalized sections, always planning a section for relaxation and enjoyment, and look at locations or places that will fulfill these requirements. Yet, perhaps we don't stop and think about the places we routinely visit as places to make memories. The places you orbit, travel, and frequent can fall into a rhythm that rarely gets identified as anything but what it seems like: usual. However, let me challenge you to look at it from a different perspective.

Maybe the truest memories we make are the steady, everyday ones that we constantly live. Whenever you walk down the street and simply observe the scenery. Whenever you drive down the road and name the things as they pass as a sort of game, to yourself or with others in the car. Whenever you visit a place that you see almost every day like the grocery store or the gas station. These memories are collected and kept in a seamless way so it doesn't stand out. It's simply the baseline flow of thoughts you live with every day. Yet, when you draw attention to them, you start to realize how much they actually mean.

A visit to the library can be something that builds, not just impresses a few times and then disappears from thought. There are so many people, especially families, that come to the library not really seeing the potential of making it part of their regular schedule. Libraries aren't generally seen as big and flashy. They don't pull in the masses as a fun and exciting part of a city's venue, but it certainly can be like that if you give it a try. Even so, a library tends to slowly make space in the mind and heart as a safe place to simply be. No expectations. You can return time-and-time again and simply enjoy existing. Sometimes, people (even adults) just need a place like that.

Not everything in life has to be about catching the next big moment, you can experience lasting memories simply from existing in place that holds space for you. That's what makes things last a lifetime.