Computer access, research support and a fun, safe environment for kids are all there at your local library.

The Lewiston Sun Journal featured a page-one story (Nov. 28) on a genealogy search conducted by the librarian at the Dixfield Public Library that resulted in the reuniting of two sisters from Maine and the long-lost friend of their deceased veteran brother from Florida.

This is just one example of stories that sometimes unfold as a result of the genealogical services provided by Maine libraries. Genealogy research is a popular activity at many Maine libraries. Some libraries even designate space for special genealogy and local history collections.

Visitors to the state often seek family history information at local libraries and historical societies as well as at the Maine State Library and Archives in Augusta. Librarians are now accustomed to being regaled with complex anecdotes and colorful yarns about ancestors and familial connections from long ago. And librarians are accustomed to listening and offering their professional help, as they do for all their patrons, no matter what their need may be.

Whether it’s a genealogy search, a special research project or a place to read a magazine, there’s something for everyone at Maine libraries. There are many surprising services offered.

For example, many local libraries offer not only books, but also books on tape for long car rides, music CDs, as well as videotapes and DVDs for families to watch at home. Some libraries even have rock concerts for young adults so teens can gather in a safe place and feel free to express themselves. One Maine library, Topsham Public, even has a fishing tackle loaner program that got at least one young man hooked on fishing.

Nearly all Maine libraries have public access computers. And librarians can help you with free access to the Internet, or any kind of search for information. The Maine State Library offers free computer classes on Internet searching to any Maine resident. Visit www.maine.gov/msl

for a listing of these classes.

Some local libraries offer similar computer training. Some people may think they don’t need libraries any more if they have Internet access, but librarians make the human link between Internet users and the vast resources of the World Wide Web. And sometimes librarians might be able to show patrons how to find information more quickly and easily through reference books.

Did you know you can search a collection of “e-resources,” which includes full-text articles in thousands of journals, newspapers and encyclopedias? Whether you are looking for a Consumer Reports article, business resources, health information, an article from a scholarly legal journal or the Encyclopedia Britannica, this is the place to find them. These valuable electronic resources are brought to you by Maine Libraries and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week from home – even when the local library is closed.

This virtual library is made possible through funding by the Maine State Legislature and collaboration among the University of Maine System Libraries, Maine Community College System and the Maine State Library.

Residents whose library is open fewer than 10 hours each week can order books through the mail at no charge through the Books-by-Mail program. This is a service provided by the Maine State Library. For more information, contact Outreach Services at 1-800-762-7106, or at http://www.state.me.us/msl/outreach.

You can ask a reference librarian for help, not only by walking into a library, but also via mail, telephone and, in some cases, through a live chat. Reference librarians answer routine and not-so-routine questions all the time. If your local library cannot help, contact the Maine State Library, which serves residents statewide. Online, live-chat reference service is a new collaborative effort among Bangor Public Library, Portland Public Library and the Maine State Library. Anyone can log on to any one of these libraries’ Web sites and chat with a reference librarian in real time.

Maine people should not expect to find their grandparents’ library anymore. There’s new life at your library. The Auburn Public Library is just one great example of a historic library building that is being completed renovated due to a shared vision, hard work of many volunteers and overwhelming community financial support.

A special event is being planned for Jan. 15 in the State House Hall of Flags in Augusta to thank the Legislature for its support.

This is an exciting time for Maine libraries. For those who haven’t visited a library recently, we encourage you to check it out. Go to www.mainelibraries.com for more information on library locations, events and the many surprising services found at your Maine libraries.

Bonnie Dwyer has worked for the Maine State Library for five years as the Central Maine Library District consultant. She is a graduate of the University of Maine and Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a master’s degree in library and information sciences. She resides with her husband, Tom, in Manchester and has two children and two grandchildren.

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