Thanks to Our Community, Sponsor the Observer Project Completed
By Jon Knepp, Director, Thompson Free Library
Thompson Free Library and the Dover Foxcroft Historical Society are proud to announce that our Sponsor the Observer campaign has been successfully completed thanks to the generosity of thirty-four individuals, organizations, and businesses donating a total of $4,900. The digital archive maintained by the Thompson Free Library and the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society is a tremendous resource for our community. And now, we have made it even better by rescanning the Piscataquis Observer collection between 1921 and 1986, replacing badly damaged images with clean ones, allowing our community free access to search through the paper for names, towns, or really anything. This collection is a vital piece of our county’s history and for local historians, geneaologists, and anyone who wants to research our rich history and we are proud to provide access to it
The archive was created to house all of the county’s newspapers from 1838 to present as well as FA yearbooks (1940-present). Unfortunately, when the archive was created, the newspaper portion was made with a well-used, very scratched copy of microfilm. When scanned, entire lines went missing. e’s scanned in as c’s or vice versa. You can read the images, but searching is useless. Even The Piscataquis Observer itself became “The Piscatarus Qhseg ‘et.”
The enhanced scans allow users to search for themselves, their family, friends, their house, or any part of our rich history. If you haven’t browsed the archive previously, now is a great time to check it out. If you need help doing so, that’s what we’re here for at the library! For more information, reach out at 564-3350, email director@thompsonfreelibrary.org, or stop in and chat about it at 186 E. Main St. Dover-Foxcroft, Maine 04426. Thanks again to all of our generous donors and those who worked on the project. For a full list of donors, please head to the archive: https://doverfoxcroft.historyarchives.online/home or www.thompsonfreelibrary.org.
Year Sponsors
1921 Dave and Barbara Lockwood | 1925 Dave and Barbara Lockwood
1933 Gregory Nolan and Deborah Gardner | 1938 Carlson and Carolyn Williams
1939 Carlson and Carolyn Williams | 1940 Barbara Buerger
1941 Barbara Buerger | 1944 George and Jan Barton
1945 Gregory Nolan and Deborah Gardner | 1952 Lynn Van Note
1953 Bill and Heidi Erspamer | 1954 Sean Stitham
1956 Bill and Heidi Erspamer | 1961 Jim and Mary Annis
1963 Bruce and Nancy Grant | 1964 Carlson and Carolyn Williams
1967 Carlson and Carolyn Williams | 1969 Dan and Pat Juska
1971 James and Kathy Castonguay | 1973 Sean Shortall
1975 Moosehead Marine Museum | 1977 Randy and Kerry King
1978 Luke Muzzy | 1983 Bangor Area Coffee News
1985 Ben and Malorie Sprague | 1986 Jon Knepp
Donors
Bruce Lyford | Shirley Wright
Stephen and Lindsay Tudor | Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis
Carol & Eric Boothroyd | David McDermott
Peggy Baldwin | Alfred S. Buck
Kevin and Jane Stitham | Dick McDuiffie
Mike Boss | Bridgett Ireland
Nancy Battick
New Books at the TFL
Check out the newest books at the TFL!
Click here to see new books by genre
We are excited to offer Biblio+, a free streaming video stream service for our patrons.
Sign up with your library card at https://biblioplus.com/library/thompsonfreelibrary.org to start streaming their selection of films and TV series today! The biblio+ app is available for download on almost any device: Apple (iPhone, iPad, Apple TV), Android phone and tablet, Amazon devices, Fire TV, Roku, and others or stream directly from www.biblioplus.com. You’ll just need your library card number (contact us if you forget it!) and your email. We can also assist patrons in setting up Biblio+ on their devices.
Biblio+ provides popular and award-winning shows, movies, and documentaries with more being added every month. The service isn’t meant to compete with the giants spending billions to offer seemingly endless options in the streaming space, like Netflix or HBO Max. Instead, it is a highly-curated service hoping to provide what you want to watch, rather than everything you could ever watch. Recently, a large collection of BBC offerings were added, including the original British version of The Office, Call the Midwife, The Young Doctor’s Notebook, Wallander, and more. Other content such as literary adaptations, documentaries, and independent award winners are constantly refreshing the options available.
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Make the Shift with Thompson Free Library May 9, 2025 - By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library Shift happens. And it happens in May. The landscape blooms, the colors pop. As green as an Irish hillside. It’s summer’s opening act. In pre-Netflix days, Memorial Day weekend was the start of Hollywood’s blockbuster season with theater lines twisting down sidewalks and around parking lots. It’s when we shift into high gear at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft: preparing for our busiest stretch filled with scores of visitors and a profusion of programs. As summer approaches, parents can feel pressure from all angles. New parents especially face a host of different issues, that’s why “Baby and Me” from Northern Light Mayo Hospital is such an incredible resource every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. at TFL. If you are a new or expecting parent, you can get advice, support, and connection from this growing and thriving program. TFL’s Reading Group discusses Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt on Thursday, May 8 at 6 p.m. A review from Elle calls it “Infused with heartfelt humor, Van Pelt’s elegant portrait of a widowed woman who finds understanding and connection with a clever octopus is refreshingly, if surprisingly, relatable. Despite the unorthodox relationship at its core,Continue Reading Inquiring minds will love April at Thompson Free Library March 25, 2025 - By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library My observation is that April is a tipping point—when a paradigm shift occurs and the light at the end of that cold, dark tunnel brightens. My hypothesis is that April at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft will help you discover your own origin story, create beautiful gardens with plants indigenous to Maine, gain insights into the Ukrainian and Russian people, see if petting cats can trigger your feel-good brain chemicals, and why celebrating young scientists is a win-win for everyone. To test this hypothesis, we’ve put together an incredible lineup of programs that will provide valuable information and enjoyment, as those sporadic showers turn into fetching flowers. With spring taking hold, now is the time to switch to garden mode. Join Kate Garland, UMaine Cooperative Extension horticulturist, for “Native Plants for Ornamental Gardens.” on Thursday, April 10 from 10-11:30 a.m. Discover why native plants matter and how to integrate them into your spaces. Explore valuable resources for selecting the right plants and enjoy a virtual walk through a collection of native species. (Pre-registration is preferred.) TFL’s Reading Group discusses Matt Haig’s bestseller The Midnight Library on April 10 at 6 p.m. The centralContinue Reading Thanks to Our Community, Sponsor the Observer Project Completed March 13, 2025 - By Jon Knepp, Director, Thompson Free Library Thompson Free Library and the Dover Foxcroft Historical Society are proud to announce that our Sponsor the Observer campaign has been successfully completed thanks to the generosity of thirty-four individuals, organizations, and businesses donating a total of $4,900. The digital archive maintained by the Thompson Free Library and the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society is a tremendous resource for our community. And now, we have made it even better by rescanning the Piscataquis Observer collection between 1921 and 1986, replacing badly damaged images with clean ones, allowing our community free access to search through the paper for names, towns, or really anything. This collection is a vital piece of our county’s history and for local historians, geneaologists, and anyone who wants to research our rich history and we are proud to provide access to it The archive was created to house all of the county’s newspapers from 1838 to present as well as FA yearbooks (1940-present). Unfortunately, when the archive was created, the newspaper portion was made with a well-used, very scratched copy of microfilm. When scanned, entire lines went missing. e’s scanned in as c’s or vice versa. You can read the images, butContinue Reading Making the Most of March with Thompson Free Library February 25, 2025 - By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library March arrives with a built-in tension. The upbeat concept we hold in our minds versus an uncertain reality. Our hope is tinged with a steely resolve to muddle through. “Winter is holding back and spring is pulling forward. Something holds and something pulls inside of us too,” wrote garden author Jean Hersey. Whether you’re ready to research a spring project or desperately need some escapist fare, the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft is here to help you make it through—and even enjoy—this unpredictable month. Nothing heralds the coming of spring like our seed library! We offer donated seeds from our community and various other donors. If you have extra seeds from previous years that you don’t need, please bring them in to share with your neighbors. If you’re interested in trying a new type of plant or flower in your garden this year, stop in and check out what we have to offer. Over the years we’ve had donations from Burpee, Fedco, Ripley Farms, Helios Horsepower Farms, Bob's Hardware, and many, many patrons. Spring forward means it’s lighter longer so why not shake up your daily routine by joining us for Family Fun NightContinue Reading Two for Tuesday: Read Our February Article AND Our January Newsletter! January 28, 2025 - First up, read our brand-new January newsletter, detailing all of the latest happenings at TFL by clicking here or on the picture below: Next up is Kim’s February article, hot off the presses! A “Puzzling” February at Thompson Free Library By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library How did you end up staring down the puzzle at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft? Were you getting your car serviced and walked over to kill time, were you leaving and caught a glimpse, spun around and sat down? Maybe after a few pieces fit, you were hooked. Or, quite simply, you’re a dissectologist—someone who loves jigsaw puzzles. Whether you tackle it as a tag team or a lone wolf, our puzzles help test your problem-solving skills and are a great escape. The downside is when it’s finished, it’s all over, and on to the next one—that’s why this February we hope puzzle lovers will join us for a Puzzle Exchange! The small display table as you enter the library will have an exciting array of puzzles that visitors have already solved. So please bring in any puzzles you want to get rid of and grab a “new to you” puzzle from theContinue Reading Rise to the Challenge with Thompson Free Library December 17, 2024 - By Kim Brawn You never know what someone is going through so be kind. We’ve all heard variations of that quote—urging us to lead with empathy. Challenges can be seen or unseen, known or unknown, big or small. Programs and services at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft can help you navigate these challenges (possibly eradicate some!)—or at least distract you from them. January 2025 starts off with a wonderfully curated lineup from Michelle Fagan, our youth services librarian. Ms. Michelle understands the challenges people face and likes to address them head on in fun, inventive ways. Let your problems melt away in the Hygge Nook every Wednesday from 3:30-5 p.m. Come relax in a cozy space and do quiet activities. All ages are welcome but please remember it’s a quiet space with whispers only. Kickstart the new year by joining TFL’s monthly Reading Group. They meet Thursday, January 9 at 6 p.m. to discuss Moon in Full by Marpheen Chann, a second-generation Asian American writer, speaker, civil rights advocate, and gay man whose debut memoir examines various obstacles that he has faced. “Moon in Full is a beautifully written, deeply layered and open-hearted story about so many things: beauty, love,Continue Reading Welcome to Wonderland with Thompson Free Library November 12, 2024 - By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library At times, we all find ourselves “going down the rabbit hole.” Today that expression brings to mind watching endless YouTube videos—one spiraling into a dozen—we can’t seem to look away and don’t know have a clue where we’re going. It’s actually a reference to Alice in Wonderland, the classic children’s novel by Lewis Carroll where the white rabbit and the rabbit hole are symbols of curiosity, fantasy, and escape. So come hippity-hop down the rabbit hole with us this November at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft as we celebrate the wonder of Jan Brett, meet an array of wonderful characters—real and imagined—and engage in lots of fun activities. TFL’s Family Book Club meets on Tuesday, November 19 at 5:30 p.m. to eat pizza and talk about The Rescuers by Margery Sharp. You’ll also get the next book, Bliss by Kathryn Littlewood. Homeschool families are welcome to socialize, play games, and do a craft during “Homeschool Drop-in” on Wednesday, November 20 from 1-2:30 p.m. Added bonus: special guest Jewell will demonstrate and build domino mazes. Youth services librarian Michelle Fagan (a.k.a. Ms. Michelle) hosts a graphic novel book club at Sedomocha on Thursday, NovemberContinue Reading Read Our October Newsletter Now! October 15, 2024 - Our October newsletter is out now. Click the link below to see it! October 2024 [pdf] The Wicked Busy Summah | Art All Around | Good Pie to Summer | Mission Accomplished! | Is Morgan Talty Ok? | Dear Diary | Musis to Our Ears | A Walk Down Memory Lane | Head, Heart, Hands, and Health| Bringing Up Baby | All Hands on Deck | Garden State | Macro Benefits | Screenshots | Eulogy for a Neighborhood Cat Like No OtherContinue Reading Dover-Foxcroft to Host Acclaimed Author and Illustrator Jan Brett for ‘Alice in a Winter Wonderland’ Tour September 30, 2024 - Thompson Free Library, The Briar Patch, and the Center Theatre for the Performing Arts are delighted to announce that #1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Jan Brett will visit the Center Theatre on November 30th at 5 p.m. as part of her Alice in a Winter Wonderland tour. This special event will feature a 20-minute drawing illustration and presentation by Jan Brett, followed by a book signing. Admission to the event is free, but attendees are encouraged to register in advance at https://www.centertheatre.org/jan-brett-2024. Attendees will be limited to 4 tickets per order and tickets will be available starting at 10 AM on Wednesday October 2nd. To participate in the book signing, attendees must purchase a copy of Alice in a Winter Wonderland from The Briar Patch bookstore, either via preorder at https://bit.ly/47HFvjc or at the event itself. The Briar Patch will also have a selection of Jan Brett’s backlist titles available for purchase. The first 100 families to arrive will receive a free signed Jan Brett poster, and Jan will sign as many books as time allows. If time runs short, signed bookplates featuring Jan’s artwork will be provided. Families are also invited toContinue Reading Chasing vibes and ghosts at Thompson Free Library September 24, 2024 - By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library Library vibes can change faster than Maine’s weather. One minute a frenzied gaggle of kids planning projects, laughing and playing—their moms eagerly chatting nearby. Ten minutes later, a patron walks in, looks around at the empty space and takes in the silence, “Wow it’s so quiet today.” We shake our heads and laugh, “Not really!” After one supremely hectic summer, we are ready for a change of pace. But there’s still plenty to do this October at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft—as old favorites commingle with intriguing new ones. Youth services librarian Michelle Fagan’s much-anticipated “Hygge Nook” premieres Wednesday, October 2. Hygge (pronounced hue-guh) is a Danish word that refers to a cozy quality that makes a person feel content and comfortable. Each Wednesday from 3:30-5 p.m. through March, TFL will have a cozy, quiet space for you to read, knit, write, or quietly gather. While all ages are welcome, please understand that this is a quiet space designed for whispers and quiet activities. TFL’s books sales may run the gamut vibe-wise but they sure do generate a lot of excitement, while raising money for children’s programming. Get ready for some super dealsContinue Reading