News

By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library

I was trying to nail down the details of a post-work visit at a friend’s camp on the lake.  My rambling texts, filled with scenarios about a possible late lunch ended with, “Let’s decide tomorrow” but a new day did not make me any more decisive. Then this text arrived,  “I could make us sandwiches and/or salad—I really don’t mind!”  A weight was lifted. I replied, “That sounds great!” Weird how seemingly simply tasks can overwhelm, but my mood genuinely lightened.

That’s how it can feel—you want to do something fun, interesting, or different, but it sounds like too much effort. Wouldn’t it be nice to take a break from planning, coordinating, and all the mental gymnastics?  August at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft offers an amazing array of great programs for adults, kids, and families. As summer winds down, let us do the organizing for you, we’ll be your activities director and your concierge—all you have to do is show up!

Frolicking felines, Freya and Andy, Jr., will headline two Caturday’s in August (Saturday, August 2 and August 30.) Don’t miss the chance to hang out with director Jon Knepp’s adorable and inquisitive cats from 9-1 on both days.

Put on your dancin’ shoes and experience the incredible rhythmic energy of PanStorm in concert Saturday, August 2 at 6 p.m. This family event is put on by the Maine Highlands Council for the Arts. (Donations welcome.)

Bring some cash and score the hottest deals around at  “TFL’s Ten Cent Basement Book Sale” August 7-9. (Thurs. 10-6, Fri. 9-5, Sat. 9-12:30).

Leave the logistics to Ms. Michelle (youth services librarian Michelle Fagan) for “Slip and Slide” on Thursday, August 7 at 10:30 a.m. Kids should come ready to play and dressed to get wet!

We board the nostalgia train on August 7 at 6 p.m. as Maine author Dave Albee stops by to talk about his well-received book, The Last One Out of Town Turn Out the Lights that marks the 50th anniversary season of Foxcroft Academy’s only state basketball championship. It weaves unpopular decisions to cut popular players from the team, fights with hated rivals, and a phantom foul that should never have been called and that lead to the kind of championship season that all small towns, coaches, players, and fans treasure for a lifetime. (Gibran Graham from The Briar Patch will be there to sell books.)

Discerning minds want to know what the difference between a seabird and a shorebird is. Retired Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shorebird biologist Lindsay Tudor explains that and more at “Maine Seabirds and Shorebirds 101” on Thursday, August 14 at 1:30 p.m. Lindsay discusses how Maine’s coastal areas provide critical habitat for nesting, wintering, and feeding and resting during migration as well as what threatens these habitats and how we can protect these awesome species from further population declines.

We had the windows open as the Alumni Band warmed up last year. There’s nothing quite like reshelving books to the Mission Impossible theme. They’re back with another eclectic soundtrack of big band classics, swing and Latin dance tunes, and pop favorites! Don’t miss them live in concert August 14 at 6 p.m. (Bring a lawn chair if you can.)

Reminder that end of summer reading papers are due no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, August 15 because from 5-7:30 p.m. Ms. Michelle has designed a fantastic familypalooza “End of Summer Reading Party” featuring a bounce house, games, snacks, and Darling’s Ice Cream for a Cause —enjoy yummy ice cream with donations going to PRFC (Piscataquis Regional Food Center.) Summer reading prize winners will also be drawn!

Teens have a convenient way to meet their FA reading requirements. Stop by and talk books you’ve read with Ms. Michelle on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. (Please call ahead to make sure she will be available.)

Keep in mind: Reading with Erma’s last day will be Tuesday, August 19 at 2 p.m.

Author Tim Cotton, always an engaging speaker, returns to TFL on August 19 at 6 p.m. Tim, of Bangor PD Facebook fame, will discuss his new book Donut Holes for the Soul. It’s described as a collection of essays that celebrate simple pleasures, timeless friendships, and the enduring bonds of family and community. His stories evoke laughter, warmth, and a sense of home.

TFL’s summer music series goes out on a high note with North Country Strings Classical Concert on Saturday, August 23 at 6 p.m. Talented young musicians of the North Country Strings Music Studio are the stars of the show. It’s the perfect summertime playlist: ragtime, jazz, fiddle tunes, movie tunes, world Music, and up-tempo classical pieces.

Amanda Reimer from the Maine Appalachian Trail Club takes us into the “Alpine Worlds of Maine” on Thursday, August 28 at 6 p.m. These “living museums” above the treeline are home to unique plant communities and resilient animals. Learn about the extraordinary nature of these remarkable ecosystems and what we can do to protect them.

Michelle drives TFL’s Read and Feed Mobile around the area on Wednesdays, sharing free books and free produce. The program ends for the year on September 3. (Contact the library or check our social media for details.)

Whether it’s due to stress, overscheduling, caregiver burnout, health issues, lack of sleep, or lack of motivation—we’re not judging—sometimes it just feels great to have something taken off your plate, not have to think too much, or coordinate till the cows come home. You’d like to just get there, relax, and have fun. So, grab your August calendar and see you at the library!

TFL hours: Tues & Thurs 9-7, Weds & Fri 9-5, & Sat 9-1. Visit our website: thompsonfreelibrary.org, our Facebook page, Instagram @tf_library, or contact us at thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com or 207/564-3350. All programs are free & open to the public.

By Kim Brawn

July at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft is the equivalent of an amazing movie montage! Hope you’ve had your eight hours of sleep AND a caffeinated beverage because you’re going to need it. Lights, camera, action!

We zoom in on audience reactions at “Mad Science of Maine: Fire and Ice,” Thursday, July 3 at 10:30 a.m. This spectacular show thrills with impressive science experiments like foggy dry ice storms and safe and fun fire demonstrations!

What’s a montage without music? The Sebasticook Valley Community Band plays a free concert on Sunday, July 6 at 4:30 p.m. at TFL. Musicians from different walks of life come together to share their love of great tunes.

Even more “oohs, aahs, and woahs!” as the always popular Sparks’ Ark Animal Services is back with another live animal program on Thursday, July 10 at 10:30 a.m.

Oh no, all this running around has tweaked your back, no worries come to “Muscle Pain 101” on July 10 at 1:30 p.m. and learn ways you can help your muscles feel better faster. Physical therapist Susan Garrettson will show us how some fairly simple positioning of your arm, leg, rib cage, or neck can help promote effective relief from soreness and muscle pain.

The Summer Kid’s Series—geared towards elementary age but all are welcome—continues with the clinking sound of Legos cascading out of an enormous tote. Youth services librarian Michelle Fagan offers up the “Lego Building Challenge” on Thursday, July 17 at 10:30 a.m. She’ll supply the Legos and challenges—the kids bring their imagination and building skills.

Another musical interlude with Some Reel People in concert at 6 p.m. on July 17. This self-described “joyous and informal country dance band” puts on quite the show that will move your body and soul.

Cut to a close-up of a boy, deeply focused with a thin paint brush in hand during “Paint By Number with Ms. Michelle” on Thursday, July 24 at 10:30 a.m. Michelle channels her inner Bob Ross in this fun program and kids get to bring home their finished art work.

The Harold J. Crosby Community Band keeps the plot moving along on July 24 at 6 p.m. with rousing marches and songs that feature wind, brass, and percussion instruments.

Themes explored, emotions elicited, and imagery revealed when poets Julia Bouwsma and Audrey Gidman unite for a poetry reading and discussion on Tuesday, July 29 at 6 p.m. Julia is Maine’s Poet Laureate and the author of three poetry collections, including the newly released Death Fluorescence. Audrey is a Maine poet, editor, and the author of body psalms which received the Elyse Wolf Prize, and the forthcoming griefnotes. 

We transition back to animals, both specimens and live, as “Chewonki: Maine Mammals” wows the crowd on Thursday, July 31 at 10:30 a.m. Find out fun facts about your favorite creatures!

Those broad smiles leap off the cover of Letters of Laughter and Loss: A Maine Love Story conveying a strong sense of happily ever after. In the book, author Cheryl Stitham-White shares the poignant details of her day-to-day life after the sudden death of her husband of 46 years in letters she wrote to friends and family. Find out how she navigated the loss and accepted a future without the love of her life. Cheryl, who went to Foxcroft Academy and Colby College, divides her time between South Portland and a camp on Sebec Lake, will be in conversation with TFL’s director Jon Knepp at 6 p.m. on July 31.

The scene shifts to Soil & Water’s incredible Law Farm in Dover-Foxcroft where Ms. Michelle has put up a story walk featuring Daylight Starlight Wildlife by Wendell Minor. Exploring nature while reading is the best way to spend family time!

Erma and April walk into a library . . . that’s right, the beloved therapy dog and her human companion April Taylor will be at TFL on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. Kids can improve their reading skills in a comfortable, nonjudgmental atmosphere.

Cue Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again” as Michelle packs up the van and drives around the area sharing free books and free produce. Wednesdays this summer TFL’s Read and Feed Mobile will have two routes that alternate. The eastern route has stops in Brownville Junction, Milo, Sebec, and Charleston while the Monson/Dover-Foxcroft route has four stops in those towns. (Visit the library for details or find them on Facebook, Instagram, or our website.) Produce is from PRFC through Good Shepherd, Helios Horsepower Farm, and Leaves and Blooms Greenhouse.

It feels like we should end this miles-long montage with a ton of fireworks after previewing all the programs and activities that TFL has lined up for July. I finally breath a sigh of relief but then I remember what Jon said to me, “Wait ‘til you see August!” OMG, we’re gonna need a bigger boat and a longer article. For now, let’s roll the credits over some crazy outtakes and cool music!

(Please note: the library will be closed on Friday, July 4 for Independence day.)

TFL hours: Tues & Thurs 9-7, Weds & Fri 9-5, & Sat 9-1. Visit our website: thompsonfreelibrary.org, our Facebook page, Instagram @tf_library, or contact us at thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com or 207/564-3350. All programs are free & open to the public.

Our Spring Newsletter is out now! Click on the picture or link below to read it!

June 2025 [pdf] The Right Stuff | Lighting the Way | You Can’t Choose Your Family | Sometimes You Can Choose Your Family | Made in Maine | When the Gale-Force Is With You | Too Good to Pass Up | Picking Up the Pieces | Screen Shots

By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library

When you walk into a new place it can feel a bit strange. But visit often enough and that feeling falls away—you won’t be a stranger for long at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft. Now, it’s not quite like Cheers—we won’t remember everybody’s name and neither will you—but a nice feeling of familiarity builds over time. June is when the snowbirds arrive home, and the summer people come to town. New faces and old friends will see each often thanks to the great programs we have on tap.

Be sure to tip off your friends and neighbors: TFL’s Ten Cent Basement Book Sale is back June 5-7. (Sale hours: Thurs 10-6, Fri 9-5, Sat 9-12:30.) Bring your change and dollar bills and scope out tons of books, DVDs, and puzzles. These mega-deals will make for cool gifts or beach reads, and even spice up those rainy weekends.

Saturday, June 7 is a terrific twofer: the book sale is on and it’s Caturday! That’s right, director Jon Knepp’s two cute and curious cats, Freya and Andy Jr., will be on hand to investigate TFL’s nooks & crannies while enjoying ample attention from doting humans along the way.

Unfortunately, the concept of summer can differ from the reality. The days can be really hectic and sometimes stressful. It’s important to take breaks and relax. Join us for a pleasant one-hour respite at Adult Coloring 101 on Thursday, June 12 at 1:30 p.m. We’ll have plenty of great coloring pages and colorful gel pens and pencils to choose from, along with light snacks and soothing sounds. Adult coloring may increase mindfulness, enhance creativity and can calm the brain and body—in other words, it helps you chillax, baby!

TFL’s Monthly Reading Group is a way to connect with other bibliophiles and discuss an array of varied and interesting books. June’s selection is Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. The Seattle Times calls it, “A warm and wholehearted work of literature, an honest and detailed account of grief over time, studded with moments of hope, humor, beauty, and clear-eyed observation.” (Copies available at the library.)

Don’t let reading fall by the wayside during the summer months. Keep the momentum going with TFL’s Kids’ Summer Reading Program (for all youth: infant to age 17). Sign up is June 24-28 (Tues-Sat). Completion of the program gives participants free books, free ice cream from McDonald’s, free fair passes to the Piscataquis County Fair—plus the chance to win other big prizes.

Therapy dog Erma and her human companion April Taylor are definitely not strangers to TFL. We are very excited for the return of Reading with Erma Tuesdays at 2 p.m. starting June 24. What better way to practice reading than in a nonjudgmental environment, snuggling with a wonderful dog. (And it counts towards summer reading!)

Youth services librarian Michelle Fagan hits the road in the Read and Feed Mobile on Wednesday, June 25 as the second season of the free books and produce program kicks off. The first route will be the Eastern Route with stops in Brownville, Milo, Sebec and Charleston. Michelle is a friendly face who loves making books and fresh produce accessible to everyone. (Check out our Facebook page or website for more details.)

Abracadabra! It’s time for TFL’s Summer Kids’ Series. Wow, it’s here again and Michelle has put together an incredible line-up starting off with a Magic Show on Thursday, June 26 at 10:30 a.m. Master magician Phil Smith entertains the crowd with his sleight-of-hand skills, humor, and more. (Geared towards elementary but open to all ages.)

Author Nomar Slevik describes himself as a “writer of high strangeness” so it’s not too surprising that he is a paranormal researcher with many books, documentaries, podcasts, and music to his credit. He stops by the library on June 26 at 6 p.m. to discuss his book Humanoid Encounters: Creatures, Phantoms, and Other Strange Entities Sighted in Maine. The book takes us deep into the eerie, uncharted territories where the unknown walks among us. That should pique your curiosity.

We all have those moments when we go somewhere for the first time, and it seems kind of weird—that sense of unfamiliarity can make us feel like a stranger in a strange land. Thankfully that wears off fast at the library: you explore, ask questions, try different things—learn the ropes—and hopefully come back again. This June and beyond there are plenty of reasons to visit again and again. So don’t be a stranger.

TFL hours: Tues & Thurs 9-7, Weds & Fri 9-5, & Sat 9-1. Visit our website: thompsonfreelibrary.org, our Facebook page, Instagram @tf_library, or contact us at thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com or 207/564-3350. All programs are free & open to the public.

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, the debut novel offers a wholly original meditation on grief and the bonds that keep us afloat.” (Copies available at TFL.)

Take a break from your to do list and come to the library on Caturday (9-1 on Saturday, May 24). Director Jon Knepp’s cool cats, Freya and Andy Jr., will charm and relax you as they explore every nook, cranny, and shelf while stopping for frequent pets! (Accommodations can be made for those who are allergic or not feline fans.)

We’re excited to have the very versatile Gale Robinson (from Leaves & Blooms Greenhouse) back for another fun and easy craft project. She’ll guide us through “Design a Bookmark 101” on Thursday, May 15 at 1:30 p.m. using acrylic paints, Washi tape, & rub-on transfers. (All supplies provided.)

TFL will be closed on Tuesday, May 20 as staff members attend the MLA (Maine Library Association) Conference.

Be sure to join us for the last “Homeschool Drop-in” of the season on Wednesday, May 21 from 1-2:30. It’s a great time for homeschool parents and children to gather and socialize. Special guest Jewel will be building with dominos, as kids watch and help.

The library will be closed Tuesday, May 27 for the Memorial Day holiday as we prepare to hit the ground running towards summertime. Helpful hint for the week before: bring a ginormous L.L. Bean or T.J. Maxx bag—or we’ll round up something—to carry that extra-large haul to keep you going over the extra-long weekend! They’ll be lots to choose from display-wise as my colleague Shannen Rhoda is planning her follow-up to April showers—you guessed it—a floral theme! And she will be (tentatively) taking us for an out-of-this-world ride—stay tuned.

May is a mix of being in the moment and planning ahead, making sure all those ducks are in a row. Come enjoy this prelude to summer at the Thompson Free Library. Lean into the shift, savor the warmer days, and soak up the vivid tones and hues—who knows, sometimes the opening act is a true revelation. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.