In: News

“I’m beginning to think ‘hindsight is 2020’ was some kind of message from a future time traveler that we all misunderstood.” –Victoria Guida, Politico reporter, via Twitter.

 

Not surpassingly, that quote became a popular internet meme. 2020 was a year we lost our GPS, maps, compass, and North Star. We may not be sure what 2021 will bring, but the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft is still here with an incredible collection of books, online programs, services, and resources to help you navigate this strange, ever-changing new world.

 

Friday, January 8 at 3:30 p.m. TFL’s Monthly Philosophy Circle starts the new year (online via Zoom) discussing the intersection of poetry and philosophy. In The Irish Times Rachel Wiseman (from Liverpool University’s Philosophy Department), talked about how British philosopher Mary Midgley saw similarities in the two. “Poets and philosophers are both engaged with a struggle to understand human life, meaning, and our place in the cosmos…They are both careful observers of others and themselves, and when they are great poets and philosophers, they are able to see things that are invisible to others and make them visible.” (Prior attendance and readings are not required, just bring an open, curious mind.)

 

The Butterfly’s Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe is this month’s TFL Reading Group selection. They meet online via Zoom on Thursday, January 14 at 6 p.m. The book traces the transformational journey of four very different women as they follow the migrating monarchs across the United States to Mexico. Library Journal says that “Monroe, known for her environmental fiction, skillfully incorporates lore about the monarch butterflies into a rich novel about generations and tradition.” (Pick up a copy at the library.) 

 

The Voices from Home Story Slam on Friday, January 22 at 6 p.m. examines the concept of Hindsight. While the saying Hindsight is 20/20 took on a whole new meaning and relevance last year, the idea of hindsight is one of those bittersweet concepts we can all relate to—what are some of your hindsight experiences? Did you miss a job opportunity that looking back was a blessing in disguise? Do you want to share one of your woulda, coulda, shoulda experiences? A decision you’d make differently knowing what you know now. Or maybe how disappointment changed to relief after the fact. Share your true, 4-8 minute story. Storytellers and listeners welcome!

 

During the month of January TFL is taking part in a nationwide reading challenge #WinterRead2021 #BooksLikeUs with Beanstack and Simon and Schuster. Check out our Facebook page for more information. If you don’t want to use the Beanstack App or website, you can stop by the library to pick up paperwork instead. Complete the challenge and your name goes into a drawing for A Movie Night Goodie Basket! Open to all ages.

 

Alicia Millette, a familiar name and face to many in the area, is joining the staff at TFL. She has worked on increasing the amount of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) opportunities for families in the Dexter and Dover-Foxcroft area for more than a decade. Over 600 students have participated in her programming, including those from SeDoMoCha and Foxcroft Academy, who attended her programs at TFL. She has run Science Clubs and a Teen Science Café. Hands-on activities are her go-to. “They can make even the most complex of science and math concepts easier to understand, and making them fun helps students to better retain the knowledge and apply it in the real world,” Alicia explained.

 

“Alicia, like Alex (Shaffer, our other new hire), is going to be a great fit for the library. Good communication skills and an eagerness to interact with the public, which they both have, are the first prerequisites for the job. Alicia has devoted herself to promoting STEM in the region, created programming and resources in other schools and libraries that I would love to bring here,” said Jon Knepp, TFL’s new director. 

 

Surrounded by so much unpredictability, it’s nice to have a North Star like the library to help us navigate, find our sea legs, and feel some measure of comfort. As Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s Douglas Adams wrote, “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I ended up where I needed to be.”  

 

May you find many North Stars to guide you in 2021. 


The Thompson Free Library is OPEN to the public with special COVID-19 precautions, Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Curbside service is also available during business hours. For more info (including Zoom links to our free virtual public programs), visit our website (https://www.thompsonfreelibrary.org), Facebook page, or contact us at thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com or 207/564-3350. WiFi is available 24/7 in the TFL parking lot. Find us on Instagram @tf_library.

In: News

After moving to curbside service only, we will be reopening next week for limited in-person services at the level they were prior to this week. We hope to avoid lowering our service level again moving forward, but we put the health of our patrons and staff first.  If you have any questions call us at (207)564-3350 or email thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com. Thank you for understanding and have a great weekend!

In: Community, News

Due to rising cases of COVID-19 in the community and the closure of SeDoMoCha for the rest of the week, Thompson Free Library is moving to curbside pickup service only for this Wednesday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. We will reevaluate the situation later in the week and determine if the move to curbside will last past this week or not. Thank you all for your understanding in having to make this difficult decision!

We are still here to help you in any way we can! Please give us a call at 207-564-3350 during open hours or email thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com.

Just as a reminder about our curbside policies/procedures:

To request books, contact the library at 207-564-3350 or thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com. You can also make requests through our online catalog.

Don’t know what to read next? Try browsing our new Bookshelves page or using NoveList, a tool that provides reading recommendations, author read-alikes, reviews, and more.

We are asking patrons to return materials to our book drop, which is open 24/7. Please use the book drop for library materials only. At this time we cannot accept book donations.

We will continue to offer online programs via Zoom and social media, digital resources including e-books and audiobooks, and free WiFi access outside the library building.

Again, any questions, just ask!

In: News

Jon Knepp of Alexandria, Pennsylvania has been hired as the new director of library services for the Thompson Free Library. He will be responsible for managing all aspects of library operations and programming, including supervision of the library’s four-person staff.

The seven-member Executive Committee of the Thompson Free Library Association selected Knepp in October after reviewing a range of applications and conducting interviews with candidates. He will replace Greta Schroeder, who has served as library director since 2018.

Knepp, his wife, Kazia and their two young sons have relocated to Dover-Foxcroft from Pennsylvania. He will take over as director following Schroeder’s departure on Dec. 18

“It’s an honor to be chosen to lead the Thompson Free Library,” Knapp stated. “I first came to Maine while in grad school in Boston. I’m from a small town in the middle of Pennsylvania, so Maine was the place I would go to escape the city when I needed to and has always held a special place in my heart. I’m also excited to work with the public again, collaborating with the library staff, board and the Dover-Foxcroft community to best serve the needs of the town.” 

An experienced information science professional, Knepp has a background in academic, nonprofit and government positions. He received a master’s of science in archival management from Simmons College in Boston in 2010, and has a B.A. in history, with a secondary emphasis in German, from Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.

Since 2011, Knepp has been employed as part of a large-scale, government records digitization project. He previously worked as the manager/cataloger for the Huntingdon County Library, managing daily operations for the branch.

While pursuing his master’s degree at Simmons, Knepp held positions at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester, Massachusetts and the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College, Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He also conducted internships at Emerson College in Boston and at the National Archives Northeast Facility in Waltham, Massachusetts.

In: Community, News

By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library

When it rains it pours. Yes, that aptly describes 2020 but I’m actually referring to the flurry of changes at the Thompson Free Library (TFL) in Dover-Foxcroft. People come and go and shift into new phases and roles that better fit their lives.

As many have known for a while now, Greta Schroeder is leaving her post as TFL’s director. Her 2.5 years at the library have been a seismic shift in reimagining and revitalizing TFL. She infused it with vibrant energy and innovative approaches. Her passion for libraries is evident in the broad range of programming she coordinated and encouraged.  She supported and inspired outreach and accessibility while including us in decision making and fostering our talents,  interests, and ideas.

The library board has hired Jon Knepp as the new director. Jon and his family have moved to Dover-Foxcroft from Alexandria, Pennsylvania. Jon has a BA in history and from Simmons University, a master of library science. He has worked at the National Archive in Waltham, Massachusetts, in the JFK Presidential Library in Boston, and in a Pennsylvania county public library. He is also familiar with Maine, having traveled “extensively from Kittery to Calais to Moosehead and loved every minute of it.”

After almost 10 years at TFL, Val Talmadge is retiring at the end of December. Val’s primary focus has been cataloguing but she wears many hats and is a friendly, capable, and compassionate presence who will be missed. She and her husband Scott are moving to Hampden.

In the spirit of collaboration and hopes for a smooth transition, Greta and Jon, worked together remotely to find Val’s replacement. Their choice is a familiar face: Alex Shaffer. Alex has been a volunteer and intern at TFL, is a Foxcroft Academy graduate and has a BA in History from the University of Southern Maine. He also worked as a student associate at USM Gorham Campus Library and was a student cartographer at the Osher Map Library. 

Val is sharing her vast, well-earned knowledge of cataloguing and other tricks of the library trade with Alex. 

Not to be outdone, after almost 20 years our own poet laureate, storyteller and renaissance man Tom Lyford, is retiring. It’s hard to imagine TFL without him, thankfully we won’t have to since he plans to volunteer and be involved in various library projects. His last day on the job is Dec. 18. I look forward to an unmasked Tom of the future who regals us with his tall but true tales once again. Name a topic, he has a story.

I think it’s a good sign that Alex was a volunteer who wanted to work here, Tom is a longtime employee who wants to volunteer here and that Greta will show Jon the ropes as they overlap for a short time. Faces (what we can see of them) may be changing, but the commitment to our patrons and our community stays as strong as ever. 

Despite all these changes, and the surging pandemic, it is still the holiday season. 

Don’t miss out on TFL’s Christmas Decoration Scavenger Hunt for Kids. Scavenger lists are available at the library until Friday, Dec. 18. “Completing the hunt can earn a free Christmas book that you can pick up during library hours until Dec. 23 at 5 p.m.,” says Youth Services Librarian Michelle Fagan.

This year, Michelle has created a smaller scale winter wonderland of holiday books and DVDs that we keep replenished. It’s an easy way to give yourself a little Christmas cheer. 

Daily life carefully marches on so when you need to use a computer, print, copy, scan or fax, TFL is a great resource. We are currently open to the public, with special COVID-19 precautions, Tuesday to Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. We also offer curbside service during business hours and Wi-Fi is available 24/7 in the parking lot.

Goodbyes are rarely easy. And it’s really hard right now without the hugs or parties or all the usual send-offs, but as with everything else, we can be creative and show we care in other ways. We will make up for lost time soon. Before the credits roll, I’ll channel Carol Burnett, “I’m so glad we’ve had this time together…seems we just got started and before you know it comes the time we have to say, So Long.” (Tugs on ear…I’m not crying, you’re crying.)

Please note: TFL will be closed Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25) and New Year’s Day (Friday, Jan. 1). Stay safe and Happy Holidays. Let’s all do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19.