In: Children, Community, News, Outdoors

Thompson Free Library has partnered with the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) and SeDoMoCha to create two story walks!

A story walk features signs along an outdoor path that feature picture book pages, questions, and activities. Follow along to read the story while exploring the outdoors!

Visit PCSWCD’s Law Farm to read “Because of an Acorn” written by Lola and Adam Schaefer and illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannin.

Visit the picnic area near the nature trail at SeDoMoCha to read “A Nest is Noisy” written by Dianna Hutts Aston and Illustrated by Sylvia Long.

Both story walks will be available through August.

Share photos from your story walk using the hashtag #dfstorywalk2020.

In: Community, Events, Music, News, Outdoors

Join us for a “Concert of Summer Celebration” with the Highlands Classical Chamber Ensemble on Thursday, July 16 at 6:30 pm, outdoors on the library lawn.

The program will include tangos, waltzes, and ragtime, as well as favorite classical selections. Solos, duos, piano duet and piano trios will be played, with works by John Williams, Mozart, Debussy, Saint Saens and others.

Outdoor seating will be provided for up to 50 people, with generous spacing allowed. This concert is free and open to the public. We ask that all guests wear a face covering. In case of rain, the concert will occur on Friday, July 17 at 6:30 pm.

Highlands Classical has performed masterworks of classical music in the towns of Central Maine for over eight years. These well-received concerts have normally appeared in spring. However, to celebrate summer life in the community, this new program of light music will also be offered.

Members Susan Ramsey, violin and guitar, Ruth Fogg, cello, Katherine Hunter, flute, and Margery Aumann, piano, will be joined by guests Evelyn Marston, flute, and Evan Viera, piano.


In: Community, Events, Outdoors

Get a clearer picture of the much-discussed Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 5:30 pm as Superintendent Tim Hudson gives us the inside scoop on exploring this vast beautiful expanse of mountains and forestland on the eastern border of Baxter State Park. Tim also shares some of the history of the region and reflects on his 50+ years in the National Park Service.

About the speaker:

Tim Hudson has over 50 years of expertise in National Park Service (NPS) project management, including leading the Hurricane Sandy recovery program for the Northeast Region. Prior to joining the Northeast Region, Hudson worked in the Alaska Region where he served as the associate regional director for operations starting in 2006. Hudson’s service includes 20 years as the chief of maintenance at Yellowstone, where he managed one of the largest operations in the NPS.
Hudson is the recipient of both the Department of the Interior’s Meritorious and Distinguished Service Awards. He is known for his mix of professionalism and humor–as well as being a pioneer in the professionalization of the field of facilities operations and project management.

In: Community, Events, Outdoors

The Maine Bird Atlas is a statewide citizen science project that everyone can help with! To contribute, you don’t need birding experience; all you need is a desire to get outside and make some observations.

Join project coordinator Glen Mittelhause, director of the Maine Natural History Observatory, at the Thompson Free Library on Thursday, August 22 at 5:30 pm to learn about how you can get started contributing bird observations to the Maine Bird Atlas!

To learn more about this important conservation project, visit: https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/maine-bird-atlas/index.html

In: Authors, Events, Outdoors

Aislinn Sarnacki, outdoors columnist for the Bangor Daily News, will speak about her latest book, “Dog-Friendly Hikes in Maine,” at the Thompson Free Library on Thursday, August 29 at 6:00 pm.

About the author: Aislinn Sarnacki is a reporter for the Bangor Daily News, as well as the author of the “Family Friendly Hikes in Maine,” “Maine Hikes Off the Beaten Path,” and “Dog-Friendly Hikes in Maine.” For the BDN, Aislinn produces stories and columns about outdoor recreation, especially hiking. She also writes weekly stories about Maine wildlife, conservation and outdoor recreation, which she often supplements with videos and photos. Originally from Winterport, Maine, she graduated from the University of Maine in Orono with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

About “Dog-Friendly Hikes in Maine” (Down East Books, 2019): “Today, more and more people travel with their pets, taking their beloved four-legged friends everywhere. Yet, it can still be sometimes difficult to find a park or hiking trail that’s dog-friendly. Bangor Daily News outdoors columnist Aislinn Sarnacki presents 35 hikes around Maine that you can feel comfortable taking your dog on.

Along with maps and color photos to detail the hikes, she includes practical information such as proper etiquette to observe with your canine companion and when it’s okay to let your pet off the leash. She also rounds out with helpful suggestions on dog-friendly restaurants, hotels, parks, and beaches, so you and your furry friend can make the most of your time in the Maine outdoors.”