Time well spent at Thompson Free Library
By Kim Brawn
It’s fleeting and precious and “of the essence” in climactic movie scenes. While I’m skeptical that it heals all wounds or is always on my side, I am happy that “springing forward” will give us more of the daylight kind. Yes, I’m biased, but time at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft is definitely well spent.
Maine author and law enforcement veteran David Wilson, who has lived and worked in Piscataquis County, visits TFL on Thursday, March 2 at 6 p.m. to discuss his latest work “Peanut Butter Memoirs,” which he describes as “a sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, but always true reflection of my career in law enforcement.” Bill Bushnell in the Kennebec Journal called the book “a gritty, unvarnished view of a cop’s profession, its rewards and disappointments, successes and set-backs.”
If you have some free time on Friday, March 3 at 3:30 p.m. why not join TFL’s Philosophy Circle to discuss the perception of (you guessed it!) “Time” and how it affects our lives. A quick trip to Wikipedia shows that time is often referred to as the fourth dimension, a paradox, the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession, or my favorite, in physics, it’s operationally defined as “what a clock reads.”
Speaking of which, TFL’s Reading Group meets Thursday, March 9 at 6 p.m. to focus on “Writers & Lovers” by Portland resident Lily King. In a New York Times piece on books that give comfort, author Ann Patchett wrote, “Writers & Lovers made me happy. Even as the narrator grieves the loss of her mother and struggles to create art and keep a roof over her head, the novel is suffused with hopefulness and kindness. Lily King writes with a great generosity of spirit.” Copies available at the library.
From the timing-is-everything files, Kris and Joe, mid-life characters from Guilford resident Wendy Denney’s new book “Gold Dust on the Highway” connect up on a cross country road trip. Their lives converge and are forever changed. Sound intriguing? Come listen to Wendy (who runs the Guildford Bed and Breakfast with her husband) spill the beans on her latest romance-humor-drama-filled novella on Thursday, March 23 at 6 p.m.
Learn to “Be Red Cross Ready” on Thursday, March 30 at 12 p.m. as representatives from the Northern New England Red Cross show you simple steps you can take to help prepare and protect yourself and your loved ones in case of home fires, floods, and other disasters or emergencies. There will also be an opportunity to sign up for free in-home smoke alarm installations and to create fire escape plans.
Mark your calendars, set reminders, write notes, whatever it takes, to make TFL’s Story Time — Fridays at 10 a.m. — part of your weekly routine! Michelle Fagan, our youth services librarian, says, “It’s a great way for the little ones to listen to stories, interact with peers, and play.” What a fun way to help your child get to know sounds, words and language while sparking their imagination and curiosity.
Let’s fast forward to Saturday, April 1 from 10 a.m. to noon for “Pysanky Easter Egg Making.” Pysanky are easter eggs decorated using beeswax and dyes. This ancient Ukrainian traditional folk art takes on a special meaning of hope, resilience, and community after the invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war. This program is for ages 10 and up because an open flame is used. Please contact TFL to register.
It’s about time or, in library parlance, it’s long overdue. We want to give a warm shoutout and big thank you to the incredible interlibrary loan team at Bangor Public Library for all their help and great work over the years in getting books and DVDs for our patrons. The materials come from libraries all across Maine as well as around the country. If TFL doesn’t have something you want (and neither does BALSAM ILL, which you can search in our catalog), chances are that BPL’s ILL department will track it down!
Isn’t it strange how time can drag on when we’re young and fly as we get older? And the last three years have thrown our inner clocks for a loop and out the window. While we can’t stop time or stretch it, the Thompson Free Library can help you make the most of it — with diverse programming, an ever-evolving collection, and essential services.
TFL hours: Tuesday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sat 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visit our website https://www.thompsonfreelibrary.org, our Facebook page, Instagram @tf_library, or contact us at thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com or 207-564-3350. All programs are free and open to the public.