Sponsor a Year of the Observer!
By Jon Knepp, Director, Thompson Free Library
UPDATE: We have raised $4,300 of the $6,500 needed to rescan the papers!
The digital archive maintained by the Thompson Free Library and the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society (found at: https://doverfoxcroft.historyarchives.online/home) is a tremendous resource for our community! And now, we are looking for help to make it even better by rescanning the Piscataquis Observer collection between 1921 and 1986. Because of badly damaged microfilm, you cannot search through the paper for names, towns, or really anything. Through donors willing to sponsor a year of the Observer for $100, we can redigitize these vital pieces of our county’s history and make them fully searchable for local historians, geneaologists, families and anyone who wants to research the rich history of our wonderful county! Donations are accepted by mail via check, in-person at the library via cash, card, or check, or online via credit, debit, or PayPal using the button below:
The archive was created to house all of the FA yearbooks (1940-2021) as well as all of the county’s newspapers from 1838 to 2019. Unfortunately, when the archive was created, it 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.”
Starting with the 1987 paper, the Observer became the Observer again. The film was undamaged and you can once again search for anything through the search bar! Having worked in digitization projects for 17 years, I was always frustrated with the low quality of the searchable text in the archive and have always wanted to improve it! There just wasn’t an easy way until now. Recently, the historical society uncovered completely untouched microfilm, which, if rescanned and used to replace the current digital versions, will mean the text is searchable, making historical research much easier and more accessible. No more leafing through pages of the Observer to find an obituary. The search bar will lead you right to it!
Unfortunately, rescanning will be costly! By sponsoring the cost of a year’s digitization for $100, we can all work together to preserve this resource and make it accessible! Purchase the birth year of you or a relative, your anniversary, your class at FA. Any reason is a good reason to help out your community! 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 for our donors, who have already helped us raise $4,300 of our $6,500 goal!
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 | 1944 Randy and Kerry King | 1978 Luke Muzzy | 1986 Jon Knepp
Bruce Lyford, Shirley Wright, Stephen and Lindsay Tudor, Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis, Carol and Eric Boothroyd, David McDermott, Peggy Baldwin, Alfred Buck, Kevin and Jane Stitham, and our anonymous donors
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
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 September 2024: Finding Your Balance with Thompson Free Library August 27, 2024 - By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library Life is a balancing act. Sometimes we zoom in too much on the details and forget the bigger picture. Or maybe the reverse, where the details are a blur. As seasons change so can our physical and mental equilibrium. For anyone feeling a little off balance as the kids go back to school, summer winds down, and works revs up, the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft offers the programs, services, and environment to regain a bit of stability and harmony. The Maine Humanities Council presents “Maine Speaks: A Day in the Life of Maine Women” on Thursday, September 5 at 6 p.m. University of New England archivist and author Jefferson Navicky shares diary entries from the Maine Women Writers Collection spanning the 19th and 20th century. These women wrote about the ordinary and extraordinary—the weather, chores, and historic moments. By sampling and discussing a selection of these diaries across time, we can connect with the common struggles and small triumphs of day-to-day life. Tip the scales back to the fun side with the return of “Family Fun Night” on Tuesday, September 10 at 5:30 p.m. We’re partnering with Penquis Prevention Council for this monthly program thatContinue Reading Make the most of August at Thompson Free Library July 23, 2024 - By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library Hey everyone, August has joined the chat! Has summer zoomed by at warp factor 10 or what? Ok, not on those humid days when it meanders like an Altman film. But now that we’ve made it to month number eight, the pressure is on to make it last and have as much fun as possible. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place for August and everything after. The Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft is a steady stream of incredible programs for all ages. Book lovers and bargain hunters rejoice! We’re kicking off the month with a Ten Cent Basement Book Sale, Aug.1-3 (Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.). Our “snowy” friend Hedwig has delivered the following message to all wizards and muggles: Don’t miss Chewonki’s “Owls in Maine” on Thursday, Aug. 1 at 10:30 a.m. Learn the habits and adaptations of Maine’s native owls and meet two of them — live and in person. PanStorm, a community steel band based in Hermon, will play a free concert on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. Their mission is to spread unbridled joy throughContinue Reading Our July Newsletter is Out Now! July 16, 2024 - Our July newsletter is out now. Click the link below to see it! July 2024 [pdf] Librarian of the Year (#LOTY) | Getting the Read and Feed Program Moving | A Long-Overdue Visit from Paul | Bringing a River Back | A Lasting Legacy | Preserving Our County’s History | Fanning Paint Dry | Self Preservation | Charted Waters | Meant to Be | Short and Sweet | Day Trippin’ | Screenshots | To sign up for our mailing list and receive updates, newsletters, and more, click here: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/401590/85992968195933587/shareContinue Reading Easy access to summer fun with Thompson Free Library July 1, 2024 - By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library A library is like an all-access pass to great programs, services, and resources. Accessibility is key to everyone. This summer, we’re bringing the whole mountain range to Mohammed. And what an eclectic lineup it is. July at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft is for chasing Bigfoot, making fairy houses, reading oracle cards, and watching show-stopping puppeteers! Mike Familant’s “Bigfoot Experience: Searching America Tour” stops by TFL on Tuesday, July 9 at 6 p.m. Mike, a New Jersey native, will share his experiences tracking down the truth behind America’s most iconic cryptid. He’s been researching this amazing creature for over 13 years, from the Florida swamps to the north woods of Maine, and has captured some impressive evidence along the way. Celebrated Maine author and illustrator Kevin Hawkes (of Library Lion & Chicken Cheeks fame) returns to the library on Thursday, July 11 at 10:30 a.m. to talk about his latest children’s book Luigi: The Spider Who Wanted to be a Kitten. (You’ll even get a chance to see him draw!) Have you ever wondered what oracle cards are, what you can use them for, and how to read them? Then you’ll definitely wantContinue Reading