In: Events, Movies

Celebrate Pride Month with a free showing of the Australian comedy-drama “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” on Friday, June 28 at 6:00 pm.

This 1994 cult classic was written and directed by Stephan Elliott, and stars Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce and Terence Stamp. It was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

The Thompson Free Library hosts free movies on the last Friday of every month. Admission is free, and popcorn is provided! Hope you can join us.

In: Events, Teens

The Thompson Free Library Teen Advisory Board (TAB) provides feedback about library services and helps plan teen activities and events. Are you interested in gaining leadership experience and helping to make the library a better place for teens? Consider joining TAB!

TAB-Sponsored Summer Activities:

  • History/Global Politics Club: Meets every Tuesday at 3:30 pm. Come participate in conversations about history and current events.
  • High School Book Group: Meets Wednesday, July 10 and Wednesday, August 14 at 3:00 pm. Talk about books you are reading, and get recommendations for what to read next.
  • Coding Club: First meeting on Friday, July 12 at 3:30 pm. Share your coding projects and learn new skills!
  • Teen Game Nights: Friday July 19 and Friday, August 16 from 6:00-8:00 pm. Board games, card games, and pizza.

Stay tuned for the next Teen Advisory Board planning meeting! TAB is open to all students in grades 6-12. If you are interested in joining, please contact Greta or Michelle at the library.

In: Children, Community, Events, News

“A Universe of Stories” is the theme of the Thompson Free Library’s 2019 Summer Reading Program. All ages are invited to participate!

Every Wednesday at 10:30 am join us for a special children’s program:

Kids can sign up to read with Erma the Reading Education Assistance Dog every Wednesday at 2:00 pm.

Also join us for live music with singer-songwriter Martin Swinger on Thursday, July 18 at 5:30 pm and the HJ Crosby Community Band of Dexter on Thursday, August 8 at 6:00 pm.

Summer Reading materials can be picked up at the library. All programs are free of charge. At the end of the summer, we will celebrate with a Summer Reading party on Thursday, August 15 at 3:00 pm.

Looking for other fun things to do this summer? The Thompson Free Library has a Maine State Park Pass you can borrow and a library membership to the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor! For more info, please contact the library at (207) 564-3350.

 

In: Events, News

June at Thompson Free Library by Kim Brawn

Perspective is a clever shape-shifter. It can change, switch, broaden, narrow—be shared or challenged or gained. With or without intention. Reading is a great way to discover a different perspective. Travel can broaden it. Conversations, especially the listening part, can give insight into someone else’s. Trying something new can give you a fresh one.

Out of the gates, on Friday, June 7 at 3:30 p.m. TFL’s Philosophy Circle will discuss Roman Emperor and Stoic Philosopher Marcus Aurelius. A quick search turns up this gem of his: “Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” That could certainly get the party—by that I mean, spirited discussion—started. This group has no special reading requirements, just bring your thoughtful curiosity and willingness to listen, as well as share.

Ever-popular Lego bricks seem to be the Dorian Gray of the toy world, the designs get bolder with age but no signs of slowing down. In fact, Ms. Michelle’s Lego Club is one of our longest-running and most-anticipated recurring programs. Bring the kids for fun times on Tuesday, June 11 and Tuesday, June 25 (the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month) from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 12 at 2 p.m. marks the return of Erma the Reading Therapy Dog with her human handler April Taylor. Erma is a German short-haired pointer that is registered with Therapy Dogs, Inc. and is a Reading Education Assistance Dog (READ). Kids can practice their reading skills and gain confidence in a relaxing, non-judgmental atmosphere. (Erma & April will be at the library on Wednesdays at 2 throughout the summer.)

If you would like to learn some techniques that may reduce stress and distractions, improve cognitive ability, help with anxiety and depression, and maybe even change your perspective, then join us for Mindfulness 101 on Thursday, June 13 at 1:30 p.m. Alicia Randolph-Lucchesi, an experienced teacher with an extensive background in many holistic approaches, shares the basic principles and practices of mindfulness. She’ll guide us through a simple meditation and discuss various types of meditation so you can discover which one is right for you—whether you have two minutes or 20!

Jackman native and Guilford resident Roger Guay discusses his book (written with Kate Clark Flora), A Good Man with a Dog: A Game Warden’s 25 Years in the Maine Woods on Tuesday, June 18 at 5:30 p.m. Roger has searched for lost hunters and hikers and pulled more than 200 bodies out of Maine’s north woods, often accompanied by a little brown lab named Reba (He helped established canine units as a regular part of the game warden service.)

Ms. Michelle’s Art Exploration introduces kids to the colorful joys of Tie Dye on Wednesday June 19 at 3:30 p.m. (Art Exploration is held the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month.)

You know the drill: gather your change and small bills because the Ten Cent Book Sale rides again: June 20-22 (Thursday 2-7, Friday 9-5, & Saturday 9-1). My inside source tells me there will be “lots of fiction” available.

If you want to learn how to research your family’s history, be sure to attend B.J. Jamieson’s Genealogy Workshop on Tuesday, June 25 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. She is a Maine State Library Genealogy Reference Specialist who will answer your questions and teach you how to use the Digital Maine Library to access your ancestral adventure—the results may give you a different perspective indeed.

The Summer Reading Program kicks off the week of June 25. For all the details check out our Facebook page or visit our website.

Mark your calendars: TFL’s next Movie Night—quality cinema you may have missed—is Friday, June 28 at 6 p.m. We will announce the feature film on our Facebook page and our website.

Fiber arts are the focus as Artist of the Month Jo Eaton, a local resident and TFL Knitting Group member, displays her wonderful pieces. Stop by and see her intriguing and creative take on hats and landscapes.

This June, the library offers an array of events (special and ongoing) that in small, and perhaps unexpected ways, may give you a fresh perspective and a little rush of dynamic energy.

In: Authors, Events, News

Maine author Roger Guay will visit the Thompson Free Library on Tuesday, June 18 at 5:30 pm to speak about his book “A Good Man with a Dog: A Game Warden’s 25 Years in the Maine Woods,” co-written with Kate Clark Flora.

When Roger Guay’s father died in a tragic fishing accident, a kind game warden helped him through the loss. Inspired by this experience, as well as his love of the outdoors, Guay became a game warden and certified K9 handler, beginning a successful career that would span twenty-five years and see him establish canine units as a staple of the game warden service.

Roger Guay served with the Maine Warden Service from 1986 until his retirement in 2010. He is a K9 master trainer, a certified K9 handler, and certified in cadaver and explosives searches. In addition to decades of search and rescue experience, he has extensive experience in missing persons/homicide searches and body recovery. Guay has received numerous commendations from the warden service; the Maine House of Representatives; the Maine State Police; the Miramichi, New Brunswick, police; and the USPCA. Guay lives in Guilford, Maine.