By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library

You know that moment in May when you look out the window or glance around on your walk and all of a sudden everything is green again? The shift is palpable and welcome. 

That’s kind of how it’s been since news broke about the late Paula Willoughby’s generous donation to the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft that will allow residents of Piscataquis and Penobscot Counties to get free library cards. We’ve been busy signing people up. They’re excited and grateful—so are we.

Because we’ve had a few questions and a lot of interest in her story, we wanted to share more about Paula who passed away in Sedona, Arizona in November of 2021.

Following her time in the Marine Corps, the UMaine graduate worked for Stouffer’s in the 1980s when frozen meals like Lean Cuisine were first introduced. Later she put her artistic skills to good use as an interior decorator.

After moving to San Luis Obispo, California, she met her future husband Louis Harper, a professor at Cal Poly, who would go anywhere Paula wanted as long as he had a book to read. Paula was an avid reader and collector of cookbooks and an excellent cook in her own right.

In addition to pursuing her passions far and wide, Paula kept in touch with her Maine roots. Her sister Sally Nuite, who lives in Sangerville, was an elementary school teacher in Dexter for many years. Sally’s husband, Bradley, who passed away in 2004, was an avid reader of history.

Paula made frequent trips to the area, often staying with Bradley’s sister, Barbara Lockwood, and her husband Dave. Barbara started working at the Thompson Free Library in 1979 and has been a part of the TFL family ever since, as a librarian, volunteer, patron, and friend to all! She is currently a member of the library’s association and her daughter Amanda Maddocks is on the library’s Executive Committee.

Love for the Thompson Free Library shines through in every member of Paula’s extended family, so it is fitting that she left this generous gift to the library in memory of her brother-in-law Bradley.

Now even more people will become involved with TFL and get to experience great programs like our May lineup.

Multi-talented Gale Robinson of Leaves and Blooms Greenhouse and Dover Cove Farmers’ Market fame guides us through a fun, easy project at “Rock Painting 101” on Thursday, May 9 at 1:30 p.m. The finished lady bug design will make for great home or garden décor. (All supplies provided.)

At 6 p.m. on May 9 the TFL Reading Group discusses Akin by Emma Donoghue. The Sydney Morning Herald calls the book “a deceptively deep, character-driven novel more about people and place than plot. The writing, humour and humanity will remain with you, as will the questions it asks.” (Copies available at TFL).

It’s salmon season again at the library! May 10-17 we’ll have a tank of live juvenile Atlantic salmon as part of our collaboration with the Atlantic Salmon Foundation (ASF) on Thursday, May 16 at 6 p.m. for the “Penobscot River Restoration Book Reading &  Discussion Panel.” Hear from people who played a central role in the biggest dam removal project in Maine history. Authors from the Penobscot Indian Nation, Penobscot River Restoration Project, The Nature Conservancy, and ASF will read excerpts from the book From the Mountains to the Sea (available at TFL) that profiled this transformational project. They’ll also answer your questions about its enduring impact and benefits for fish, wildlife, and communities in Maine and around the world. 

Suddenly, we’re having a Ten Cent Book Sale! TFL’s basement will be overflowing with great deals May 30-June 1 (Thurs. 11-6, Fri. 9-5, Sat. 9-12:30).

TFL’s Story Slam is on the road again, this time to Vail’s Custom Cakes & Icelandic Bakery at 920 West Main in D-F on Friday, May 31 at 6 p.m. The theme is “All of a sudden.” Life is full of twists and turns, and everyone has had those “all of a sudden” moments—devastating, delightful, confusing, overwhelming—so please come and share yours with us. (Coffee, tea and pastries, will be provided.)

May promises to be high energy at the library with lots to do and see. We welcome our new patrons and hope you return often. Thanks to a wonderful web of family ties more people will access TFL’s amazing collection and programming. The positive ripple effect from Paula Willoughby’s gift will be felt far and wide. 

TFL hours: Tues & Thurs 9-7, Weds & Fri 9-5, & Sat 9-1. Visit our website: thompsonfreelibrary.org, our Facebook page, Instagram @tf_library, or contact us at thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com or 207/564-3350. All programs are free & open to the public.

Because we’ve had a few questions and a lot of interest in her story, we wanted to share some more about Paula Willoughby, whose generous donation is making it possible for non-residents to receive library cards free of charge!

Following her time in the Marine Corps, she worked for Stouffer’s in the 1980’s when frozen meals were first being introduced.  Paula worked at researching and developing products such as Lean Cuisine.  Later she changed her career to interior decorator where she could use her artistic skills in home designing.

After moving to San Luis Obispo, California, she met her future husband Louis Harper through a Marine friend.  Lou was a professor of agronomy at California Polytechnic University who would go anywhere Paula wanted as long as he had a book to read.  This brought about another change in career as a caterer at that school.  Paula, an avid reader and collector of cookbooks, was an excellent cook in her own right.  After Lou’s death she moved to Arizona where she enjoyed time with friends.

In addition to pursuing her passions far and wide, Paula kept in touch with her Maine roots. Her sister Sally Nuite, who lives in Sangerville, was an elementary school teacher in Dexter for many years. Sally’s husband, Bradley, who passed away in 2004, was an avid reader of history, both fiction and non-fiction. Bradley also graduated from UMaine and was a well-known dairy farmer in the area. 

Paula made frequent trips to the area, often staying with Bradley’s sister, Barbara Lockwood, and her husband Dave. Barbara started working at the Thompson Free Library in 1979 and has been a part of the TFL family ever since, as a librarian, volunteer, patron, and friend to all! She is currently on the library’s association and her daughter Amanda Maddocks is a member of the library’s Executive Committee.

Love for the Thompson Free Library shines through in every member of Paula’s extended family, so it is fitting that Paula left this generous gift to the library in her will in memory of her brother-in-law Bradley. Paula passed away in Sedona, Arizona in November of 2021.

By Jon Knepp, Director, Thompson Free Library

Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft is proud to announce that all Piscataquis and Penobscot County residents will now be able to receive free library cards thanks to a sizable donation left by Paula Willoughby. She grew up in Mexico, Maine and earned a degree in Home Economics from the University of Maine at Orono in 1961, where she became the first woman graduate to be commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. In her professional life, she lived in various parts of the country, working in food research and development, as a caterer, and an interior decorator before retiring to make and sell jewelry, ultimately settling in Arizona. 

Paula kept her connection to Maine with visits to her family members and by eating blueberry pie and lobster rolls wherever she could find them. She was a generous, fun-loving lady who enjoyed new things; making her an interesting person to know and with whom to share time. That caring for family and her love of books has led to her generous gift to Thompson Free Library. 

Library cards have always been free for residents of Dover and Foxcroft, who have generously supported the library financially. Since 2019, students and staff at Foxcroft Academy and Sedomocha have also qualified for free cards. Non-residents have paid $20/family/year in order to receive a card, but the amount received is a small part of the library’s revenue, more a barrier to entry than a crucial income stream. Any non-residents choosing to continue paying the $20 annual fee will see that money reinvested in the fund, increasing the principle and ensuring this opportunity can continue indefinitely. Likewise, any donations made to the fund will be used in the same way. Unfortunately, non-residents who have already renewed for the year cannot be reimbursed…thank you for your donation to the library! Patrons without a local address (in Piscataquis or Penobscot County) will still have to pay a one-time deposit of $20, which will be returned if the account is closed in good standing. 

By investing Paula Willoughby’s donation and collecting the interest, we will be able to offset (and hopefully soon, surpass) the lost revenue from non-resident fees, while allowing more people in our region to access the library. This is increasingly important to us, as fewer small towns have their own library. Dover-Foxcroft is the shiretown of Piscataquis County and the heart of the region. The things we aim to foster, as written in our vision statement, “the spirit of exploration, the joy of reading, the pursuit of knowledge, and the preservation of the community’s history,” are not just essential to Dover-Foxcroft, they’re needed throughout our region and our world and we are happy to extend this to our neighbors both near and far.

Thompson Free Library, located at 186 E. Main Street in Dover-Foxcroft, is open Tues & Thurs 9-7, Weds & Fri 9-5, & Sat 9-1. Visit our website: thompsonfreelibrary.org, or on Facebook and Instagram or contact us at thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com or (207)564-3350.

Our April newsletter is out now. Click the link below to see it!

April 2024 [pdf]

Contents: Eclipsing All Expectations | Highlighting Our Literary And Natural Resources | A Creek Runs Through It | Outward Bound | Wishin’ & Hopin’ & Plantin’ & Growin’ | Not Your Grandparents’ 4H | Starting Spring Early | Locally Sourced | Raising Readers | Work in Progress | Screen Shots |

To sign up for our mailing list and receive updates, newsletters, and more, click here: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/401590/85992968195933587/share

By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library

April is shaping up to be a series of very fortunate events at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft. From science to poetry, celestial to earthly and everything in between, we have a riveting lineup that will engage all ages — especially because of our very special guest:

Known for Maine and Mike

We welcome him soon

That’s right, we are very happy to announce that Paul Doiron will be at TFL on Tuesday, April 30 at 6 p.m. He is the author of the enormously successful Maine-based Mike Bowditch series. Locals are enthralled — we put his books on hold for our patrons all the time!) He’ll preview his new book “Pitch Dark” that comes out in June and give away one advanced reader copy.

A native of Maine, Paul attended Yale University and Emerson College. He is a former member of the Maine Arts Commission and past chair of the Maine Humanities Council, and Editor Emeritus of Down East Magazine. He is also a Registered Maine Guide specializing in fly fishing and lives on a trout stream in coastal Maine with his wife Kristen Lindquist.

Looking for a great family activity? Stop by the library at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9 for Family Fun Night featuring games, snacks, and more.

Stay up to date on the latest environmental health news by joining us on Thursday, April 11 at 1:30 p.m. for an informative 101 session on drinking water & PFAS chemicals presented by Piscataquis County Soil & Water Conservation District and TFL.

Rob Durgen, superintendent of Dover & Foxcroft Water District will talk about our local water supply. Katie Richards from Maine Laboratories will discuss how their lab is different from others, what PFAS is and how they are dealing with it, and what resources they have available for landowners. And A&L Drinking Water’s Rebecca Labranch will give a presentation on types of wells, common contaminants, proper sampling procedures, and understanding your water test results.

Take part in fun family activities when Penquis joins Ms. Michelle for Story Time on Friday, April 12 at 10 a.m. Then Ms. Michelle travels to the Piscataquis County Ice Arena on Sunday, April 14 for Penquis Cap’s Project Play from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. “We’ll be playing with cloud dough,” says Michelle.

Keep the solar eclipse vibe going and learn more about the solar system with the Northern Stars Planetarium in their traveling inflatable planetarium at Central Hall Commons on Wednesday, April 17. There are two showings: 3 and 4:30 p.m. Sign up is required because space is limited. Choose one of the times with only one viewing per family. Show lasts 45 minutes to an hour. Contact the library to sign up.

Cheer on a bunch of young scientists at TFL’s first ever Science Fair. Drop by 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27  to see the projects, ask questions, and be impressed by these young science investigators.

Visit the library to view the incredible heirloom quilt hand-crafted by Helen Higgins to be raffled off to benefit Pine Tree Hospice. Tickets are $5 each. Winner will be drawn at the Pine Tree Hospice Variety Show on April 20. This year’s theme is a book lover’s dream come true.

For April, our display diva Shannen Rhoda highlights National Poetry Month and we’re having a Haiku contest. One winner will be chosen in each category Kids (5-12), Teens (13-19), & Adults. Like my haiku hint above, the format is three lines with 17 syllables in a 5-7-5 pattern. Submit your original poem with name and age category at TFL or email it to shannen.tflibrary@gmail.com.

It’s important to have something to look forward to, especially after this long, strange winter. It’s only fitting to have Paul Doiron, master of the Maine woods, guide us through the transition phase. Many readers have trouble pronouncing his name, but few have trouble being drawn into his ever-evolving Mike Bowditch saga. It’s no mystery, April at the Thompson Free Library will captivate you — from start to finish.

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: thompsonfreelibrary.org, our Facebook page, Instagram @tf_library, or contact us at thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com or 207-564-3350. All programs are free & open to the public.