Beflast Free Library

Our Maine Fibershed a presentation with Pat Harpell
2025-04-01 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Abbott Room
Our Maine Fibershed: Change your Fiber, Help the Climate- a presentation with Pat Harpell
Pat Harpell, co-founder of the Maine Fibershed, will talk about easy ways that individuals can make a sea change of difference with their fiber choices. She will discuss how to differentiate fresh carbon from fossil carbon fibers, and how a Soil-to-Soil system works, the importance of local fiber to our economy, and how raw wool is being used to replenish soil.
Pat will take us on a “tour” of Maine’s rich fiber farms via a garland of local fiber swatches that range from alpaca to yak, and learn what is needed to go from shorn sheep to a locally-made garment. Come learn how the Maine Fibershed plays a role in carbon sequestration, diminished greenhouse gas emissions, erosion control, flood and drought mitigation and income equity throughout our local fiber supply chain.
The program will be held in the Abbott Room with Zoom Option. Register for the Zoom link here.

This program is presented by the member organizations of the Waldo County Climate Action Coalition and the Belfast Free Library.

Grow Your Own Organic Garden
2025-04-02 18:00 - 19:30 | Abbott Room
On April 2, the Belfast Free Library is hosting Grow Your Own Organic Garden! 🌱 with the Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association.
Learn about the basics of organic gardening – from soil health and pest management, to seed starting and harvesting. Plus, head home with some seeds to start in your garden.
Register for your spot in the class here.
Grow Your Own Organic Garden covers all the basics of organic gardening — such as supporting soil and plant health, starting seeds indoors and outdoors, interplanting, pest management, watering, and harvesting. Participants will have plenty of time to ask questions and connect with one another about shared experiences in their gardening journeys so far. By the end of this class, participants will be equipped with knowledge of how to grow an organic garden, be connected to resources and community members that will help them grow an organic garden, and feel ready to take the first steps toward doing so. We’ll even send you home with some seeds to start in your own garden! This class is for beginner and seasoned gardeners alike.
The class will be taught by C.J. Walke, Orchard Program Manager, has worked with MOFGA since 2006 who has been teaching organic gardening and orcharding workshops in the local community for nearly that long. He currently manages the Maine Heritage Orchard on MOFGA’s grounds in Unity, as well as the two smaller orchards on the Common Ground Country Fairgrounds. C.J. lives in Swanville, where he grows apple trees and native shrubs for Fedco in his spare time.

Film: "A Fierce Green Fire; The Battle for a Living Planet"
2025-04-08 18:30 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
An Earth Day Event presented by Sierra Club of Maine and the Waldo County Climate Action Coalition
A FIERCE GREEN FIRE: The Battle For a Living Planet is the first big-picture exploration of the environmental movement – grassroots and global activism spanning fifty years from conservation to climate change. From halting dams in the Grand Canyon to battling 20,000 tons of toxic waste at Love Canal; from Greenpeace saving the whales to Chico Mendes and the rubber tappers saving the Amazon; from climate change to the promise of transforming our civilization… the film tells vivid stories about people fighting – and succeeding – against enormous odds.
Written, directed and produced by Academy Award-nominee Mark Kitchell (Berkeley in the Sixties), this one hour documentary spans 50 years of grassroots and global activism from the 1960s-2009 and connects the major causes of environmentalism, from conservation to climate change. Narrated by Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Ashley Judd, Van Jones and Isabel Allende, the film premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and has won acclaim worldwide.
Free and open to all. Discussion to follow.

Belfast Garden Club Program
2025-04-15 12:00 - 13:00 | Abbott Room
Farming the Wild Blueberry with Ron Howard.
The Belfast Garden Club will host blueberry farmer Ron Howard, who will discuss how Brodis Blueberries has evolved since its founding in the 1750s. He will explore how this 9th generation farm evolved from 13 diverse family farmsteads into their current 800 acres of wild blueberries. Not only are wild blueberries one of the world’s most nutritious foods, they are remarkable and unique plants that Brodis has worked to diversify into innovative products. The farm has survived by sustainably modernizing with the times, and Ron will discuss what’s on the horizon for the next
generation.
Ron Howard serves as the farm manager for family-owned wild blueberry farm Brodis Blueberries in Hope, Maine.
More information and the Zoom link at https://belfastgardenclub.org/learn/programs/

Genealogy group meeting: The Origins of Anthony Coombs, or DNA Doesn't Lie but Family Genealogists Do
2025-04-16 14:00 - 15:30 | Abbott Room
Anthony Coombs was a blacksmith who came to Wells, ME in 1685. His descendants were among the earliest settlers of Islesboro and Vinalhaven in the 1770s and 1780s, and have been numerous in Belfast since the early 1800s. In this talk, Belfast genealogist and Coombs descendant Dana Murch will explore the many origin stories of Anthony Coombs and how a recent DNA study has separated fact from fiction.
All are welcome! This is a hybrid meeting, with the option to join in-person in the Abbott Room or to join online over Zoom. To receive the Zoom link or for more information, please email Sharon Pietryka at spietryka@belfastlibrary.org.

NO KNITTING GROUP TODAY
2025-04-16 16:00 | Abbott Room
Knit2Together
Knitters, crocheters, yarn enthusiasts of all experience levels are welcome to join us every Wednesday , from 4:00-5:30 pm in the Abbott Room.
This drop-in event is a chance for knitters- and crocheters too- of all ages and experience levels to chat, get tips, and learn from each other while working on their own projects. Library staff will have computers available to demonstrate how to use Ravelry.com and other websites to help find patterns and organize your work. Registration is not required. For more information please call 338-3884 ext.10
Contact bharrington@belfastlibrary.org to sign up to to join the knitting group.

Belfast Historical Society Program
2025-04-28 19:00 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
“Hello America, the Story of the Experimental RCA Radio Station in Belfast” will be the topic of the Belfast Historical Society’s meeting at 7:00 pm, April 28, in the Abbott Room at the Belfast Free Library. March 14, 2025 marked the 100th anniversary of the history making first live trans-Atlantic long-wave radio broadcast from London, England to the Radio Corporation of America’s relay station located in Belfast in 1925. This broadcast paved the way for full global communications.
The Belfast Historical Society presents talks of local historical interest on the 4th Monday of the month from April through October. All presentations are in the Abbott Room at the Belfast Free Library and are open to the public. Seating is limited to 75. FMI visit BelfastMuseum.org or call 207 338-9229. These programs will be recorded and can be viewed on Belfast Community Television and on the museum website.

“Welcoming our Returning Migrant Birds: Who they are, where they came from,” an evening program with Nick Lund of Maine Audubon.
2025-05-13 18:30 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
Millions of birds of hundreds of different species pour into Maine each spring, and it can be an overwhelming experience for birders. Join Nick Lund from Maine Audubon to calm your nerves about spring migration, learning about why and how it happens, and what species to expect.
Nick Lund is Maine Audubon’s Advocacy and Outreach Manager, and also the author of the American Birding Association’s “Field Guide to the Birds of Maine.”
The Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition, the Belfast Free Library, and the Waldo County Climate action Coalition present this program for Bird Week 2025. More information at http://belfastbaywatershed.org/.
This program will take place in the Abbott Room and on Zoom.
Register for the Zoom link here.

Belfast Historical Society Presentation with Stephen A. Goldman, M.D.
2025-05-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
“The Grand Army of the Republic: How Warrior Identity and Survivor Obligation Drove Union Veterans to Fight Jim Crow” will be the topic of the Belfast Historical Society’s meeting at 7:00 PM, May 19, in the Abbott Room at the Belfast Free Library.
Stephen A. Goldman, M.D., psychiatrist and Civil War historian, will discuss how and why Union veterans assumed critical roles as moral and political forces, particularly through the nation’s most prominent biracial postwar organization, the Grand Army of the Republic.
While avowedly apolitical, the GAR was a stalwart bloc in support of landmark Republican initiatives on behalf of African Americans after Reconstruction’s end, and beyond. As Jim Crow took hold on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line, Dr. Goldman will detail the GAR’s fight against bigotry and racism in two major areas – quality public education and social equality.
Stephen A. Goldman, M.D. is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, war historian, public health expert, and the only physician to serve on the Abraham Lincoln Institute Board of Directors. His having treated and worked with those who have been in combat, in-depth study of America’s veterans that spans 160 years, and their ramifications are all exemplified in the groundbreaking book, One More War to Fight: Union Veterans’ Battle for Equality through Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the Lost Cause.
Left Bank Books will have his book available for purchase, and Dr, Goldman will be happy to sign copies at the May 19 meeting.
The Belfast Historical Society presents talks of local historical interest on the 4th Monday of the month from April through October. All presentations are in the Abbott Room at the Belfast Free Library and are open to the public. Seating is limited to 75. FMI visit BelfastMuseum.org or call 207 338-9229. These programs will be recorded and can be viewed on Belfast Community Television and on the museum website.

Foraging for Wild Mushrooms; Balancing Safety as you Expand your List of Edibles with Greg Marley
2025-05-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
As people build their knowledge and skills to forage and use wild edible and medicinal mushrooms, it is natural to want add more mushrooms to your list. As you move beyond the Foolproof Few, the common, easily-identified mushrooms, it becomes even more important to have guidance on choosing wisely and avoiding toxic mistakes. This talk seeks to offer a list of great mushrooms by filtering the recommendations through answering this question so often posed to me: “What is your favorite mushroom?”. The talk will focus on Maine and New England mushrooms.
Biography: Greg Marley has been studying, growing, collecting, cooking and eating wild mushrooms for 50 years. He is a frequent speaker and lecturer and teaches mushroom identification and ecology to hundreds of new foragers. For more than 2 decades he has consulted in cases of mushroom poisoning across New England. Greg is the author of Mushrooms for Health; Medicinal Secrets of Northeastern Fungi (2009) and Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares, The Love Lore and Mystique of Mushrooms (2010). He lives and mushrooms along the coast of Maine. When not mushrooming he works as a mental health trainer and consultant in suicide prevention and response after a loss.
This talk will take place in the Abbott Room with a Zoom option. Register for the Zoom link here.

Genealogy group meeting: House Stories
2025-05-21 14:00 - 15:30 | Abbott Room
Join us for a presentation from Janine Carpenter about her ongoing project researching the historic houses of Searsport.
Originally started for the Searsport Historic Preservation Commission, Janine Carpenter intended to develop house plaques for the 100+ year old homes, but little did she realize the time and resources needed that would be needed for this project. Learn about this work to preserve these vital histories, in conjunction with homeowners, Penobscot Museum staff/volunteers, Waldo County Deed/Probate Offices, and numerous online resources.
Janine Carpenter, a former educator in Georgia and New York, is now retired in Searsport.
All are welcome! This is a hybrid meeting, with the option to join in-person in the Abbott Room or to join online over Zoom. To receive the Zoom link or for more information, please email Sharon Pietryka at spietryka@belfastlibrary.org.

POSTPONED Climate Resilience Fair POSTPONED
2025-06-07 10:00 - 15:00 | Steamboat Landing, Belfast, Maine
Due to the forecast of rain, wind and thunderstorms on Saturday the Climate Resilience Fair has been postponed. We will reschedule for a date in the fall. Stay tuned…
Please join the Belfast Free Library and Waldo County Climate Action Coalition on Saturday, June 7 at Steamboat Landing in Belfast for the Climate Resilience Fair, from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
There will be 40+ local businesses and non-profits with resources and examples of ways to prepare for a changing climate. A full list of participants can be found at Waldo County Climate Action Coalition website.
Come check out our powerhouse lineup of speakers in the Boathouse!
10:15 – 10:45- David Gibson, Director of Energy, College of the Atlantic
11:00 – 11:30 – Jack Shapiro, Climate and Clean Energy Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine
11:45 – 12:15- Sean Birkel, Maine State Climatologist
12:30 – 1:00- Parker Gassett, Community Climate Resilience Coordinator, Maine Sea Grant
1:15 – 1:45 -Steve Ouillette, En-ROADS Global Climate Simulation
2:00 – 2:30- Nick Janzen, Policy & Partnerships Director, Maine Conservation Alliance
2:30 – 3:00- Alan Gibson, Principal, GO Logic
This FREE event includes family activities, music and food trucks! Portable Pie Place and Stone Fox Farm Creamery.
Music starts at 12:00 with local favorites Sea Strings, at 1:00 pm The Driveway Band , and at 2:00 pm Pinwheel Coalition.
Event information is being updated; more info can be found here at the Waldo County Climate Action Coalition website. If you’d like to volunteer to help with the event please email waldoclimateaction@gmail.com.

No Knitting Group Today -
2025-06-11 16:00 | Abbott Room
No knitting group Weds. June 11th. See you next week!
Knitters, crocheters, yarn enthusiasts of all experience levels are welcome to join us every Wednesday , from 4:00-5:30 pm in the Abbott Room.
This drop-in event is a chance for knitters- and crocheters too- of all ages and experience levels to chat, get tips, and learn from each other while working on their own projects. Library staff will have computers available to demonstrate how to use Ravelry.com and other websites to help find patterns and organize your work. Registration is not required. For more information please call 338-3884 ext.10
Contact bharrington@belfastlibrary.org to sign up to to join the knitting group.

Does Anything from the Year 1776 Matter Today? with Liam Riordan
2025-06-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
This Maine Speaks event with Liam Riordan, Professor of History at the University of Maine, is presented by the Maine Humanities Council and the Belfast Free Library. The program will take place in the Abbott Room with a Zoom option.
Register for the Zoom link here.
This illustrated talk looks at the text of the Declaration of Independence (“all men are created equal . . . with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”) and considers some of its late-eighteenth century context. This will set the stage for a discussion about the meaning of the Declaration’s political ideals as well as its more sordid qualities for US public life today.
Liam Riordan is a history professor at the University of Maine who specializes in the American Revolution. He is the co-editor of What We Know, What We Wish: Maine Statehood, Historical Commemoration, and the Urgency of Public History, forthcoming from UMass Press in June 2025.

Genealogy group meeting~ “Ghosted”: Let's Talk about Genealogic Vanishing
2025-06-18 14:00 - 15:30 | Abbott Room
All genealogists have them—ancestors who seemingly vanish all of a sudden, sometimes with no mention, sometimes with an explanation that feels inadequate, as if they have just “ghosted” us. Join us for a conversation about our “ghosted” ancestors.
All are welcome! This is a hybrid meeting, with the option to join in-person in the Abbott Room or to join online over Zoom. To receive the Zoom link or for more information, please email Sharon Pietryka at spietryka@belfastlibrary.org.
