Beflast Free Library

Thursdays with Tugboat - Read to a Dog!
2023-08-03 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Abbott Room
Reluctant and struggling readers can grow fluency and confidence by reading to animals. These unconditional listeners help readers build on their success. This dog is a Certified Therapy dog under the Alliance program. And is also very, very soft and sweet. Drop in during the hour.

Opening Reception for "Pocket Pieces" by Marjorie Arnett
2023-08-04 16:00 - 18:00 | Kramer Gallery
“Pocket Pieces” an exhibit of small paintings by Marjorie Arnett will be on display in the Kramer Gallery of the Belfast Free Library for the month of August.
The public is invited to an opening reception, Friday, August 4 from 4:00 to 6:00pm in the Kramer Gallery.

“Blue Shoe Cafe” 12” x 12”Oil on Stretched canvas.
Arnett is an artist, poet and playwright living in Belfast, Maine. Her “Pocket Pieces” exhibit is a collection of 12”x12” whimsical compositions, contemporary motifs and coastal landscapes. Arnett’s use of oil paint, acrylic paint and graphite invites the observer to look closely and enjoy a unique view of everyday life.

Storytime at Belfast City Park (Rain location - Abbott Room)
2023-08-07 13:00 - 14:00 | City Park or Abbott Room
Belfast Free Library Storytimes will occur on the grass across from the playground at Belfast City Park, weather permitting.

Modern Pop Art Collage Workshop for Children
2023-08-10 09:30 - 10:30 | Abbott Room
A unique opportunity to create a collage with visiting artist Michael Albert.

LEGO Club
2023-08-10 16:00 - 17:00 | Abbott Room
Monthly LEGO Club where things really click together!

Me & Martha Concert
2023-08-10 19:00 - 20:30 | Abbott Room
Native Belfast resident Martha Hills and her husband Donald DePoy, touring as Me & Martha, will perform a free concert in the Abbott Room at the library on Thursday August 10th from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.
Martha and Don first began performing together in Belfast in 2003. In 2022, they were awarded top Wedding Band by Virginia Living Magazine. They are members of America’s Old-Time Country Music Hall of Fame and host Mountain Music, a weekly broadcast television show that reaches over 1.3 million households in eight states, including Maine. As part of the Mountain Music series, they have collected more than a hundred living histories for the American Folk Life Collection of the Library of Congress.
The concert is free and open to the public. Bring the entire family to hear Me & Martha’s entertaining, often funny, and surely educational presentation of an authentic uniquely American music. Doors open at 6:30 pm, concert starts at 7:00 pm.
Me & Martha

Summer Reading Program - All Together Now Concludes
2023-08-16 12:00 - 20:00 | Youth Services Floor
August 16 is the last day to claim your prizes in the 2023 Summer Reading program “All Together Now”!

LEGO CLUB at the Library
2023-09-07 16:00 - 17:00 | Abbott Room
This opportunity to play with boxes of LEGO’s donated to the library turns a solitary game into a community time to create on your own.

Sunflower Circle Songs and Stories at Belfast City Park
2023-09-08 10:00 - 12:00 | City Park Playground
This series occurs at the Sunflower Circle near the playground at Belfast City Park

Free "Take and Make" Craft for Children and Teens
2023-09-12 | Children’s Floor
Available while supplies last thanks to a grant from the Anonimo Foundation.

Storytimes for Preschoolers
2023-09-22 10:00 - 11:00 | Abbott Room
This literacy based series invites families to grow social skills, verbal ability and participation. A film is sometimes shown and a craft follows.

October "Take and Make" for Children and Teens
2023-10-10 | Youth Services Floor

NEW STEAM Series! Ocean Xplorers for ages 8-12, Space is limited - Registration required
2023-10-19 15:30 - 17:00 | Abbott Room
New STEAM Team Ocean Xplorers Program is turning the tides towards the future starting in October

Registration is now open (https://extension.umaine.edu/waldo/4h/ocean-xplorers/) for a new, interactive multi-session STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) ocean-focused adventure series at the Belfast Free Library, 106 High Street.

The series “STEAM Team Ocean Xplorers,” a collaborative effort between the University of Cooperative Extension’s Waldo County’s 4-H, the Belfast Free Library and the UMaine MARINE Initiative allows youth ages 8-12 once a month to explore and discover undersea and seaside wonders together with UMaine and local scientists and field experts through hands-on learning experiences and activities.

The free program will kick off on Oct. 19, 2023 with Diving into Aquaponics. Held at the Belfast Free library’s Abbott Room on the ground floor, participants will learn all about aquaponics, a type of sustainable farming that combines raising fish in tanks (aquaculture) and growing plants without soil (hydroponics). Youth participants will practice engineering and observation skills and have the opportunity to get up close with an aquaponics system. This is a great opportunity to practice problem-solving, troubleshooting, and systems thinking skills.

Kelp Farming and Related Projects from the Belfast Area High School & BCOPE Marine Institute - Dave Thomas and BAHS Faculty & Students
2023-10-26 18:30 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
Teachers and students from RSU 71 including Belfast Area High School and the alternative program BCOPE will be describing the newly formed Belfast Marine Institute, an initiative born out of state-funded grants and community support. Several Marine Institute projects will be described including a licensed kelp farm, field trips, certification and internship opportunities for students, and technology and equipment currently used by students to conduct marine-related research and monitoring.
David Thomas has taught high school science in four public high schools in New York, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Maine for over 20 years. He holds a B.S. in limnology (the study of biological, chemical, and physical features of lakes and rivers) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.S. in science education from Cornell University. He currently serves on the BBWC Board.

Mr. Drew and His Animals Too at the Library!
2023-11-03 14:00 - 15:30 | Abbott Room
This popular presentation returns to your Belfast Free Library. An opportunity to interact with the animals follows Mr. Drew’s talk.
RSU 71 Early Release day.
