Beflast Free Library

Library Closed for Patriots Day
2025-04-21

Belfast Historical Society Program
2025-04-28 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | 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.

Computer class: "Cutting the Cord" - Getting TV & Phone Services Over the Internet
2025-04-29 14:00 - 15:00 | Third Floor Conference Room
*REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Click here to register.*
Tuesday, April 29 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
What does it mean to “Cut the Cord”? It’s about canceling cable or satellite services and being able to watch television shows online, as well as options that would allow you to get rid of your landline. This class will not only show you the wide variety of options out there, but also teach you some tools to decide if cutting the cord is right for you.
Requirements for this class:
No devices are required; just bring yourself.
This class is offered in partnership with the National Digital Equity Center, meaning an instructor from this organization will be teaching the class. Attendees must enroll and register at https://digitalequitycenter.org/classes/class/iphone-basics/?instance_id=5301 For more information, contact 338-3884 ext. 25 or spietryka@belfastlibrary.org

Library Skills for Homeschool Families
2025-05-01 15:30 - 16:30 | Abbott Room
Children’s Librarian Stephanie Holman will lead a program to support readers and researchers with tips and tools to use a public library to its fullest. Join us in the Abbott room of the Belfast Free Library for an overview of basic library skills. A tour of the children’s collection will follow. To conclude, we will test new library skills with a game and prizes.
Grades K and up.

Computer class: Windows 11 Basics (3-session class)
2025-05-05 14:00 - 15:00 | Third Floor Conference Room
*REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Click here to register.*
Monday, May 5 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Tuesday, May 6 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Wednesday, May 7 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
This class is three sessions long—attendees should plan on attending all three sessions.
Learn how to get the most out of your Windows 11 computer. In this class you will learn about the operating system, navigating the desktop and taskbar, the File Explorer, working with files, using Microsoft Edge and so much more.
Requirements for this class:
A Windows 11 computer with Internet access.
This class is offered in partnership with the National Digital Equity Center, meaning an instructor from this organization will be teaching the class. Attendees must enroll and register at https://digitalequitycenter.org/classes/class/iphone-basics/?instance_id=5301 For more information, contact 338-3884 ext. 25 or spietryka@belfastlibrary.org

2025 Youth Poetry Contest Reception and Reading
2025-05-05 16:00 - 17:00 | Abbott Room
Celebrate National Poetry Month with the Belfast Free Library
The youth of Waldo County are invited to submit an original poem on the theme:
Fast Forward: Poems from the Future
Deadline is Wednesday, April 30th
Submissions should be sent in-person or emailed to sholman@belfastlibrary.org
Include your name, age, email and phone.
Winners and runners-up will have the opportunity to share their poems at a headline event at this year’s Belfast Poetry Festival.
Reception, Reading and Refreshments:
Time : 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Date: Monday, May 5th
Location : The Abbott Room of the Belfast Free Library

Computer class: macOS Basics (3-session class)
2025-05-12 14:00 - 15:00 | Third Floor Conference Room
*REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Click here to register.*
Monday, May 12 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Tuesday, May 13 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Wednesday, May 14 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
This class is three sessions long—attendees should plan on attending all three sessions.
This course will cover the basics of how to use Apple’s operating system which works on Apple’s popular line of laptops and desktops. This class starts with the basic functions of the MacOS operating system and how to navigate through folders, files, and menus. Organizing, moving, and saving files will be covered too.
Requirements for this class:
A macOS computer connected to the internet.
This class is offered in partnership with the National Digital Equity Center, meaning an instructor from this organization will be teaching the class. Attendees must enroll and register at https://digitalequitycenter.org/classes/class/iphone-basics/?instance_id=5301 For more information, contact 338-3884 ext. 25 or spietryka@belfastlibrary.org

“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.

STEAM Team ~ Lift off into Bird Data: Unleashing the Power of Community Science
2025-05-22 15:30 - 17:00 | Abbott Room
What is a naturalist? Learn how to observe, record, and contribute to real world science using powerful tools like eBird, BirdCast, Merlin, and the Motus tracking system. Through hands-on activities, you will collect valuable data that supports ongoing research and conservation efforts–because every observation counts! We will then apply these skills on a short bird walk led by a Maine Audubon naturalist.
Free event for ages 8-12
For more information or to register, please visit the program’s website.
Or, contact Belfast Free Library at www.belfastlibrary.org.
To request a reasonable accommodation, contact Karen Giles, karengiles@maine.edu or 207.342.5971

Library Closed for Memorial Day
2025-05-26

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.
