Solar Workshop Series with ReVision Energy- Solar + Storage
2024-04-11 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Abbott Room
“Join ReVision Energy’s Brandon Mazur, for a discussion about how people are making the cost-effective switch to solar combined with battery storage for backup power.
Learn how you can combine solar power with reliable battery storage to make your home resilient in the face of unknown health and environmental threats. When paired with modern, robust battery technology, today’s solar panels provide the ultimate resiliency package while reducing carbon pollution and our societal need to import dirty fossil fuels. With a rooftop array you can make 100% of the energy you need, while the battery storage ensures backup power when the sun isn’t shining, or the grid goes down.”

Library Closed for Patriots' Day
2024-04-15

The Wheelbarrow Poets Meet
2024-04-16 09:30 - 11:00, 2024-04-23 09:30 - 11:00 | Abbott Room
The Wheelbarrow Poets meets weekly on Tuesdays in the Abbott Room from 9:30-11:00 a.m. Writing prompts are sent in advance of the gatherings by Belfast Poet Laureate Maya Stein, and participants share work and discuss. Open to writers ages 18 & up. Email hello@mayastein.com for more information and to register.

Belfast Garden Club Presentation: Controlling Stormwater Runoff with Fred Bowers
2024-04-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Abbott Room
Storm runoff can stoke soil erosion and damage plants. Luckily there are man-made solutions to erosion, which rely on fundamental natural soil processes. We’ll learn how to design rain gardens with consideration to natural soil and geologic processes, and about a possible demo rain garden for Belfast. Plus: other “green” options, such as eliminating impervious surfaces altogether, terracing, planting shrubs and trees in strategic places to soak up water or divert it, and other methods.
Fred Bowers is a Ph.D. soil scientist. Soils, topography, and vegetation were his research interests at Rutgers and the University of Washington graduate schools. In his 27-year career at New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, he was a research scientist in charge of stormwater and groundwater programs.
Click here to register for Zoom

Teen Instagram Takeover
2024-04-16 15:30 - 16:30 | Conference Room
CALLING ALL TEEN WRITERS AND LOVERS OF BOOKS!!!
~Write a letter to your favorite author.
~We will Post it on our library teen Instagram. If willing, we can video you reading the letter.
~ Wait for a response!

Peterborough Veterans Memorial Monument
2024-04-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Abbott Room
The Town of Warren, Maine holds a rich history of its early settlement, varied industries, and the development of the Georges River Canal amongst other notable items. Did you know that Warren was also the location of Maine’s largest historical African American community?
The community of Peterborough started with the family of Amos and Sarah Peters. Amos was born in Massachusetts of African and Wampanoag Indian ancestry. He served in the American Revolutionary War and moved to the District of Maine after its ending. Sarah was born in Guinea, was kidnapped through the slave trade and brought to Damariscotta by Captain Brown. She was then sold to Captain McIntyre of Warren. Sarah won her freedom after paying $1.00 to a representative, Mr. P. Pebbles, who helped sanction her rights to emancipation. The two married and settled for the remainder of their lives on 150 acres that Amos Peters was deeded near South Pond in Warren by General Henry Knox in the mid 1780’s. By the 1950’s the community had dwindled and the last of its residents moved away.
In 2019, the Town was contacted by a Midcoast community member, who upon learning about Peterborough and its inhabitants, wanted to honor their memory and struggles. They asked about doing restoration work at the cemetery, as this is all that remained of a once vibrant community, which led to the commissioning of a monument dedicated to its Veterans, spanning five wars.
Amanda Shelmerdine, Cemetery Sexton for the Town of Warren, researched the names for the monument, and this presentation will focus on the different research methods utilized in her search to identify the Veterans. She will also discuss the current plans for restoration and preservation of the cemetery and that of the community’s history.
All are welcome! These meetings are now in a hybrid format 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.

Knit2Together
2024-04-17 16:00, 2024-04-24 16:00 | Abbott Room
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.

Peace & Social Justice Forum / Waldo County
2024-04-17 18:00 - 19:30 | Abbott Room
Vietnam Veteran Doug Rawlings, President of the Maine Chapter of Veterans for Peace and an award-winning anti-war poet will speak of his recent return to Vietnam.
In August 2023, Doug returned to Vietnam after a 53-year absence when he was invited to speak of G.I. resistance to the war and to present his poetry, at the 14th annual ” Engaging With Vietnam” conference in Hue City. Doug’s son Josh, traveled with him. After the conference, they travelled to the DMZ, to Khe Sahn, Danang and Dong Ha. Their journey took them to the VFP programs RENEW ( dedicated to the disposal of unexploded ordnance) and the Vietnam Friendship Village, a residential facility for the victims of Agent Orange founded by veteran George Mizo. Rawlings will share slides from this journey and some of the poetry he shared at the conference.
In 1985, Doug co-founded Veterans for Peace, an organization that now has thousands of members worldwide and is a prominent player in the growing opposition to war as an instrument of foreign policy. There is no issue more relevant in today’s world, and no one who can address this more authentically than someone with Rawlings’ experience. Join us. All are welcome

Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition: Planet vs Plastics (part 1)
2024-04-18 17:30 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
Earth Day is Monday, April 22. Earth Day reminds us to think about our beautiful environment and all that we can and should do to preserve it. This is especially important this year when we have had continual reminders of how fragile life on this earth is and how human behavior has affected it.
This year, the national Earth Day organization is focusing on the reduction of the use of plastics – “Planet vs. Plastics.” The organization has set a goal of reducing plastic production by 60% by the year 2040. In keeping with this theme, BBWC and the Belfast Free Library have planned two programs that address the effects of plastics on our environment:
• Thursday, April 18, in the Abbott Room of the Belfast Free Library, will be the first of our “Planet vs. Plastics” presentations. At 5:30, there will be a showing of Earth Day posters created by area students. At 6:00, Plastic Pollution Solutions, a BBWC committee working to decrease the use of single use plastics, will discuss their efforts.
At 6:30, Dr. Charles Rolsky, Executive Director and Senior Research Analyst of the Shaw Institute in Blue Hill, will present a talk on the impact of plastic pollution on the environment and what we can do to help. Light refreshments will be served.
• Tuesday evening, April 23 will be part two of Planet vs. Plastics. At 6:00, we will show the award winning doumentary A Plastic Ocean, followed by discussion about what we can do to limit our personal use of single use plastics.

Belfast Historical Society Program
2024-04-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
1911, Busy, Booming Belfast- presentation with Megan Pinette
Megan Pinette, historical society president, will present a look at 1911 as recorded in the Waldo County Herald newspaper. That year saw several important additions to commercial Belfast; the Colonial Theatre, a corn canning factory, and a sardine packing plant. In the words of WCH editor, Edgar F. Hanson, “Belfast is on the move. Commercially and industrially the city looks better than it has in years.
*Event limited to 75 attendees.

Earth Day Film Presentation: A Plastic Ocean
2024-04-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
Part 2 of Planet vs. Plastics programming co-sponsored by the Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition.
A Plastic Ocean is an award-winning feature length documentary brought to you by a group of dedicated scientists, film-makers, social entrepreneurs, scholars, environmentalists and journalists, that explores the fragile state of our oceans and uncovers alarming truths about the consequences of our disposable lifestyle.
A Plastic Ocean documents the global effects of plastic pollution and highlights workable technologies and innovative solutions that everyone – from governments to individuals – can do, to create a cleaner and greener ocean.
After the film we will have a discussion about what we can do to limit our personal use of single use plastic.

Ocean Xplorers STEAM- Flippers, Fun, and Fur
2024-04-25 15:30 - 17:00 | Abbott Room
~Join Maine 4-H and UMaine students to explore how
scientists study marine mammals! Participants will explore
research methods such as DNA extractions, fecal sampling,
and sound studies used by marine mammal researchers.
~To request a reasonable accommodation, contact Sadee Mehuren, sadee.mehuren@maine.edu, 207.342.5971.
~Free event for ages 6-12. Space is limited to 30
children.
~For more information or to register please click the link below.
Click here to register your child aged 8-12

Community Solar 101- with ReVision Energy-
2024-04-25 18:30 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
“Shaded roof? Renting? No worries! ReVision Energy’s Solar Farm expert, Kevin Boyan, will share how you can access the benefits of going solar by joining a local Community Solar Farm (CSF).
Join us for a presentation and Q+A to learn how you can get your electricity from a local solar farm while lowering your monthly electricity cost and getting a 30% Federal Tax Credit on your investment.
In this discussion you’ll learn:
– What is the cost of community solar farm shares for Central Maine Power utility users?
– What is the difference between Ownership vs. Subscription based CSF models?
– Who is eligible to invest in community solar farm shares in Maine? – How does our community solar farm ownership model work in CMP territory?
– Why is community solar critical to the clean energy transition?
– Available financing and tax credit options”
