Beflast Free Library

Come Boating! Winter Adventure Series : Scallop Farming in Penobscot Bay
2025-03-18 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Abbott Room
Andrew and Samantha Peters founded Vertical Bay in 2018 as a model for scallop farming in Maine. Andrew will discuss how their scallops are grown in the nutrient-rich waters of the Penobscot Bay, the “ear-hanging” method of farming he uses, how he has benefitted from the work of research institutions in Maine and the challenges and opportunities scallop farming presents.
This program is jointly sponsored by Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition, the Belfast Free Library and Come Boating.
It will be held in the Abbott Room with a ZOOM option. Register for the Zoom here.

Genealogy group meeting: The Siege of Petersburg, 1864: The Story of a Maine Soldier on the Petersburg Western Front
2025-03-19 14:00 - 15:30 | Abbott Room
The Siege of Petersburg was the longest military event of the Civil War. Join us for a presentation about the life history of an obscure soldier from Waldo County who fought and died at Petersburg in 1864.
Dr. David Urquia’s search for information led him to very unexpected findings, including the presence of a previously undiscovered diary by this soldier, and to surprising discoveries as to this soldier’s genealogy. Excerpts from the diary will be presented.
Dr. David Urquia is a retired Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Virginia Commonwealth University, with 35 years of practice experience, specializing in adult spinal surgery. His non-medical academic passion is Civil War history.
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.

Knit2Together
2025-03-19 16:00, 2025-03-26 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.

Waldo County Peace and Social Justice Forum
2025-03-19 18:00 - 19:30 | Abbott Room

STEAM Team ~ Exploration of Ocean Acidification
2025-03-27 15:30 - 17:00 | Abbott Room
This month we will learn about ocean acidification, where it comes from, how it affects our oceans, and ways to combat this problem. You will become scientists by asking the big questions and performing experiments showing how ocean acidification is changing our oceans and how it’s affecting animals and plants around us. And, what does kelp have to do with it?
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

Our Maine Fibershed a presentation with Pat Harpell
2025-04-01 18:30 - 20:00 | 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.

Friends of the Library Book Sale
2025-04-05 10:30 - 13:00 | Library Lobby

Computer class: Introduction to Google Drive & Google Docs (3-session class)
2025-04-07 14:00 - 15:00 | Third Floor Conference Room
*REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Click here to register.*
Monday, April 7 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Tuesday, April 8 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Wednesday, April 9 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
This class is three sessions long—attendees should plan on attending all three sessions.
Two of the great benefits to your Google account are Google Drive and Google Docs. Google Drive is free cloud storage and Google Docs is Google’s free alternative to MS Word. In this class you will learn how to store and manage your files online as well as use the Google Docs platform where you can create stunning documents.
Requirements for this class:
A device connected to the internet and an active Gmail account.
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

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/

STEAM Team ~ Dive into Vernal Pools
2025-04-15 15:30 - 17:00 | Abbott Room
Join us in exploring one of the most spectacular signs of spring…vernal pools! Seasonal spring pools are essential for the wellness of many critters and the forest ecosystem, but as the name implies, they are not here for long. Youth will build a model of a vernal pool to discover how these pools develop over time and play a game to learn what outside factors influence these sensitive ecosystems.
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

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.
