By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library
Change wears many faces. I’m reminded of the Buddhism class I took back in college where we learned about impermanence being one of the universal truths — that everything is in a constant state of flux, arising and ceasing (thinking of you, Eastern Gazette). At the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft we’ve let go of our familiar library system and jumped into a new, fully-featured platform called Koha, which at first sounded to me like some sort of Klingon battle cry.
Thankfully we are adjusting and becoming more familiar with it — hands-on is the best way to learn. TFL Director Jon Knepp is working out the bugs and believes the switch will be well worth it, “We hope the new Koha system is more reliable, flexible and easier for our staff and patrons and we look forward to big things, like integrating with MaineCat, the statewide library catalog, in the near future.”
A really cool feature is automatic renewals as Jon explains, “Now, as long as no one else is waiting for an item, it will be automatically renewed on its due date. We hope this relieves some stress for you and some headaches for us! You can still renew books yourself or ask us to do it if you’d like. Please make sure to bring your books as soon as you can and be mindful that new and/or popular books are often in high demand.”
You can access your account and our online catalog either by clicking on the catalog icon (book with a magnifying glass) in the upper right corner of https://www.thompsonfreelibrary.org/ or go to bit.ly/tflcat. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the new system.
Koha has been the big news and major focus, but we still have lots on the calendar in February. Sensory Play Group returns on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 3:30 p.m. downstairs at the library. It’s geared toward children with disabilities or who are neurodivergent and their caregivers, but all abilities are welcome. There are therapy balls, play mats and sensory bins available to use.
A big draw of book clubs is that you read a different book each month, a great way to change things up and keep discussions interesting and fresh. TFL’s Reading Group meets Thursday, Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. but this time there is no specific book of the month. Instead, they’ll chat about what everyone’s been reading and brainstorm book ideas for 2026. It’s the perfect opportunity to join the group for the first time — or get back into the swing of things if you haven’t attended in a while.
Family time is fleeting so make the most of it by joining us for Family Fun Night on Friday, Feb. 13 at 5:30 p.m. Fire up those neurons and bring your appetite because there will be trivia and chili!
You never know which of Jon’s fabulous felines will guest star on TFL’s popular Caturday series. Stop by Saturday, Feb. 14 during our 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. shift and find out who’s serving up some major catitude!
Youth Services Librarian Michelle Fagan has seen so many library kids grow up. The faces may change but February vacation is a mainstay and the perfect time to enjoy special activities. There will be an arts and crafts program with a variety of projects on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. (geared towards grades K-4).
Grades 5-12 get their turn on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 3 p.m. with fantasy map mking. They will use stamps and draw their own fantasy world maps — good for kids who love to read fantasy books and for fans of Dungeons and Dragons.
Sadly, loss is another face of change and last week at TFL, despite knowing he was gone, I still expected our dear “liberry” friend and neighbor Jefferson Prestridge to walk through the door and make us laugh, shake our heads and marvel at his deadpan delivery. He was a permanent presence inside and (literally) outside the library. Michelle’s social media post is a wonderful tribute to him — and eloquently captures what is truly special about libraries, especially ours:
“I have always believed that a good library creates a community. You become friendly with people. You share wins and losses. You celebrate. You share family news, the good and the bad. You look forward to seeing people and worry when you haven’t seen them for a while. But like any community people move, people get illnesses and sadly people pass away.
We lost a favorite this week. Jefferson was a navy man, he was a helper, he was intelligent, kind, funny, artistic guy. He was a great storyteller. Our library family will miss him, our community will miss him.”
TFL hours Tuesday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visit our website thompsonfreelibrary.org, our Facebook page, Instagram @tf_library or contact us at [email protected] or 207-564-3350. All programs are free & open to the public. Free Wi-Fi available 24/7 in the parking lot.
