Library Closing: Friday and Saturday, Dec. 31 - Jan. 1

The Thomaston Public Library will be closed on

Friday, December 31st and Saturday, January 1st

In observance of New Years Day. No items will be due on these days.

Library Closing: Friday and Saturday, Dec. 24 - 25

The Thomaston Public Library will be closed on

Friday, December 24th and

Saturday, December 25th

For the Christmas holiday. No items will be due on these days and regular hours will resume on Monday, December 27th.

Merry Christmas!

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library present:

It's a Wonderful Life

Friday, December 17th

6:30 PM

Thomaston Academy Building, room 208

No one is born to be a failure. No one is poor who has friends. Simple thoughts that were an inspiration for one of the richest, most uplifting, most beloved American films ever made. Frank Capra's classic tale of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) and his Christmas Eve visit with a guardian angel named Clarence (Henry Travers) was nominated for five Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. After 60 years it remains as powerful and moving as the day it was made.

Friday night films are presented free of charge but donations are gratefully accepted. Light refreshments will be served. The Thomaston Academy Building is handicapped accessable from the parking lot entrance. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Holiday Family Story Hour

Thomaston Family Story Hour

Wednesday, December 15th

6:00 PM, Children's Room

Guest Reader: Ellen Dyer, Director, Montpelier: the General Henry Knox Museum

with Christmas music by 'Playin Possum'

Join us on Wednesday at 6:00 PM in the Children's Library for an hour of stories, music and crafts with special guest reader Ellen Dyer from the Montpelier museum. Ellen will read new and classic children's stories with a Christmas theme along with tales of General Henry Knox and the American Revolutionary war.

Special guests 'Playin Possum' will provide holiday music at this special event. All ages are welcome and admittance is free. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:

A Christmas Memory

Friday, December 10th

6:30 PM

Thomaston Academy Building, room 208

In this award-winning adaptation of an autobiographical story by Truman Capote, Eric Lloyd plays Buddy, who at age seven is dumped by his parents at the home of some elderly spinster relations. Luckily for Buddy, he becomes fast friends with one of them, embarking on a series of adventures in the Depression-era rural South. Patty Duke and Piper Laurie co-star in this charmingly nostalgic tale.

Friday night films are presented free of charge but donations are gratefully accepted. The Thomaston Academy Building is handicapped accessable from the parking lot entrance. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library present:

Miracle on 34th Street

Friday, Dec. 3rd

6:30 PM

Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

The holiday season in in full swing when a cultured gentleman with twinkling eyes, ample belly and a snowy beard (Edmund Gwen) is hired as Macy's Santa Claus. He claims his name is Kris Kringle and soon fills everyone with the Christmas spirit - except for his boss, Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara) who is raising her daughter (Natalie Wood) to not believe in Santa. But, when Kringle is accused by the department store's crazy psychologist of being insane and is put on trial, everyone's faith is put to the test as young and old alike face the age-old question: Do you believe in Santa Claus?

Friday Night Films are presented free of charge and are open to the public. Light refreshments will be served and donations are gratefully accepted.

December's film series is Christmas Classics. Please help celebrate the holidays by bringing a gift for the Library Holiday Tree - all the gifts will be donated to charity and families in need. Gifts may be placed in the box in Room 208 or in the box by the Holiday Tree in the library. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series: No Film Fri., Nov. 26th

There will be no film shown at the Thomaston Public Library on Friday, Nov. 26th, due to the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Please join us on the first three Fridays in December for a films about the Christmas holiday season.

Library Closing: Thursday, Nov. 25th

The Thomaston Public Library will be closed from Thursday, Nov. 25th to Saturday, Nov. 27th, for Thanksgiving.

No items will be due on these days. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Thomaston Family Story Hour

Wednesday, November 16th

6:00 PM

Children's Library

Guest Reader: Erika Pfander will be substituting for Sen. Chris Rector, who is unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict.

Join us in the children's library for an hour of stories and activities with guest reader Erika Pfander from the Friends of the Thomaston Library. Erika will be reading to children and families of all ages at this free event.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library present:



The General
Friday, November 19th
6:30 PM
Thomaston Academy Building, room 208

Rejected by the Confederate Army as unfit and taken for a coward by his beloved Annabelle (Marion Mack), Johnnie Gray (Buster Keaton) sets out to single-handedly win the war with his cherished locomotive in this classic silent action-comedy. When Northern spies steal his train, the intrepid Confederate takes on the entire Union army to get it back. Keaton's extremely physical performance features a series of acrobatic stunts. Of special interest is the amazing fact that Keaton himself performed the dangerous and hair-raising stunts numerous times on real moving trains.

Friday Night Films are open to the public and free of charge, but donations are gratefully accepted. The Thomaston Academy Building is handicapped accessable from the rear entrance and light refreshments will be served. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Library Closing: Thursday, Nov. 11th

The Library will be Closed on Thursday, November 11th

for Veterans Day. No items will be due on this day and regular hours will resume on Friday, November 12th.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:




City Lights
Friday, November 12th
6:30 PM
Thomaston Academy Building, room 208

Chaplin's moving, eloquent masterpiece! One of Chaplin's most highly acclaimed films, City Lights is both a classic and a personal statement in which the master of pantomime proves the eloquence of silence. Combining wonderful comedy and evocative drama, the little tramp falls in love with a beautiful, blind flower girl. By comic happenstance, she believes he is wealthy and he, in turn, sets out to raise the money for an eye operation.

Friday night films are presented free of charge but donations are always welcome. The Thomaston Academy Building is handicapped accessable from the parking lot entrance, and light refreshments will be served. For more information, call thel ibrary at 354-2453.

New Displays at the Thomaston Library

Three new displays have been unveiled at the Thomaston Public Library in the last few weeks. A display of Thomaston school artifacts on loan from the Thomaston Historical Society is currently on display in the entry corridor of the library. The artifacts will remain on display through the winter.

An artwork display featuring photography by Neil Shively has been installed in the library's lower level. Neil's photography display features photos from the area as well as Ireland, Africa, and other parts of the United States.

And in the main wing of the library, a doll collection owned by Friend of the Library Lysbeth Andrews, along with some loans from Corinne Darby, will be on display through December. The dolls are all handmade fisherman and mermaid dolls, created and sold by the Port Clyde Baptist Church Sewing Circle as part of their annual fundraiser. Andrews has been collecting the dolls for several years, and Darby is a member of the sewing circle.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library Present:

Buster Keaton Double Feature:

Our Hospitality and Sherlock Jr.

Friday, November 5th
6:30 PM

Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

Our Hospitality - In many ways a companion piece to his 1926 classic "The General", Our Hospitality stars Keaton as a New York man who returns to his southern antebellum homeland to find himself embroiled in a longstanding fued between his family and that of the woman he loves. The sequence in which Buster travels southward by rinky-dink locomotive is a most sublime example of the director's craft that represents but a tiny portion of the extrardinary talent that characterizes the art of Buster Keaton.

Sherlock Jr. - Perhaps no other film offers as exciting a roller coaster ride through the golden age of comedy than Buster Keaton's "Sherlock Jr." Dramatizing the uproarious explots of a meek theatre projectionist turned amateur sleuth, the film blends the knockout physical comedy normally associated with slapstick, with more subtly-crafted moments of humor.

Friday Night Films are presented free of charge but donations are gratefully accepted. Light refreshments will be served and the Academy Building is handicapped accessable by the parking lot entrance. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:

Alfred Hitchcock's

Psycho

Friday, October 29th

6:30 PM

Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece of the macabre stars Anthony Perkins as the troubled Norman Bates, whose old dark house and adjoining motel are not the place to spend a quiet evening. no one knows that better than Janet Leigh, the ill-fated heroine who had a less than pleasant experience in the now notorious "shower scene". Vera Miles, Martin Balsam, John Gavin, and John McIntire co-star in Hitchcock's most compelling and terrifying film. Bernard Herrmann provided the classic soundtrack.

During the screening of Psycho, no one will be admitted after the film has begun. Friday Night Films are presented free of charge and light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact the library at 354-2453.

Thomaston Family Story Hour

Guest Reader: Maine State Representative Chuck Kreuger
Wednesday, October 20th
6:00 PM
Children's Room

Join us on Wednesday, October 20th for stories and music with Maine State Representative Chuck Kreuger. Kreuger will be reading from books of songs to children and families starting at 6:00 PM in the children's library. This event is free to the public and open to all ages. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:

Notorious

Friday, October 22nd

6:30 PM

Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman) gains notoriety when her father is convicted of treasona gainst the United States as a Nazi spy. Soon after, she meets a stranger named Devlin (Cary Grant). Devlin reveals that he is a U.S. Intelligence agent and asks her to help him trap a Nazi mastermind. Because she has fallen in love with Devlin, she agrees - but as she gets more involved she realizes she's putting her life in danger. Nominated for two Academy Awards in 1947, including Best Screenplay.

Friday night films are present free of charge, but donations are gratefully accepted. Light refreshments will be served and the Thomaston Academy Building is handicapped accessable by the parking lot entrance. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:

Alfred Hitchcock's

Vertigo

Friday, October 8th

6:30 PM

Thomaston Academy Building, Room 208

Critics have hailed Vertigo as Alfred Hitchcock's ultimate masterpiece. This haunting tale of obsession, fear and murder stars Jimmy Stewart as a troubled detective pathologically afraid of heights and obsessed with a lost love and her look-alike. Kim Novak gives the performance of her career as the bizarre heroine. Unavailable for viewing for over two decades, this HItchcock shocker still retains its unparalleled impact.

Doors and bookstore open at six and light refreshments will be served. Admission is always free, but donations are accepted. For more information, call the library at 354-2453.

Midcoast Habitat for Humanity

World Habitat Week Talk
Wednesday, October 6th
6:00 PM
Room 2o8, Thomaston Academy Building

As part of World Habitat Week, Midcoast Habitat for Humanity will give a talk and slideshow on Wednesday, October 6, from 6 to 7 pm at the Thomaston Library about the importance of decent, safe, and affordable housing worldwide and right here in Knox County. Come and learn about the mission of Habitat, as well as the new house we are starting in Thomaston and how it incorporates sustainable building and energy efficiency. For more information or to volunteer, see our website at http://www.midcoasthabitat.org/ or call 594-1859.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library present:

Alfred Hitchcock's
Spellbound

Friday, October 1st
6:30 PM
Thomaston Academy Building, Room 208

Dr. Edwards (Gregory Peck) arrives at the Green Manors Mental Asylum and falls for the beautiful Dr. Petersen (Ingrid Bergman). But she discovers that he's a paranoid amnesiac imposter, which leaves her wondering: what happend to the real Dr. Edwards? Spellbound is one of Alfred Hitchcock's finest films. Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Spellbound's most memorable scene is the powerful dream sequence, created by the extraordinary 20th century Spanish artist Salvadore Dali.

Friday Night Films are presented free of charge and light refreshments will be served. Donations are appreciated and the Thomaston Academy Building is handicapped accessable from the parking lot entrance. For more information, call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library present:


Duel in the Sun
Friday, September 24th
6:30 PM
Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

Pearl Chavez (Jennifer Jones), a sultry half-breed orphan, is taken in by distant relative Laura Belle McCanles (Lillian Gish), whose husband (Lionel Barrymore) is a rich Texas cattle baron. The quintessential home-wrecker, Pearl is attracted to the two McCanles sons -- wild he-man Lewt (Gregory Peck) and educated, methodical Jesse (Joseph Cotten). The scene is set for a battle royale that pits brother against brother and a final confrontation between Lewt and Pearl.

Doors and Hallway bookshop opens at 6 and light refreshments will be served. Films are presented free of charge but donations are gratefully accepted. Thomaston Academy is handicapped accessable by the parking lot entrance. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Thomaston Family Story Hour

Guest Reader: Jamie Doubleday, RSU 13 Board Vice Chair
Wednesday, Sept. 15th
6:00 PM
Children's Library

Jamie Doubleday will be our guest reader at the Thomaston Family Story Hour in September. The Thomaston Family Story Hour brings prominent local persons to the library to share stories and crafts with children and families. Jamie will be reading a selection of new and classic children's books for families of all ages.

For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:

Red River
Friday, September 10th
6:30 PM
Room 208

It's mutiny on the cattle drive when irascible, ironfisted trail boss Tom Dunson (John Wayne) relentlessly brutalizes his drovers, causing adopted son Matt Garth (Montgomery Clift, in his first film appearance) to intercede and take charge. Tom vows vengeance for Matt's unpardonable offense, leading to the quintessential Western showdown. Walter Brennan costars as the ornery camp cook in director Howard Hawks' immortal sagebrush saga.

Doors and bookstore open at 6 and admission, as always, is free. Light refreshments will be served and donations are gratefully accepted. The Thomaston Academy Building is handicapped accessable from the parking lot entrance. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Due to health hazards posed by the extreme heat and poor air quality, the library will close at 2:00 PM on Thursday, September 2nd.

The library staff apologizes for any inconvenience.

Library Announcement

Due to the potential health hazards posed by the high temperature and humidity, the Library will close at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, September 1st.

Regular hours will resume on Thursday, September 2nd.

The staff of the TPL apologizes for any inconvenience.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:



High Noon
Friday, September 3rd
6:30 PM
Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

Retiring Marshall Will Kane (Gary Cooper) insists on defending his town from a gang of hooligans who are due on the noon train -- but he faces the task alone as the cowardly townspeople flee like rats from a sinking ship. Director Fred Zinnemann creates an incredibly tense Western (rightly considered one of the true genre classics) that unfurls in real time -- as the clocks on the wall constantly remind us. Grace Kelly and Lloyd Bridges co-star.

Doors and Hallway Books open at 6 and admission, as always, is free. Donations gratefully accepted and light refreshments will be served. For more information, call the library at 354-2453

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:

James Dean in
Rebel Without a Cause

Friday, August 27th
6:30 PM
Thomaston Academy Building, room 208

When Jim Stark (Dean) arrives in a new town with his troubled past firmly in tow, he quickly falls for the girl next door (Natalie Wood) and befriends the vulnerable Plato (Sal Mineo) forming a surrogate family fueled by alienation. From a deadly game of chicken to the spectacular climax at Los Angeles's Griffith Park Observatory, directory Nicholas Ray's Oscar-nominated portrait of teen angst provided a jolt to 1950s America.

Doors and bookstore open at 6 and admission, as always, is free. Light refreshments will be served and donations are gratefully accepted. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:














Marlon Brando in
On the Waterfront
Friday, August 20
6:30 PM
Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

Winner of 8 Oscars, director Elia Kazan's classic morality tale stars Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy, a has-been boxer who experiences a crisis of conscience while working for mob controlled union boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). Terry turns a blind eye when Friendly's thugs kill a fellow dockworker to keep him from testifying in a corruption case, but he has second thoughts when the victim's sister (Eva Marie Saint) urges him to take a stand. Rod Steiger plays Terry's brother, also involved with the mob. Karl Malden plays a priest who tries to guide Terry.

Doors and the bookshop will open at 6 and admission, as always, is free. Donations are accepted and light refreshments will be served. For more information, call the library at 354-2453.

Display Case Donation

Thomaston Public Library is very pleased to announce that we have received a large display case from the W. Tom and Bonnie Sawyer Library at Husson College. The new display case will be one of three main areas for community people to show off their collections, artwork, crafts or other items as part of the library's new Community Displays program. For more information about this program and to find out how you can display your items, call the library at 354-2453.

The library staff and trustees would like to thank volunteers William Dashiell (right) and Harold Willey (seated) for their help in transporting and assembling the new display case.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library Present:

East of Eden

Friday, August 13

6:30 PM

Room 208, Thomaston Academy

Set in California's Salinas Valley, Elia Kazan's adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel centers on Cal Trask (Dean), the black sheep of a stern farmer (Raymond Massey). Tired of being compared to his perfect brother, troublemaker Cal tries in vain to please his father. The two finally face off when Cal confronts his dad with the truth about his allegedly dead mother, played by Jo Van Fleet. Julie Harris and Burl Ives co-star.

Friday Night Films are shown free of charge and light refreshments will be served. The them for August is "50's Icons: Marlon Brando and James Dean". Doors and bookstore open at 6 and donations are gratefully accepted. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Artists Among Us: Joyce Tenneson

The Friends of the Thomaston library present:

Joyce Tenneson

Wednesday, August 4th
7 PM, Academy Building Gymnasium (lower level)

On Wednesday, Aug. 4, Friends of the Thomaston Public Library's Artists and Authors Among Us lecture series will continue with photographer Joyce Tenneson. The one-hour presentation will begin 7 p.m. in the Academy Building gym.

Tenneson will show slides from her award-winning book "Intimacy: The Sensual Essence of Flowers." During the lecture, she will show flowers she has photographed from around the world.

Tenneson is among the most respected photographers of our time and has been described critically as one of America's most interesting portrayers of the human character. Her work has appeared on countless covers for magazines such as Time, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek, Premiere, Esquire and The New York Times Magazine.

The program includes time for questions, and a small reception will be held. The series is are free to the public, but donations to the library are greatly appreciated.

Upcoming presenters include author Sandy Oliver, Aug. 18; artist Elizabeth Greenburg, Sept. 8; and artist Eric Hopkins, Sept. 15. For more information, contact the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston library present:

A Streetcar Named Desire
Friday, August 6
6:30 PM
Room 208, Thomaston Academy

After losing the family plantation to creditors, aging Southern belle Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh) travels to New Orleans seeking solace in her sister, Stella (Kim Hunter). Instead, she goes toe-to-toe with Stella's brute of a husband, Stanley (Marlon Brando). Leigh, Hunter and Karl Malden all took home Oscars for their work in this sizzling adaptation of Tennessee Williams' classic rumination on carnal attraction and faded gentility.

Doors and bookstore open at 6 and admission is free. Light refreshments served and donations gratefully accepted. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:

Radio Days
Friday, July 30th
6:30 PM
Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

Director Woody Allen's Oscar-nominated comedy set in 1940s Brooklyn draws heavily on his youth - at a time when radio was king. Through vignettes woven together by music from the era, the film focuses on young Joe (Seth Green) and his houseful of relatives. His father (Michael Tucker) craves news from Europe, his aunt (Dianne Wiest) is obsessed with marriage and his mother (Julie Kavner) is appalled that Joe has bought a secret decoder ring.

Doors and bookstore open at 6:00 and admission, as always, is free. Donations gratefully accepted and light refreshments will be served.

Thomaston Green celebration: Saturday 11 to 2

Join us on Saturday, July 24th from 11 to 2 at the Thomaston Green to celebrate the unveiling of Thomaston's newest neighborhood. Library staff will be on hand to distribute summer reading program incentive prizes and FREE library memberships, and the Friends of the library will host a story time for children of all ages on the Green.

At 12, assemble at the flagpole for welcomes and remarks from Town Manager Val Blastow, Senator Chris Rector, State Representative Chuck Kruger, and a brief history of the Maine State Prison presented by Thomaston Historical Society curator Peggy McCrea.

Free food will be provided by the Thomaston Cafe, Waterfront Market, Billy's Tavern, Applebee's, Athen's Pizza, Harborview Restaurant, and Subway. In addition, Mike Mayo and Pete Lammert will grill hot dogs and hamburgers for all.

The celebration will feature performances by Steelin' Thunder, Dory in the Desert, and the Midcoast Community Band, games and activities for kids and representatives from organizations all over town. Bring the whole family and celebrate the redevelopment of the Thomaston Green!

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library Present:


Hannah and her Sisters
Friday, July 23
6:30 PM
Room 208, Thomaston Academy

Woody Allen's classic tale about three New York sisters - Hannah (Mia Farrow), Holly (Dianne Wiest) and Lee (Barbara Hershey) -- begins with a festive Thanksgiving dinner during which Hannah's husband, Elliot (Michael Caine) realizes he's falling for Lee. Unfolding over the course of a year, the Oscar-winning film follows the sisters' intertwined lives and loves, that include a grim artist (Max von Sydow) and a neurotic producer (Allen).

Doors and bookstore open at 6 and admission is free. Donations gratefully accepted. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Summer Art Display: Jill Langdon

Jill Marie Langdon is the first featured artist
displaying her oils and watercolors from the spring season in the lower level of the Thomaston Public Library. Her work may be seen during the months of July and August.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Davis Family Foundation, the Thomaston Library will begin featuring local artists and collections of cultural or historic interest throughout the year.

Jill is also displaying other works in the Thomaston branch of Camden National Bank, and one can meet the artist on the Thomaston Green most days, weather permitting.

Artists Among Us: Mimo Gordon Riley

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:

Mimo Gordon Riley

Wednesday, July 14th

7 PM

Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

Mimo Gordon Riley will present a one-hour lecture on her work and art in Room 208 in the Thomaston Academy building, Main Street/Route 1, at 7 p.m.

Riley returns to her native state of Maine each summer to paint, and her work is inspired by views from her Tenants Harbor studio on a tidal cove. Riley also often paints in her car, and therefore works mostly on small canvases and relishes in the confines of her Subaru "a private mobile studio." Her works are warm portrayals of her environment in New England, painted with vivid colors and a keen sensitivity toward light and shadow.

Riley began painting 20 years ago in Maine and credits her experience in photography and using 35mm lens to train her eye to limit and select her field of vision.

"The landscape was my central interest when I began to paint, using light and shadow to cut into the predicted positive image and work the negative space," Riley said.

The program includes time for questions, and a small reception also will be held.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library present:



Broadway Danny Rose
Friday, July 16
6:30 PM
Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

Woody Allen is a two-bit Manhattan theatrical agent with a client list only a freak show promoter could love. His ace in the hole, though, is sonorous crooner Lou Canova (Nick Apollo Forte). To assuage Lou's titanic ego (and keep him as a client), Woody must escort the singer's mistress, Tina (Mia Farrow), to Lou's club dates. One mishap follows another in this gem of a comedy.

Doors and bookstore open at 6 and admission, as always, is free. For more information, call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library present:

Manhattan
Friday, July 9th
6:30 PM
Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

In the thick of a midlife crisis, television writer Isaac Davis (Woody Allen) finds himself torn between the sweet but far too young Tracy (Maril Hemingway, who received an Oscar nod for the role) and his best friend's mistress, Mary (Diane Keaton). Shot in black and whit and in wide-screen format - both firsts for director Allen - this film is as much a paean to the city he calls home as it is a tale of Davis's romantic foibles.

Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted. The Thomaston Academy Building is handicapped accessible from the parking lot entrance. Doors and Bookshop open at 6. For more information, call the library at 354-2453.

Authors Among Us: Nancy Griffin

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library Present a lecture by:

Nancy Griffin

author of "Making Whoopies!"

Wednesday, July 7th

7 PM

Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

The first program of the 2010 Artists and Authors Among Us series is author Nancy Griffin introducing her new book Making Whoopies! which describes what could be declared the official Maine dessert. This fun and funky book is a wide-ranging, lighthearted look at whoopie pies and the folks who love them. It includes 15 tried-and-true recipes that will make your mouth water.

Nancy Griffin lives in Thomaston and has been a freelance writer for more than 20 years, writing for newspapers, magazines and trade publications. Before that, she was a newspaper and wire service reporter and editor. Nancy is the author of two previous books. A lifelong whoopie pie lover, she can often be found munching on one of these classic treats while writing. She has even been known to share, but not often.

The program includes time for questions as well as an opportunity to purchase signed copies of her books. A small reception will also be held.

Library Closing: July 3rd through 5th

The Thomaston Public Library will be CLOSED on

Saturday, July 3rd

and

Monday, July 5th

In celebration of Independence Day. No items will be due on these days and regular hours will resume on Tuesday, July 6th. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library present:

Zelig

Friday, July 2nd
6:30 PM
Thomaston Academy Building, room 208

"Human chameleon" Leonard Zelig (Woody Allen) soars to celebrity in the 1920s and '30s with his unexplained ability to transform himself into anyone he meets. Allen's mockumentary finds Zelig in the unlikeliest of places -- from the intensity of a New York Yankees dugout to the frenzy of a Nazi rally. But his doctor, brainy psychiatrist Dr. Eudora Fletcher (Mia Farrow), insists that Zelig's condition can only exist in his mind.

Admission is free but donations are appreciated. The Academy Building is handicap accessible by the elevator in the parking lot. Call the library at 354- 2453 for further information. Doors open at 6:00 and the Hallway Books bookshop is open in the hallway of the first floor.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library Present:

Au Revoir les Enfants
Friday, June 25
6:30 PM
Thomaston Academy Building, room 208

As World War II rages on, two students at a boarding school - the French-Catholic Julien QUintin (Gaspard Manesse) and the Jewish Jean Bonnet (Raphael Fejto) - form an unlikely friendship in director Louis Malle's powerfully moving drama based on events from his own life. Although the boys begin as adversaries, they soon find common ground, especially when it becomes clear that Jean is merely trying to survive the tyranny of the Nazis.

Doors and Bookstore open at 6 and admission, as always, is free. Donations gratefully accepted. The Academy Building is handicapped accessable from the parking lot entrance. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Grant Award

The staff and Trustees of the Thomaston Public Library are pleased to announce that we have been the recipient of a grant in the amount of $10,000 from the Davis Family Foundation. This grant money will be used by the Friends of the Library and library staff to develop and implement a Community Display Program for the citizens of Thomaston and other library users. Library users and local historical organizations will be able to use the library's space to display their collectibles, artwork, or hobbies and share them with the town.

Check back for more information on this exciting new program over the coming months! Our sincere thanks and gratitude go out to the Trustees of the Davis Family Foundation for generously sponsoring these efforts.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:

Butterfly
Friday, June 18th
6:30 PM
Thomaston Academy Building, room 208

At the onset of the Spanish Civil War, a sheltered boy (Manuel Lozano) in rural northern Spain forms an indelible bond with his kindly leftist teacher (Fernando Fernan Gomez) who imparts his love for nature to the young student. Director Jose Juis Cuerda's gentle and nostalgic drama, based on the short stories of Manuel Rivas, was nominated for 13 Goya Awards (the Spanish Oscar), winning for Best Adapted Screenplay.

The Friday Night Film series is presented and hosted by Erika Pfander. Films are free and open to the public, and donations are gratefully accepted. For more information, contact the library at 354-2453.

Library Survey: Please give us your feedback

The Thomaston Public Library is circulating our annual survey to the townspeople on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 8th and 9th, during the primary election and Annual Town Meeting. Surveys will be available at the American Legion Hall from 10 AM to 8 PM on Tuesday, and will be available again at 7 PM the following night, at the start of the Town Meeting. A box will be available to return the survey on site, or surveys may be returned to the library in person.

Please take a moment to fill the survey out and return it to us. The library staff and Trustees rely on your feedback to ensure that the library is providing the services the townspeople want.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:



Central Station
Friday, June 11th
6:30 PM
Thomaston Academy Building, room 208

Dora (Fernanda Montenegro), who writes letters for illiterate people at Rio de Janeiro's central railroad station, feels compelled to help 9 year old Josue (Vinicius De Oliveira) locate his estranged father after the child's mother dies in a car accident. This Oscar nominated drama follows the interplay between Dora and the boy during their journey to Brazil's remote Northeast region, their bond growing ever stronger with each mile logged.

Doors and bookstore open at 6. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact the library at 354-2453.

Town Meeting and Warrant Articles

The Town of Thomaston will hold a town meeting on Wednesday, June 9th, at 7:00 PM at the American Legion Hall (10 Watts Lane). During this meeting the townspeople will vote on warrant articles 3 through 46, representing the municipal budget for 2010/2011.

An abridged version of these Warrant Articles was printed in the town newsletter for June and is reproduced here. The full text of the Warrant Articles and the Town's Annual Report is available online at http://town.thomaston.me.us/.

ARTICLE 1: To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting. THE MODERATOR MUST BE CHOSEN PRIOR TO THE OPENING OF THE POLLS FOR ELECTING TOWN OFFICERS (election to be held Tuesday, June 8th, beginning at 10:00 AM).

ARTICLE 2: To choose by ballot, two Selectpersons for terms of 3 years, and one Assessor for a term of 3 years and one RSU 13 School Board member for 3 years.

ARTICLE 3: To see if the Town will vote to accept the categories of funds listed below as provided by the Maine State Legislature and to expend same.

ARTICLE 4: To see if the Town will vote to lapse all non-real estate/personal property tax revenues to Undesignated Fund Balance (surplus), and to see what sum of money the Town will vote to appropriate to reduce the property tax assessment for Fiscal Year July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011.

ARTICLE 5: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $330,937.34 for GENERAL GOVERNMENT.

ARTICLE 6: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $90,345.00 for maintenance and operation of MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS.

ARTICLE 7: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $238,553.88 for the POLICE DEPARTMENT WAGES.

ARTICLE 8: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $41,800.00 for GENERAL EXPENDITURES –POLICE DEPARTMENT.

ARTICLE 9: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $96,987.49 for the FIRE DEPARTMENT.

ARTICLE 10: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $4,200.00 to purchase self-contained breathing (SCBA) bottles for the Fire Department.

ARTICLE 11: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to purchase protective clothing for the Fire Department.

ARTICLE 12: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000.00 to purchase new computers for the Fire Department.

ARTICLE 13: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $190,288.19 for PROTECTION AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

ARTICLE 14: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $406,504.28 for PUBLIC WORKS.

ARTICLE 15: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $210,000.00 for SANITATION.

ARTICLE 16: To see if the Town will accept as a Town Way the portion identified as Deer Run, a subdivision off Beechwood Street recorded July 19, 2004 in the Knox County Registry of Deeds, Cabinet 16, Sheet 161.

ARTICLE 17: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $55,947.45 for the AMBULANCE DEPARTMENT.

ARTICLE 18: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $25,000.00 from Undesignated Fund Balance, with utilization of annual ambulance revenues, to continue funding the PER DIEM LICENSED AMBULANCE PERSONNEL to provide adequate emergency service and to assist with Fire and Ambulance Department Administration.

ARTICLE 19: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $32,448.00 for per diem weekend ambulance coverage.

ARTICLE 20: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $8,000.00 to purchase protective clothing for the Ambulance Department.

ARTICLE 21: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $15,000.00 to reimburse Rockland for Ambulance coverage at the rate of 250.00 per call and to authorize charging the same 250.00 per call for coverage when Thomaston’s Ambulance responds to calls outside of Thomaston.

ARTICLE 22: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $31,667.28 for the ASSESSOR’S OFFICE.

ARTICLE 23: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $57,850.00 for the RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

ARTICLE 24: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $14,833.94 for LEISURE SERVICES.

ARTICLE 25: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $636,904.60 for UNCLASSIFIED ACCOUNTS.

ARTICLE 26: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $77,600.00 for CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS/RESERVE ACCOUNTS.

ARTICLE 27: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $30,000.00 for FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

ARTICLE 28: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $20,233.10 for PROVIDER AND LOCAL AGENCIES.

ARTICLE 29: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $68,250.00 for Fiscal Year July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011 and to utilize undesignated funds for the remainder to pave the following streets.

ARTICLE 30: To see if the Town will vote to authorize Selectpersons, on behalf of the Town, TO SELL AND DISPOSE OF ANY REAL ESTATE ACQUIRED BY THE TOWN for non-payment of the taxes thereon and to execute quit claim deeds for said property, said real estate to be sold as follows.

ARTICLE 31: To see if the Town will vote to permit acceptance of PREPAID TAXES and to fix the dates of December 1, 2010 for the first payment and June 1, 2011 for the second payment, when the taxes shall become due and payable; and, to see if the Town will fix the rate of interest at 7 percent to be charged on taxes unpaid after said date; and to see if the Town will fix the rate of interest for overpayments of taxes at 3 percent. For the period July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011. NOTE: Pursuant to Title 36 M.R.S.A. Section 506-A “Overpayment of Taxes”.

ARTICLE 32: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectpersons to accept, on behalf of the Town, GIFTS, DONATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS in the form of money, personal services and materials for the benefit of the Town, its government including legal departments and public facilities thereof, for the purpose of aiding and enhancing the delivery of public services. Said gifts to be without conditions and not require the voters to raise additional maintenance money.

ARTICLE 33: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectpersons TO MOVE UP TO 10% OF UNEXPENDED BALANCES from various accounts as needed to provide for the smooth transition of Town business.

ARTICLE 34: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $2,500.00 TO SUPPORT THE SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

ARTICLE 35: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from undesignated fund balance the sum of $10,000.00 TO ASSIST THE FOURTH OF JULY COMMITTEE in continuing the annual celebration.

ARTICLE 36: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $950.00 for the continued administration of the Pine Tree Zone.

ARTICLE 37: Shall the Ordinance entitled Chapter Seven Thomaston Land Use and Development Ordinance and Chapter Ten, Definitions be amended? A copy of this ordinance certified by the municipal officers and the Planning Board has been on file with the municipal clerk’s office at least seven days before the Town Meeting. A certified copy of this ordinance is available for review in the Office of the Town Clerk during regular business hours.

ARTICLE 38: Shall the Ordinance entitled Chapter Four Thomaston Harbor Ordinance be amended? A copy of this ordinance certified by the municipal officers and the Planning Board has been on file with the municipal clerk’s office at least seven days before the Town Meeting. A certified copy of this ordinance is available for review in the Office of the Town Clerk during regular business hours.

ARTICLE 39: Shall the Ordinance entitled Georges River Regional Shellfish Management Ordinance be amended?

ARTICLE 40: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $12,225.00 towards the ongoing Thomaston Sidewalk Program to resurface sidewalks in Thomaston.

ARTICLE 41: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $19,000.00 for the operating budget of the Thomaston Village Cemetery.

ARTICLE 42: To see if the Town will vote to accept the Declaration of Slum and Blight Area behind the Business Block per Maine Community Development Block Grant.
"It is hereby found and declared: 1. That there exists in the Town of Thomaston a deteriorating, dilapidated, slum and blighted area, dangerous buildings, deficient public improvements and incompatible uses of property, which constitute a serious and growing menace, injurious and inimical to the public health, safety, morals and welfare of the residents of the Town of Thomaston. 2. That the existence of such an area, as shown on the attached map and identified as the area off Starr Street behind the Thomaston Business Block and located in Census Tract Number: 9704, is found to be consistent with Maine State Statute 30-A, Chapter 205, Section 5202 and regulations set forth by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in 24 CFR Part 570. 3. That the blighted area will be addressed with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and other funds through eligible activities, in accordance with all CDBG regulations and Maine State Statute 30-A, Chapter 205, Sections 5201 through 5205. 4. That the activities to be conducted are designed to eliminate the causes of slum and blight through the performance of streetscape and other related physical improvements. 5. The Declaration with attendant documentation is hereby enacted on the 9th of June, 2010 and is effective from this day forth until such conditions have been remedied through completion of the CDBG project."

ARTICLE 43: To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000.00 to upgrade the stormwater system at the intersection of Marsh Road north toward High Street on Route 131.

ARTICLE 44: To see if the Town will vote to approve participation in the Interagency Cooperation Agreement for the creation of an electronic database of public safety information to be utilized by member agencies in Knox County.

ARTICLE 45: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $40,000.00 to purchase a 2004 Case 580M used backhoe with 856 hours utilizing $27,450.00 from unexpended winter roads funds, $8,451.00 from FEMA Grants and $4,099.00 from unexpended winter sand funds.

ARTICLE 46: To see if the voters of the Town of Thomaston will appropriate and authorize a majority of the municipal officers of the Town to borrow on behalf of the Town, a principal amount not to exceed One Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,900,000.00) through the issuance of general obligation bonds or notes of the Town of Thomaston, which may be callable bonds or notes, the proceeds to be used for the purpose of financing improvements to the Town’s wastewater treatment and collection system, including, but not limited to replacement of the wastewater lines on Wadsworth Street, Brooklyn Heights Road, Sunrise Terrace, Sunset Terrace and Natalie Court (the “Project”); and further to authorize the municipal officers to accept any state and federal grants, which are hereby appropriated for the Project, and to take any and all actions and execute any and all documents, contracts or agreements necessary or convenient to issue the bonds or Notes of the Town and to accomplish the Project.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:

The Official Story

Friday, June 4th

6:30 PM

Thomaston Academy Building, room 208

Argentinean schoolteacher Alicia (Norma Aleandro) is forced to question her government's official story of the "Dirty War" of the 1970s when she suspects that her adopted daughter, Gaby, may be the child of a murdered political prisoner. But her quest for truth takes a heavy toll on her relationship with her conservative husband (Hector Alterio). This wrenching historical drama won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1986.

The Friday Night Film Series is hosted by Erika Pfander. Admission is free and light refreshments are served. Doors and the Hallway Bookshop will open at 6, and the Acad. Building is handicapped accessable by the parking lot entrance. For more information, call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:


Trip to Bountiful
Friday, May 21st
6:30 PM
Room 208, Thomaston Academy Building

A "richly textured" tale of an elderly woman's journey home, "Trip to Bountiful" stars Geraldine Page in "the Performance of a lifetime" that won her an Academy Award. Carrie Watts (Page) is an elderly woman with a weak heart - but strong determination. Trapped in a tiny apartment under the care of her cowardly son and his srewish wife, Carrie is determined to escape and return to her girlhood home to make peace with her past.

Doors and bookstore open at 6. Light refreshments will be served. Donations gratefully accepted. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Thomaston Family Story Hour

Thomaston Family Story Hour

Saturday, May 15th

1:30 PM

Children's Library

Guest Reader: Val Blastow

Thomaston Town Manager Valmore Blastow, Jr., will be our guest reader at this month's Thomaston Family Story Hour. Val will be reading stories about art and artists to the children and families of Thomaston from 1:30 to 2:30 PM in the children's room.

The Thomaston Family Story Hour brings representatives of the town of Thomaston to the children's room each month for an hour of stories and activities. Our next reader (in September, after the summer break) will be Jamie Doubleday, vice chair of the RSU 13 Board of Directors.

Open House Friday, May 14th

The Thomaston Public Library will be hosting its second annual Open House Membership Drive on May 14th from 2 to 7 PM, featuring a concert from the Midcoast Community Band, hot dogs on the grill, games for the kids and FREE library cards for non-Thomaston residents. Bring the kids to see our new children's library. We hope to see you there!

Due to the Open House, the Friday Night Film Series will not be showing a film on Friday, May 14th. The film series will return on Friday, May 21st.

Edward O'Brien display unveiled

A display centering around Edward O'Brien, shipbuilder and one of Thomaston's foremost historic residents, was unveiled at the library last week. A portrait of O'Brien, an oil painting of one of the three ships that bore his name (The Edward O'Brien 2nd, called "Little Edward") and a water pitcher from the ship were installed on the south facing wall of the library.

O'Brien, local shipbuilder, politician, philanthropist and businessman, was one of the nation's first millionaires. He built his first shipyard in Thomaston in 1854 and by the time of his death was one of the oldest shipbuilders still engaged in actually building ships. This portrait of O'Brien, by an unknown artist, was donated to the library by Margaret Demmons.

The Edward O'Brien 2nd was launched in 1863. She was 200 feet long, 40.3 feet beam, and 28 feet deep, with a weight of 1,803 tons. She was converted into a coal barge after 31 years under sail. This oil painting of the Little Edward by J. Hughes was donated to the library, along with the water pitcher used on the ship, by Walter O. Berg.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Public Library present:

San Francisco
Friday, May 7th
6:30 PM

Romantic drama combines humor and starpower with the lavish spectacle of the 1906 earthquake. This Academy Award-winning extravaganza remains "one of the greatest action sequences in the history of the cinema, rivalling the chariot race in both Ben-Hurs". Clark Gable plays rakish Barbary Coast kingpin Blackie Norton. Jeanette MacDonald portrays a singer torn by her love for Blackie and her need to succeed in opera. Earning the first of nine career Oscar nominations, Spencer Tracy is a priest who supplements spiritual advice with a mean right hook.

Doors and bookstore open at 6:00. Light refreshments will be served and donations are gratefully accepted. The Thomaston Academy Building is handicapped accessible by the parking lot entrance. For more information, contact the library at 354-2453.

Coming Soon: TPL Newsletter

The Thomaston Public Library will begin circulating a newsletter this summer, describing upcoming library events and news along with information about the library and our staff and volunteers. The email version will be sent out monthly and a paper version will go out four times a year.

To subscribe, send your name, mailing address and email address to TPLnewsletter@thomaston.lib.me.us or ask for a paper form at the circulation desk.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library present:

French Can-Can

Friday, April 30th

6:30 PM

Thomaston Academy Building, room 208

This comedy drama from Jean Renoir chronicles the revival of Paris' most notorious dance as it tells the story of a theater producer who turns a humble washerwoman into a star at his newly created Moulin Rouge. It stars Jean Gabin, who was known as the French Bogart. Edith Piaf makes a brief appearance.

Doors and bookstore open at 6 and admission is free. Donations gratefully accepted. The Thomaston Academy Building is handicapped accessible by the parking lot entrance. For more information call the library at 354-2453.

Friday Night Film Series

The Friends of the Thomaston Library present:

Isadora

Friday, April 23rd

6:30 PM

Thomaston Academy Building, Room 208

The tempestuous American beauty, Isadora Duncan, who lived and loved by her own rules, is brought vividly to life in this fascinating biography. Vanessa Redgrave received a much deserved Oscar nomination for her performance as Isadora, who became known as the high priestess of modern dance. Also stars Jason Robards.

The Thomaston Academy building is handicapped accessible by the parking lot entrance. Doors and bookstore open at 6:00 and light refreshments will be served. Donations gratefully accepted. For more information call the library at 354-2453.