Storytimes near Patten Free Library

Community Room

Homeschool social meets on every second Thursday, gather together and chat all things homeschool! No registration required. We will have snacks and chances to play and meet other homeschoolers. Can't wait to see you!

Off-Site

The ability to identify wild plants is an ancient, universal and invaluable human skill. Plants provide food, medicine, useful materials for tools, supplies and more. Humans around the world have cultivated healthy relationships with wild plants for thousands of years outside the realm of industrial civilization. Join us for a walking tour of wild edible plants. We'll identify as many as we can find. We'll meet in front of the library and walk a lovely loop around the area. You may want to bring a notepad, camera, or a basket to collect samples. Led by Rewild Maine. Registration recommended in case of weather cancellation.

Take PFL home! Available for all ages while supplies last.

Storytime Room

Join Miss Mary and her guitar for stories, rhymes, and songs for all ages.

Strengthen your Spanish skills! All abilities are welcome. Barbara Joy hare will be facilitating the group in Spanish and directing subsequent Friday meetings. This is not a teaching group but an immersion for those wanting to speak even though they may make mistakes. That is the way children learn a language, and is a great opportunity to practice your Spanish! The group meets at the table near the Biographies every Friday. Joy has taught Spanish in the past and traveled extensively in many Spanish-speaking countries. She has illustrated and written Andalucia, Mi Amor, a book in Spanish, while she spent 15 winters in southern Spain, teaching, writing poetry in Spanish and creating art.

Community Room

Experience the fun and magic of theater with a performance of children’s stories followed by an interactive acting workshop with Portland Stage’s Education Artists. Build literacy, encourage creativity and spark dramatic dreams! Ages 4 -10 All books featured in Play Me a Story are presented with permission from the publishers and/or authors.

Teen Space

Early humans have been controlling fire for as long as 1.7 million years – before humanity evolved, beginning 300,000 years ago. Fire is a result of impact, compression, solar energy or friction. Ancient fire-making methods include the hand drill, bow drill, pump drill, fire plow, fire saw, fire thong, and sparks caught from striking rocks. Bow drills have been used by humans around the world for thousands of years. We should all learn to carry the tradition of making fire by friction. Learn how to make a complete bow-drill fire-starting kit of carved wood and string, and practice using it to make a fire without using matches or a lighter. We will cover the basics of friction fire, and practice form and technique to make coals effectively. Every participant will make a bow drill kit to take home. Registration is required. This program is led by Rewild Maine and will meet in the Teen Space and then head outside. Open to teens entering grades 6-12.

Off-Site

Why replace when you can repair? Our expert volunteers will help repair your electronics, lamps, furniture, jewelry and small appliances; mend clothing, and sharpen tools. If we are unable to repair your item we will make suggestions on where you can find the parts and learn how to do the repair or have it professionally repaired. This is a first come, first served program and depending on the turnout we can’t guarantee we will be able to help everyone or repair every item. Please bring your items with you to the library. Presented in partnership with the Curtis Memorial Library, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, and Merrymeeting Community and Adult Education. Repair Café will rotate between locations. January 10: Patten Free Library February 14: Habitat for Humanity ReStore March 7: Merrymeeting Community and Adult Education April 4: Patten Free Library May 2: Habitat for Humanity ReStore June 13: Curtis Memorial Library July 11: Merrymeeting Community and Adult Education August 8: Patten Free Library Looking for more? Learn about Repair Cafés all over Maine and more about the Repair Café Movement.

Storytime Room

Storytime for babies ages 0-24 months and their caregivers. Join Miss Mary and her guitar for stories, songs, and rhymes. Due to the nature of Babytime and helping support our littlest patrons, Miss Mary asks that we try our hardest to keep the age range 0-24 months, but also understands if it’s not always possible.

Community Room

Create, explore, and survive in the world of Minecraft with Bath at Play and PFL! Open to Elementary and Middle school ages. Please bring your own device (tablet, Switch, etc). Limited PFL devices are available for play.

Library Park Gazebo

Free fresh vegetables gleaned from local farms provided by the Merrymeeting Gleaners and Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program. Find the Sharing Table outside the Children's Room from September-May and in the Gazebo during the summer. Sharing tables are open to anyone, there is no income or residency requirement and they are 100% anonymous. The tables are stocked with fresh produce as well as some prepared items, processed using any surplus gleaned food. Take what you need and leave the rest for your friends and neighbors. Produce will vary depending on what is available from the farms and gardens. Please bring your own bags. Learn more about this terrific program: http://www.merrymeetingfoodcouncil.org/merrymeeting-gleaners

Open to all ages and abilities- you don’t even have to be a knitter! Bring your supplies or use ours. Drop in every Tuesday for crafts and conversation. Located in the Biography Nook.

Reading Room

Prompt-based writing group for all genres. Bring your writing, receive and give feedback, and meet like-minded fellow writers. We welcome novelists, poets, essayists and any other genre at any point in their writing journey; from the absolute newbie to the seasoned professional. Meets weekly on Tuesdays and led by Deb Boucher Stetson. Deb Boucher Stetson is a writer and editor with a background in local newspapers and regional magazines. She is currently a copy editor for an online publication, and writes fiction in her spare time.

In this group, we put French to work and leave English behind for an hour to make the most of our time together. We have informal conversations, play card games, form friendships, and more, all in French. Participants should be intermediate, advanced, or native speakers since the group is conducted fully in French. (That being said, we have dictionaries available for the occasional unknown word and we don't expect perfection.) We hope to see you there. À bientôt! Meets weekly on Tuesday in the Biography Nook. This program is facilitated by Chelsea Kidd, a volunteer with the Penobscot Bay Language School in Rockland and a fan of foreign languages since preschool Spanish class. She later learned Portuguese as an exchange student in Portugal. After years of being afraid of French numbers, she finally started learning the language a few years ago and is excited to put it to work.

Reading Room

Experience an afternoon of soul-stirring music and stories. Join us for a captivating presentation by renowned musician Scott "Smoking Bear" Edwards as he brings the rich heritage of the Native American Flute to life. With decades of experience, Scott has traveled the East Coast, delighting audiences with his mastery of the flute and his deep connection to the instrument's history. His performances are more than just concerts—they are a bridge to the past with a connection to the present. For nearly 30 years, Scott Edwards has lived a life harmonized by the Native American flute—an instrument he says didn’t just enter his life, but "found" him. What began as a discovery has grown into a deep, spiritual partnership. Across Pennsylvania and now his home state of Maine, Scott shares the resonant history and cultural weight of the flute with schools, libraries, and community audiences. He performs with a curated collection of 35 handcrafted flutes, each possessing its own unique craftsmanship and story. In 2025, Scott released his debut album, Smoking Bear: Spirit Harmonies, bringing his soulful compositions to a global audience via all major streaming platforms, and on compact disc.

Teen Space

Join UMaine Extension for a 6-week nutrition and cooking course! We will talk about making healthy choices, added sugars, why whole grains are important, and learn cooking skills. We will prepare a dish and eat together each week! Registration recommended but not required.

We're back! Reed has returned as your humble GM for our next six week installment of D&D. Registration is required and please try to make all 6 sessions. If you are unable to for whatever reason, please let the children's department know as soon as you can! Unrest in the Kingdom of Braeduun is rising! The tyrannical King Resmos and his Royal Court have closed the gates to the city; they say it’s to keep trouble from coming in, but it also keeps everyone from going out… King Resmos has declared that a city-wide celebration of his rule will be held at the end of the week. The underground faction of rebels suspect that the King has something sinister planned, but they need eyes on the inside to find out what it is. The rebels are looking for a brave team of citizens to infiltrate the castle and discover what the King is scheming… before it’s too late! Can you help them?

Community Room

We're back! Reed has returned as your humble GM for our next six week installment of D&D. Registration is required and please try to make all 6 sessions. If you are unable to for whatever reason, please let the children's department know as soon as you can! Unrest in the Kingdom of Braeduun is rising! The tyrannical King Resmos and his Royal Court have closed the gates to the city; they say it’s to keep trouble from coming in, but it also keeps everyone from going out… The rebels fighting against the heartless King Resmos are in big trouble! They need to deliver information and supplies around the city while defending their bases– but that’s a dangerous task when the King’s Guard are on the lookout for any suspicious activity! The rebels need to be stealthier than ever as they prepare for the King’s city-wide celebration of his power, which might just be a cover-up for something far more evil. Can you help them?

Children's Room

Create, challenge, and share your Lego masterpieces with your friends. Ages 5-12. With support from a Bath Matters Grant. Now in the Children's Room!

Board Room

Richard King compares Ahab's and Ishmael's worldviews to how we see the ocean today: an expanse still immortal and sublime, but also in crisis. Although the concept of stewardship of the sea would have been entirely foreign, if not absurd, to Melville, King argues that Melville's narrator Ishmael reveals his own tendencies toward what we would now call environmentalism. Richard J. King is the author of five books of nonfiction about our relationship with the global ocean, including most recently Sailing Alone: A History, which received the silver medal in literature from the National Outdoor Book Awards. He wrote Ahab's Rolling Sea: A Natural History of Moby-Dick, lauded in Science, Nature, and American Scholar; Lobster, which was acclaimed by the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal; and The Devil's Cormorant: A Natural History, which was short-listed for the ASLE Creative Book Award and rated as one of the top five science books of 2013 by Library Journal. Join us for a discussion on Zoom for a journey through Melville's natural history masterpiece.

Come join us for adventure and collaborative storytelling using the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game! Guided by Elliott Nagler, an experienced Dungeon Master from Brunswick, Maine, participants will create characters and work together to build a rich story as they explore a fantasy world and embark on an exciting quest where chaos and hijinks will inevitably ensue. Players are encouraged to sign up for the full series of sessions, though accommodations can be made on a case-by-case basis. Located in the Biography Nook. Additional Details: Materials will be provided (participants are welcome to bring their own dice if they prefer) Pre-made character sheets will be available; players may also create their own level 7 character, pending Dungeon Master approval prior to the start of the adventure Recommended age group: Adults ages 18 Content Note: Dungeons & Dragons often features powerful monsters and the heroes who oppose them. Sessions may include fantasy violence, dark themes, death, and villainous characters. A brief discussion will be held at the start of the program to establish group boundaries and expectations.

Storytime Room

Join Miss Mary and her guitar for stories, rhymes, and songs for all ages.

Strengthen your Spanish skills! All abilities are welcome. Barbara Joy hare will be facilitating the group in Spanish and directing subsequent Friday meetings. This is not a teaching group but an immersion for those wanting to speak even though they may make mistakes. That is the way children learn a language, and is a great opportunity to practice your Spanish! The group meets at the table near the Biographies every Friday. Joy has taught Spanish in the past and traveled extensively in many Spanish-speaking countries. She has illustrated and written Andalucia, Mi Amor, a book in Spanish, while she spent 15 winters in southern Spain, teaching, writing poetry in Spanish and creating art.

Community Room

Lindsay Aucella’s comedic animation and timing, high energy, and uncanny knack for silly voices electrifies young crowds (and her mastery of gentle crowd control will bring them back!). Using all homemade puppets, she tells jokes and stories, sings songs and performs cooking shows with all her silly voices and puppets. She may even ask a young audience member for help! Through thoughtful storytelling she hopes to inspire creative play and pro social behavior. She also believes the experience of shared joy and laughter can strengthen a community!

Community Room

As part of the July Art Walk, an exhibit of Robin Haynes' work will be on display in the community room of the Patten Free Library. Looking Closely Drawings by Robin A. S. Haynes On display in the Community Room July 6-August 28 Reception: Friday, July 17 from 5-7pm Artist's Statement: Sometimes I worry that we float through life without every really lookin closely at our surroundings, be it the sun making flickering shadows on the wall, the remarkable geometry found in a flower, or the forest with its multitude of unique trees. There is so much beauty to observe in t he curve of a petal, a twisted root, or a loved one's cheekbones. To me those various details and so many more are important parts of the richness of life. It sems almost criminal to miss them through inattention. You never know when you'll get to see them again, if ever. Art for me is about looking, looking closely to see that richness -- found int he fragile and fleeting details, sometimes complex and sometimes quite simple -- and then trying to capture them. Perhaps through the resulting drawings, someone else will think later to look closely at the richness in their everyday environment. Image: Detail from "Hydrangea."

Storytime Room

Storytime for babies ages 0-24 months and their caregivers. Join Miss Mary and her guitar for stories, songs, and rhymes. Due to the nature of Babytime and helping support our littlest patrons, Miss Mary asks that we try our hardest to keep the age range 0-24 months, but also understands if it’s not always possible.

Community Room

Create, explore, and survive in the world of Minecraft with Bath at Play and PFL! Open to Elementary and Middle school ages. Please bring your own device (tablet, Switch, etc). Limited PFL devices are available for play.

Library Park Gazebo

Free fresh vegetables gleaned from local farms provided by the Merrymeeting Gleaners and Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program. Find the Sharing Table outside the Children's Room from September-May and in the Gazebo during the summer. Sharing tables are open to anyone, there is no income or residency requirement and they are 100% anonymous. The tables are stocked with fresh produce as well as some prepared items, processed using any surplus gleaned food. Take what you need and leave the rest for your friends and neighbors. Produce will vary depending on what is available from the farms and gardens. Please bring your own bags. Learn more about this terrific program: http://www.merrymeetingfoodcouncil.org/merrymeeting-gleaners

Open to all ages and abilities- you don’t even have to be a knitter! Bring your supplies or use ours. Drop in every Tuesday for crafts and conversation. Located in the Biography Nook.

Board Room

The Patten Free Library has lots of friends, but the Friends organization has a special role; bringing the public into a closer relationship with the library and strengthening the library’s operating budget. The public is always invited to attend Friends meetings and events. Meets every third Tuesday at 4 p.m. Learn more about the Friends.