Saturday, November 15 at 12pm
Listen to a talk on the history of Middle Eastern cuisine with Food Historian Sandy Garson while enjoying a luncheon of food from the region. Registration is required for this program as space is limited.
Register for This EventThe land the English Victorians called “the Middle East” (between the Far East and Near East) stretches from Iran to Egypt and includes Anatolian Turkey, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon. It was the original Garden of Eden because it was the most fertile well watered garden of eating. Wheat was discovered here and domesticated in all the forms in our pantry; grapes were fermented into wine 8000 years ago; figs, pomegranates, almonds, dates, raisins and pistachios graced tables rich with the aromas of saffron, honey and rose water. Its recipes—bursting with flavor, nutrients and color—went East to become Punjabi Indian food and West to be Greek, Spanish and Moroccan, and is the origin of some of our own most beloved dishes like hummus, falafel, pilaf and macaroni.
The luncheon menu may include:
Lamb and rice stuffed grape leaves (dolmas)
Palestinian cauliflower fritters with minted yogurt
Anatolian bulgur with dates, nuts and raisins (best warm but not hot)
Lavash with muhamarra and baba ganoush
Chickpeas with maftoul
Asura aka Noah’s Pudding (one of the oldest desserts)
Presented as part of the 39th Annual Camden Conference. The Camden Conference is a nonprofit organization providing a non-partisan community forum fostering in-depth discussion of world issues through year-round events and an annual February conference. The 2026 theme is Power, Politics, and Players in Today’s Middle East.
Fridays at 10am
October 17 | November 14 | December 5
Three part series on internet frauds and scams with a focus on what you can do to protect yourself online. Presenters will include Sagadahoc Sheriff, Joel Merry and Bath Savings Bank. Oct 17: Common Frauds and Scams, November 14: Protect yourself & secure your devices, December 5: Safe Online Shopping. Registration required. Presented in partnership with Coastal Maine Regional Broadband and Age-Friendly Communities of the Lower Kennebec. Registration required.
Register HereFriday, October 31 at 11 am
Dress your kids in their cutest costumes and head to the library for trick of treating throughout the building at our annual costume parade!
Saturday, October 4 from 10am-12:30pm
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 Curtis Memorial Library, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, and Merrymeeting Community and Adult Education. Repair Café will rotate between locations.
Patten Free Library: October 4
Merrymeeting Adult Education: October 25
Habitat for Humanity Restore: November 15
Curtis Memorial Library: December 6
On behalf of the 1000 Books Foundation, PFL invites you to participate in this program which encourages you to read 1,000 books with your child before they start kindergarten. Register online or at the children’s desk and receive your packet with all the necessary information for this program!
Read a book (any book) to your newborn, infant, and/or toddler. The goal is to have read 1,000 books (yes, you can repeat books!) before your child starts kindergarten. If you read just 1 book a night, you will have read about 365 books in a year. That is 730 books in two years and 1,095 books in three years. If you consider that most children start kindergarten at around 5 years of age, you have more time than you think! Let’s do this!
First Saturdays
Have questions about making your home more efficient and affordable? Drop in to our free Home Energy Help Desk and get advice on insulation, heat pumps, lighting, weatherization, and other ways to save energy and lower utility bills. Anyone is welcome- bring your questions, big or small! This program is presented by the Bath Climate Action Commission in partnership with the Patten Free Library. Home Energy Help Desk is available in the PFL lobby every first Saturday from September-December.
Saturday, October 4 from 10am-12:30pm
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 Curtis Memorial Library, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, and Merrymeeting Community and Adult Education. Repair Café will rotate between locations.
Patten Free Library: October 4
Merrymeeting Adult Education: October 25
Habitat for Humanity Restore: November 15
Curtis Memorial Library: December 6
The Sharing Table is moving to its summer home in the Library Park Gazebo! Everyone is welcome to free fresh vegetables gleaned from local farms and provided by the Merrymeeting Gleaners and Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program. The Sharing Table is here every Tuesday from 12-2:30 pm.
Practice your reading with one of our dog volunteers! Dogs are non-judgmental listeners and help foster confidence in readers who may need a little extra encouragement. Reluctant readers of all ages are welcome. Only readers need to register, any accompanying adults do not. Visit our website to see the schedule and sign up.
Greta: 1st Wednesdays, 3pm
Harper: 2nd Wednesdays, 5pm
Abby: 3rd Thursdays, 3pm
Leila: 4th Thursdays, 3:30pm
We would like to thank the many members of the community who responded to our library survey last summer. We were pleased to see such a high response rate with representation from each of our service areas: the City of Bath and the towns of Arrowsic, Georgetown, West Bath, and Woolwich. The information you reported and the dreams you shared help us Build Our Future with reimagined spaces and expanded services to meet your aspirations for the Patten Free Library.
What you value:
Collections: You consider the library’s physical collections of books, audiobooks, DVDs, and magazines essential. Many respondents expressed the desire for larger collections with an increase in new and current items. Among digital collections, respondents ranked the importance of CloudLibrary and Newspaper Archive high. We will continue to expand our library holdings, including our unusual things to borrow (our “Library of Things”), and strengthen our collections with the confidence that they are at the core of our library services.
Space: You love the historic majesty of our building, but would like to see it supplemented with more modern comforts such as air conditioning and cozy work and reading spaces throughout. Many of you ranked energy efficiency as an essential goal for a public space and we are pleased to lead by example with our current energy reduction and infrastructure improvement project. The project’s roof replacement, conversions to heat pumps and LED lighting, and mounted solar array reflect the Library’s commitment to environmental sustainability and prudent stewardship. We heard those of you feeling overheated loud and clear: our entire HVAC system is being updated, which will include air conditioning by summer 2025!
Services: The timing of our survey coincided with an unanticipated disruption in the statewide delivery of Interlibrary Loan materials, and boy, did we hear it! Over 70% of you ranked interlibrary borrowing as essential. Our partnership with library consortia such as Minerva, MaineCat, and Out of State borrowing helps expand access and shorten wait times for library items, and you sure missed it when it was gone! Thankfully, this disruption was only temporary, and interlibrary loan services are back and going strong. You also rated access to technology as another essential service. We devote considerable staff time and expertise to provide current technology that works for you. We also offer technology training in small group or individual settings in our effort to improve access and build digital literacy.
Programming: You overwhelmingly indicated that you love our programming, but you want more! More hybrid programming, more programs for diverse age groups (including teens and children), more evening and weekend offerings. We received many specific suggestions for programs we already offer, so we realize we need to do a better job of getting the word out! Programs such as Repair Café, author talks, History Room lectures, book-a-librarian, crafts, music, and book clubs are all things that you are looking for that can be found here at PFL. We are currently expanding our teen programming and working on finding new and better ways of advertising all library programs so they are easier to discover.
Fundraising and Development: Patten Free Library thrives because of the generosity and advocacy of its community. Many of you already support the library through donations, bottle returns, book sales, and by voting for town financial support. We also heard from those who were surprised to learn that PFL is only partially funded by our municipalities, and that we rely heavily on our non-profit status to raise the balance of our operating funds. This awareness has inspired several of you to consider future gifts! Many appreciate the role of the Friends of the Library and suggested that adjusting meeting times could encourage broader participation from working patrons and parents. There is strong enthusiasm for sustainable giving options, including monthly donations, to ensure that PFL remains a vibrant and accessible resource for generations to come. As we work toward a more sustainable future, we are actively engaging in discussions around major gifts and expanded fundraising efforts to help bring to life the projects and improvements highlighted in this survey.
Barriers: In asking about impediments to library use, we wanted to identify barriers that obstruct our delivery of services or limit access to the building. Many of you mentioned parking, hours of operation, transportation and the time demands of modern life. While we can’t do anything to slow life down, or expand the municipal city owned parking lot, we can and will reevaluate our current operating hours. We will also be expanding services to include convenient options for self-checkout and self-serve hold pickups. Time is precious – we appreciate yours!
Many of you indicated you would be interested in supporting the library by giving a donation, assisting with a fundraiser, volunteering, or joining a focus group or listening session. We will be reaching out in the coming months to those of you who provided your information along with the survey, and we thank you for your interest! If we do not have your information, or you have additional questions, please reach out to Library Director, Lesley Dolinger, (207) 443-5141 x 1015, or by email.
Thank you all for taking the time to complete our Community Survey. We appreciate you sharing your likes, dislikes, hopes, and dreams for the Patten Free Library.
Patten Free Library Staff
