Oct. events at Thompson Free Library

By Kim Brawn
Thompson Free Library

DOVER-FOXCROFT — With topics like Maine Ballot Question 5 to Afghanistan, from natural pain relief to exploring the cosmos, the Thompson Free Library’s October programs will spark discussion, offer practical advice, inform and inspire you.

If you find yourself asking, “What is ranked choice voting? Should I vote yes or no?,” then you’ll want to attend an educational presentation by the League of Women Voters in Maine on Tuesday, Oct. 4 from 6-7 p.m. to get the information you need to help answer those questions.

Question 5 is a statewide referendum that asks whether Maine voters want to implement ranked choice voting for federal and state elections starting in 2018.

The League of Women Voters in Maine Education Fund is a non-partisan, non-profit organization whose goal is to educate voters. Their PowerPoint presentation will give a general overview of the ranked choice system, how it works, how it compares to the current system, where it’s used in the U.S. and how voters have responded to its implementation. Afterwards, there will be a Q&A session to give everyone the chance to learn more about the benefits and drawbacks of the initiative.

On Thursday, Oct. 13 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. licensed massage therapist Donna Kraft-Smith will be the guest speaker for our Brown Bag Lunch Series. Kraft-Smith will discuss natural home remedies for pain, including herbs, diet, self-massage and chair yoga. Her tips and techniques might just improve your quality of life.

On Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. we’ll host the World in Your Library talk, “Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria: Failed Intervention and the Rise of ISIS,” hosted by Nick Mills, a former Boston University professor, journalist and Army combat photographer and public affairs officer. Mills will share his unique insider’s perspective, especially on Afghanistan – he even collaborated on a book with former Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Finally, we shift from earthly challenges to celestial bodies for our much-awaited Star Party to be held on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Dover-Foxcroft airport (look for the sign at the end of Airport Road). Scott Mitchell from the Emera Astronomy Center at the University of Maine will be on hand to offer his planetary expertise. Amateur astronomers, casual stargazers – and Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson fanboys/girls – will want to mark their calendars for this one.

For more information on these programs, please call or email the Thompson Free Library (186 East Main Street) at 564-3350 or df@thompson.lib.me.us. You can also follow us on Facebook.