Category: Speakers Series

Mac Smith to discuss “Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine” at SSCL

Mac Smith will talk about his newly published book “Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine” at the Stockton Springs Community Library (SSCL) on Sunday, July 12 @ 4 PM.  He will have books available for sale and also will be happy to sign your books.  There is no fee for this program.

To assure proper seating arrangements, seats are limited, reservations will be required, as will face coverings.

Mac Smith, author of newly released book "Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine"

Mac is a Stockton Springs native and lives in the village of Sandy Point.  He is a veteran of the First Gulf War and a former reporter for the Bar Harbor Times.

His first book “Mainer on the Titanic” is available to loan at SSCL.  He is currently working on his third book for Down East Books.

Please call the library at 207-567-4147 for reservations.  Our hours are Monday and Wednesday 3-5; Tuesday 4-7; Thursday 9-12 and 6:30-8:30; and Saturday 9-3.  Stockton Springs Community Library is an all volunteer library and membership is free to anyone from any community.

Mac Smith previews his new book “Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine”

Mac Smith will be holding his first talk about his newly published book “Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine” at the Stockton Springs Community Library (SSCL) as soon as it is possible to hold a group event again in the library.


While we wait, he thought it might be fun to provide us with a “teaser” video of what we can expect. We are sure that as soon as you see this short video you will want to run out and buy the book for yourself! It is published by DownEast Books and is available everywhere good books are sold. You will be able to borrow it from the library after he regales us in person.

His first book “Mainers On The Titanic” is also available to purchase locally and online and is available for loan at SSCL.

Mac Smith is currently working on his third book for Down East Books, but don’t ask him what it’s about. You’re just going to have to wait to find out.

Mac Smith is a Navy veteran of the First Gulf War and former news reporter for the Bar Harbor Times, Mac Smith lives in Stockton Springs, Maine, in the village of Sandy Point, where he is restoring the family homestead.

The video presentation is available through this link

 SSCL_teaser_peytonplace_smith.mp4

(Unfortunately, the file is too large to post here.) You can also view the video presentation on our Facebook page under the Videos section.

If you have questions about his upcoming book talk at SSCL, please call us at 207-567-4147 or email us at stocktonstaff@stocktonsprings.lib.me.us

Author talk featuring Jane Eagles, Sunday May 5 at 2 pm

The Stockton Springs Community Library will be hosting an “Author Talk” featuring Jane Eagles on Sunday, May 5th at 2 PM.

Drawn from her own experiences of life, loss and love and that of the many clients Jane has counseled, Chester’s Lessons – A Memoir in Poetry, tells the story of Chester’s life, and the love that permeated that life, nurtured his relationship with Jane and ultimately sustained her in his loss. It is Chester’s story and the lessons learned from it.

Jane is a psychologist living in Mid-coast Maine who writes poems (now over 1,000) and essays about what her eyes see and her heart feels, many of which have been inspired on her daily walks along the shores of Penobscot Bay with her beloved Corgi, Chester.

Please join us at the Stockton Springs Community Library on Sunday, May 5th at 2 PM to hear some of Chester’s lessons. Books will be available to purchase.

The Stockton Springs Community Library (SSCL) will present author and naturalist Susan Hand Shetterly on Wednesday, April 24that 6:30 pm.

She will share readings and insights from her latest book, Seaweed Chronicles: A World at the Water’s Edge.

Susan Hand Shetterly has lived on the coast of Maine for most of her life. She writes about wildlife and wild lands, has worked as a wild bird rehabilitator, and spends time working with others to protect and restore valuable habitat.

A member of Friends of Morgan Bay and the Surry Alewife Committee, she serves on Blue Hill Heritage Trust’s Lands Committee.

Susan’s newest book, Seaweed Chronicles: A World at the Water’s Edge, was released in August 2018. It has been longlisted for the 2019 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award.


Her other books include The New Year’s Owl, The Tinker of Salt Cove, Shelterwood, Swimming Home, Settled in the Wild: Notes from the Edge of Town, the Dwarf Wizard of Uxmal, and more. Shetterly’s books will be available for purchase at the event thanks to Book Stacks of Bucksport.

Susan has been invited by Down East Magazine to write short essays for the column Room with a View. The first of these, “The Chicken Shed,” is in the January 2019 issue.

The program is free and all are welcome. For more information call 207-567-4147.

Fireside Chats Author at Library

The Stockton Springs Community Library will be hosting an “Author Talk” featuring former Waldo Independent staff writer and retired educator, Jeff Shula, author of Fireside Chats on Sunday, March 10, at 2 pm.

Almost 30 years ago, photographer Peggy McKenna and staff writer Jeff Shula, both working for Belfast’s Waldo Independent newspaper, produced a lengthy series of interviews with photo spreads called Fireside Chats. The stories focused on Waldo County residents whose lives spanned most of the 20th century. From the comfort of their homes, they told their life stories.

Thanks to a grant from the William and Emily Muir Fund of the Maine Community Foundation, Fireside Chats, containing Shula’s interviews and McKenna’s photographs has been published.

Please join us at the Stockton Springs Community Library on Sunday, March 10th at 2 pm to hear about some of these wonderful stories.

For more information call the Library at 207-567-4147.

Colcord House Revised May 2018 Calendar

The calendar has been revised to reflect that the Lego Program ended in April. The SSCL Board meeting on May 8th is at 6:30. The Stockton Springs Historical Society will meet a little earlier than usual at 1:15 on Sunday, May 6. Also that hot dogs, chips, and iced tea will be available. There will not be any Tai Chi on May 19th because the Death Café will be meeting at the Town Hall where Tai Chi usually takes place.  If you want to download a copy of the calendar you can do so on the Bulletin Board page.

“Dying Better By Talking Sooner”.

SAVE the DATE! ” Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Seniors at Home in Stockton Springs” 2018 Speakers’ Series presents: “Dying Better By Talking Sooner”.

Eliza Eager, Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County, Sunday, June 10, 1:00 – 3:00 pm.

Janet Eager, Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County

Many doctors encourage their patients of all ages to think about their Health Care Directives and the “what ifs?” if something serious occurs, whether due to accident, age or illness.

Eliza will discuss the forms that are available to help residents understand and convey their wishes about what they would wish to be done in case of any of the above occurring.

A very important part of the process is to be sure your health care directives are discussed with family and doctors, and most important are filed with hospital, doctor and your health care designee.

Eliza will have the latest forms with her to review in detail the choices you can make. The discussion of the forms and various ways to complete will be central to this discussion.

Light refreshments will be served.

Questions? Contact the library at 207-567-4147.

Thanks to the Maine Charity Foundation Fund of the Maine Community Foundation for their support of this 2018 Speakers’ Series.

Death Café in Stockton Springs May 18, 2018

Stockton Springs Community Library’s “Neighbors Helping Neighbors”  invites you attend a Death Café on May 18. 

Chuck Lakin and Nancy McAlley will lead the all day conference, which will deal with issues related to end of life, death and choices. The event will be held at the Stockton Springs Town Hall on Friday, May 18, 2018. 9 am – 4 pm.  Lunch is offered along with morning and afternoon snacks. All are welcome, but pre-registration is required.

Death Café is not a physical location, but is an event hosted at someone’s house, library or other pop-up/ temporary venue. The official objective of a death café is to help people make the most of their finite lives. Individuals can discuss their understanding, thoughts, dreams, fears and all other areas of death and dying at these events.

Nancy McAlley is a retired nurse with extensive end-of-life care experience. She is also an interfaith minister, a home funeral advocate, and a member of Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County and the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Maine.

Chuck Lakin is a home funeral educator who teaches people how to make their own wooden coffins, which he says are usually cheaper and can be decorated.

For more information about what to expect at a death café event, we recommend two Bangor Daily News online articles. Meg Haskell’s 14 September 2017 article in the Bangor Daily News titled ‘Death cafes’ serve up end-of-life conversation, planning, which discusses  Lakin’s work and an article by Abigail Curtis, 17 April 2013 highlighting McAlley called Midcoast ‘Death Cafes’ create safe space to talk about death .

Limited seating. Prior-registration is required for this event. Call SSCL to sign-up: 207-567-4147 or stop by the library to register in person.

May 2018 is LYME Disease Awareness Month! Get ready now for prevention!

“TICK TALK” Friday April 20 at 7pm at Stockton Springs Community Library.

“Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Seniors at Home in Stockton Springs” Third Annual Speakers’ Series will present:

Dr. Beatrice Szantyr, MD, FAAP and Constance “Happy” Dickey, RN to discuss what you and your family should know about the causes,

incidence and difficulties of medical diagnosis and the steps you should take to protect yourself and family. Q & A at end of talk.

Thanks to the support of the Maine Charity Foundation Fund of the Maine Community Foundation for their support of this program.

Admission is free and all are welcome. Light refreshments will be served.

For more information visit www.stocktonspringslibrary.org or phone 207-567-4147.

“Neighbors Helping Neighbors” 2018 Speakers’ Series for April – June

“Neighbors Helping Neighbors” 2018 Speakers Series Announcing three new upcoming programs. 

“Tick Talk”
Friday, April 20, 2018.  7 pm.
Beatrice Szantyr MD, FAAP and Constance “Happy” Dickey, RN
Informative talk about ticks, Lyme disease. The diagnosis and and steps to protect and prevent. No prior registration required.

“Death Cafe”
Friday, May 18, 2018. 9 am – 4 pm
“Death Cafe” ~ Conference friendly discussion by Chuck Lakin and Nancy McAlley about issues dealing with end of life, death and choices. Lunch with morning and afternoon snacks.
Limited seating. Prior-registration is required for this event.
Call SSCL to sign-up: 207-567-4147 or stop by the library to register in person.

“Life experience and how it may effect your end of life decision planning”
Sunday, June 10, 2108. 2 pm – 4 pm ~ Session ONE
Sunday, June 24, 2018. 2 pm – 4 pm ~ Session TWO
Two-part discussion of life experience and how it may effect your end of life decision planning. Eliza Eager of Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County. Advanced care materials available. No prior registration required.