CAMDEN — Camden Public Library has provided the following calendar of events for April 2023.

Month-Long Events:

April 1 through April 27, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. "Working the Sea: Selections from the National Fisherman Collection, Penobscot Marine Museum” Exhibit in the Picker Room Gallery at the Camden Public Library.  During the month of April, an exhibit from the National Fisherman Collection at the Penobscot Marine Museum will be on view in the Picker Room Gallery at the Camden Public Library. National Fisherman was introduced in 1954 as a monthly publication focused, then and now, on commercial fishermen: the industry that surrounds them, the boats they use, and the gear they rely on. Fishermen weren’t the only audience, however, and for many years, it was known as “the saltiest magazine on the newsstand”— a good part of its readership owned pleasure boats, wanted to build, or were just interested in maritime history. National Fisherman covered it all: fishing, building and repairing small boats, trending maritime equipment and supplies, the ordinary drama of life and work at sea, present and past. An upcoming photo book by long-time NF contributor, Michael Crowley, will explore stories from the archives of the magazine. This exhibit draws directly from his book and research, and of course from the National Fisherman Collection at Penobscot Marine Museum. Find more information at librarycamden.org.

April 1 through April 30. Maritime Month.

The Camden Public Library will again celebrate maritime history and cultural heritage during Maritime Month by hosting exhibits and speakers throughout the month of April. Learn more at librarycamden.org/maritime-month-2023

Programs and Events:

Wednesday, April 5, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Book Time for Babies with Miss Amy (In Person). Children's librarian Miss Amy hosts an outdoor story time in the Camden Amphitheatre Wednesdays, from 10 to 11 a.m., themed for toddlers and babies. Weather permitting. For information, email Miss Amy: alhand@librarycamden.org.

Wednesday, April 5, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Art & Journaling for Teens & Adults (On Zoom). Amy Hand of the Camden Public Library will be facilitating creative art and journaling projects through emails and via the online Zoom meeting platform. If you are interested in receiving the project ideas or would like to receive a link to participate in the Zoom meeting, contact: alhand@librarycamden.org. Every second Wednesday of the month.

Wednesday, April 5, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Midcoast UMVA (Union of Maine Visual Artists) Open Meeting (Hybrid: In the Picker Room & On Zoom). All are welcome at this meeting of the Midcoast Chapter of the Union of Maine Visual Artists (UMVA). Current membership is not required to attend. Come and find out more about the programs and exhibition opportunities of the Union of Maine Visual Artists! If you wish to be added to our Chapter email invite list, please respond by sending an email request to the UMVA Midcoast mail at midcoast.umva@gmail.com. Zoom link and meeting agenda will be sent the day before the meeting. Learn more about UMVA at www.theumva.org

Thursday, April 6, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Outdoor Preschooler Story Time in the Children’s Garden (In Person). Children’s librarian Miss Amy will be hosting in-person story times and crafts in the Children’s Garden at the Camden Public Library every Thursday, themed for preschool-age children; all ages and families are welcome. Please bring a blanket to sit on.

Thursday, April 6, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Outdoor Tai Chi & Qigong in the Amphitheatre. These beginning tai chi and qigong classes are beneficial for people of all levels of fitness. Classes are by donation with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Camden Public Library. Contact Anna Dembska at camdentaiji@gmail.com to register ahead of time and be alerted on a location change in case of inclement weather. Every Monday and Thursday.

Thursday, April 6, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Creative Art Afternoons (In Person in the Picker Room). This is a wonderful after-school activity for kids who are interested in developing their artistic skills and experimenting with new crafts. One-hour projects are facilitated by Youth Librarian Miss Amy. Call 236-3440 to sign up for the September sessions. Every Thursday.

Friday, April 7, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Indoor Preschooler Story Time (In Person). Children’s librarian Miss Amy will be hosting in-person story times and crafts in the Picker Room at the Camden Public Library. These story times are geared for preschool-age children, but all ages and families are welcome! Every Friday.

Friday, April 7, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Explorations Read-Aloud for Adults (Online). Every Friday, the Camden Public Library's YouTube Channel and Facebook Page streams a new recording of local thespian Joseph Coté reading aloud selections from a wide variety of fascinating and entertaining books of fiction and non-fiction. On April 7, Coté will read aloud from Tom Fields-Meyer’s book Follwing Ezra: What One Father Learned About Gumby, Otters, Autism, and Love From His Extraordinary Son.

Friday, April 7, 4:00 pm to 6:00 p.m. Camden Chess Club (Online). The chess club will be holding online matches every Friday. You can join the club for free online on Lichess.org under the community section, or you can visit https://lichess.org/team/camden-chess-club. For more information, contact Evan Annis at: camdenchessclub@gmail.com

Monday, April 10, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Outdoor Tai Chi & Qigong in the Amphitheatre. These beginning tai chi and qigong classes are beneficial for people of all levels of fitness. Classes are by donation with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Camden Public Library. Contact Anna Dembska at camdentaiji@gmail.com to register ahead of time and be alerted on a location change in case of inclement weather. Every Monday and Thursday.

Tuesday, April 11, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Accepting Book Donations at the Camden Public Library’s Blue Door Book Shed. The Camden Public Library is accepting donations of books, audiobooks, and CDs & DVDs in cases that are in good or better condition.  Donations may be brought in boxes or bags to the blue door book shed located in the Meadow Parking Lot on Atlantic. Please visit librarycamden.org to review the donation policy before donating. This is a great way to support the library. Every Tuesday.

Tuesday, April 11, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Walsh History Center Hour (On Zoom). Do you have a question about the history of Camden, your ancestors that may have lived in the area, or the house you live in now? Ken Gross and the Walsh History Center team at the Camden Public Library are happy to try to help find you an answer! To request a link to participate, or simply ask a question, email: kgross@librarycamden.org. Please let us know a bit about what you are interested in discussing so that we can have our resources ready. Every Tuesday.

Tuesday, April 11, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Leer y Charlar Spanish Conversation Group (On Zoom). Read and chat – entirely in Spanish! We’ll chat in Spanish about what’s new in our lives and then move on to the article of the day selected from an online Spanish language newspaper and distributed prior to the meeting. FMI contact Lynne Taylor at leerycharlar@gmail.com. ¡Hasta pronto!

Tuesday, April 11, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. The Art of Sound: Recordings from the Coast of Maine (On Zoom). Sound artist Dianne Ballon will introduce listeners to the beauty and richness of sound, share stories about the difficulties of field recording on the coast of Maine, and discuss her discovery of a “lost” maritime sound. To experience the high fidelity of sound that will be presented, headphones or good quality speakers are highly recommended. Register to attend on Zoom here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d_k5bAMmS2eYennLZeOK9g

Wednesday, April 12, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Book Time for Babies with Miss Amy (In Person). Children's librarian Miss Amy hosts an outdoor story time in the Camden Amphitheatre Wednesdays, from 10 to 11 a.m., themed for toddlers and babies. Weather permitting. For information, email Miss Amy: alhand@librarycamden.org.

Wednesday, April 12, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Art & Journaling for Teens & Adults (Hybrid: In-Person in the Picker Room and On Zoom). Amy Hand of the Camden Public Library will be facilitating creative art and journaling projects through emails and via the online Zoom meeting platform. If you are interested in receiving the project ideas or would like to receive a link to participate in the Zoom meeting, contact: alhand@librarycamden.org. Every Wednesday. On second Wednesdays, the program will happen simultaneously in person and on Zoom.

Thursday, April 13, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Outdoor Preschooler Story Time in the Children’s Garden (In Person). Children’s librarian Miss Amy will be hosting in-person story times and crafts in the Children’s Garden at the Camden Public Library every Thursday, themed for preschool-age children; all ages and families are welcome. Please bring a blanket to sit on.

Thursday, April 13, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Outdoor Tai Chi & Qigong in the Amphitheatre. These beginning tai chi and qigong classes are beneficial for people of all levels of fitness. Classes are by donation with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Camden Public Library. Contact Anna Dembska at camdentaiji@gmail.com to register ahead of time and be alerted on a location change in case of inclement weather. Every Monday and Thursday.

Thursday, April 13, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Creative Art Afternoons (In Person in the Picker Room). This is a wonderful after-school activity for kids who are interested in developing their artistic skills and experimenting with new crafts. One-hour projects are facilitated by Youth Librarian Miss Amy. Call 236-3440 to sign up for the September sessions. Every Thursday.

Thursday, April 13, 6:30 pm. Center for Wildlife Studies “Wild Maine” Series: Stranded: Looking after marine mammal stranding response in the northeastern half of Maine (Hybrid: In Person and on Zoom). The Center for Wildlife Studies “Wild Maine” Series, in partnership with the Camden Public Library, continues in April with a presentation by Rosemary Seton, Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator at Allied Whale, the marine mammal laboratory at College of the Atlantic. Seton will talk about marine mammal stranding response from Rockland to Calais, the northeastern coastal half of Maine which comprises Allied Whale's response region. She will talk about the various marine mammal species we see here and what to do when you spot a seal ashore. Is it in distress or just resting?  With harbor seal pupping time fast approaching, those delightful pups will soon be making their appearance on beaches and boulders. Rosie will discuss what to do and what not to do. This is a hybrid event and will take place in person as on Zoom. Use this link to register on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-8nitJDGS-GrU7BnCWmIBQ

Friday, April 14, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Indoor Preschooler Story Time (In Person). Children’s librarian Miss Amy will be hosting in-person story times and crafts in the Picker Room at the Camden Public Library. These story times are geared for preschool-age children, but all ages and families are welcome! Every Friday.

Friday, April 14, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Explorations Read-Aloud for Adults (Online). Every Friday, the Camden Public Library's YouTube Channel and Facebook Page streams a new recording of local thespian Joseph Coté reading aloud selections from a wide variety of fascinating and entertaining books of fiction and non-fiction. For April 14, Coté will read aloud from The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas. Wildly imaginative, wickedly witty, and ahead of its time, the novel has been compared to the work of everyone from Cervantes to Sterne to Joyce to Nabokov to Calvino, and has influenced generations of writers around the world.

Friday, April 14, 4:00 pm to 6:00 p.m. Camden Chess Club (Online). The chess club will be holding online matches every Friday. You can join the club for free online on Lichess.org under the community section, or you can visit https://lichess.org/team/camden-chess-club. For more information, contact Evan Annis at: camdenchessclub@gmail.com

Monday, April 17, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Outdoor Tai Chi & Qigong in the Amphitheatre (In Person). These beginning tai chi and qigong classes are beneficial for people of all levels of fitness. Classes are by donation with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Camden Public Library. Contact Anna Dembska at camdentaiji@gmail.com to register ahead of time and be alerted on a location change in case of inclement weather. Every Monday and Thursday.

Tuesday, April 18, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Accepting Book Donations at the Camden Public Library’s Blue Door Book Shed. Every Tuesday, the Camden Public Library accepts donations of books, audiobooks, and CDs & DVDs in cases that are in good or better condition.  Donations may be brought in boxes or bags to the blue door book shed located in the Meadow Parking Lot on Atlantic. Please visit librarycamden.org to review the donation policy before donating. This is a great way to support the library.

Tuesday, April 18, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Walsh History Center Hour (On Zoom). Do you have a question about the history of Camden, your ancestors that may have lived in the area, or the house you live in now? Ken Gross and the Walsh History Center team at the Camden Public Library are happy to try to help find you an answer! To request a link to participate, or simply ask a question, email: kgross@librarycamden.org. Please let us know a bit about what you are interested in discussing so that we can have our resources ready. Every Tuesday.

Tuesday, April 18, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Camden Philosophical Society (In-Person and On Zoom). At this next meeting of the Camden Philosophical Society, we will be shifting both back — to Aristotle’s predecessor in Greek philosophy Anaximander — and forward to contemporary physicist and science popularizer Carlo Rovelli. Contact Sarah Miller at sarahmiller@usa.net if you are interested in attending. Every third Tuesday of the month.

Tuesday, April 18, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Adult Art Workshop: Paper Lanterns with Joelle Webber (In Person in the Picker Room). All are welcome to this free, in-person papercraft workshop with artist Joelle Webber. Using papers designed with luminosity in mind, you will design and shape simple paper lanterns. You will also learn different ways that paper can be poked, slit & cut to illustrate with light. Bring your own paper and tools if you have them; they will be provided if not. Email jsagaser@librarycamden.org to sign up!

Wednesday, April 19, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Book Time for Babies with Miss Amy (In Person). Children's librarian Miss Amy hosts an outdoor story time in the Camden Amphitheatre Wednesdays, from 10 to 11 a.m., themed for toddlers and babies. Weather permitting. For information, email Miss Amy: alhand@librarycamden.org. Every Wednesday.

Wednesday, April 19, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Art & Journaling for Teens & Adults (On Zoom). Amy Hand of the Camden Public Library will be facilitating creative art and journaling projects through emails and via the online Zoom meeting platform. If you are interested in receiving the project ideas or would like to receive a link to participate in the Zoom meeting, contact: alhand@librarycamden.org. Every Wednesday.

Thursday, April 20, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Outdoor Preschooler Story Time in the Children’s Garden. Children’s librarian Miss Amy will be hosting in-person story times and crafts in the Children’s Garden at the Camden Public Library every Thursday, themed for preschool-age children; all ages and families are welcome. Please bring a blanket to sit on. Every Thursday.

Thursday, April 20, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Outdoor Tai Chi & Qigong in the Amphitheatre (In Person). These beginning tai chi and qigong classes are beneficial for people of all levels of fitness. Classes are by donation with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Camden Public Library. Contact Anna Dembska at camdentaiji@gmail.com to register ahead of time and be alerted on a location change in case of inclement weather. Every Monday and Thursday.

Thursday, April 20, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Creative Art Afternoons (In Person in the Picker Room). This is a wonderful after-school activity for kids who are interested in developing their artistic skills and experimenting with new crafts. One-hour projects are facilitated by Youth Librarian Miss Amy. Call 236-3440 to sign up for the September sessions. Every Thursday.

Thursday, April 20, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Mid Coast Audubon Series: Rare Birds of Maine with Dr. Louis Bevier (Hybrid: In Person & On Zoom).

The Mid-Coast Audubon‘s series of nature talks in partnership with the Camden Public Library continues with an online program about rare birds of Maine with ornithologist and advanced bird identifier, Louis Bevier. Bevier will talk about some of the exciting rarities that have occurred in Maine, how to identify them, how to document them, and tips to improve your observational skills when describing birds. This is a hybrid event. Attend in person or register to attend on Zoom here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_39K7NIPZSlKDViUEbkSLaQ

Friday, April 21, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Indoor Preschooler Story Time. Children’s librarian Miss Amy will be hosting in-person story times and crafts in the Picker Room at the Camden Public Library. These story times are geared for preschool-age children, but all ages and families are welcome! Every Friday.

Friday, April 21, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Explorations Read-Aloud for Adults (Online). Every Friday, the Camden Public Library's YouTube Channel and Facebook Page streams new recording of local thespian Joseph Coté reading aloud selections from a wide variety of fascinating and entertaining books of fiction and non-fiction. For April 21, Coté will read aloud from Gabor Maté’s book The Myth of Normal. Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug; more than half take two. In Canada, every fifth person has high blood pressure. In Europe, hypertension is diagnosed in more than 30 percent of the population. And everywhere, adolescent mental illness is on the rise. So what is really “normal” when it comes to health?

Friday, April 21, 4:00 pm to 6:00 p.m. Camden Chess Club (Online). The chess club will be holding online matches every Friday. You can join the club for free online on Lichess.org under the community section, or you can visit https://lichess.org/team/camden-chess-club. For more information, contact Evan Annis at: camdenchessclub@gmail.com

Monday, April 24, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Monday Morning Book Club (Hybrid: In Person & On Zoom). The Monday Morning Book Club meets in the Picker Room of the Camden Public Library on 4th Mondays at 10:00 am. For the month of April, the group will be reading and discussing Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult. To be connected with the group’s coordinator, email jsagaser@librarycamden.org. New members are always welcome! This month’s meeting will be simultaneously in person and on Zoom. To receive a Zoom link, email jsagaser@librarycamden.org. 

Tuesday, April 25, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Accepting Book Donations at the Camden Public Library’s Blue Door Book Shed. The Camden Public Library is accepting donations of books, audiobooks, and CDs & DVDs in cases that are in good or better condition.  Donations may be brought in boxes or bags to the blue door book shed located in the Meadow Parking Lot on Atlantic. Please visit librarycamden.org to review the donation policy before donating. This is a great way to support the library. Every Tuesday.

Tuesday, April 25, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Walsh History Center Hour (On Zoom). Do you have a question about the history of Camden, your ancestors that may have lived in the area, or the house you live in now? Ken Gross and the Walsh History Center team at the Camden Public Library are happy to try to help find you an answer! To request a link to participate, or simply ask a question, email: kgross@librarycamden.org. Please let us know a bit about what you are interested in discussing so that we can have our resources ready. Every Tuesday.

Tuesday, April 25, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Leer y Charlar Spanish Conversation Group (On Zoom). Read and chat – entirely in Spanish! We’ll chat in Spanish about what’s new in our lives and then move on to the article of the day selected from an online Spanish language newspaper and distributed prior to the meeting. FMI contact Lynne Taylor at leerycharlar@gmail.com. ¡Hasta pronto!

Tuesday, April 25, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. YA Book Lovers (On Zoom). If you love YA books, please join us for our monthly book group meeting. This month, we are reading books from the new North Star YA Book Award list. If you would like to join us, please email Miss Amy at alhand@librarycamden.org to get a Zoom link to the meeting. To view the 2022/23 List of North Star YA Award Nominees, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AzWzMBzMuR07pjXCDYUgSAKMpJkR4mzl/view.

Wednesday, April 26, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Book Time for Babies with Miss Amy (In Person). Children's librarian Miss Amy hosts an outdoor story time in the Camden Amphitheatre Wednesdays, from 10 to 11 a.m., themed for toddlers and babies. Weather permitting. For information, email Miss Amy: alhand@librarycamden.org. Every Wednesday.

Wednesday, April 26, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Art & Journaling for Teens & Adults (On Zoom). Amy Hand of the Camden Public Library will be facilitating creative art and journaling projects through emails and via the online Zoom meeting platform. If you are interested in receiving the project ideas or would like to receive a link to participate in the Zoom meeting, contact: alhand@librarycamden.org. Every Wednesday.

Wednesday, April 26, 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Camden Nursing Circle (In Person). Expectant and nursing parents are encouraged to join a community nursing circle in the Picker Room of the Camden Public Library. The group welcomes families of all stripes and nurslings of all ages. Come with your nursing-related questions, concerns or curiosities, or come simply to commune. The gathering will be facilitated by Lulu Churchill (CLC) with input about library resources from children’s librarian Amy Hand. Lulu Churchill completed her certification in Lactation Management through the Center for Breastfeeding at the Healthy Children Project.

Thursday, April 27, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Outdoor Preschooler Story Time in the Children’s Garden (In Person). Children’s librarian Miss Amy will be hosting in-person story times and crafts in the Children’s Garden at the Camden Public Library every Thursday, themed for preschool-age children; all ages and families are welcome. Please bring a blanket to sit on. Every Thursday.

Thursday, April 27, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Outdoor Tai Chi & Qigong in the Amphitheatre (In Person). These beginning tai chi and qigong classes are beneficial for people of all levels of fitness. Classes are by donation with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Camden Public Library. Contact Anna Dembska at camdentaiji@gmail.com to register ahead of time and be alerted on a location change in case of inclement weather. Every Monday and Thursday.

Thursday, April 27, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Creative Art Afternoons (In Person). This is a wonderful after-school activity for kids who are interested in developing their artistic skills and experimenting with new crafts. One-hour projects are facilitated by Youth Librarian Miss Amy. Call 236-3440 to sign up for the September sessions. Every Thursday.

Thursday, April 27, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Songwriter Sessions (In-Person in the Walsh History Center and On Zoom). Come find a supportive group for your songwriting in the Picker Room at the Camden Public Library or on Zoom! All levels of songwriting are welcome. Email Ken Gross at kgross@librarycamden.org for more information or to receive the Zoom link.

Thursday, April 27, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Working the Sea: An Illustrated Talk on National Fisherman Magazine with Michael Crowley (In-Person and On Zoom). Michael Crowley, author of the forthcoming book Working the Sea, will give an illustrated talk on his experience writing and editing for National Fisherman magazine.  As Boats & Gear editor at NF, he provided stories on boatbuilding, boat repair, and fishing gear. The geographic coverage of his work included New England, the South Atlantic, Gulf, West Coast and Alaska. He wrote many pieces himself, and assigned and edited the rest. This is a hybrid event. Attend in person or register to attend on Zoom here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i-drOfuTTj-LgxDmMoRsLg

Friday, April 28, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Indoor Preschooler Story Time (In Person). Children’s librarian Miss Amy will be hosting in-person story times and crafts in the Picker Room at the Camden Public Library. These story times are geared for preschool-age children, but all ages and families are welcome! Every Friday.

Friday, April 28, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Explorations Read-Aloud for Adults (Online). Every Friday, the Camden Public Library's YouTube Channel and Facebook Page streams a new recording of local thespian Joseph Coté reading aloud selections from a wide variety of fascinating and entertaining books of fiction and non-fiction. For April 28, Coté will read aloud from Joshua Cohen’s book The Netanyahus: An Account of a Minor and Ultimately Even Negligible Episode in the History of a Very Famous Family. Mixing fiction with nonfiction, the campus novel with the lecture, The Netanyahus is a wildly inventive, genre-bending comedy of blending, identity, and politics that finds Joshua Cohen at the height of his powers. This book is the winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.

Friday, April 28, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Camden Chess Club (Online). The chess club will be holding online matches every Friday. You can join the club for free online on Lichess.org under the community section, or you can visit https://lichess.org/team/camden-chess-club. For more information, contact Evan Annis at: camdenchessclub@gmail.com