Catch up with the Jesup!

August 19th, 2025

News

Construction Update: New Views!

With the installation of partitions and windows, the future rooms of the new addition are becoming reality. Here’s a peek through the windows of the future Kirsten Stockman Teen Room (left) and the L.B. Deasy Room for archival research (right). The beautiful wooden ceiling is made from trees that were grown here in Maine! Patrons of all ages will be able to enjoy these new views of the iconic silhouettes of Champlain, Dorr, and Cadillac mountains.

Booksale Success!

Our hearty thanks go out to all of the volunteers who helped with the Booksale. Volunteers put up tents and lugged tables, loaded 800 boxes onto the truck, unloaded them all, unpacked them and arranged them on many tables, helped people find just what they wanted as well as things that surprised them, chatted with everyone who stopped by and made some new friends, then repacked, reloaded, took down and returned the tents and tables, and unloaded the remaining boxes one last time. What a team effort! Donations this year topped $15,000 — stronger than last year and a huge boon for our operations.

This was the 55th Annual Jesup Booksale, a true community commitment supported by your very generous donations of books, time, muscle, money, and warm hearts. A used booksale is the ultimate in sharing. All those books will now have new lives, with new readers to enjoy them again.

Upcoming Programs

Author Talk with Sara Sligar: Vantage Point

Thursday, August 21st

6:30 - 7:30pm

From the critically acclaimed author of Take Me Apart, Sara Sligar returns with another shocking, breathless novel of Gothic suspense.Vantage Point is a twisted web of family secrets and political ambition, set against the rugged beauty of the Maine coast and raising urgent questions about the blurred lines between public and private personas and the nature of “truth” in our digital age.

The Mount Desert Island Committee for Peace, 1962-1966

Thursday, August 28th

6:30 - 7:30pm

Although Mount Desert Island is far distant from Vietnam or the more famous scenes of the Civil Rights movement, islanders were deeply engaged with the broader social conversation. Part of this engagement was encouraging education, debate, and advocating for change. The Mount Desert Island Committee for Peace represents the culmination of these organizational efforts. Patrick Callaway from the MDI Historical Society will share highlights from his 2024 Chebacco article on this topic.

8th Annual Paul Hammond Lecture: Dr. Jules Lobel

Friday, August 29th

7:00 - 8:00pm

The Paul Hammond Memorial Lecture, in honor of the late Paul Hammond, brings a speaker for a talk at the Jesup that explores philosophy for a lay audience. Dr. Lobel’s talk, “The Philosophical Underpinnings and Critiques of the Judicial Philosophy of Originalism,” will provide an understanding of the underlying philosophical principles of the originalist jurisprudence that now dominates the Supreme Court.

Recurring Programs

Bar Harbor Scrabble Club

Connect with fellow word-lovers: all skill levels are welcome! Players are encouraged to bring their own boards, and some boards will also be provided. Scrabble Club meets on second and fourth Saturdays from 10:00am to 1:00pm.

Write On! Writing Group

Join the Write On! Writing Group for support in your craft. The Write On! writers meet Saturday mornings at 9:00 a.m. on Zoom. For more information, please contact the library at info@jesuplibrary.org.

Jesup Knitters' Guild

Fiber artists of all skill levels are welcome to drop in and enjoy crafting and conversation with the Jesup Knitters' Guild, Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm!

View events calendar

Upcoming Youth Programs

Story and Craft: The Great Pollinator Count

Saturday, September 13th

10:30am

Mellie can’t wait for this year’s annual pollinator count. As she and her classmates work to observe, identify, and count the honeybees, butterflies, and other insects that help flowers produce seeds and fruit, they discover the rewards of teamwork in community science. This program is recommended for children ages 4-8 and their adults.

Learn more

Recurring Youth Programs

Story and Play
Children ages 5 and under and their caregivers are invited to join Abby on Tuesday mornings at 10:30 - 11:15 am for stories, songs, and playtime afterward to connect with other kids and parents.

Chronicles of Yarnia: Youth Fiber Arts Group
Enter the world of Yarnia! On Wednesday afternoons from 3:30 to 5:00pm, youth ages 10 - 17 are invited to bring a fiber arts project or start a new project at the library.

Questions? Contact Youth Services Librarian Abby Morrow