December 1, 2022... As the weather gets colder and the holidays draw near, there’s nothing better than curling up by the fireplace with a good book – and don’t forget a mug of steaming hot chocolate! If you are looking for a cozy read that is perfect for winter, Christmas time, and the entire holiday season, come check us out. We have a new display for you to choose from…

 Saturday, December 3^rd at 5… the Holiday Parade in downtown Plymouth… a perfect start to the Christmas season… Santa and his parade, many of our young readers marching, the shops open and decorated for the season and I am hoping for a few snowflakes… See you there!

Mondays, December 5, 12, and 19 at 10ish… Family Time downstairs in Merrill Hall. Join Ms Jane and Ms Cindy for a fun-filled time complete with stories, activities, and songs. This is a great chance for children to learn to listen, follow instructions, practice social skills through cooperative interaction, work on motor skills, and build vocabulary. Phew! Did I also mention having fun?!

Wednesdays, December 7^th and 14^th during our open hours… Join us for Puzzle Palooza. We will have a puzzle going for you to drop -in and work on for as little or as long as you would like. Chat with fellow community members and snack on some light refreshments while you add pieces to this month’s puzzle.

Saturdays, December 3, 10, and 17 10:30 until 11:30… Craft activities for the 6 to 12 gang… A fun time to enjoy time with your friends, discuss our favorite reads, and be creative. Do come and bring a friend or two…

 

Thursday, December 15^th at 7… a very special evening with our friend and neighbor, John Allen, who will entertain us with his delightful reading of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. This work is an anecdotal reminiscence of Christmas from the viewpoint of a young boy, portraying a nostalgic and simpler time. We will follow with cookies and punch and a chance to visit.

 

Sunday, December 18^th from 2 until 4… the Rumney Historical Society (due to no heat at the museum) will be hosting this year’s Holiday Gathering for the Rumney community at the library. You are invited to stop by and view our festively decorated library, enjoy some Christmas goodies, visit with friends and neighbors, and enjoy the happiness of the season.

Wednesday, December 21^st from 1:30 until 3:30… Certified Application Counselor, Lisa Shute, will be here to assist individuals and families with questions and enrollment for insurance through the Marketplace, Medicare, and NH Easy Medicaid programs. No appointment necessary.

FYI… Our regular December hours are Mondays 10 – 1, Wednesdays 1 – 5, and Saturdays 10 – 1 with the following exceptions! We will not be open on the 24^th, the day before Christmas, and the 26^th, the day after Christmas. The same will hold true for the following weekend.

 

We wish you, our wonderful patrons, a fun-filled December,
 time with your family and friends,
and a few quiet hours to just be….  
See you at the library!  Susan and the Library Ladies

 

11/17/2022

 November 17^th 2022 Update from the Library…

 

Busy week for everyone with the Thanksgiving holiday rapidly approaching… We will have our regular hours including the day before turkey day when we will be open from 1 – 5. So… what will be happening this week??

Saturday, Nov 19^th… Our Book Sale will be available with many additional titles as well as puzzles, DVDs, and audio books. You are welcome to come in the rear door and take a look. Prices are by donation.

Also, on Saturday at 10:30, we invite our elementary students to come in and vote for their favorite Lady Bug books and make a bookmark! So do come by and bring a friend!

Monday, Nov 21^st at 10:15… is Family Time. This week, Miss Jane will be reading Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes. We have been focusing on gratitude all month and this will give our little ones some things to think about. In addition we have a fun craft planned as well as some holiday coloring pages. As always there will be play time and visiting time.

Wednesday, Nov 23^rd… will be the perfect time to stop by and select a few reads for the long weekend. Time to read is what I am always thankful for!!!

And now… New Titles added to our collection!

·         Less is Lost by Pulitzer Prize winning author, Andrew Sean Greer. In a follow-up to Less, the awkward and lovable Arthur Less returns in an unforgettable road trip across America… What a treat for all of us who loved Less which we also have!

·         Fall Guy by Archer Mayor… Joe Gunther, from the Vermont Bureau of Investigation, has to deal with an abandoned stolen car filled with items from a two-state burglary spree taking him to the New Hampshire coast and north to the Canadian border… This is all sounding rather close!!

·         Robert Parker’s Fallout which is written by Mike Lupica but we file it under Parker! When two seemingly unconnected mysterious deaths occur on his watch, Police Chief Jesse Stone must pull out all the stops to unravel the truth and stop a killer from striking again.

·         The Cellist by Daniel Silva… Elegant and sophisticated, provocative and daring, The Cellist explores one of the preeminent threats facing the West today – the corrupting influence of dirty money wielded by Russia. It is at once a novel of hope and a stark warning about the fragile state of democracy…Lots of suspense and international intrigue.

·         Lucy by the Sea is Elizabeth Strout’s 4^th novel in her Amgash series…This time Lucy finds herself bundled away to a small town in Maine by her ex-husband William to escape the pandemic… for several months it’s just Lucy, William, and their complex past in a little house nestled against the moody, swirling sea. But we all know a lot will happen!

·         James Herriot’s Yorkshire by James Herriot… With the remaking of All Creatures Great and Small, we have gained a new generation of followers of James Herriot. This donated book from 1979 is filled with photos and descriptions of the Yorkshire countryside where he had his veterinarian practice. It was a time that I feel nostalgic about and I have wonderful memories of visiting Yorkshire about this time....

… and a Little Bit about our Thanksgiving Holiday! Thanksgiving before 1863 was something of a moveable feast, with states honoring the holiday at various times or not at all. But as the Civil War dragged on, Abraham Lincoln needed a way to unite the country. It was a prominent magazine editor, Sarah Josepha Hale, who finally persuaded him to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday.

What you may not remember is that Sarah Josepha Buell (who later married David Hale) was born on a farm in Newport, New Hampshire in 1788. From a tender age, she was curious, smart, and eager to learn. As a young girl, Sarah was taught history and literature by her mother. Later, her brother Horatio taught her everything that he was learning as a student at Dartmouth College.

She authored biographies, cookbooks, novels, editorials, and volumes of poetry including the children’s rhyme Mary Had a Little Lamb. Sometime, you may enjoy reading Lady Editor, A Biography by Melanie Kirkpatrick.

In ending, we, at the library wish you all a

Happy and Lovely Thanksgiving Day!

Susan and the Library Ladies

 Byron G Merrill Library

November 10^{th 2022} Update

Continuing....One of our favorite times of the year is when we display the ten picture books nominated for the year’s Lady Bug Book of the Year award. This award is designed to promote early literacy and to honor the best in recent children’s picture books. Librarians around the state promote their favorite books and the list is then winnowed down to ten.

The ten books are here on display just waiting for you to take a look.We invite our preschoolers and early elementary students and their families to read and discuss the books and then select which book was their favorite. We will tally the results and add our votes to those coming from children all over New Hampshire. The #1 Choice will be announced in January.

One of the selections is titled Watercress and was written by Andrea Wang with pictures by Jason Chin. Driving through Ohio, a young girl’s family stops and wades through the muck to pick watercress. At first the young girl is embarrassed to be collecting rather than purchasing their food at the grocery store. When her mother shares the story of her family in China, the girl learned to appreciate the fresh food they foraged and together they made a happy memory. Moms and Dads, I encourage you to read “A Note from the Author” at the end. Watercress is a wonderful book and it is just one of the ten very special nominated books!

Saturday, Nov 12th 10-12 - This Saturday we will have craft time for our elementary age children. Miss Jane has all the makings for the cutest Lady Bug ever so do stop by! Monday, Nov 14th at 10 - Story Time - stories, crafts, and play time

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Wednesday, Nov 16th 1;30 - 3:30 - Healthcare.gov enrollment started November 1^st. Lisa Shute, a Certified Application Counselor from Mid-State Health Center, will be here in the library on Wednesday to assist individuals and families with questions and enrollment for insurance through the Marketplace, Medicare, and NH Easy Medicare programs. She will also be here December 21^st and January 11^th. We hope you find this helpful.

Monday, Nov 14th 6-8 at Whole Village -Whole Village Parent Education Classes start Monday, November 14^th. The classes will focus on positive discipline practices and techniques. Discipline is based on respect, empowerment, caring, and cooperation. You will learn the power of nonviolent discipline practices and techniques in this series of five classes.

Class is from 6 – 8 on Mondays with a FREE dinner at 5:30 and FREE childcare at 6!

There is still time to sign up if you are interested. To register or for more information, call 603-536-3720 or email Kristine.perry@graniteuw.org

New Book… Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng…. “A book you won’t be able to put down, nor stop thinking about long after you do . . . Moves from a meditation on our current political and social state to a tight suspenseful thriller . . . ” —USA Today

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It did start a little slowly and then suddenly I could not put it down. It is a great commentary on our times… book burning, anti-Asian feelings, violence as well as how we support and help those that need it. And those admirable librarians!!

This is Celeste Ng’s third novel and I have read and liked all three...think you will too!

 That’s enough for today… Thank you for visiting with us and may life be good to you! see you at the library!

Susan and the Library Ladies

 

November 2022

 

So long simply spooky October, welcome thoughtful thankful November! See what we have in store for you…

Regular Library Hours in November… Mondays 10 – 1, Wednesdays 1 – 5, and Saturdays 10 – 1. Just a reminder, we will all be changing our clocks as we return to “Standard Time” (Sunday, November 6^th) and watching the last of the leaves fall from the trees. It is a good season to catch up on your reading, browse our collection, and maybe take up one of those knitting or crafting projects you’ve been saving for the slow months. Got your eye on any new books coming out this month? Let us know.

Story time continues each Monday morning in November at 10:15 downstairs in Merrill Hall. We will concentrate on seasonal stories and crafts and perhaps some yoga poses and end with time for play and to select books to take home.

Lady Bug season has arrived! We have the ten new picture books that have been nominated for the coveted annual Lady Bug Book of the Year. We are asking our little ones and their families to read each of the books and then vote for their favorite. Kids and families all over the State of New Hampshire will be voting. Voting ends December 16^th and the winner will be announced in January.

November is Gratitude Month! What are you thankful for? This November our tree is out and ready to be decorated. Won’t you send us a quick email with something you are grateful for??! 

So good to be home and back at the library... Wonderful trip, fun seeing our family, and meeting folks along the way. A big thank you to Jane and Sheila for carrying on! Wishing all of you a Grateful November as we enjoy this very special month. 

Susan and the Library Ladies