Program Newsletter

Good Afternoon,

Spring has arrived! Or MUD SEASON as it is known here in northern New Hampshire. It has been a lovely transition to longer, warmer, days with all the scents, sounds, and sights brought by the thawing of the earth.

April brings National Library Week from the 7th-13th. Borrow a library book about Libraries from our BOOKS ABOUT LIBRARIES Display.

April 22nd is EARTH DAY, so spend some time at the CREATION STATION this coming month making some Earth Day watercolor paintings on book pages. Check out the I SPY search and find board, and pick one or two I SPY pages to color.

April is also NATIONAL POETRY MONTH. Learn about poet Maxine Kumin at the book display by Suzy, a longtime friend of Maxine's, then join us on the 19th for an afternoon of Maxine's writings about her life, assembled and read by Suzy.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS for ADULTS & TEENS

DANCE IT OUT with SUZY

6:30-7:30 PM Weekly on Tuesdays (except for April 8 because of Community Conversation)

at the United Methodist Church

Open to adults & teens

Suzy Colt is offering line dancing that is not your typical line dancing. It is what she likes to call “ballroom line dancing.” The music and dance steps will vary from urban, jazz, rock & roll, disco, country, Latin, hustle, and smooth styles. No experience required. Just the urge to move to the music and let it take you away from your everyday activities. Dancing recharges your soul!

Suzy’s qualifications include 10 years of dance lessons at Let’s Dance studio in Concord. She also taught line dancing at the studio for a year. She has performed couple and group showcases at the studio balls in styles such as Waltz, Samba, West Coast Swing, Argentine Tango, Bolero, Cha Cha, and Rumba. She also participated in amateur dance competitions in Provincetown, MA.

For Suzy, it’s all about the fun and she’d love to share the fun with whomever wants to join her.

CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP & LOVED ONES LIVING WITH DEMENTIA PROGRAM

With Cate DiBlasi & Jeannie Jacobs, with support from Mary Bates

Friday, April 4th

9-10 AM

For those living with Dementia and their Caregivers

This is an opportunity for caregivers to meet and share about their experiences, share some ideas and strategies, provide some understanding, support, and connection with other caregivers, and connect with Jeannie and Mary. Separately, loved ones will enjoy a program with Cate to stimulate their minds and move their bodies.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION

Tuesday, April 8th

5:30 PM

Location - Whitefield Public Library

Open to adults & teens

Learn More

Join the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) and New Hampshire Humanities (NHH) for a dynamic conversation about the evolving role of community and what it means for Whitefield, taking place at the Whitefield Public Library. This is an opportunity to connect with neighbors, share your experiences, and explore project ideas for a stronger, more resilient community.

This event is free & open to the public. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided by Mountain View Grand. Help ensure we have enough room, so tell us you are coming!

What You’ll Experience

• Interactive Conversations: Join facilitated discussions designed to include all voices and explore complex ideas together.
• Interesting People: Connect with others who are curious about community and want to get to know you.
• Connections & Civic Engagement: Share perspectives, strengthen community ties, and contribute ideas about a community-building experience.
• Creative Reflection: Artist Marek Bennett will use his signature style to record the main themes of each conversation.

SATURDAY BOOK SALES

Saturdays, April 5, 12, 19, 26

9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

On each of the four Saturdays in April, the Whitefield's Official Library Friends (WOLF) will sponsor mini book sales (while supplies last).

Hardback books - $1.00

Paperback books - $0.50

DVDs - $1.00

Proceeds will support summer programming.

We will accept donations of new and gently used books in good condition. We request that non-fiction books be published in the past 5 years. Books can be brought to the library on Book Sale Saturdays to be considered for donation.

We recommend calling the library at 603-837-2030 to make sure there are still items left to purchase as it gets later in the month.

BOOK GROUP

Wednesday, April 9th

6:30-7:30 PM

Open to adults & teens

Pick up a copy of this month's book, East of Eden by John Steinbeck

In his journal, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck called East of Eden “the first book,” and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.

The masterpiece of Steinbeck’s later years, East of Eden is a work in which Steinbeck created his most mesmerizing characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love, and the murderous consequences of love's absence.

CIVICS EDUCATION with Caleb Murphy

April Topic: CIVIL DISCOURSE

Thursday, April 17th

3rd THURSDAY of each Month

6:30-7:30 PM

Open to adults & teens

Sign-up Requested: https://forms.gle/itvGsCLqwE6XRZwp7

Caleb Murphy, a CIVICS teacher at White Mountain Regional High School, will lead monthly discussions around CIVICS centered topics, such as Civil Discourse, Access to State Government Resources, Legal Cases that Lead to Constitutional Amendments, etc. These topics may be inspired by participant interests, current affairs, or Civics Basics.

IN HER OWN WORDS; REVEALING THE LIFE OF MAXINE KUMIN THROUGH HER POETRY AND PROSE with Suzy Colt

Celebrating National Poetry Month

Saturday, April 19th

1:30-2:30 PM

For adults & teens

Sign-up Requested: https://forms.gle/n2SLhMf33uG3J5qP8

Selection and reading of Maxine's writings by Suzy Colt, Maxine’s longtime personal assistant and farm caretaker. This will be Suzy’s third program at the library featuring her friend’s life and work. Maxine is the author of 18 poetry collections, as well as numerous novels, essays, memoirs, and children's books. Among Maxine's many accomplishments, she received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1973 for Up Country and served as U.S. Poet Laureate from 1981-82.

Also, check out the book display featuring Maxine Kumin's life and work.

CERAMICS PAINTING with Sue High

Saturday, May 3rd

10:00 AM - 12 Noon

For adults & teens

$3-$5 per piece

Sign-up Required: email Sue by April 21st at: workforpeace14@gmail.com

Use acrylic paints to carefully paint selected ceramic figures. Select 1-3 items when you register, and Sue will bring everything you need.

To register, email Sue by April 21st at: workforpeace14@gmail.com. Include your name and the date of the class you are attending. Please put LIBRARY in the subject line. She will send you photos and a price list of available items. There will be at least 20 items to choose from that are under $5. Payment will be due at the beginning of class.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS for YOUTH

AUTHOR VISIT - CHRISTIAN Author REBECCA MATTHEWS

Saturday, April 5th

9:30 AM

For children of all ages and their families

Sign-up Requested but not required: https://forms.gle/8ZEEh5PMDGRwYzgRA

Rebecca is a local Christian author who has written three Christian-based picture books for children, and three Christian-based novels for adults. Rebecca's books all explore a relationship with God. Rebecca will join us to read her children's picture books "Sol and the Boy" and "Raindrops and Snowflakes." If attention and interest allows, she will also read "Little Birch Finds Peace."

LEGO CHALLENGE

Tuesdays, April 8, 15, & 25 and May 6, 13, & 20

3-4 PM

For children ages 9-14

Limited to 8 participants

Sign-up Required: https://forms.gle/RP8Na6fiz5zoJKxh7

First Lego League is a structured STEM Lego Program for students that builds habits of learning, teamwork, and confidence. This season's theme is SUBMERGED, underwater ocean exploration. Challenge participants will build stations, which they place on a mat, then build and program robots to interact with the stations to complete tasks. This session will be led by students from the White Mountain Regional High School Robotics Club and supervised by Lyn.

POETRY WRITING

Thursday, April 3

3-4 PM

For children who are capable of writing (younger are welcome with an adult scribe)

Sign-up Required: https://forms.gle/ZL8Z3iHBEW5SPJLL7

Do you know what iambic pentameter is? What about a limerick? What is alliteration? Join in to learn a bit about different styles of poetry and poetry related terms, listen to a variety of poems, both serious and funny, then work on drafting your own poems. At the end of the program, those who are interested may share what they have written.

PAPER FLOWER CROWN MAKING

Thursday, April 10

3-4 PM

For children ages 5+ with liability release, and parent support if needed (hot glue guns, scissors, and wire will be used)

Sign-up Required: https://forms.gle/DjYMnztyariEVGpY8

Spring, in all its green and brown glory, has arrived! Soon the flowers will be popping up. While we keep an eye out for the arrival of the crocuses, daffodils, and tulips, let them inspire you while creating your very own paper flower crown. Various types of crepe paper leaves and flowers will be demonstrated, then participants will create their own flowers and leaves, taped around floral wire, which they will then attach to a wrapped wire headband using floral tape.

REINDEER with Jessica Fury of Santa's Village

Thursday, April 17

2:50-3:50 PM

For children ages 4+

Sign-up Required: https://forms.gle/zWQzum3QkXNvwaKW6

Jessica Fury, manager of the reindeer herd at Santa's Village, will share all about reindeer. What do people use reindeer for? Where did they originate? What is their habitat? What do they eat? What unique adaptations do they have? Who are the Sami people and what do they have to do with reindeer? Jessica will share a powerpoint and bring some antler sheds to check out, followed by a woodcut art project (using styrofoam sheets rather than wood) in the style of Sami artist John Savio.

CERAMICS PAINTING with Sue High

Wednesday, April 30

10:00 AM - 12 Noon

For children ages 4+ (and parents if desired)

$3-$5 per piece

Sign-up Required: email Sue by April 21st at: workforpeace14@gmail.com

Enjoy a fun vacation week activity with your child. Use acrylic paints to carefully paint selected ceramic figures. Select 1-3 items when you register, and Sue will bring everything you need.

To register, email Sue by April 21st at: workforpeace14@gmail.com. Include your name and the date of the class you are attending. Please put LIBRARY in the subject line. She will send you photos and a price list of available items. There will be at least 20 items to choose from that are under $5. Payment will be due at the beginning of class.

REGULAR WEEKLY PROGRAMS

PRE-K STORIES & PLAY

9:30-10:30 AM Tuesdays & Thursdays

Preschool & Kindergarten age children & their caregivers

Program Room

Join us for stories and activities, including games, songs, movement, and crafts.

LINE DANCING with SUZY (see details above)

6:30-7:30 PM Tuesdays

Trinity United Methodist Church

TODDLER TALES & TUNES

11-11:30 AM Thursdays

Program Room

Join us for stories, songs, and movement.

KNITTING, CROCHETING & HANDCRAFTS GROUP

Fridays (may be intermittent, so call ahead 837-2030)

To be added to the email list for this group, please email Lyn at whitefieldpubliclibrary2@gmail.com

1:00-3:00

Front Reading Room

Teens & Adults

Are you a seasoned handicraft person? Do you want to learn? Do you have a project in the works or something you have dreamed of creating? Adults & Teens of all skill levels are welcome to join others while you knit, crochet, needlepoint, sew, etc. Please call first in case a session has been canceled if you plan to participate for the first time – (603) 837-2030.

Check us out on our website at https://whitefieldpubliclibrary.org/ and on Facebook.

We hope to see you at Whitefield Public Library soon.

Cheers,

Lyn

Good Afternoon,

On March 9th, Daylight Savings Time will shift our daylight hours ahead and then the Spring Equinox on the 20th begins the shift to more hours of daylight than dark. I am looking forward to these lengthening days and the warmth they will bring!

This month we celebrate the birthday of Theodore Seuss Geisel, more commonly known as DR. SEUSS. Dr. Seuss is the author and illustrator of more than 60 children's books, including "Green Eggs and Ham," "The Cat in the Hat," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," and "Horton Hatches an Egg." Dr. Seuss' birthday, March 2, is also NATIONAL READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY. Check out the display of Dr. Seuss' many picture books and spend his 121st birthday reading in his honor.

March is Women's History Month. Spend some time getting to know some of the amazing women throughout history at the WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH display. Interested in learning about some of them now? A quick search turns up some introductory information about some impressive women who made significant impacts. For a quick introduction, check out https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/42872803 or https://www.historyextra.com/100-women/100-women-results/, then grab a book from the library to go more in depth.

March is MUSTACHE MONTH, oh my! Want to get fancy with your very own mustache? Stop by the CREATION STATION to trace a mustache, glasses, bowtie, and mouth templates, then color, cut and attach them to a dowel so you can wear your very own mustache disguise. Dr. Seuss activity pages will also be available at the Creation Station.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS for ADULTS & TEENS

DANCE IT OUT with SUZY6:30-7:30 PM Weekly on Tuesdays

at the United Methodist Church

Open to adults & teens

Suzy Colt is offering line dancing lessons to keep people from freezing into ice blocks over the winter. This is not your typical line dancing. It is what she likes to call “ballroom line dancing.” The music and dance steps will vary from urban, jazz, rock & roll, disco, country, Latin, hustle, and smooth styles. No experience required. Just the urge to move to the music and let it take you away from your everyday activities. Dancing recharges your soul!

Suzy’s qualifications include 10 years of dance lessons at Let’s Dance studio in Concord. She also taught line dancing at the studio for a year. She has performed couple and group showcases at the studio balls in styles such as Waltz, Samba, West Coast Swing, Argentine Tango, Bolero, Cha Cha, and Rumba. She also participated in amateur dance competitions in Provincetown, MA.

For Suzy, it’s all about the fun and she’d love to share the fun with whomever wants to join her.

CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP & LOVED ONES LIVING WITH DEMENTIA PROGRAM

Initial Session

With Cate DiBlasi & Jeannie Jacobs, with support from Mary Bates

Friday, March 7th10-11 AM

For those living with Dementia and their Caregivers

This initial session is an opportunity for families to meet Cate and Jeannie and share about themselves, their loved ones, and their hopes for the two programs (the support group for caregivers and a separate program for their loved ones, held simultaneously). Together a schedule will be determined, and we will move forward from there.

CANDIDATES' FORUM for Whitefield Selectboard

Saturday, March 8, 2025
3:00 - 5:00 P.M.

Whitefield Public Library

8 Lancaster Rd.
Whitefield, New Hampshire
603-837-2030

Open to adults & teens
Sign-up: https://forms.gle/1DiPquBb79jVca9W9

There is one contested race in Whitefield on the ballot for March 11, which is for the selectboard seat currently held by Abigail Querrard, who will not seek a second 3-year term. The candidates running for this seat, and who have agreed to participate in this forum, are Pete Russo and David Holmander.

The format for the forum will start with each candidate having a maximum of five (5) timed minutes to give an introduction and summary of their interest in running for office, followed by a question-and-answer period for voters to ask pre-submitted written questions through an impartial moderator.

Courtney Vashaw, library director, will serve as the moderator.

Questions for the candidates may be included on the signup form or sent to whitefieldpubliclibrary2@gmail.com no later than noon on Wednesday, March 5 and should relate to town issues only. Please title the email "Questions for Candidates."

BOOK GROUP

Wednesday, March 12th

6:30-7:30 PM

Open to adults & teens

Pick up a copy of this month's book, West With Giraffes by Linda Rutledge

Goodreads Choice Award - Nominee for Readers Favorite Historical Fiction (2021)
An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America.

“Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes…”

Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave. It’s 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic.
What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California’s first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the world’s first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret, and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes.

Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, West with Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time, and a story told before it’s too late.

CIVICS EDUCATION with Caleb Murphy

March Topic: To Be Determined

Thursday, March 20th

3rd THURSDAY of each Month

6:30-7:30 PM

Open to adults & teens

Sign-up Requested: https://forms.gle/ZQL2kSkjqYNPnYRo6

Civics 101 was a hit, so Caleb Murphy, a CIVICS teacher at White Mountain Regional High School, will lead monthly discussions around CIVIC education topics, which may include topics such as Civil Discourse, Access to State Government Resources, etc. Stay tuned for further information about upcoming topics!

CROCHETED T-SHIRT BASKETS with Teresa Russo

Saturday, March 22nd1-2 PM

For adults & teens

Sign-up Requested: https://forms.gle/TKvY1Unn2Rbv45xy9

Bring several old T-shirts that you no longer wear and recycle them into a basket. Teresa will walk you through the steps of creating T-shirt "yarn" then crocheting it into a handy basket to provide storage and some fun home decor.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS for YOUTH

BOARD GAME CREATION

Tuesdays, March 4, 11, 18, & 25

2:50-3:50 PM

For children ages 6+

Sign-up Required: https://forms.gle/WUS9ssUMDP4Q8AJD9

Do you enjoy playing board games and card games? Do you have a vivid imagination? Do you have an idea that you would like to launch? We will spend four weeks brainstorming, planning, and creating our very own board or card games to play with friends.

CRAFTERNOONS

Thursdays, March 6, 13, 20, & 27

2:50-3:50 PM

For children ages 4+

Sign-up Required: https://forms.gle/1iYJnZBnTCvkDrF1A

Feeling crafty? A variety of craft items, including paper, beads, buttons, embroidery thread, recyclables, sequins, felt, fabric pieces, cardboard, crayon pieces, egg cartons, water color paints, etc. and tools, including rulers, hot glue guns, needles & thread, heat guns, craft scissors, etc. will be available to create your own crafts. These afternoons are dedicated to OPEN crafting, where you come up with your own ideas and bring them to life!

BOOK BINGO

Wednesday, March 26th

3-3:45 PM

For children of all ages

Sign-up Required: https://forms.gle/xAfq2rpb6uWE4j5e8

Test your luck, practice number identification, and strengthen your attention and self-regulation skills for a few rounds of BINGO. Winners will walk away with a new (slightly used) book. The way to win will vary for each game, from filling the whole card to getting a diagonal line to filling the top half first, etc. Come have fun and see if it is your lucky day!

REGULAR WEEKLY PROGRAMS

PRE-K STORIES & PLAY

9:30-10:30 AM

Tuesdays & Thursdays

Preschool & Kindergarten age children & their caregivers

Program Room

Join us for stories and activities, including games, songs, movement, and crafts.

LINE DANCING with SUZY (see details above)

6:30-7:30 PM Tuesdays

Trinity United Methodist Church

TODDLER TALES & TUNES
11-11:30 AM Thursdays

Program Room

Join us for stories, songs, and movement.

KNITTING, CROCHETING & HANDCRAFTS GROUP

Fridays (may be intermittent, so call ahead 837-2030)

To be added to the email list for this group, please email Lyn at whitefieldpubliclibrary2@gmail.com

1:00-3:00

Front Reading Room

Teens & Adults

Are you a seasoned handicraft person? Do you want to learn? Do you have a project in the works or something you have dreamed of creating? Adults & Teens of all skill levels are welcome to join others while you knit, crochet, needlepoint, sew, etc. Please call first in case a session has been canceled if you plan to participate for the first time – (603) 837-2030.

Check us out on our website at https://whitefieldpubliclibrary.org/ and on Facebook.

We hope to see you at Whitefield Public Library soon.

Cheers,

Lyn