January Book Club Selection

We will meet Mon., January 19th at 6:30PM. Our first selection of the new year will be "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield. Join us to discuss this mystery that will leave you guessing until the end! Call the library (778-8169) to reserve your copy.

Chess Club

Learn to play or practice your skill at the library! After school, starting Thurs. , January 8th from 3:30-4:30. Please register by visiting or calling the library! 778-8169

Book Club

Join us Monday, October 20th at 6:30pm to discuss Here if You Need Me by Kate Braestrup. Please call the front desk at 778-8169 to reserve your copy. Come join us for a wonderful evening of fun and laughter. Refreshments will be provided. We hope to see you there!!

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. It may take ingenuity to interest browsers in a memoir by a middle-aged mother who, 11 years ago, was suddenly widowed, then became a Unitarian-Universalist minister, and now works as chaplain to game wardens in Maine. But good memoir writing does not depend on celebrity or adventure—who'd have thought that a self-confessed recovering neurotic like Anne Lamott or a monastically inclined poet like Kathleen Norris would make it big?—and Braestrup's insightful essays are extraordinarily well written, mingling elements of police procedural and touching love story with trenchant observations about life and death. Alert to comic detail even in grisly circumstances (bears, for example, like to play ball with human skulls), she tells stories of lost children, a suicide, drunken accidents and a murder, always with compassion and a concern for the big questions inescapably provoked by tragic events. Why did Dad die? her children ask, and her response describes not only her theology but also her reason for being a chaplain: Nowhere in scripture does it say 'God is a car accident' or 'God is death.' God is justice and kindness, mercy, and always—always—love. So if you want to know where God is in this or in anything, look for love.

Local Author Visits Town Hall—October 9th, 7PM

Mark your calendars! Local author Dennis Robison will be visiting Town Hall on October 9th at 7pm. Robinson is the award winning author of The Making of Strawberry Banke. Local legend says Strawbery Banke Museum began when a Portsmouth librarian gave a rousing speech in 1957. The back story is a complex tale of progress and urban renewal vs. colonial architecture in New Hampshire’s only seaport. J. Dennis Robinson, author of a compelling new history of “America’s oldest neighborhood” goes behind the scenes of the founding years. Tapping into private letters, unpublished records and personal interviews, he explores the politics of preservation in New Hampshire's only seaport. Ken Burns calls it “An important book about one of the best history museums in the country.” The author looks candidly at mistakes made and lessons learned in this grassroots success story. Mr. Robinson will be selling and signing books after the lecture. Refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Library.

Fall Art Show

Save the date! The next Newfields Public Library art show will be Sunday, October 26th from 1-3pm at the library. Light refreshments will be provided. The show will exhibit the work of local artists. More details to come in the following weeks!

Check out our link from the spring art show!
National Library Week Art Show

Newfields Public Library Knitting Club!

We are very excited about this new program! Beginning September 10th, join us every Wednesday from 6:30-8pm. Learn how to knit or enjoy some new patterns. Please bring your own supplies. All experience levels and ages welcome! Call the library at 778-8169 to sign up.

Story Hour

Story Hour begins September 11th at 10am. Join Miss Jean and Miss Rachel for songs, stories and crafts. All ages are invited! Call the library at 778-8169 for more information.

September Book Club

We will be reading Child of the Jungle by Sabine Kuegler. The book club will meet Monday, September 15th at 6:30pm. Refreshments will be provided. Please contact the library at 778-8169 to reserve your copy.


In 1980, when Kuegler was seven, she accompanied her German linguist parents into the Papuan (New Guinea) jungle to live with the Fayu, a Stone Age tribe of naked people with bones through their noses. She felt immediately at home and by her own account had an idyllic childhood till she was 17, even though the Fayu were split into four mutually hostile subtribes in a culture of "hate, fear and tribal war," where children "knew no security or innocence" and had "little love, no forgiveness and no peace." After years of close friendship with Fayu children, eventually Kuegler was sent to boarding school in Switzerland, had a baby shortly after she graduated, married, divorced, sank into depression and attempted suicide. Young readers, and anthropologists, too, will find this account of a most unusual childhood engrossing and will root for the survival of the Fayu.
- From Publishers Weekly -

NPR Story about increased library usage

This is a very interesting story from NPR. If you are looking for frugal ways to have fun as a family, please consider visiting the Newfields Library. We have free internet access for patrons, several DVDs to choose from, as well as both classic and new novels.

Libraries Shine In Tough Economic Times

All Things Considered, July 29, 2008 · With the economy slowing, many Americans are doing research in the public library. Boyd County, Ky., Library Director Debbie Cosper says public-use computers are always full and people are checking out books rather than buying them.

Summer Reading Prizes

If you haven't picked up your Summer Reading prizes, we still have them available at the library. For completing the program each child receives a goody bag full of stickers, pencils, gift certificates to local businesses and their very own boomerang! Each child also receives two free books and a t-shirt.

Special thanks to the following businesses for donating prizes.

-McDonalds
-Burger King
-The Wright Place
-Me and Ollies

Please call the library at 778-8169 with any questions!

Summer Reading Party - Tomorrow!!!

Hi Everyone! Don't forget our Summer Reading Party is tomorrow! The party begins at 10am with crafts, followed by pizza and hotdogs at 11:00. At the end of the party, we will pass out Summer Reading prizes which include gift certificates to local businesses, stickers, candy, a FREE book and much much more! Call the library at 778-8169 for more information. See you tomorrow, rain or shine!

National Geographic at the Library

We have added some wonderful National Geographic DVDs to our collection. Be sure to come in and check them out. In addition, the library has several issues of the National Geographic magazine on CD-ROM. This would be great supplemental research for a school report.

National Geographic Series:
China's Lost Girls
Inside the U.S. Secret Service
In the Womb
Volcano, Nature's Inferno
Super Croc
Tiger's of the Snow
Surviving Everest
Asteroids, Deadly Impact
Dinosaur Hunters

Teen Read Winners

You can still sign up for the Teen Read this summer! For every chapter in a library book read, you can submit your name in a raffle. Winners receive gift certificates to the Newfields Country Store. The drawing is held each Thursday afternoon. Be sure to sign up! The Teen Read ends August 7th.

Winners:
July 10th - Molly Klemarczyk, Lucy Klemarczyk
July 17th - Katie Woodworth, Justin McGowan



Teens - Be sure to come in and check out the new Young Adult section in the front of the library. We have all of the new Stephenie Meyer books, information about book club events and more!

Creatures Down Under THIS THURSDAY!

Come to the Newfields Town Hall on Thursday, July 24th at 10:00 am for the experience of a lifetime! Join us as we welcome the Wildlife Encounters Traveling Zoo and some of their Australian animals for a presentation of "Creatures Down Under", as a part of "G'Day for Reading Summer Camp 2008! While here, you will meet up-close, learn about, and maybe even TOUCH Australian Wildlife including birds, tree frogs, goannas, snakes (crikey!) and best of all - the beautiful marsupials! Be sure not to miss your chance to meet the only traveling Wallaby Joeys in Northern New England!

For more information, please call the library at 778-8169. Many thanks to the Friends of the Library for sponsoring this event!

FAMILY SHOW AT NEWFIELDS PUBLIC LIBRARY: G’DAY FOR READING!

Award-winning singer/storyteller Steve Blunt will present “Sing-Along in the Billabong” at the Newfields Public Library on Monday, July 14, at 6:30 p.m. Blunt’s performance is part of the library’s “G’Day for Reading” summer reading program, a celebration of all things Australian. Blunt will offer fun, upbeat original and traditional material that appeals to a wide age range. Since moving to New Hampshire in 1998, Blunt has been teaching locally and appearing at schools, libraries, and concert venues throughout the region. He has been selected 7 times as a roster artist for the NH State Library’s “Kids, Books, and the Arts” Program. Both of Blunt’s CD’s, Hang On, Henry! (2002) and Outta School! (2007), have been recognized as Parents’ Choice “Approved” Award Winners. Library patrons should expect an hour of sing-along, laugh-a-lot family fun...with an Aussie flair! More information is available at www.steveblunt.com.

Summer Reading Begins Thursday

Don't forget that the Summer Reading Program begins this Thursday, July 10th! Stories and crafts will begin at 10am. All ages are invited to attend! Stop in anytime this week to register your child!

Newfields 5K Road Race

10th Annual Newfields 5K Road Race
June 28th, 9am

Mark your calendars! The 10th annual Newfields 5K Rad Race will be held Saturday, June 28th at 9am, rain or shine! It is time to lace up those running shoes and get moving again. Don't forget to register the kids for the Fun Run which begins at 8:30am. Pam Poulin, Friends of the Library Program Coordinator, is calling everyone who offered to volunteer for fundraising events. The Newfields 5K Road Race requires a band of volunteers to help man the race route, water stations and help with registration. Proceeds from the race benefit Friends of the Library and Seacoast United Soccer Club. Please contact the library at 778-8169 if you are interested in helping out.

Teen Read

Attention Teens!

If you are going into 6th grade or above you can participate in the Teen Read this summer. Since this age group has outgrown the traditional Summer Reading Program, this is a nice alternative. Here’s how it works. For every chapter read in a Newfields Library Book, teens can put their name in a drawing that will be held each Thursday morning. Prizes include gift cards to Blockbuster, the Country Store and more! Not sure what you want to read? Ask a librarian! We have a list of age appropriate books at the front desk.

Summer at the Library

G'Day for Reading!

The Newfields Public Library invites your child to participate in the 2008 Summer Reading Program. This year’s theme is “G’Day for Reading.” This annual program is designed to encourage reading for pleasure in a relaxed environment, far from the pressures of the classroom. Registration for the Summer Reading Program begins Thursday, July 10th. Children who sign up will receive a bookmark and a chart to record their reading progress during the summer. Those completing the program will be given official certificates to honor their accomplishments. Here’s a chance to have your kids explore Australia!
Musician and storyteller Steve Blunt kicks off Summer Reading July 14th at 6:30pm at Town Hall. Don’t miss Creatures Down Under July 24th at the library. We will have a baby wallaby and other Australian animals visit us that day!! So get your kangaroos and didgeridoos and get down under at the Newfields Public Library. For more information, please call the library at 778-8169.

Calendar of Events

Registration and Crafts
July 10th 10am Library

Summer Reading Kickoff- Storyteller and Musician Steve Blunt
July 14th 6:30pm Town Hall

Australia Crafts
July 17th 10am Library

Wildlife Adventures - Creatures Down Under
July 24th 10am Library

Australia Crafts
July 31st 10am Library

Surf’s Up-Barrier Reef Party
August 7th 10am Library

Teen Book Club

We will kick off our first Teen Book Club by reading the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. This is for kids going into 7th grade and above. Our first meeting will be Thursday, July 17th at 2pm. Call the library to reserve your copy.

Summer Book Club

We are reading Digging to America by Anne Tyler. The book club will meet Monday, June 16th at 6:30pm. Call the front desk at 778-8169 to reserve your book. We hope to see you there!

4th and 5th grade book club

The 4th and 5th grade book club is reading From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. We will be meeting Wednesday, May 21st at 3:15 pm. Snacks will be provided. Copies of the book are available at the front desk. We hope to see you there!

Book Club

The Newfields Public Library Book Club is reading Kirsty's Vineyard by Anna Jacobs. We will meet Monday, May 19th at 6:30pm. Copies of the book are available at the front desk or by calling the library at 778-8169. We hope to see you there!

Community Garden

Interested in gardening? Need more space? Do you want to help beautify the Library grounds? Sign up for the new Community Garden behind the Library. There are nine garden plots available first come, first serve. The garden will be organic and maintained within organic guidelines. For $25, gardeners will be given a 5’ by 30’ bed, fully prepared for organically grown flowers or vegetables. Please call the front desk at 778-8169 to reserve your plot.

National Library Week Art Show

We had a wonderful turnout on Sunday for the art show. More than fifty people gathered to view the artists' work. Thank you to everyone who attended! Special thanks to the Friends of the Library for providing all of the refreshments!

We still have plots available for anyone who wishes to participate in the community garden this summer. For $25, gardeners will be given a 5' by 30' bed, fully prepared for your organically grown flowers or vegetables. Please call the library at 778-8169 to reserve your plot.

Art Show

4th and 5th Grade Book Club

We will be reading The Report Card by Andrew Clements. The book club will meet Wednesday, April 23rd at 3:15pm. Snacks will be provided! Sign up at the front desk to reserve your book or call 778-8169. Parents are also encouraged to attend!

Book Club

During April we will be reading People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. The book club will meet Monday, April 21st at 6:30pm. Refreshments will be provided. Copies of the book can be picked up at the library. We hope to see you there!

Brooks tells a believable and engaging story about sympathetic but imperfect characters—"popular" fiction demands all of that—but she also does the business of literature, exploring serious themes and writing about them in handsome prose. She appears to be finding readers and admirers in growing numbers, and People of the Book no doubt will increase those numbers.

-The Washington Post

Reach for the Stars is Back!

The Newfields Public Library is participating in "Reach for the Stars" again! This program will last until March 19th. "Reach for the Stars" is a wonderful program where children are encouraged to read and are rewarded with educational, award-winning books of their choice.

"Reach For The Stars" is a reading incentive program sponsored by Educational Development Corporation, the parent company of Usborne Books At Home. Children of all reading levels participate and read for 10 days. Children read for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. (Non-readers are read to for 15 minutes a day). The children are sponsored by their parents/family members who wish to promote reading and encourage literacy. At the end of the 10 day program, the child (with parental/adult help), chooses Usborne books that equal half of what they have collected in pledges. The other half goes to the Newfields Public Library Children's section. Usborne gives back 100% of all pledges raised in this program.

Please stop by the library to sign-up and pick up your reading logs. Prizes are awarded to the child who reads the most minutes in both categories, and to the child who collects in the most pledges.

Support the Newfields Public Library through reading and "Reach For The Stars" !

Local Author to Visit Story Hour

This Thursday, March 13th, local author JoAnn Drew Dworman will visit story hour to read her new book, Floaty Feet. She currently lives in East Kingston, New Hampshire with her family. Story hour will begin at 10am and a book signing will follow. We hope to see you there!

Martha Dana Puppet Show

The children of Newfields had a very special visitor during Vacation Week----Martha Dana and her wonderful puppets! More than 70 children and adults packed into the Newfields Town Hall on Thursday, February 28th to watch the puppets come alive. There was lots of laughs and giggles from all. A very special thanks to the Friends of the Library for sponsoring this event.

Books can be dangerous.

The best ones should be labeled

'This could change your life'

-Helen Exley

4th and 5th Grade Book Club

We will be reading Rules by Cynthia Lord. The book club will meet Wednesday, March 19th at 6:30pm. Snacks will be provided! Sign up at the front desk to reserve your book or call 778-8169. Parents are also encouraged to attend!

"The first-person narrative is very engaging, and readers will identify with Catherine's struggles and cheer for her at the end. This is a great book to help students gain some understanding about autism, while also providing a good read. The author is the mother of an autistic child. Recommended."
- Library Media Connection

Scrapbook Club

Come join us on Tuesday afternoons for our brand new Scrapbook Club! Open to patrons that are in sixth grade or above, we will learn about layouts and design to make YOUR scrapbook unique! The Scrapbook Club will meet every Tuesday from 3:30-5 beginning March 25th. It will be full of friendship and laughter and a wonderful way to unwind after a long school day. Space is limited to 8 participants so sign up today! Each member will receive a FREE scrapbook kit that includes a scrapbook, stickers, scissors, paper, etc. We hope to see you there!

Book Club

The Newfields Public Library Book Club is currently reading The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman. We will be discussing this book on Monday, March 17th at 6:30pm. Stop by the library to get a copy of the book! Anyone is welcome to join and refreshments will be provided.