HB 1274′s impact on NH Libraries
Posted on | January 24, 2012 | No Comments
The following letter from NHLA President Lori Fisher explains the basic reason why libraries may be badly affected by HB 1274 which was scheduled for a legislative hearing in Concord on Friday Jan. 20, 2012 at 1:30 pm.
The legislative hearing for HB 1274 (seeking to abolish the NH Department of Cultural Resources and move the State Library under the NH Department of State) will take place tomorrow, Friday 1/20, at 1:15 p.m. in the Legislative Office Building, Rm. 306. As NHLA president, I have been asked to speak at the hearing regarding the impact of this bill on libraries in NH. The NHLA Executive Board voted their opposition to the bill earlier this week through an electronic vote, which empowers me to speak on behalf of NHLA.
The basic impact of this bill on libraries in New Hampshire is twofold. First, the business office and grants management personnel that is shared by the entire Department of Cultural Resources would be eliminated, leaving the state library without federal grants management support. This action would likely cause service disruption, impacting all libraries in the state that use federally-funded services. New Hampshire residents depend on these services to provide equal access to materials and information that individual towns would not be able to afford on their own, and thus these state services help local libraries to keep their costs down. Second, libraries across New Hampshire have always worked collaboratively with many other organizations through the Department of Cultural Resources’ programs and initiatives (such as the NH State Arts Council). Losing this collaborative ability will not only hurt the overall cultural community of the state, but would hinder future collaborative efforts that have actually been growing and flourishing since the Department was created in 1985.
For further information about HB 1274, visit this link.
Lori A. Fisher, NH Library Association President, 2012 & Director of Baker Free Library
Here is an article in defense of N.H. State Council on the Arts at WireNH.
Written testimony, protesting the impact this bill would have on arts programming and library services in New Hampshire, can be sent to:
Representative Carol McGuire
Chair, Executive Departments and Administration Committee
New Hampshire House of Representatives
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
Are you a pack rat?
Posted on | January 24, 2012 | No Comments
Have you heard of theFreecycle Network? They are “changing the world one gift at a time!” The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 5,017 groups with 8,921,372 members around the world. It’s a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by local volunteers. Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by clicking here (for Tamworth). Or by entering it into the search box on Freecycle.org.
Local Freecycle.org groups match people who have things they need to get rid of with people who can use them. The goal is to keep usable items out of the landfill. By using what we already have on this earth, we reduce consumerism, manufacture fewer goods, and lessen the impact on the earth. Another benefit of using Freecycle.org is that it encourages us to get rid of junk that we no longer need and promote community involvement in the process. Free your inner pack rat!
Begun in January, 2011, the Moultonboro-Tamworth Freecycle.org group is a branch of a fast-growing international Freecycle.org movement, which began in Tucson, AZ on May 1st, 2003 and now boasts thousands of groups all over the world. We all know lots of great people in our community who would
love this idea. Recycling locally is central to sustainability. So, let’s start “paying it forward”.
If you’re new to Freecycle, click here for FAQs.
2011 in Review
Posted on | January 11, 2012 | No Comments
Just click a photo to find out more about it.
Tags: 2011 in review > 2011 programs > 2011 summer reading program > Events > exhibition > local artists > people of Tamworth
Artist of the Month for January
Posted on | January 4, 2012 | 2 Comments
Photographs by Joe Rancourt, 1981-2011
Three months after Joe died last January, we discovered that he had 1200 photos (and numerous short films) on his camera. Never downloaded to a computer, we have no idea whether he looked at them again after he took them, but they have been a great solace to us, his family. What an unexpected gift it is to see Joe’s world through his photos. They go far beyond the snapshots of family and friends that one would expect – Joe took photos of anything that caught his eye; a stack of folders, a pair of hands warming at a fire, a jumble of dried grass on a stone wall, two men talking together at a big party.
So many odd subjects seemed to catch his eye, and he often shot in a rapid series: shoes, flowers, sunsets, waves, clouds, faces on a train, reflections, to name a few. Amongst my favorites are the ones he took of people in relationship. There were many but I included just a few, including one of an older woman and younger man sitting at a table. What shines from this dual portrait is love and laughter. Both have laugh crinkles at the corners of their eyes.
There will be a reception for Joe’s exhibit from 5-6 p.m. on Friday, January 20th.
eReaders, iPods & MP3 players, oh My!
Posted on | December 28, 2011 | No Comments
How many of you out there received eReaders or other devices for Christmas?
I got a Kindle Fire myself, and I’m looking forward to loading it up with one or two books from Overdrive, which allows our patrons to download Kindle Books, as well as Adobe EPUB eBooks, and also WMA and MP3 audiobooks. If you have any trouble learning how to download to your device, bring it in to the library so we can help.
I know I will love my new Kindle Fire because of its larger\size and keyboard and its versatility, internet access, and color, but I’ve been listening for years to Overdrive audios on a little Creative Zen MP3 player I bought for $90. I do love audios, especially when they are expertly read by actors, because I can listen while walking, cross-country skiing, driving in the car (I have a little gizmo that allows me to listen through the car’s speakers), waiting for appointments, etc.
Overdrive makes it easy to see the new titles in the different formats right on their home page but there are also some great titles in the “Always Available” categories too. I recently steamed through four of the Maisie Dobbs mysteries by Jacqueline Winspear with great pleasure.
If you go to the right-hand column and click on “Browse by Subject” and pick a genre, or click on Audiobook Fiction (or Non-Fiction or Teens or whatever) and then the subcategory of your choice. When you see your list – I clicked on “All Fiction”, check the box “Limit to what I can check out now.” Click “Submit” and you’ll see that over 2300 titles are available. It’s also the easiest way to practice if you are new to the site, rather than having to wait for an email to tell you your title is finally available – just when it isn’t convenient.
We are so lucky to have access to Overdrive. Our Overdrive membership is paid by The Friends of Cook Memorial Library. It is also supported by grant funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act administered by the New Hampshire State Library. Please use this great resource.
A holiday tea and music on Wed, Dec 21st
Posted on | December 20, 2011 | No Comments
Come to a holiday tea at the library on Wednesday, December 21st, at 1:30 pm. The K. A. Brett School Band, with guest trumpeter, Pastor Kent Schneider, will entertain, featuring songs of the season, and a story as well. Refreshments will be served.
Tags: Brett School band > holiday music > holiday tea > Pastor Kent Schneider > refreshments
Cheers Edinburgh It’s been fun!
Posted on | December 14, 2011 | No Comments
Photo by Chris Scott/flickr
The Library Phantom of Edinburgh, Scotland has been leaving mysterious little treasures in the libraries of Scotland. Wishing to remain anonymous, the phantom has been impeccably stealthy since the spring of 2011, successfully leaving these treasures while remaining undetected.
One by one, they have magically appeared in a succession of library settings in and around Edinburgh, always accompanied by a note saying a slight variation on; “A gift in support of libraries, books, words, ideas….”
Several of the treasures have revealed a connection to Scottish mystery writer, Ian Rankin who has been impelled to come to take a look.
This has,of course, become BIG NEWS in Scotland. Don’t forget, Edinburgh is the home of J K Rowling who is the queen of magic.
The latest news flash tells us that three more treasures have been deposited in the Scottish Poetry Library, and that they will be the last. The note below, again photographed by Chris Scott, reveals that the accomplished and mysterious artist is a woman.
In this holiday season, let us appreciate this remarkable and anonymous woman who is making magic for a whole city.
Happy holidays from your local library – “A gift in support of libraries, books, words, ideas….”
Information Literacy 2.0
Posted on | December 6, 2011 | No Comments
Image on left from mellott.wikispaces.com.
Information literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning.
“Information is in such abundance today that we have difficulty determining which information is legitimate.”, says Meridith Farkas in an article for American Libraries. Critical thinking skills are required for assessing the value and accuracy of information found online. On Wikipedia, The National Forum on Information Literacy defines information literacy as “…the ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively use that information for the issue or problem at hand.”
Information literacy is related to information technology skills, but has broader implications for the individual, the educational system, and for society. Information technology skills enable an individual to use computers, software applications, databases, and other technologies to achieve a wide variety of academic, work-related, and personal goals. Information literate individuals necessarily develop some technology skills.
Noodletools
Cornell University offers five excellent criteria for evaluating websites.
So does Colorado State University’s library.
Lesley College offers another for its students, and the rest of us.
The Information Quality WWW Virtual Library has a good bibliography.
Image on left from opposingviews.com
DVDs kept behind the desk
Posted on | November 28, 2011 | 1 Comment
As many patrons already know, we have taken our DVD discs out of the cases and now store them in a drawer at the circulation desk. This is because we have had nine DVDs, many brand new, stolen out of their cases at the library in the past six weeks. The DVD cases on the shelves will be empty until you come to the circulation desk to check out. The discs will then be placed in the DVD cases as part of the check out procedure. This will hopefully ensure that theft of the library’s discs will stop. We hate to inconvenience the many because of the larcenous nature of the few, but the library can’t afford this loss of new materials.
Please help the staff adjust to this new arrangement by reminding us that we have to put the discs in! We might forget until we’re used to the new routine.
Another Opportunity to make 1000 Paper Cranes
Posted on | November 14, 2011 | No Comments
Another Opportunity to make 1000 Paper Cranes for Japan
Last month, Cook Memorial Library in Tamworth hosted an event in support of “A Thousand Peace Cranes for Japan,” a project to send wishes for healing to the Japanese people. On Saturday, Nov. 19, from 11am-1pm, the community is again invited to the library to help make and string paper cranes as the project nears its goal of a thousand pieces. People who are unable to attend on Saturday are welcome to make cranes and drop them at the library anytime during the next week, and they will be added to the group.
The Peace Crane Project aims to make and send one thousand origami paper cranes to the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Museum in time for the one-year anniversary of the March earthquake and tsunami. The cranes are strung together in loops and will hang in the children’s peace garden area of the museum. The idea is based on an ancient Japanese legend which promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami paper cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life, healing, or recovery from injury and illness.
Children and adults of all ages are invited to come and learn how to make origami cranes and help string them together. All materials will be provided. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Amy at Cook Memorial Library, 323-8510.
keep looking »Search this website
Open Hours
Write a Book Review
Upcoming Events
- Tue, Jan 31 3:45 pm – 5:15 pm:Movie: Dolphin Tale (PG)
- Sat, Feb 4 10:00 am – 1:00 pm:Friends' Cabin Fever Book and Bake Sale in the Annex
- Tue, Feb 7 10:30 am – 11:30 am:Story time for young children
- Tue, Feb 14 10:30 am – 11:30 am:Story time for young children
- Wed, Feb 15 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm:Movie Night: Margin Call
Download Me!
Find your next book to read
Recent Comments
- Jay on Calling all NH libraries and citizens to SAVE THE VANS
- Shelly on Artist of the Month for January
- Nancy Sheridan on Artist of the Month for January
