Harrisville Public Library

The Paper Garden-book discussion

2011-12-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

Mary Granville Pendarves Delaney (1700-1788) witty, beautiful and talented was a contemporary and friend of Jonathan Swift and George Frideric Handel. At the age of 72 after having been widowed for a second time began creating mixed media collage. In ten years she created 985 botanically correct cut paper flowers. They are currently housed in the British Museum and are referred to as the Flora Delanica.

In 2010, Molly Peacock, an award-winning poet, published The Paper Garden: an artist begins her life's work at 72. This is a beautifully written biography that examines the nature of creativity and art.

Color illustrations of Mrs. Delaney's work are included in the book.

Please join us on Thursday, January 19th at 7:00 p.m. to discuss this amazing book. Copies may be picked up at the library.

November Book Discussion

2011-10-25T12:17:00.000-07:00

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon will be discussed on Monday, November 28th at 7:00 p.m. at the library.

This book was published in 2003 by British author Mark Haddon and won the 2003 Whitbread Book of the Year. The story is primarily a narrative told from the point of view of "Christopher", a 15 year old sleuth who lives with his father in the town of Swindon. Christopher has Asperger's syndrome, is interested in math, physics, computers, and solving crimes. He takes it upon himself to dtermine who slew his neighbor's poodle, Wellington. This is a charming book, told from the point of view of a bright, quirky young man.

September Book Discussion

2011-09-20T15:41:00.000-07:00

Strength in What Remains: a journey of remembrance and forgiveness by Tracy Kidder

"A young man arrives in the big city with two hundred dollars in his pocket, no English at all, and memories of horror so fresh that he sometimes confuses past and present. When Deo first told me about his beginnings in New York, I had a simple thought: "I would not have survived." And then, two years later he enrolls in an Ivy League university. How did this happen? Where did he find the strength, and howhad he won the beneficence of strangers? How had it felt to be him?" ----from Strength in What Remains

Join us on Monday, September 26th at 7:00 p.m. in the library to discuss this compelling story. Copies of the book are available at the library.

Book Discussion Group-August

2011-08-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

Monday, August 29th at 7:00 p.m. will be the time and date of the next discussion. The book for this month is "The Cellist of Sarajevo" by Steven Galloway.

"In a city ravaged by war, a defiant young musician decides to play his cello at the site of a mortar attack for twenty-two days, in memory of his fallen friends and neighbors. Drawn into the orbit of his music are three young strangers, each living like fugitives in their homeland: a bakry worker, a young father, and finally, a woman-a sniper-who holds the fate of the cellist in her hands, even as her own fate becomes just as changeable with each passing."

From the cover of the paperback edition 2008

This is a work of fiction inspired by the true story of Vedran Smailovic, a cellist who played with the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra. Smailovic played Albinoni's Adagio in G Minor on a pile of rubble, during the seige of Sarajevo for 22 days straight, to honor the 22 people who were killed by a bomb while waiting in a bread line.

July Book Discussion

2011-07-13T15:09:00.001-07:00

Thursday July 28th at 7:00 p.m. in the library!

Join us to discuss "Island Beneath the Sea" by Isabel Allende.

"The sweeping story of an unforgettable woman-a slave and concubine determined to claim her own destiny against impossible odds". (from the cover). Photo of cover from Amazon.com.

Book Discussion Group - June 30th

2011-06-23T12:43:00.000-07:00

Room by Emma Donaghue will be the book discussed on Thursday, June 30th in the Library.

"Room" is told through the eyes of "Jack" a five year old who has spent his entire life living with his "Ma" in a room where they have been held captive. Although he has watched TV, and has learned to read and write, his concept of "outside" and life is colored by his limited experience and his (and his mother's) creativity and imagination. This is a fascinating look at perception, resiliance, creativity and the power of love.

New Carpeting!!!!

2011-06-01T13:32:00.000-07:00

The library will be closed from June 5th until Thursday, June 9th while new carpeting is being installed. In anticipation of this we are moving books and videos out of the center shelves. These will be stored in a U-Haul truck while the library is closed.
If anyone can help us move books in and out of the library please call 827-2918. Thank you!

May Book Discussion--Glass Castle

2011-04-21T13:11:00.001-07:00

The next community book discussion will be held on Thursday May 12th at 7:00 p.m. in the library. This month's book is "The Glass Castle" by Jeanneatte Walls.

Jeannette Walls is a free lance journalist who grew up with her three siblings in a rather unusual family. Her parents (both quite eccentric and nomadic) had a "lassez faire" approach to child rearing. Homelessness, eating out of trash cans, alcoholism and mental illess were present along with love, whimsy, resiliance and artistic creativity. This is an unforgetable memoir!

Mushrooms in the Library!

2011-04-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, April 19th at 7:00 p.m. Ted Lenk will be giving an informal talk about home mushroom cultivation. Ted's interest started about 30 years ago with foraging for wild edible mushrooms. He began backyard cultivation about 10 years ago and has grown shiitakes, wine cap stropharias, and oyster mushrooms. This event is co-sponsored by the library and the Harrisville Agricultural Commission.

Chickens in the Library!!!!

2011-02-26T09:11:00.000-08:00

The Agriculural Committee and the library will be hosting a program on "Backyard Chickens" on Monday March 21st at 7:00 p.m. Lily Plasse of Fitzwilliam will be our presenter and we will talk about: breeds, health, housing, feeds, etc. Snacks will be provided by the Agricultural Committee and there will be LIVE chickens to meet!

March Book Discussion

2011-02-26T08:26:00.000-08:00

Leaving Mother Lake: a Girlhood at the Edge of the World by Yang Erche Namu will be the book discussed at the March meeting. Namu tells her story of growing up in a matriarchal culture on the China-Tibet border in the late 1960s.

The group will meet on Weds. March 16th at 7:00 p.m.

Agricultural Books on Display

2011-02-01T12:43:00.000-08:00

The group of people in town who are trying to put together an Agricultural Commission for the town of Harrisville have asked the library to put up a display of some of the many books that we have pertaining to agriculture, farming, gardening and food production. Beginning Feb. 1st the window sills are host to some of these books. A comprehensive list is available in print at the library, or can be sent as an email attachment. Contact the Library Director if you'd like a copy. sweaver@harrisville.lib.nh.us

Puzzle, anyone?

2011-02-01T12:40:00.001-08:00

This puzzle of a map of Harrisville was donated to the library. Stop by and see if you can put any pieces in place. This is a CHALLENGING puzzle!

Winter Reading Group

2010-12-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot will be the first book read this winter by the newly formed Winter Reading Group.

The discussion will be on January 26th 7:00 p.m. at the library. If you are interested in coming please contact Peggy Saunders at 827-2962, or just stop by the library to pick up a copy of the book. They will be available after December 13th. For a description and reviews see the link to Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Immortal-Life-Henrietta-Lacks/dp/1400052173/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1291670748&sr=1-1

Halloween...Trick or Treating at the Library

2010-10-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

On Halloween from 5:30 - 7:30 stop by the library for your treats!

Friends of the Library-Party and Meeting

2010-10-14T12:24:00.000-07:00

The Friends of the Harrisville Public Library will be holding their annual meeting on Sunday, October 17th at 4:00 p.m. in the library. This will be a bittersweet meeting, as the group has decided to disband. They have been very instrumental over the past few years in raising money for special projects for the library. The remaining funds in their account will be turned over to the Trustees of the library. For more information contact Sarah Bayles 827-3102.

How to use the Internet to see what we have at HPL

2010-09-14T13:15:00.000-07:00

How to search the New Hampshire Union Public Access Catalog (NHU-PAC) for holdings in the Harrisville Public Library:

Go to the home page for NHU-PAC:
http://www.nhu-pac.library.state.nh.us/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=#focus

Select the tab for Advanced Searching.
Enter the Title, or, Author, or Subject.
Where it says: Limit results to the holdings of a single library, or to a specific date by filling in the information below, you will want to use the drop-down menu to select Location and then type in HSTI (this is case sensitive).
Then go back up and click the RED ARROW.

Summer Reading Program...made a splash!!!

2010-09-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

The children's summer reading program "Make a Splash---Read", closed on August 18th with 18 children reading a total of 196 books! Fourteen of the readers qualified for gift certificates from the Toadstool Bookshop. In addition to the books read, children (and adults) attended performances by magician Debbie O'Carroll and author Rebecca Upjohn.

Children's Programs in August

2010-07-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

Magician Debbie O'Carroll on Weds. August 4th at 11 a.m.
Debbie O'Carroll is a "one of a kind" magician. She combines stage magic with lots of audience participation to create captivating programs for children. She uses highly visual props, colorful costumes, delightful magic and lively stage movement to both educate and entertain. Active audience involvement is the most important feature in Debbie's magical theatre. (This program is supported in part by a grant from the NH State Library and donations from the Byrne Foundation, CHILIS, Cogswell Benevolent Trust, the NH Library Association and the Friends of the Harrisville Public Library.)

Author Rebecca Upjohn on Weds. August 11th at 11 a.m.
Local summering author Rebecca Upjohn (from Toronto) will join us for story time, telling the story from her first book "Lily and the Paper Man". An activity will follow the story.

Cookies on August 18th at 11 a.m.
This is the last day to fill out the summer reading booklists in order to receive your prizes! For story/activity time today the theme will be "Cookies"!

Affliction by Russell Banks

2010-07-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

The next book discussion will be on Thursday, August 12th at 7:00 p.m. in the library. Copies of Affliction by Russell Banks are available in the library. The discussion leader will be Patrick Anderson.

"Wade Whitehouse is a well digger and policeman in a bleak New Hampshire town---a former high school star gone to beer fat, a loner with a mean streak. Through Russell Banks's artistry Wade emerges as a blue-colar American Everyman afflicted by the dark secret of macho tradition. Told by his articulate, equally scarred younger brother, Wade's story becomes as spellbinding and inexorable as a fuse burning its way to the dynamite." (from the back cover)

(photo from amazon.com)

Our new blog!

2010-07-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

This is the maiden post for the NEW Harrisville Public library blog. I am hoping to use this blog to let you all know what is going on in the library in terms of; new books, children's programs, adult book discussion programs, special events, etc.