Library Events for April 2010

Tuesday April 6th from 3:15-4:15
LEGO CLUB!!! for Elementary School Students

Drop by and build something. Snacks included!


Thursdays in April
Yoga For Kids! with Sarah Aborn

Sarah Aborn will continue offering two classes of Yoga For Kids - one for children ages 4-6 and one for children ages 7-11. Yoga fosters well being on many levels, improving balance and coordination as well as strengthening self-esteem and confidence. It gives children tools to handle stressful situations such as transitioning or starting school, and can help with sleep patterns. With plenty of games, songs, creative play, and of course, yoga poses! Yoga will improve social skills as well as sense of self.

Sarah Aborn has been faithfully enjoying yoga for 17 years, and became certified to teach grown-ups two years ago. She has been working with children steadily for 20+ years and recently became certified to teach them Yoga. She is very excited for the opportunity to offer children this priceless gift of Yoga. Sessions run 6 weeks. Fee is $55-$75, sliding scale. Contact Sarah at 603.930.0127 to register.


Thursday April 8th at 7:00 pm
America's Dilemma - The Afghan-Pakistan Riddle: A Study in Cultural Awareness and American Diplomacy with Glen Swanson

Afghanistan is indeed far away. Yet, we in New Hampshire are affected by what happens over there - through added tax burdens and, more poignantly, through sacrifices of our service personnel. Unfortunately, confusion and ignorance about the region, Islam and the Middle East continue to permeate our halls of government, our classrooms, our homes.

Military operations in Afghanistan revealed in 2002 that U.S. Army Special Forces were short of persons with those linguistic and cultural skills so necessary in gathering and evaluating intelligence, coordinating plans and executions with the native civilian populations, and conducting effective public relations/psychological operations in the foreign areas.

In 2006 a world-wide audience welcomed Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace.One School at a Time coauthored by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, an account that brought home the value of cultural awareness at the personal level. The need for greater cultural awareness continues. To answer this need, and to help New Hampshire residents become more aware of the challenge before us, Glen Swanson presents observations about the Afghan-Pakistan region and how its physical, cultural, religious, and historical geography touches people's lives and the policies of the world's great powers. He weaves a tale of politics and shifting alliances, all set against a background of unstable governments, extreme Muslim
fundamentalists, an agricultural base rooted in opium-trade poppy fields, and a feudal tribal system that permeates this volatile area.

Glen W. Swanson received a B.S. in Business Administration at the University of Connecticut and a Ph.D. in History at Indiana University. He has participated in U.S. Department of State's "Scholar-Diplomat Seminars", has served as manuscripts consultant to Yale University Sterling Memorial Library, and has lectured extensively at the college and university level. Dr. Swanson lives in Peterborough.



Saturday April 10th from 10:00 - 11:30 am
Second Saturday Arts with Melody Zahn Russell

Art classes for ages 5-10 are offered in the Daniels Room on the second Saturday of the month through June by Melody Zahn Russell. Every class will have a story and demonstration before the actual art doing. There will be a mixture of drawing, watercolor painting and collage. The atmosphere is creative, playful and fun! Sign up today at the library (or call us at 525-4411). There is a $15.00 materials fee.


Coming in May...

Thursday May 6th at 7:00 pm
The Hourglass Readers Perform Oedipus Rex

This ancient, enduring Greek tragedy examines man's relationship to the divine and his struggle to find the right way to live, while battling all-too-human frailties -- issues that still resonate today.

Catherine Behrens is directing a cast that includes Elaine Allen, Wendy Almeida, Mary Armstrong, Jazmine Carroll, Peter Eisenstadter, Sarah Ellsworth, Mike Haines, Jenny Holan, Marilyn Simons, Liz Sumner, Bert Torsey, and Don Wilmeth. Live recorder music by Jenny Holan will accompany the readings. The translation is by Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald, with a little bit of William Butler Yeats.

The Hourglass Readers is dedicated to performing readings of classical works in abridged format, allowing both actors and audiences to explore works not often performed. Free and open to all. For more information call 525-4411.


Don't forget to check us out at http://hancocktownlibrary.blogspot.com/. And now the NH Downloadable Audio site will loan ebooks (compatible only with the Nook and Sony's eReader - or with your PC)!