Friday, May 1, 2015

Library Events for May 2015



Thursday May 7th at 7:00 pm
The Isles of Shoals with UNH Marine Docent Jon Manley

A place of history, prosperity, pirates, treasure and even murder, the isles are subjected to some of the most severe weather in New Hampshire.  This session will be about the people, books, and stories of this rocky outpost. As seas rise, the isles may be among the first to disappear.  Along with the stories will be an opportunity to sign up for a trip to the isles this summer.   Free and open to all.

Monday May 11th from 5:00-7:00 pm
State Representative Jon Manley

Rep. Manley (Hillborough County District 3: Bennington, Greenfield, Hancock) will be here to answer your questions about legislation in Concord.

Wednesday May 13th at 7:00 pm AT THE HARRIS CENTER!
The Soul of an Octopus with Sy Montgomery

Can an octopus have a mind and feelings, much less a soul? Ask Sy Montgomery. In researching her two newest books, she established such close friendships with giant Pacific octopuses that the animals would rise from their tanks to greet her, and then embrace her with thousands of powerful, white suckers--all while looking her directly in the eye and turning color, flushed with emotion. Illustrated with compelling images, Sy's talk shares details of these extraordinary relationships, as well as surprising scholarly research revealing octopuses' remarkable intellectual abilities as they solve puzzles, communicate through color and shape, and play with people and toys. Pursuing these solitary shape-shifters--creatures with no bones, three hearts, and blue blood--Sy examines the many kinds of possible minds, the mystery of consciousness and the nature of love. Researching articles, films, and her 20 books for adults and children, nationally bestselling author Sy Montgomery has been chased by an angry silverback gorilla in Rwanda, hunted by a tiger in India, and swum with piranhas, electric eels and pink dolphins in the Amazon. Her work has taken her from the cloud forest of Papua New Guinea (for a book on tree kangaroos) to the Altai Mountains of the Gobi (for another on snow leopards.) For her two latest books, THE SOUL OF AN OCTOPUS and THE OCTOPUS SCIENTISTS, she befriended octopuses at the New England aquarium and scuba dived and snorkeled with wild octopuses in Mexico and French Polynesia. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, the writer Howard Mansfield, their border collie Sally, and their flock of free-range laying hens. This program is co-sponsored by the Hancock Town Library and the Harris Center for Conservation Education. Free and open to all.

Thursday May 14th at 7:00 pm
CUBA! With Wendy Redlinger

Join Wendy Redlinger as she discusses her latest journey leading a Road Scholar study tour to Cuba. The daughter of a park ranger, Wendy grew up in Yellowstone Park and has always loved adventure and the outdoors. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal in the 60’s and went on to spend longer sojourns in France, Germany, and Argentina. She later enjoyed a career in international education administration with World Learning based in Brattleboro, VT, eventually serving as Director of the English Language Fellowship program under a grant from the State Department, a job which entailed extensive overseas travel. Wendy lives in Vermont and looks forward to leading more tours to Cuba. Free and open to all.


Wednesday May 20th at 7:00 pm
Blues: Walk Through the Delta with Poor Howard Stith

"Poor Howard" Stith has been performing 12-string barrelhouse blues for over forty years. As a student of Dave "Snaker" Ray in Minneapolis, he perfected his 12-string guitar style and showed that Delta blues could be found at both ends of the Mississippi. This led a fellow Minneapolis performer to tag him with the moniker “Poor Howard”, after the Leadbelly song. Over the years, Poor Howard has performed across the U.S., Europe and Japan, entertaining audiences in coffeehouses, bars and at festivals with his dazzling guitar, heartfelt voice, and seemingly endless supply of anecdotes, puns and shaggy dog stories. Poor Howard's blues style is drawn from the tradition of Huddie Ledbetter (Leadbelly) and Blind Willy McTell, incorporating a powerful bass line along with flashy finger-picking. His guitar style and poignant vocals can carry the listener into the world of rowdy barrelhouses or into the field at the end of a long day of weeding crops. His passion and reverence for the country blues of the 20’s and 30’s is infectious, and he instills a new interest in this roots music where ever he performs. Howard presents a program that is both entertaining and educational. In addition to his unique guitar style, Poor Howard's show is punctuated with regional and eclectic humor and puns that have caused more than one person to call out, "That's poor, Howard!" (There are those who actually believe that's how he picked up the name.)
Recently, Howard has teamed up with harmonica player, Mike "Bullfrog" Rogers, a forty year veteran whose styles range from folk to blues. In the past, Mike has opened for such performers as John Hammond, Luther "Guitar" Johnson and Emmylou Harris. Mike also appears with the groups Salt River and Wooden Eye, and has appeared on over thirty CDs. This program is free and open to all. Don’t miss this one!

Thursday May 21st at 7:00 pm
The Education of a Yankee with Judson Hale

The Education of a Yankee is Judson Hale’s engaging memoir about the grand, eccentric, and occasionally tragic history of his very unconventional family. Born into Boston’s very proper Brahmin world, Hale was the son of a wealthy father who loved sailing and horseback riding, and a beautiful and talented mother who sang professionally. But readers expecting a conventional account of New England privilege will be delightfully surprised. The fate of Hale’s older brother, Drake, led his parents to embark on a dramatic, extravagant, and visionary undertaking that changed the family’s history and brought a remarkable adventure to the small town of Vanceboro, Maine. In this new edition, Hale updates his memoir to include recent revelations, including Drake’s late-in-life diagnosis of autism. Jud Hale joined Yankee Publishing in September 1958 as an assistant editor. In his capacity as editor-in-chief of Yankee Magazine and The Old Farmer’s Almanac, Jud has appeared on hundreds of radio and television shows throughout the country, including the Today Show, Good Morning America, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and on CNN. Born in Boston and raised on a dairy farm in Vanceboro, Maine, Jud graduated from Dartmouth College in 1958, having served with the Third Armored Division as a Tank Commander from 1955 to 1957. He lives in Peterborough, New Hampshire with his wife Sally. Free and open to all.

Tuesday May 26th at 7:00 pm
Welcome to Frost Heaves with Fred Marple

In the grand tradition of Bert and I, Mark Twain and Lake Wobegon comes Welcome to Frost Heaves, a
collection of stories from “the most under-appreciated town in New Hampshire” as told by Fred Marple,
the town’s unofficial spokesman. From town meeting to the town dump, Frost Heaves is every small
New England town you’ve ever visited, and a few of you probably don’t want to. Fred Marple tells stories about the imaginary characters that live, laugh, and argue in Frost Heaves, and the lessons they learn from their often hilarious capers. Fred Marple is the nom de plume of Ken Sheldon--songwriter, actor, humorist, and creator of Frost Heaves, a mythical town in the shadow of Mount Monadnock. Frost Heaves is also a variety show that appears regularly at the Peterborough Players theatre and won a "Best of NH" award. Fred Marple is the unofficial spokesman for the town of Frost Heaves, mainly because everyone else is gainfully employed. Ken Sheldon was a pre-med art major at the University of New Hampshire. (The medical schools of America were not amused.) After college, Ken worked in a clinic for migrant farmworkers in California, a hospital, a hardware story, a computer magazine, and his own home office, which he likes best of all. He also writes suspense fiction as Michael Manley. This program is free and open to all.

Thursday May 28th at 7:00 pm
How Did He Do That? Woodworking with Steve Carey

Have a home woodworking shop and love to create one-of-a-kind pieces? Wish you knew more about techniques and solving problems? Bring your questions to the library and ask Steve Carey! Stephen Carey has thrived in a home shop for over 40 years, making unique wood art using average tools and supplies. He has ‘been there and done that’ on a budget and knows how to help fellow amateur woodworkers succeed. Stephen’s involvement with woodworking began in a high school shop class and continues to this day, making woodworking a passion. He lectures in and around New Hampshire on such subjects as Segmented Wood Turning, Linear Radius TurningMulti-Generational Concepts and Design, Shop Design & Development and Simple Holiday Gifts You Can Do At Home. The proud parent of 3 boys and husband to his wife Carol, they live in rural New Hampshire where he enjoys woodworking and fly-fishing. You can check out Steve’s beautiful work in our display case at the library. This program is free and open to all.

From the Children’s Room
Callie Faucher, Children’s Librarian

Thursday, May 14th from 3:30-4:30 PM
Mother Daughter Tea Party & Flower Arranging Workshop

Join Floral Designer Megan Dodge & Children’s Librarian Callie Faucher for an afternoon tea party and floral arranging workshop at the Library. Callie will read a story while refreshments are enjoyed. Afterwards, Megan will teach us all floral arranging techniques. Each participant will bring home their own floral creation. Free and open to all, though supplies can only be guaranteed for registrants. Sign up at the library today!

The Week of May 11th ~ Anytime the library is open
Plant a Sunflower

April showers spring May flowers… stop by the library anytime the week of May 11th to plant your own sunflower in a small pot to take home. After the danger of frost passes, plant the flower in your own yard to be enjoyed in the late summer. While supplies last.


Friday, June 5th from 7-8 PM
Froggy Went A’Courtin’

Join Folk Heritage musician Mary DeRosiers and naturalist Susie Spikol Faber for a night around the campfire as we sing and share stories of frogs and their froggy ways.  Weather permitting we will have a real campfire in the parking lot of the Hancock Town Library for a good ol’ time.  If it rains like frogs and toads, we’ll meet in the Daniels Room of the Hancock Town Library for our evening’s entertainment. Free, and for families of all ages.  Unplug and have a real good time!

Tuesday, June 30th from 6-7 PM
Family Puppet Show with Lindsay and Her Puppet Pals

Get ready for some fun with Lindsay and her Puppet Pals, lovingly crafted, giant hand puppets and marionettes. Her puppet show is filled with silliness, crowd participation, and unique, memorable characters. The series of charming and positive short stories Lindsay presents will delight the young and the young at heart! Free and open to all, held in the Daniel’s Room of the Hancock Town Library.

Ongoing Reading Therapy Dog Programs:
Every Monday from 3:15 to 4:15pm, Paws to Read with Coffee

Drop in and read to Coffee, a registered reading therapy dog. If you bring in 3 non-perishable items to donate to the local food pantry, you may pick out a stuffed animal graciously donated by Douglas Cuddle Toys.

Saturday, May 16th from 11-12pm, Paws to Read with Toven
Drop in the library on Saturday, May 16th starting at 11am and read to Toven, a registered reading therapy dog. Bring your own books, or chose one from our collection. Toven will be in the Daniel’s Room.

Every Thursday at 10:30am
Story Time!

Join local preschoolers with their parents and caregivers at story time! We sing, dance, play, listen to stories and do crafts. Upcoming themes include spring time, pigs, mud, and puddles. We always have a lot of fun, and would love for you to join us!

Tuesday, May 5th from 3:15-4:15pm
Lego Club

Come build Legos with us! Drop by the Children’s Room on the first Tuesday of each month to work on your Lego projects or build something new!

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