Richards Free Library

Engage, Enrich, Entertain

Events

Newport Municipal Solar Project – NEW DATE – March 12th

On March 12th the Richards Free Library will host an informational meeting on Newport becoming the first solar net-zero New Hampshire town and school.

The  1.9 Megawatt solar energy project capable of providing the annual energy needs for all of Newport’s town and school facilities will be on the school and town ballots this spring.  The Newport School District will vote March 13, 2018, on whether to approve an article authorizing the Newport School Board to enter into a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Norwich Solar Technologies. The town vote will be held on May 8, 2018.

The project would serve the town’s schools and offices,  as well as all town-owned facilities, including the public library, airport, wastewater treatment plant, and the police, EMS and fire departments. If approved, this would be the largest municipal solar energy project in New Hampshire.

Don McCormick of Norwich Solar Technologies will explain the project and answer questions.

The meeting will be held in the library’s ballroom at 6:00 on Monday, March 12th.

Thank you, Float-Makers!

Winter Carnival is over, but we had a blast making our “Gingerbread Man” float and walking in the parade! We even won 1st place among the small floats! Great big thank you’s go out to the Hagebusches for lending us the truck, and to the Rothbart and Coleman families for their enthusiastic hard work and participation! Great job everyone! We can’t wait until next year.

 

Volunteer of the Year

On December 6th, the Richards Free Library presented the 17th annual Pamela Gay Award for Volunteerism to Sandra Sonnichsen at the annual Volunteer Tea.  

Sandy volunteers with our archivist collecting, arranging and cataloging the library’s collection of Newport history and was involved in digitizing the Newport lantern slides.  She has studied Sarah Hale in order to write the definitive defense of Sarah’s authorship of the poem Mary’s Lamb, submitted Sarah Hale’s application to the Women’s Hall of Fame, and she was recently interviewed on NHPR’s Word of Mouth about Sarah’s role in the Thanksgiving holiday. The staff and trustees are grateful for all she does for the library.

The Award is named in memory of Pamela Gay, who volunteered countless hours at the library and exemplified the true spirit of volunteerism not only at the library but several other area organizations.