Richards Free Library

Engage, Enrich, Entertain

Events

Upcoming Author Talk- Kenneth M. Sheldon

Join us Wednesday, March 22nd at 6pm as Author Kenneth M. Sheldon talks about his book Deep Water.

Kenneth M. Sheldon is the author of the true-crime book Deep Water—Murder, Scandal and Intrigue in a New England Town, as well as suspense novels written under the pen name Michael Manley. He formerly served as West Coast Bureau Chief for Byte Magazine, the first magazine about personal computers, and has been a regular columnist for Yankee Magazine and New Hampshire Magazine. He has appeared on New Hampshire Chronicle, and on stage, the radio, and television. He is also the author of Welcome to Frost Heaves, a collection of stories written as Yankee humorist Fred Marple.

Deep Water is based on extensive research into the Dean murder, including thousands of pages of FBI documents, Grand Jury testimonies, newspaper accounts, private correspondence, and the archives of the Jaffrey Historical Society.

In the waning days of World War I, William K. Dean was brutally murdered, his body hog-tied and dumped in a rainwater cistern on his farm in the quiet town of Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Suspicion quickly fell on Dean’s wife, an invalid in the early stages of dementia. Her friends, outraged at the accusations, pointed instead to a former tenant of Dean’s, whom many suspected of being a German spy. Others believed that Dean’s best friend, a politically powerful banker and judge, was involved.

Books Groups, Old and New!

Consider joining one of our book groups for a chance to chat about books, connect with friends, and try something new!

Copies of the latest books will be available at the library’s circulation desk. You don’t even need a library card to pick up a book! Just sign them out and join the discussion with like minded readers.

Books on Tap – 1st Thursday at 5:30

We’re bringing back the Books on Tap book group which meets at Salt Hill Pub. We’ll be meeting the first Thursday of the month. See you 5:30 at the Pub!

Oct 6thThe Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
Nov 3rdThe Rose Code by Kate Quinn
December 1stFirekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Teen Book Club – every other Wednesday at 3

Teen Book Club is for middle and high school young adults. Join other readers to talk about
some old favorites and some exciting new reads! This group meets every other Wednesday.
The first meeting will be September 14th at 3:00 We’ll be talking about Heartstopper by Alice
Oseman.
If you are interested, Ask Molly! mdipadova@newport.lib.nh.us

My First Book Group – 2nd Tuesday at 3:30

Beginning this September, the library will host a monthly book club for primary school-aged students. On book group day, we will begin by eating a snack and walking through the pictures, reading the book aloud together, and then reading through silently or with our grownups, before coming back together to talk about the book and enjoy some imaginative play. 

Registration will not be required, but if you are interested, we invite you to talk to Mo about joining in so we can have an idea of how many books to request, or to discuss what would be helpful to your child.

Our first meeting will be Tuesday, September 13th at 3:30 or after Richards School lets out. We’ll be reading Pete the Cat: Too Cool for School, by Kimberly and James Dean. Other book choices will include Chicken Said, “Cluck!” by Judyann Ackerman Grant, Otter: Hello, Sea Friends!  By Sam Garton, and Biscuit and the Little Llamas by Alyssa Capucilli.

For more information, contact Mo at mchurchill@newport.lib.nh.us

The Beach Readers – 2nd Wednesday at 6

Want to get away? The Beach Readers have got you covered.

This group will offer books that are escapes from reality, easy to read, captivating, and accessible to many readers.

For more information, contact Ali at awood@newport.lib.nh.us

Sept14Pretty Little LiarsShepard, Sara
Oct12Howl’s Moving CastleJones, Diana Wynne
Nov9FlamerCurato, Mike
Dec14The Uncommon ReaderBennett, Alan

Brown Bags and Books Book Club – 4th Tuesday at 12 Noon

The Brown Bag and Books club is a midday group and the books are chosen democratically once a year. Interested in discovering new books that you might have otherwise completely overlooked? Or do you want to enrich yourself and possibly understand the world from a different perspective? Consider joining in!

For more information, contact Ali at awood@newport.lib.nh.us

Sep20This Tender LandWilliam Kent Krueger
Oct25The Night WatchmanErdrich, Louise
Nov22Finding FreedomFrench, Erin
Dec27Pot Luck!~Hopefully~
Jan25Chances Are...Russo, Richard

Book Sale 2022 Debrief

Festival 2022 was a huge success!!! It’s been a few years since the big tent went up, and we picked up where we left off. We welcomed old friends who look forward to this event every year, and they thanked us for returning. 

The raffle winners are in…

Donna Y –  the Wine & Chocolate Basket

Cathy R – Baby Quilt

David H – Graphic Novels

Bob E – Local Restaurant Gift Basket

Nancy W – Banned Books Basket

Deb R – Cord of Wood

Susan F – Dollhouse

The grand total raised today was $5,100.98!!!!!   The breakdown is as follows:

                Books       $3,186.15

                Café               $325.50

                Cookies         $796.00

                Friends           $806.88

                Children’s      $37.45

Thank you to everyone who worked at the festival, baked, set-up, cleaned up, planned, and supported us.   We have an amazing library, an amazing staff and a cadre of people who are committed.  

A special thank you to Paula Johnson for being the person that makes this all come together year after year.   You work tirelessly, and we appreciate all that you do.

A big thank you to Discovery Books for picking up the left overs from our sale! 

The Friends of the Richards Free Library thank all who made our Book Festival such a great success. Special mention to Sugar River Bank and ProMania for their generous donations, and to all the volunteers who made it happen.

Coronis and Yoshi’s Markets provided water and ice to keep the Newport field hockey and football teams and our volunteers well hydrated!

Thanks to everyone who donated and bought books and made this community event something we all look forward to each year. See you on August 26, 2023!

Richards Free Library Book Sale

Making their return this year are the annual Friends of the Library Book Sale and the annual Friends of the Library Cookie Walk!!! Here is the rundown of library-related events taking place Saturday, August 27th in conjunction with the Apple Pie Craft Festival:

  • The Friends of the Library Book Festival will take place under the tents on the side lawn of the library from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.! Raffle tickets to win some special baskets of goodies will be on sale as well!
  • The Friends of the Library Cookie Walk will take place under the tent on the right side of the front lawn of the library starting at 9:00 a.m. and ending when the cookies are all gone! What is a cookie walk you ask? Basically, you purchase a bag for $5.00 and walk around the tables under the tent, filling your bag with bundles of cookies.
  • The Library Board of Trustees will be offering breakfast on the library porch starting at 9:00 a.m. Drop by and purchase a cup of coffee and a quick bite!
  • Mo, our wonderful children’s librarian, will be offering a kid’s craft under the tent on the left side of the front lawn of the library from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.! In addition, Ali, one of our fabulous library assistants will be offering kid’s face painting from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon!
  • The library will also have a booth on the Common providing information on our fall programs. Show us your library card and you will be entered to win a “Basket of Books and Book Swag”!!!
  • Additionally, the library itself will be open extended hours, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.!

The library is NO LONGER accepting book donations for the book sale. If you have some that you want to drop off, PLEASE WAIT and drop off next week, after this years sale is over!

If the Cookie Walk caught your eye and you love to bake cookies, we are looking for cookie bakers to donate cookies for the Walk! If interested, please contact Janice Brehio at outreach@newport.lib.nh.us.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, August 27th. We look forward to seeing all of you!!!

Colin Calloway receives 2022 Hale Award

We are pleased to announce the recipient of the 2022 Sarah Josepha Hale Award is Colin Calloway. Calloway has been a professor at Dartmouth College since 1995 and has served 5 terms as chair of the Native American Studies Program. He has published 14 titles in the field of Native American and Indigenous and has edited 10 collections of essays and documents. He has received awards from the Missiquoi Nation of Abenakis and the Native American Students at Dartmouth. He was also selected for the American Indian History Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. His book, The Indian World of George Washington, was a National Book Award finalist in 2018, received the Daughters of the American Revolution Excellence in American History Book Award, the Journal of the American Revolution Book of the Year Award, the American Revolution Round Table of Philadelphia Book Award, and the George Washington Prize in 2019.

The Richards Free Library Board of Trustees and Sarah Josepha Hale Award Board of Judges are pleased to host Mr. Calloway on Saturday September 24th. Tickets for a dinner at the Old Courthouse Restaurant will be available for sale at the library beginning August 22, 2022. Following the dinner will be a free event, open to the public at the Newport Opera House at 7pm which will include the award presentation and speech by Calloway. Seating is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis.