Richards Free Library

Engage, Enrich, Entertain

Uncategorized

RFL November Calendar

To download the calendar, scroll to the bottom of this post!

11/3-11/7 Baby’s Keepsake Handprint Drop In (families), Drop in to make a special Keepsake of Baby’s Handprint this week, while librarians are available.

11/4 Temporary Tattoos (Teens), 3pm. Come use our stencils and skin safe markers or make your own designs. Grades 6-12

11/6 LEGO Day Drop In (Kids and families) 1-5 pm. Let your imagination loose to build anything at all with the library’s LEGOs.

11/6 Teen Hang Out (Teens) 2:30-4pm. Hang out upstairs in the Elaine Frank Teen Program Room with a librarian; color, work on homework, or just vibe with your friends.

11/6 Crafter’s Movie Night (adult) 5-7pm. Have some compassion for your poor nerves and watch Pride and Prejudice (2015) with a bunch of like-minded crafters!

11/7 Scarf Assembly for “Keep Sarah Warm” 3pm. Assemble any scarf contributions as we prepare to wrap up the Sarah statue on the 21st!

11/8 Wags and Wiggles’ Doggies 101 (all ages)10am. Newport’s own Wags and Wiggles will be at the library to provide info on spay and neuter clinics, safe temperature for dogs, and what to expect when adopting. Some furry friends may also join us!

11/10 Board Games (Teens) 3pm. Play board games from our collection with your friends! Grades 6-12

11/10 How to Crochet 2pm. Learn how to start, make a chain, turn your work, and how to finish! Bring your own materials or use ours!

11/11 Closed for Veteran’s Day

11/13 Needle Felting (Kids age 6-11) 1-4pm. Learn how to needle felt! Make a fall decoration out of wool, or try your own project! Drop in between 1 and 4 to learn or practice your skills!

11/13 Writer’s Workshop (adult) 6pm. Writers of any genre, interest area, and experience level. We meet virtually, so for info email mchurchill@newport.lib.nh.us

11/14 LaValley Community Center Kidzone Story Visit (Kids 0-5) 10-11am. We’ll be hanging out and reading stories at the Rec’s play group! Stop in and play and listen.

11/17 LEGO Day Drop In, (Kids and Families)2-4pm. Let your imagination loose to build anything at all with the library’s LEGOs.

11/18 Brown Bags and Books Book Club (adult) 12pm. This month we’ll discuss The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

11/18 Stitch-for-a-bit 1pm. Circle up and get to work on your craft in a social circle!

11/19 After School Hot Cocoa Party (Kids and teens) 2:30-4pm. Stop by while you’re here after school for some tasty hot cocoa to warm you up!

11/20 Adult Arts and Craft: Make Your Own Masterpiece! 6pm. Make your own interpretation of famous works of art using any medium you wish.

11/20 Teen Hang Out (Teens) 2:30-4pm. Hang out upstairs in the Elaine Frank Teen Program Room with a librarian; color, work on homework, or just vibe with your friends.

11/21 Keep Sarah Warm: Final Assemble (3:30) and WRAP UP! (4:00). After the final assembly, we will hear some facts about Sarah and the scarf will be installed on the Sarah statue. Join the finale and enjoy some cider!

11/24-11/26th Turkey Table Decoration Craft (Kids and teens) Drop in to make a colorful turkey craft to decorate your Thanksgiving table!

November 2025 Official (2)Download

A Letter from the Director

Impact of Pending Federal Funding Cuts

March 27, 2025

Dear Library Patrons,
On Friday, March 14, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Executive Order calling for the downsizing or elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the nation’s only federal agency for funding American library services.

We want to let you know how this may directly impact you.

Federal funds distributed by IMLS finance the New Hampshire Inter-Library Loan (ILL) system. Small rural libraries like ours depend on the ILL system to provide you, free of charge, with lending materials (books, DVDs, etc.) from other New Hampshire libraries, which we are unable to afford for our library collection. From March 2024 to March 2025, there were 176,504 interlibrary loan requests filled by 243 libraries throughout the state. Here at Richards Free, just last month alone, we lent out 60 materials to other New Hampshire libraries through interlibrary loan and we requested 123 materials for our patrons from other New Hampshire libraries through interlibrary loan.

Federal funds distributed by IMLS also finance the New Hampshire State Library’s OverDrive platform which provides patrons access, through the Libby application, to e-books, audiobooks, and e-magazines. In 2024, our patrons at Richards Free checked out 6642 downloadable items. In addition, these funds are also used to pay for staffing of the Talking Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Program.

Without federal funding distributed by IMLS, all of these services are at significant risk of being discontinued. If you are concerned about the potential impact of the downsizing or loss of IMLS and the funding it distributes to the New Hampshire State Library, which directly benefits libraries like ours, and would like more information, we encourage you to go to the American Library Association website at www.ala.org , the New Hampshire Library Association website at www.nhlibrarians.org , the EveryLibrary website at action.everylibrary.org , and the New Hampshire State Library website at www.nhsl.dncr.nh.gov.

Sincerely,
The Richards Free Library Board of Trustees
and Library Director, Sally J. Bernier

The Richards Free Library receives New Hampshire Humanities Grant for Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs presentation!

NEWPORT- The Richards Free Library has received a grant from New Hampshire Humanities to present Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs. Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs will be presented on Monday, April 7th at 4:30pm in the Ballroom of the Richards Free Library.

This unique and beautifully illustrated presentation focuses on the life and remarkable work of master jeweler and artist, Peter Carl Fabergé. The program features a spectacular photo-tour of Fabergé collections at world-famous museums and from private collectors around the world. Emphasis is on the important role of egg painting in Slavic culture and on the unique development of this major art form from a traditional craft to the level of exquisite fine art under the patronage of the tsars. The fascinating history of these eggs and their role in the dramatic events of the last decades of Romanov rule in Russia and in the years following the Bolshevik Revolution will also be discussed.

This Program is Free and open to the public. There is no pre-registration.

New Hampshire Humanities nurtures the joy of learning and inspires community engagement by bringing life-enhancing ideas from the humanities to the people of New Hampshire. They connect people with ideas. Learn more at www.nhhumanities.org.

For more information, contact Marina Forbes at  marina@marinaforbes.com, or at 603-332-2255.