Richards Free Library

Engage, Enrich, Entertain

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RFL December Calendar

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

12/1 Friends of the RFL meeting 10am. Monthly business and decorating for the Holidays!

12/3 Temporary Tattoo Drawing (Kids and teens), 3pm. Come use our stencils and skin safe markers or make your own designs!

12/4 Teen Hangout (Teens grades 6-12), 2:30-4pm. Join a librarian in the Elaine Frank room on the third floor to hang out, draw, write, color, read, do a simple activity, or just chat.

12/6 Holiday Photo Taking Event (All ages), 10am. Take your holiday photos in our historic Lowell Room. Antique furniture and Christmas decorations make the perfect backdrop for your family’s 2025 holiday cards!

12/8 DIY Shiny Button Magnets (Kids and Teens), Drop-in all week. Drop in at the library this week to make your own shiny or iridescent magnet or button pin!

12/9 Learn To Play Gloomhaven (Teens and Adults), 2:30pm. Teens and adults are invited to come learn one of the coolest games at the library. Defeat monsters and clear a dungeon with strategy!

12/10 Free Winter Holiday Picture Book Giveaway (Kids), Drop-in all day. Stop by to pick out a free winter or holiday themed picture book from our donated books. One book per child, child need not be present!

12/11 Teen Hangout (Teens grades 6-12), 2:30-4pm. Join a librarian in the Elaine Frank room on the third floor to hang out, draw, write, color, read, do a simple activity, or just chat.

12/11 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

12/12 Reindeer Light-Up Ornament (Kids), 3:30pm. Kids 6-11 can come in to make a Reindeer decoration with a real light-up nose!

12/15 Board Game Day (Teens), 2:30pm. play board games from our collection with your friends! Grades 6-12.

12/16 Brown Bags Book Club 12pm. This month we’ll meet for a potluck and select the next year of reading! Interested participants welcome.

12/17 Needle Felting (Kids and Teens), 1pm. Learn how to needle felt! Make a holiday ornament out of wool, or try your own project! Drop in between 1 and 4 to learn or practice your skills!

12/18 Adult Craft Club: Scherenschnitte Paper Snowflakes 6pm. Make a beautiful cut-paper 6-pointed snowflake to take home or to decorate the library!

12/22 Drop-In Snowflake Ornament Center (Kids), Drop-in all week. Drop-In Snowflake Ornament Center opens on the 22nd! Make a beautiful, beaded snowflake ornament all winter break while supplies last.

12/23 LEGO Day (Kids), 1pm. Let your imagination loose to build anything at all with the library’s LEGOs; Or build an ornament to decorate the tree in the children’s room.

12/29 Design a 3D Ornament (Kids and Teens), 2:30pm. Design your own ornament to print on the 3D printer, for kids and teens ages 6-18. We’ll print your ornament for you, but you will have to come back to pick it up in the new year as they will take time to print.

December 2025 Official (3)Download

Friends Food Drive benefiting the Newport Food Pantry

The Friends of the Richards Free Library are conducting a Food Drive to benefit the Newport Food Pantry. Donations are especially needed now that SNAP Benefits have been suspended. Please bring in non-perishable food items to the library during regular business hours. A box for donated non-perishable food items is located in the library just inside the inner glass doors on the left. The Newport Food Pantry’s wish list of food items is posted on the window above the box. Thank you for supporting our community!

The Friends of the Richards Free Library


Youth Service Room Renovations

We have some recent developments in Youth Services that we are proud to announce!

The Tomie DePaola Children’s Program Room on the 2nd floor has finished undergoing it’s refresh/renovation and is now back in use as a program room. Thanks to a grant from the Roy M. Malool Family Foundation, we have been able to transform this space into a functional, cozy, and inviting space. We have worked hard and had so much help along the way, and we are so delighted with how it has turned out.

The Elaine Frank Teen Program room redo is also complete thanks to the Malool Family Foundation, and it is now available for teen’s programs! The teens chose the color, and helped determine the layout of the room. Now it’s Minnie’s favorite room in the building!

We would like to acknowledge all of the work that Molly DiPadova and Mo Churchill-Calkins contributed to the execution of the refresh of both the DePaola room and the Elaine Frank room. While all staff helped during the process, the youth department staff secured the funding and facilitated the completion of this project. Without their leadership, this endeavor would not have happened.

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