Richards Free Library

Engage, Enrich, Entertain

Announcement

Richards Free Library Needs to Remove Trees

The Richards Free Library Board of Trustees wishes to inform the public that the large white pine trees and hemlock trees on our side lawn need to be removed.

Library Board Trustee Guenter Hubert and Library Director Sally J. Bernier met with several arborists who all agreed that the pines and hemlocks are reaching the end of their lives and at least some may have red rot, rendering them doubly unstable. The white pines and hemlocks are approximately 100 years old. The hemlocks were originally planted as a hedge, which partially died out and then became overgrown. Some of the trees have a structure that is unbalanced, with many large limbs on the north-north-west side overhanging the historic mansion and carriage house. A storm could cause them to come down on top of those buildings, resulting in massive structural damage. Beyond this, the trees pose a safety threat to the public during the many outdoor programs held on the side lawn. The white pines in particular are prone to losing limbs that catch on other limbs to become “widow makers.”  

After collecting bids from local tree removal services, the Library Board of Trustees is moving
forward to have these dangerous trees removed by Arthur Heino Jr. Tree Service LLC, before they can cause damage to the buildings and/or injury to anyone. Removal of the trees is scheduled to take place December 9-13, 2024 and will be paid for with Richards Free Library building endowment funds.

In an effort to revitalize the side lawn once the pine trees and hemlocks have been removed, Hubert has been in contact with the Newport High School Forestry and Natural Resources teacher, Sam Nelson, to discuss the possibility of assistance with planting new, limited growth shade trees on the side lawn in the spring.

The Richards Free Library Board of Trustees, along with the staff of both the Richards Free Library and the Library Arts Center, recognize the important contribution the pine trees and hemlocks have made over the years as shade trees for outdoor events, and regret that their removal is now necessary. However, protection of the buildings and their collections, as well as the safety of the staff and the public, must come first. The trustees and staff greatly appreciate the understanding and support of the Newport community with regard to this endeavor.

Job Posting: Assistant Director

Assistant Director – Richards Free Library (Newport, NH)

The Richards Free Library of Newport NH seeks a tech savvy, forward-thinking individual with proven management skills in a public library to serve as Assistant Director.

Our library is a 501(c)3 non-profit entity. The building is an 1899 colonial revival mansion that has been on the national registry of historic buildings since 1984. The Board of Trustees for the library consists of 1 elected member and 8 appointed members. Employing 9 staff members, 3 of those full-time, we are open 47 hours weekly.

With 2400 registered patrons in a town with a population of 6300, we enjoy wide community support. Our regular programming includes a robust summer reading program for all ages, after school programs for children and teens, monthly programs for adults, and 6 book clubs.

JOB DESCRIPTION

  • Manages the library and supervises staff in the absence of the library director.
  • Attends department head meetings in the absence of the library director.
  • Conducts staff meetings in the absence of the library director.
  • Runs payroll, pays bills, does bank deposits in the absence of the library director.
  • Assists the library director in formulating the annual budget.
  • Maintains the library’s OPAC.
  • Runs and manages monthly materials reports.
  • Catalogs all adult and children’s materials.
  • Trains and supervises staff and volunteers in processing materials.
  • Assists with adult collection development.
  • Assists with regular weeding of the collection.
  • Plans and manages an annual inventory of the collection.
  • Performs ILL services including training a back-up staff member in those procedures.
  • Oversees marketing and social media.
  • Orders library supplies, office supplies, and janitorial supplies.
  • Performs all duties of the circulation desk including assisting patrons with library needs including quick reference, detailed research, reader’s advisory assistance, explanation of policies and procedures to the public, room scheduling.
  • Troubleshoots computer, printer and other equipment issues.
  • Trains staff in library systems, procedures and policies.
  • Assists with development and coordination of special projects, programs and grant funding.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

  • Be physically able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • Skill in the latest computer technology.
  • Ability to adopt and integrate emerging technologies.
  • Effective written and oral communication skills.
  • Comfort with presenting to groups and teaching classes.
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, staff of other libraries, and the public.
  • Ability to conduct oneself with tact and courtesy.
  • Have a sense of humor and a commitment to friendly customer service.
  • Ability to work evenings and weekends as scheduled.
  • Ability to form relationships that give the library a high profile role in the community.

QUALIFICATIONS

Master’s Degree in Library Science from an ALA accredited institution and three years of professional library work including at least one year of supervisory experience at a public library is required.

Status: Full-time salary exempt

Salary: 45,000-55,000
Closing Date:  September 6, 2024

To Apply: Send resume, cover letter, and three references to director@newport.lib.nh.us

Library Closed Saturday, March 4th

The library will be closed today, Saturday March 4th due to the snow storm. While we are physically closed, remember you can download a book, audio book, movie, tv show, music album, and more from one of our streaming services for free with your library card! Check out Libby, Hoopla, and Kanopy in the App Store.

Stay safe and cozy tomorrow!

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.