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Posted on Posted in Adult, General, Kids, Teens

Celebrate the Freedom to Read

When we ban books, we’re closing off readers to people, places, and perspectives. But when we stand up for stories, we unleash the power that lies inside every book. We liberate the array of voices that need to be heard and the scenes that need to be seen. Let freedom read!

The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. In 2022, the American Library Association tracked the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago; 2,571 unique titles were challenged last year, up from 1,858 in 2021. Learn more at ala.org/bbooks. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.

Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.

Read more »

Posted on Posted in Adult, Community, Kids, Teens

The 2023 summer experience theme All Together Now celebrated kindness, friendship, and unity with themed programs and activities to support a love of reading and learning. The library had All Together Now programs for Adults 18+, Tweens and Teens ages 10-18, and Children preschool ages and up.

This summer you logged:

Kids
Participants =  173
Badges Earned =  1,485
Reading Minutes =  86,983
Activities Completed = 244

Tweens  & Teens
Participants =  59
Badges Earned =  962
Reading Minutes =  60,335
Activities Completed = 67
Reviews Written = 36 (new option for teens this summer)

Adults
Participants = 75
Badges Earned = 736
Books Read  = 642
Activities Completed = 148

The Community Reading Challenge was a great success! Our community reading goal was 4,000 hours and we collectively read 7,592—exceeding our goal by 3,592 hours!

Thanks to the Friends of the Goffstown Public Library for hosting a Community Ice Cream Social to celebrate!

Congratulations Winners!

Kids
Aaron, Chunky’s gift card,
Austin, Outdoor Fun bundle,
Cooper, Pokemon Bundle,
Gabrielle, Art Supplies Bundle,
Juliana, Amazon gift card,
Naomi, Fun City gift card,
and Quinn, Amazon gift card.

Tweens  & Teens
Cora, Crafting Gift Basket,
Theo, Outdoor Discovery Gift Basket,
and Zoe, Bookworm’s Gift Basket.

Adults
Bethany, Bookery gift card,
Cat, Apotheca gift card,
and Tracy, Cumberland Farms gift card.

Popular Titles this Summer

You Kept Busy all Summer Long!

Thank you

As the summer winds down to an end and my kids get ready to go back to school, I want to reach out and thank you all for your hard work and dedication to making these summer events so spectacular.

This is only our family’s second year of being involved in the summer programs here at GPL, but it feels like we’ve been part of them for years. Every time we enter the building, we are welcomed by smiling faces and new experiences. My kids look forward to each and every day that they have events just to see what the next thing is they will learn and discover.

I have enjoyed the adult events as well and hope to be involved in even more of them next year, if my schedule allows 😊. Now that Zoe is a teen she’s been able to get into the older projects and it’s been a thrill for her. Cameron has come out of his shell more (I know hard to believe he was ever in his shell). They both come to play, to see their friends and always to spend some time with their favorite library staff.

I thank you all for your time and patience and of course your knowledge of all things fun and interesting. We can’t say it enough, you’re all the best!!! We are so blessed to have a such a wonderful place to spend our family time and make some of our favorite memories.

Grateful for you all.
featured image summer 2023
Danielle F.

GMILCS Library Hop

The GMILCS Library Hop challenged patrons to visit 11 libraries in the consortium from June 1 – August 31, earning prizes along the way. Patrons who turn in their completed passports by August 31 will be entered in a raffle to win the grand prize: a $100 gift card to Bookery Manchester!

This has been a great experience and nice to see so many new faces in the Library.

#GMILCSlibraryHop

Thanks to Meredith Suitor for sharing this wonderful collage. Meri and her friend Jackie visited every library in the Library Hop Passport!

Posted on Posted in Adult, Community, Teens

In March, Goffstown neighborhoods received neo-Nazi propaganda in their driveways. Because of that incident, we have developed “One Goffstown”, a series of discussions for teens and adults with the goal of encouraging communication and becoming a more welcoming, accepting community for everyone.

Sessions will be held from June through September, all on Thursday evenings and open to the public. Please register at goffstownlibrary.com/calendar to receive a link to the discussions.

Show your support, and your attitude of unity, when you share these events on social media, along with the hashtag
#OneGoffstown

Registration is required for each event, individually. Please sign up at goffstownlibrary.com/calendar.

All sessions will be held on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.

June

June 8 – What are Hate Crimes and Hate Speech?
Goffstown Police Chief Eric Sereno will discuss hate crimes that have occurred in Goffstown and update us about the neo-Nazi propaganda left in local driveways. Seth Aframe from the US Attorney’s Office and Sean Locke from the NH Attorney General’s Office will educate us about hate crimes and hate speech and will explain the different federal and state hate crime violations. Timothy DeMann will share how the FBI investigates hate crimes, including the receipt of information, and the coordination with other agencies. This event recording was available for a limited time on the library’s YouTube channel.

June 29 – What is Implicit Bias?
James McKim from Organizational Ignition and the Manchester Branch of the NAACP will help us understand implicit bias and how it affects our behavior and how we treat others.

July

July 13 – What is Bullying?
Dr. Kate Murphy, psychologist, and Plymouth State University professor will talk about bullying, including online bullying, the psychology behind this behavior, and what happens when we are bullied.

July 20 – How to be an Ally
James McKim from Organizational Ignition and the Manchester Branch of the NAACP returns to discuss how we can all be allies to those enduring bullying, abuse, and public humiliation. This event recording was available for a limited time on the library’s YouTube channel.

August

August 10 – How to Have Difficult Conversations
Dr. Kate Murphy, psychologist, and Plymouth State University professor will join us to help us navigate difficult conversations with people in our community who have different beliefs, lifestyles, or political parties. We CAN speak civilly with each other, and Dr. Kate will teach us how.

Sunday, August 13 – The Human Library – 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Goffstown Public Library
This in-person, international event is the fifth Human Library we have hosted since 2014. At this event, neighbors from the Goffstown community will be open books, attendees will be “readers”, and open, civil discussions will occur to encourage acceptance and better understanding of difference.

“In the best sense of the word, The Human Library is a library of people and their experiences with prejudice. However, instead of paperback books, actual people are on loan for conversations. The concept is about acknowledging and challenging the prejudice that we all carry towards one another. For that reason, The Human Library creates a safe space for conversation where topics subject to taboo, marginalization, or stigmatization can be openly addressed without condemnation. The people acting as Books have directly or indirectly been exposed to prejudice, bias, or discrimination based on aspects of their person, heritage, or life experiences. At The Human Library, we invite in all questions and our Books engage in sharing their personal experiences with the Readers. We hope you will join us to learn about different perspectives and experiences!”

2023 Human Library PRESS RELEASE (PDF document)

September

September 14 – Cyberbullying
Do you want to understand cyberbullying and the effects it has on our mental health? Dr. Kate Murphy, psychologist, and Plymouth State University professor, returns to help us understand cyberbullying with some suggestions about how to prevent it and the harmful effects it has on all of us. Watch the event recording on the library’s YouTube channel.

Sign Up for #OneGoffstown Events

Download a copy of the event flyer that you can print and share (PDF document)

NEW 8/2/2023: Additional flyer for August – September (PDF document)

Show your support, and your attitude of unity, when you share these events on social media, along with the hashtag
#OneGoffstown

Resources

From March to May, 2023, the World Affairs Council of NH hosted a three-part series on confronting Genocide and Anti-Semitism. This three-part series looked at how we can identify, prevent, and recover from rising hate and what communities can do in the face of what seems to be a huge problem around the world. The event recordings are available to watch:

Posted on Posted in Adult, Community, General

You don’t have to go far if you’re looking for a nice mountain hike nearby. In Goffstown, the Uncanoonuc Mountains Hiking Trails provide hikers with beautiful scenic views of Goffstown and the Merrimack Valley. David Pierce, retired cartographer, has provided the Conservation Commission with a map highlighting the various paths hikers can take.

The flyer is available:

  • as a PDF download,
  • posted near the beach at Uncanoonuc Lake, and at the Village bulletin board on Mountain Road,
  • and available at the Library.

Maps and Trails Information: https://goffstownrailtrail.org/rail-trail-maps

Updated maps can also be found at https://www.goffstown.com/community/maps/78-trails

More Nearby Trails

Black Brook & Blackbriar Woods Preserves – Piscataquog Land Conservancy (plcnh.org)

hike1

Florence M. Tarr Wildlife Sanctuary – Piscataquog Land Conservancy (plcnh.org)

hike 2

Guides

Memoirs/Stories

For More Information

Posted on Posted in Adult, Community, General, Kids, Teens

Nourishing our community, one seed at a time...

“Borrow” seeds to start your gardens! Located on the third floor, the Seed Library is now available to “check out”.

The steps are simple:

  1. Choose what seed varieties you want.
  2. Fill out the sign-out sheet with what you chose.
  3. There are seed packets with planting instructions on the table, you can make note of the planting information on the packets you are taking home.
  4. We’re also collecting harvested seeds at the end of the summer, so please note whether you would like to participate in that when you’re filling out the sign-out sheet. When you bring those in, please label each envelope with the seed and variety information.
On top of a small, worn, wooden desk there is a green shelf holding six rows of seed packets. Beside and in front of the shelf are instructions and information about the Seed Library.

Three seed packets for cilantro, bunching onions, carrots, rest on a table with smaller manila envelopes atop each. Each envelope has a label naming the seeds.When using the Seed Library, take what you need but remember to leave enough for others. This project is based on the honor system, so a staff member is not needed to “check out” seeds.

Seed will be swapped out as the seasons change, so be sure to check back every so often for new seed varieties.

Happy gardening and be sure to use #goffstownlibrary on social media to share your Seed Library bounty!

The Goffstown Seed Library is made possible by the Friends of the Goffstown Public Library and the New Hampshire Free Seed Project.

Read All About Gardening!

KIDS

ADULTS

Share the Bounty in 2023

Grow a Row – through August 31

Do you have a green thumb? Enjoy your garden while helping your community this summer by participating in Grow a Row! The Goffstown Network Food Pantry’s Grow a Row program encourages local gardeners to add an extra row (or more) of their favorite vegetables to their garden, and then donate those extra vegetables. Your vegetable surplus will be used to stock the Goffstown Network Food Pantry with healthy and fresh food for our neighbors in need.

After harvest, drop off your produce at two locations during open hours:

Harvest Swap – Saturday, August 19 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Share and swap your bounty with the community! Too many tomatoes? Want to swap your squash? Come by and see what others have grown this summer and exchange some of your garden produce. Register for this event and let us know you’re coming at www.goffstownlibrary.com/calendar.

For Further Reading

Gardening & Growing

Seed Saving

In the E-Library

  • Universal Class offers courses like Introduction to Gardening, Vegetable Gardening, Tropical Gardening, and more.
  • Libby by OverDrive has a variety of Gardening magazines available to check out and read online or on a mobile device.