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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 (ALA) tracked the highest number of attempted book bans since they 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.

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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, 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.

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

June 17 - August 12, 2023

www.goffstownlibrary.com/beanstack

The 2023 summer experience theme All Together Now celebrates kindness, friendship, and unity with themed programs and activities to support a love of reading and learning. We have an All Together Now program for each age group – Adults 18+, Tweens and Teens ages 10-18, and Children preschool ages and up.

Please join us for our 65th year of providing exciting and fun special summer programs for all members of the Goffstown community.

Summer Experience for All Ages

It’s easy to track your reading and participate in the fun challenges we’ve prepared for you this summer. When you sign up online you can earn raffle tickets to be entered for great prizes.

Registration is required for many events and programs, visit our Library calendar to sign up:

www.goffstownlibrary.com/calendar

a rocket appears on top of a calendar next to EVENTKEEPER text

blue heart beanstack logoJoin the digital event at:

www.goffstownlibrary.com/beanstack

Download & install the Beanstack Tracker app by Zoobean, Inc., and get started today with Challenges and Activities (Beanstack is also easy to use in a web browser).

Summer Experience raffle winners can choose from:

  • Children:
    • Amazon gift card (2 @ $50 each)
    • Chunky’s gift card ($50)
    • Fun City gift card ($50)
    • Bundled prizes with themes of “Pokémon,” “Outdoor Fun” and “Arts and Crafts”
  • Teens:
    • Outdoor discovery basket with a $25 Amazon gift certificate
    • Crafting basket with a $25 Amazon gift certificate
    • Bookworm basket with a $25 Amazon gift certificate
  • Adults: Three tote bags, each filled with goodies including gift certificates from one of the following: Cumberland Farms, Apotheca, and Bookery.

Community Reading Challenge

Calling all kids, teens, and adults – join our “Goffstown Reads: All Together Now” community reading challenge!

We have set a community-wide goal of reading 4,000 hours during the 8-week Summer Experience. Let’s work together to beat last summer’s record of 3,500 hours!

Kids and teens will count their reading time in hours and adults will earn 8 hours for each book read. This challenge encourages a healthy reading competition between age groups. Who will read the most—children, teens, or adults? To celebrate reaching our goal, the Friends of the Goffstown Public Library are generously funding an ice cream celebration for all participants on Tuesday, August 15 at 3:30 p.m.

All reading logs, activity logs, and prizes will be tracked in Beanstack.

#goffstownlibrary

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

The Library will be OPEN during the Juneteenth holiday on Monday, June 19, 2023, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

Originating in Galveston, Texas, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has been celebrated since 1865, and has since spread across the United States.

The day was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021 when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. Juneteenth’s commemoration is on the anniversary date of the June 19, 1865 announcement of General Order No. 3 by Union Army General Gordon Granger, proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas – two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and two months after the Civil War ended.

During June, please visit & borrow from the book display on the second floor and grab a “What is Juneteenth” bookmark.
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