Kimball Library News 5/31/21

 Summer concerts and summer reading events are ongoing! We will try to catch you up here as well as we can, but sometimes due to space constraints articles cannot be published. It’s a sure bet if you visit our website or blog under the ‘More Info’ section so you don’t miss a article or event.

FELTED SOAP WORKSHOPS:  Participants will have fun learning the basics of making felted wool soap (soap and washcloth all-in-one). Felted soap is not only beautiful, but also great for your skin, and for the environment. The felted wool creates a nice gentle exfoliant, plus wool is a naturally antibacterial fiber so you don’t need to worry about mold or mildew.  When you have finished using your bar of soap, the leftover wool can be composted or cut up and placed outside for the birds to collect for their nests.

In this engaging and creative workshop, participants will learn the basics of wet-felting and leave with two bars of finished felted soap.  These are great for gift giving and, of course, to keep one for yourself.  Participants will choose from a variety of colorful, local wool roving to create beautiful and unique bars of soap.  No two bars are ever identical! Hand-crafted soap, in a variety of scents, will be provided. However, please feel free to bring your own bars if you have a preference.

Come learn this beautiful craft with Pauline Fabiano from Acorn House Trading Company on Tuesday, June 29^th at either 4 or 6:15 PM depending on the age of the participant.  It will smell lovely here!

Workshop #1 (For youth ages 8-11) @ 4-5:15pm

Workshop #2 (For tweens and adults ages 12-19) @ 6:15-7:30pm.

Youth ages 12-19 have the first availability to register up to one week before the event. After that, adults age 20+ may register if there are any additional seats left. The age restrictions do apply as the older group will be felting with needles.

Register in person in the youth department. PLEASE NOTE: There’s a $5 non-refundable fee when you register. Seating is limited, so please sign up as soon as possible.

STUFFED ANIMAL SLEEPOVER: Register and join us on Monday, June 28^th for this special sleepover event starting at 6:00 PM! Bring a stuffed animal friend with you to a very special story time where your stuffed animal (or doll, or toy) will get to sleep over at the Library. We'll all read books together, make a few crafts (including name tags for our stuffed animal friends) and have refreshments. Then, all the kiddos will tuck their stuffed animals into bed. The librarians will make sure they don't cause too much mischief at their sleepover.

Children of all ages are welcome to bring their stuffed animals to the sleepover. Caregivers, please be sure your child chooses a stuffed animal or doll that they are okay with being without for a night. This program is open to any children of all ages that want to participate, but it is geared for preschool to age 8.

Stuffed animals and toys can be picked up from the library anytime during open hours on Tuesday.

TEEN COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS: We're hosting a stuffed animal sleepover on June 28^th at 6 PM where little kiddos leave their stuffed animals here at the library to stay the night. We need some teen volunteers to help make the magic happen as the stuffed animals wander the library and get into mischief once their kids go home.

Teens will come to the library at 7 PM after story time is complete and will each take a stuffed animal (or two) to pose around the library and photograph. What kind of fun they're having is up to you, but a librarian will be here to help out and offer ideas. Are the stuffed animals messing around with the copier? Are they watching Netflix on a laptop? Playing with Legos? Pretending to be the librarian? Or, of course, reading books?

Our teen volunteers will set the scenes, take the pictures, and then work together to assemble and print photographs of each animal for the kids to take home with them when they pick up their furry friend.

This program is eligible to earn volunteers 1 service hour.

STAY TUNED: Visit our website, FaceBook page, Twitter account, YouTube or Instagram to learn about more program updates and more resources. 

MORE INFO: Go to https://kimballlibrary.com to use the data bases and online services. Miss a news article?  Go to https://kimballlibrary.blogspot.com to read each and every one! You may also call us Monday-Friday from 10-8 and on Saturday from 10-3 at 603.362.5234 to register for an event with a live person who would love to help you.

Kimball Library News 5/24/21

By the time you read this article, summer concerts and summer reading will be on ongoing! We will try to catch you up here as well as we can, but sometimes due to space constraints articles cannot be published. It’s a sure bet if you visit our website or blog under the ‘More Info’ section so you don’t miss a single event!

SUMMER READING KICKOFF:  Join us for an incredible LIVE ANIMAL SHOW! You'll get to be up close and personal (in person!) with all kinds of exotic and exciting animals. Be prepared to be in the Library Courtyard. Bringing a blanket so you can remain socially distant in your own family space is a great idea.

Please register all who will attend regardless of age. This is most important because if we need to give a rain date we will need all the contact information required when you sign up. This exciting Summer Reading Kickoff is taking place on Tuesday, June 22^nd, at 6:00 PM.

'The Wildlife Encounters Ecology Center is proud to offer some of the most respected and popular community education programs in the region! Their live-animal outreach programs are educational, interactive and fun activities that are offered year-round across New England.'

LITTLE FROG BIG JUMP: Join us with author Bethany Vaccaro of 'Little Frog, Big Jump'. Bethany will be our guest author and reader. We'll also have the illustrator, Jamie Cook, with us! How lucky are we. :)

We'll have accompanying frog activities geared for littles ages 3-8 but all ages are welcome. Be prepared for an outside event unless we have inclement weather. This hoppy event is planned for Thursday, June 24^th, at 4:00 PM.

Bethany & Jamie will have books available for purchase and signing, and they also will sign books if you already own a copy.  The author accepts cash, checks, and Venmo. No credit cards, please.

About the Author: ‘I was born in Greenfield, MA, but quickly moved and grew up in Amesbury, MA. I now reside in New Hampshire with my three girls and very supportive husband, and let's not forget our ferocious cat Charlie! (He likes to eat mice and my clothes!) I like to laugh, dance, and read Harry Potter! Fall and Christmas are my favorite parts of the year, but I hate being cold! I love ice cream and egg nog.’

MORNING BOOK GROUP: We meet monthly to discuss our book so why not join us? Take an hour talking about the book and hear what others have to say. Enjoy conversation with new friends.

We are meeting outside in the courtyard beginning this month. Please bring a chair to sit on.  Information will be sent to you 24 hours before our meeting if there is a change in our plans because of weather. In that case, we will use ZOOM. Please register if you would like to be part of our reading group. -Carolyn Birr

For June 23^rd at 10:15 AM: The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict.

'When Agatha Christie went missing in 1926, fans could not help but draw comparisons between her disappearance and her sensational mystery novels. Theories abounded about how and why this celebrated author vanished, with kidnapping, suicide, murder and memory loss among the most popular. Her disappearance without a clue, save for the discovery of her abandoned car, stymied the police and thousands of civilians who combed the British countryside in search of her. Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle brought in an occultist to help, and if Hercule Poirot, Christie’s most famous creation, were a real person, he too would have joined the hunt.Christie was missing 11 days.'

 MASKS OR NO MASKS: Currently, the Kimball Library Board of Trustees has voted to keep masks on when in the library building. We are so thankful for all our wonderful patrons doing their part to keep all of us safe.

 STAY TUNED: Visit our website, FaceBook page, Twitter account, YouTube or Instagram to learn about more program updates and more resources. 

MORE INFO: Go to https://kimballlibrary.com to use the data bases and online services. Miss a news article?  Go to https://kimballlibrary.blogspot.com to read each and every one! You may also call us Monday-Friday from 10-8 and on Saturday from 10-3 at 603.362.5234 to register for an event with a live person who would love to help you.

Kimball Library News 5/17/21

 Summer reading registration is on the horizon and youth entering grades K through college will be able to officially register starting June 11^th. We have a variety of events for all ages happening from June 11-August 11. We can’t wait! Our theme this year is Tails & Tales and there will be many animal themed programs. Take a peek at the event calendar on the website to see and even register for some of the events starting in late June.

READERS THEATER:  Get your reading and drama practice ON! Reader’s Theater is a fun way to expand your reading and speaking skills. Join other children in grades 2-5 via Zoom on Thursday, June 10th, at 6:30 PM.

We have the plays and will email the script to you so you can practice your part or it can be available for pick-up. Register ASAP to get your Zoom link and a script will be prepared for you. This is wonderful practice for future radio and television stars.

CLANDESTINE JAZZ: Clandestine Jazz Collective is a group from the NH seacoast region comprised of Saxophonist Andrew Emanuel, Guitarist Keith Perry, Bassist Mikey Lathwood, and Drummer Chris Salemme. The group met during their time studying at UNH and have been very active all around New England since the groups inception. The group plays a healthy mix of jazz standards and instrumental covers of popular tunes, all with a great emphasis on improvisation and group interaction.

Register to let us know you are coming and receive concert updates and virtual viewing information for those who prefer to watch from home. This exciting concert is scheduled for June 17^th at 6:00 PM. 

The summer concert series is sponsored by the Friends of the Kimball Library.  In the event of inclement weather this concert will be virtual. Stay tuned for concert updates by visiting the library website.

T/WEEN BOOK GROUP: The book of the month is 'If I Was Your Girl' by Meredith Russo and the meeting is at 6:30 PM on June 2^nd.

It’s a new kind of big-hearted novel about being seen for who you really are.

Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school. Like anyone else, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is keeping a secret, and she's determined not to get too close to anyone.

When she meets sweet, easygoing Grant, Amanda can't help but start to let him into her life. As they spend more time together, she realizes just how much she is losing by guarding her heart. She finds herself yearning to share with Grant everything about herself, including her past. But Amanda's terrified that once she tells him the truth, he won't be able to see past it.

What’s the secret that Amanda's been keeping? It's that at her old school, she used to be Andrew. Will the truth cost Amanda her new life, and her new love?

Meredith Russo's If I Was Your Girl is a universal story about feeling different and a love story that everyone will root for.

Join us in the teen room with all the other cool kids to share what you thought about the book and make some new lit-loving friends.

STAY TUNED: Visit our website, FaceBook page, Twitter account, YouTube or Instagram to learn about more program updates and more resources. 

MORE INFO: Go to https://kimballlibrary.com to use the data bases and online services. Miss a news article?  Go to https://kimballlibrary.blogspot.com to read each and every one! You may also call us Monday-Friday from 10-8 and on Saturday from 10-3 at 603.362.5234 to register for an event with a live person who would love to help you.

Kimball Library News 5/10/21

Summer reading registration is on the horizon and youth entering grades K through college will be able to officially register starting June 11^th. We have a variety of events for all ages happening from June 11-August 11. We can’t wait! Our theme this year is Tails & Tales and there will be many animal themed programs. Take a peek at the event calendar on the website to see and even register for some of the events starting in late June.

BODY RX (RELIEVING STRESS):  This workshop that will be happening on Thursday, May 27^th, at 6:00 PM and will be all about relaxing and restoring your body so that you can relieve stress and promote a focus on what really matters to you! We will discover a special place (in our imaginations) where we can visualize ourselves at any time to kick back and let our stress drift away.

 Laura Klain of Bud to Blossom Life Design will be offering this program IN-PERSON and via ZOOM.  Space is limited for those wishing to attend IN-PERSON. The first 13 participants who register and indicate an interest in attending IN-PERSON will receive a separate confirmation and ticket to the event 3 days prior to the event. All others registering will still be able to view this program from the comfort of their own home via ZOOM.

 Laura Klain of Bud to Blossom Life Design presents mindfulness workshop and guided meditation groups. Laura Klain is an experienced meditation instructor with years of studying spiritual and mindfulness practices.

 KNOCK ON WOOD: Howie Newman and Joe Kessler, also known as Knock on Wood, are anything but a typical folk combo, performing well-known rock covers and funny original songs (suitable for all ages). Their varied repertoire includes everything from Tom Petty to the Eagles to the Kinks. They may also add a few children’s songs. No matter what they play, they offer excellent musicianship, pleasing vocal harmonies and … lots of fun.

 Newman (guitar, harmonica, vocals) is the songwriter and his engaging manner, which includes G-rated comedy and lots of audience participation, has charmed audiences all over New England. Song topics include Smartphones, not-so-graceful aging and his wife’s inability to parallel park. A former sportswriter for the Boston Globe, Patriot Ledger and other newspapers, he will also be performing a couple of his many baseball songs, which include 'It’s the End of the Curse and We Know It,” an R.E.M. parody.

 Kessler, who plays fiddle and mandolin, has an energetic improvisational style that includes folk, rock, jazz and bluegrass. He has toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada as well as eight other countries, performing with Morphine, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, the Boogaloo Swamis and many others.

 'We’re not the traditional guitar-and-fiddle duo,” says Newman. 'Joe and I like to keep things up-tempo, do some rock covers and get the audience involved. The idea is to play some great music and have fun.”

 This summer concert series kick-off event is sponsored by the Friends of the Kimball Library and will be on June 3^rd at 6 PM.  In the event of inclement weather, this concert will be virtual.  Stay tuned for concert updates by visiting the library website

 CRAFT PAINT & COLOR: The Craft, Paint & Color Meetup Group is returning. Following social distancing and face covering measures, the gathering will look a bit different. The group will use the large meeting room to accommodate for social distancing measures. The group size will be limited to a maximum of 10 people. Registration is required and we will not be able to accommodate walk-in participants.

Individuals will be able to spread out as they dabble in painting, coloring or creative crafts using oil, acrylic, watercolor, pen and pencil. Individuals bring their own supplies and work on canvas, wood, sketchpads and coloring books.

This special event happens on Fridays from 10:30-12:30. Sign up and join the group for a time to unwind, de-stress and create.

STAY TUNED: Visit our website, FaceBook page, Twitter account, YouTube or Instagram to learn about more program updates and more resources. 

MORE INFO: Go to https://kimballlibrary.com to use the data bases and online services. Miss a news article?  Go to https://kimballlibrary.blogspot.com to read each and every one! You may also call us Monday-Friday from 10-8 and on Saturday from 10-3 at 603.362.5234 to register for an event with a live person who would love to help you.

Kimball Library News 5/3/21

As we inch our way toward our summer lineup, there are still some pretty sweet spring events on the horizon. Check out just two below. If you are looking for even more you can always visit our website to see the entire plethora of programs.

ABBY HUTCHINSON’S SWEET FREEDOM SONGS: Popular songs are a wonderful window for looking into social movements of America’s past, as shown by singer/actress Deborah Anne Goss in her program Abby Hutchinson’s Sweet Freedom Songs. Presented as part of New Hampshire’s “Humanities-To-Go” programming, Deborah performs as New Hampshire-born abolitionist, suffragist, and singer Abby Hutchinson, who became famous singing anti-slavery songs with her brothers as ‘The Hutchinson Family Singers’ during the 1840’s. There is a direct connection between the abolition movement and the campaign for woman suffrage, as the stories and songs in this lively program illustrate. There are opportunities for audience participation, and words for some of the song choruses are provided.

About the presenter: Deborah is a native of Vermont and has lived, sung, acted, and taught in the Boston area for many years. Since 2002 she’s developed and performed solo programs of American history in word and song. She is one-half of the singing duo ‘The Proper Ladies’ who have performed their programs of Victorian Era popular songs throughout New England and on both coasts since 1994. She also sings with New Hampshire performers Steve Blunt and Marek Bennett as ‘The Hutchinson Heritage Singers’.

Join us for this historical and musical event via Zoom on May 20^th at 6 PM. This program is sponsored by the NH Humanities and the Friends of the Kimball Library.

TEEN NIGHT IN: Join the virtual party with teens across NH! There will be snacks, games, and party vibes. This month’s TNI is on Friday, May 21^st, from 6:00-8:00 PM via Zoom

GRAB A T-SHIRT! Any t-shirt will work, as long as it's one that you (or a family member or friend) doesn't want anymore. Make sure they don't want it anymore because together, we're going to host a T-SHIRT DESTRUCT-O-THON! (We'll be turning your old t-shirt into something new! Bring scissors!)

Also.... It's A TALENT SHOW! Sign up with a talent if you'd like to show off (you should - because you're extremely talented.)*

Prepare a special skill (juggling, handstands, making your ears wiggle) or a short dazzling performance (jokes, dance, riddles, poetry). Absolutely anything goes! But please do let us know what you'll be doing in advance so we can best plan for it. Everyone will get at least 3 minutes of the spotlight all to themselves.

*If you don't want to show off in the talent show and just want to watch, that's fine, but please let us know when you register.

STAY TUNED: Visit our website, FaceBook page, Twitter account, YouTube or Instagram to learn about more program updates and more resources. 

MORE INFO: Go to https://kimballlibrary.com to use the data bases and online services. Miss a news article?  Go to https://kimballlibrary.blogspot.com to read each and every one! You may also call us Monday-Friday from 10-8 and on Saturday from 10-3 at 603.362.5234 to register for an event with a live person who would love to help you.

Kimball Library News 4/26/21

 Can you believe we are already nearly ready to launch our summer line-up? We can’t wait to have more people come by for some programming in our beautiful Library Courtyard.

INSIDE OUT MOTHER GOOSE ON THE LOOSE: Starting May 3^rd, infants through age 3 with their caregivers are invited to join us for simple stories, rhymes, finger plays, and songs modeling after Mother Goose curriculum. Please feel welcome to stay after the session to allow for playtime and socializing for all ages.

If you sign up, we consider you registered for multiple sessions. We are limited if we need to meet inside to 15 total bodies, so register all the people in your party if they will be in the room. We will attempt to meet outside as often as possible in the Library Courtyard weather permitting.

Anyone over the age of three is expected to wear masks and practice social distancing. Email Kathy Watson at kwatson@kimballlibrary.com for specific questions. This session will meet many Mondays May through August. Check the online event calendar for specific dates.

PHOTOGRAPHY WITH EVA MCDERMOTT: Are you interested in expanding your photography skills? Sign up for this four week session program designed to help you build your confidence in creating and capturing great photographic images using a DSLR or advanced mirrorless camera.

The class will be hands-on so come join us and bring an adventurous heart, creative spirit and your camera. Our priority is your safety. Therefore, social distancing and masks are required. Registration is limited to a maximum of 15. We will be meeting inside and sometimes weather permitting outside. Dates include May 17 & 24, and June 7 & 14. The class is from 1-2:30 PM.

Week 1 - Getting to know your camera: You will learn about basic camera settings such as ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and what situations are best for using aperture priority, shutter speed priority, and program modes. Other topics that will be covered include controlling depth of field, camera focus modes, use of telephoto, wide angle, and macro lenses / settings, and what affects image quality?

Week 2 - Photographic approach to different subjects will be discussed (people, landscapes, natural abstracts, macro, architecture), as well as Rules of Composition, Breaking the Rules, Visual Design and the Art of Seeing.

Week 3 - The Quality of Light: Ambient, Flash, Special Lighting Situations, Light and Shadow Play, Storm Light, Forest Light, Coastal Light, Sunrise, Sunset will be covered. The use of graduated filters to balance the lighting in a scene will be discussed and demonstrated as well as the use of polarizers and neutral density filters, and In Camera Special Effects (motion blur, coated filters).

Week 4 - Processing Basics and resources, RAW vs. JPEG, Black and White, cropping and effect on image quality, special effects, HDR (high dynamic range processing). Enhancing the artistic appeal of your photographs. Presentation of your photographs beyond posting on the web.

When registering please indicate your experience level and type of camera.

About the Presenter: Photography has been Eva's hobby and passion for many years. Her current focus of work is seascapes, landscapes, and nature abstracts using both film and digital cameras. Her photographic journey began when she was a teenager and bought her first camera, a 35mm Minolta range finder. Much of her initial work was with cityscapes near where she grew up in NYC and NJ. Having grown up in the urban landscape, she longed to spend more time in less crowded, natural spaces and thus developed a love for the outdoors, hiking and photography.

She is a Landscape Gallery Moderator for Nature Photographers Network. You can view more of her fine art photography work at her website, www.naturephotographers.network.

STAY TUNED: Visit our website, FaceBook page, Twitter account, YouTube or Instagram to learn about more program updates and more resources. 

MORE INFO: Go to https://kimballlibrary.com to use the data bases and online services. Miss a news article?  Go to https://kimballlibrary.blogspot.com to read each and every one! You may also call us Monday-Friday from 10-8 and on Saturday from 10-3 at 603.362.5234 to register for an event with a live person who would love to help you.

Kimball Library News 4/19/21

We look forward to seeing your faces more often in the warmer days. Please note that Kimball Library does require masks and social distancing. We couldn’t be more proud of our patrons choosing safe practices.

WRITING FAMILY STORIES: What family stories do you carry with you? What story do you tell over and over? What landscape do you cherish the most?

 One of the deepest human instincts is to tell our life stories, to figure out who we are and what it means to be human. ‘FAMILY, MEMORY PLACE’ is an interactive workshop led by Maura MacNeil explores how the landscapes of our lives shape the stories that we tell. Participants explore the themes of family, memory, and place through sample narratives and a series of short writing exercises, gaining a deeper awareness of how their stories can preserve personal, generational, and communal history.

Maura MacNeil, writer and editor, is the author of the poetry collection A History of Water (Finishing Line Press, 2007). Her writing has been published in numerous journals over three decades and anthologized in The Breath of Parted Lips: Voices from the Frost Place, Volume II and Shadow and Light: A Literary Anthology on Memory. Committed to community-based creative collaboration, MacNeil facilitates the Professional Writing Series hosted through the New England College Danforth Library. Her current memoir project titled Sugar explores family illness. Professor of Writing at New England College, MacNeil has long taught students to tell their stories and look forward to working with public audiences.

 This program is taking place via Zoom on Thursday, May 6, at 6:00 PM and is sponsored by the New Hampshire Humanities and the Friends of the Kimball Library.  Register ASAP in person, over the phone, or on our website to receive your Zoom link. This program has a limited registration.

 MISA’S CLEAN KITCHEN: Looking for nutrient-dense food options for your family? Want your children to have fun in the kitchen, while developing life-long kitchen skills? Please join Misa, from Misa's Clean Kitchen in baking simple and delicious food, free of gluten, dairy, and processed sugar. Class will take place via Zoom with Kimball Library on Tuesday, May 4, at 4:30 PM.

This fourth and final class is making ‘Cookie Monster Dip’. Once you register you’ll be sent an email that has the Zoom link as well as the baking supplies and tools that your children will need to make the recipe.

So far, children have made Popeye’s Pancakes, Hulk Muffins, and Rainbow Fish Nuggets. Don’t miss out!

 READERS THEATER: Get your reading and drama practice ON! Reader’s Theater is a fun way to expand your reading and speaking skills. Join other children in grades 2-5 via Zoom on Thursday, May 13, at 6:30 PM.

We have the plays and will email the script to you so you can practice your part or it can be available for pick-up. Register ASAP to get your Zoom link and a script will be prepared for you. Maybe this will be your start toward Broadway and the big world out there!

STAY TUNED: Visit our website, FaceBook page, Twitter account, YouTube or Instagram to learn about more program updates and more resources. 

MORE INFO: Go to https://kimballlibrary.com to use the data bases and online services. Miss a news article?  Go to https://kimballlibrary.blogspot.com to read each and every one! You may also call us Monday-Friday from 10-8 and on Saturday from 10-3 at 603.362.5234 to register for an event with a live person who would love to help you.