Friday, March 30, 2007

The Magazine Shuffle at the Lane Memorial Library

HEY! Where has my favorite magazine gone?

When you come in looking for your favorites, you’ll notice we’ve changed
things around a bit. Instead of a strict alphabetical arrangement, we’ve
put the magazines in groups according to subjects. Confused? Don’t be.
It’s how you look for magazines in your favorite news store. Or Barnes &
Noble. We’re confident that you’ll like this better, because you’ll find
not only your favorites, but maybe you’ll discover some new favorites
that you didn’t know we carried.

Doubt it?

Let’s take a look. Do you like Cooking Light, or Cook’s Illustrated? How
about Chili Pepper? Or Saveur? You may not have heard of these
magazines, let alone realized we have them here for you to check out.
Why limit yourself to just one or two cooking magazines when you can
glance at a bunch all at once? And speaking of cooking magazines, this
is straight from Chili Pepper’s website:

“Welcome to Chile Pepper magazine, the hottest magazine around for those
who love bold, flavorful food. We are your destination for recipes,
travel ideas, news on hot sauces, the scoop on salsas and the zesty
lifestyle. In each issue, you’ll find over 50 full-flavored recipes, as
well as restaurant coverage from chili cook-offs and barbecue to
southwestern and international fine dining.

Chile Pepper has been the spicy food-lover’s publication of choice for
over 20 years. Our readers turn to us for everything from spicing up the
holiday turkey, discovering new cooking gadgets, planning zesty
vacations and learning how to grow chiles in the garden. With special
issues on Latin, Caribbean, Cajun and Creole, Mediterranean and
barbecue, there’s something for everyone—even healthy, low-fat recipes.
You’ll find all that and more in Chile Pepper. As fiery foods from
around the world become more popular, things can only get hotter!”

Now, what adventurous cook can resist that?

So, cooking isn't your thing? No problem. Let’s look at a couple of
other magazines we have that you may not know about. How about a
magazine called The Sun? The library just started subscribing to this
little-known gem. This is what their website has to say:

“If you haven't heard of The Sun, you're not alone. Readers who think
they've discovered a remarkable new publication are often surprised to
find out we've been in existence more than thirty years. Unfortunately,
you're not likely to find The Sun at your regular newsstand. Many
distributors won't carry it because it's not "commercial" enough: we
don't carry advertising, and we regularly print pieces that are too
risky, too personal, too sad, too something. Yet somehow the magazine
finds its way into the right hands; readers who appreciate writing that
doesn't talk down to them or up to them, but meets their level gaze.

The Sun isn't "literary" or "political" or "spiritual" in the usual
sense. It begins where those labels end, which is where life gets
interesting. Each month, in essays, stories, interviews, and poetry,
people write in The Sun of their struggle to understand their lives,
often baring themselves with surprising intimacy. Our writers aren't
afraid to take risks, to look at something ugly -- or beautiful -- and
describe it honestly.”

And how about the Registry Review, found in our business and consumer
section next to New Hampshire Business Review, Forbes, Fortune, and
Money? The Registry Review lists all real estate transactions in New
Hampshire each week.

The new arrangement of magazines will take some getting used to, but you
might be pleasantly surprised at what you’ll discover in “new” titles
that may not be so new. Come to the library and check it out!

Saturday, March 24, 2007

NH Traveling Pants Program

Inspired by The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares, teens in libraries all across New Hampshire are making connections, building friendships, and sharing memories with their own Traveling Pants program. The Pants--actually, three pairs of The Pants--are already journeying across the state. They'll land in Hampton for the week of April 16-21, and we have a few things planned in their honor.

To kick off our week with The Pants, local artist Jar Bement will lead a fabric painting workshop for Hampton students in grades 6-12. This free workshop, quickly becoming an annual event, is made possible by Jar's generous donation of her time and expertise. As fits the occasion, the focus of the workshop will be fabric painting for jeans. Painting supplies will be provided, but participants should come prepared with their own jeans. The workshop will be on Saturday, April 14, at 1:00 p.m. Space is limited, so please call or stop by the children's room at the library to register: 926-4729. Don't miss this opportunity to create your own designer jeans! (Examples of Jar's designs are on display on the bulletin board downstairs. Look for pictures online soon, too.)

On Monday, April 16, the Teen Advisory Board will meet after school to sign The Pants, work on the official "Pants" scrapbook, hang out, and enjoy some munchies. New members are welcome. Talk to Cheryl to learn more.

On Wednesday, April 18, the library will celebrate Hampton Academy's early release day with a showing of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants movie (PG). Open to students in grade 6 and up. Showtime is 12:15 p.m. Popcorn will be provided. After the movie, we hope to wrap up our decoration of The Pants by attaching the winning embellishment for Hampton (see contest description below).

The Embellishment Contest
What exactly is this embellishment anyway?
It is a patch, pin, buttons, beads, key chains, charms, embroidered design, or any combination of such items that is meant to represent Hampton on The Pants. The idea is to give other towns a sense of our place, our community. Now that you understand that, here are the specifics for the contest:
  • Open to Hampton students in grades 6-12
  • Embellishment must be no larger than 2" x 2" (with room for some writing next to it)
  • Embellishment must something that can be attached securely (and easily) to The Pants (i.e., using safety pins, sewing, or ironing it on)
  • Submission deadline: Wednesday, April 11 (in the children's room)
  • Voting for favorite embellishment (open to the public): April 12-17, downstairs at the library
  • Attachment of the winning embellishment: April 18
In addition to representing Hampton on The Pants, the designer of the winning embellishment will also receive a free copy of Forever in Blue: the Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood, by Ann Brashares. Have fun! Get creative! And get your submission to Cheryl by April 11!

If you want a wee glimpse of some of the other programs around the state, check out the NH Traveling Pants Blog: http://nhtravelingpants.blogspot.com/

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Stuff Made with a Little Help from the Library

Have you ever used a library book to create or build something? Is it an item that you are proud of and would enjoy showing off? If so, pick up an entry form for our "Stuff Made with a Little Help from the Library" display.

The display is open to Hampton students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

The "stuff" can be anything from crafts to artwork to volcanoes (small ones, that is), to name just a few possibilities. Beading, painting, paper crafts, woodworking, science projects--use your imagination, and I'll bet you can think of something you've made using library books. The only requirements are that the item be small enough to share the display case with other projects, be appropriate for all ages, and, of course, be made with the help of a library book (or books).

The "help" means either inspiration for the original idea or assistance with the how-to part of your creation.

Entry forms are available in the children's room. The deadline for submitting forms is April 14, 2007. The display will go up for the month of May.

Show us how the library has helped you!

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

"In Celebration of the Short Story": March 24th Lecture


Re-scheduled! Join Humanities Council scholar Joan Dempsey on Saturday afternoon, March 24th at the Lane Memorial Library for a fascinating exploration into the art of the short story. In as few as two pages, a short story can leave you feeling as if you've inhabited an entire world, met real people, and experienced complex emotions. What makes for compelling short fiction? You'll hear and/or read a story or two and explore why it does or doesn't work; talk about masters of the genre like Flannery O'Connor, Eudora Welty, and Andre Dubus; browse current contemporary masters like Alice Munro, Ron Carlson, and John Cheever; and discuss the status of the short story in today's fast-paced world. For those who are budding short story writers, Joan will offer tips and ideas on structuring a great story.

This free lecture and discussion will begin at 3:00 PM in the downstairs Lane Room, and is open to the public. For more information, contact Darrell Eifert, head of Adult Services, at (603) 926-3368.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Teen Tech Week Survey

If you are a Hampton student in 6th-12th grade--or if you know someone who is--please take a look at our special Teen Tech Week Survey. The survey will only be available this week, March 4-10, and only the first 100 respondents will be eligible to participate, so check it out soon!

Teens: Simply click on this link and answer the questions. Please complete the survey one time and one time only. (Remember the first 100 thing from above.) No registration required. It's free, it's anonymous, and it's all about teens and technology--what's not to love?

Thanks!