Aaron Cutler Memorial Library

Fahrenheit 451, a classic written by author Ray Bradbury, is a frightening vision of the future, where firemen don’t put out fires—they start them in order to burn books. Bradbury's vividly painted society holds up the appearance of happiness as the highest goal—a place where trivial information is good, and knowledge and ideas are bad. (…read more)

Read the book and join the online discussion at Aaron's Book of the Month Club. Discussion will start the first week of the month. General information will be shared first, followed by specific questions. You may join in the discussion of any question at any time during the month. This Yahoo group can be read by members online or by email.

A limited number of books should be available at the circulation desk beginning September 5th, or you can download the novel for free through the New Hampshire Downloadable Audio Book website.

The Big Read: New Hampshire Reads Fahrenheit 451, a project of the Center for the Book at the New Hampshire State Library in partnership with the New Hampshire Humanities Council. The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.

Labels: big read, book discussion for adults, book discussion for teens, book of the month club, ReaDiNG RooM News, TeeN RooM News

10 Ways to Raise a Reader

As a child, we're you a voracious or reluctant reader? Here are 10 tips to use to make sure your child loves to read:

1. Read to your child every day. It’s never too early to start—even newborns respond to hearing you read.


2. Continue reading together even after your child learns to read. Older children still enjoy listening to others read.


3. Make stories come alive for your child when you read. Be animated and use different voices.


4. Be patient—let your child read at his or her own pace. Offer helo\p only when needed.


5. Discuss what you read together. Ask questions, and listen attentively to your child’s answers.


6. Make reading time special. Cuddle up in a quiet, comfortable spot. Your child will associate reading with feeling secure, relaxed, and loved.


7. Encourage your child to read at least 15 minutes a day, either to you or independently.


8. Take along your child’s favorite books wherever you go. Read on the bus, in line at the store, or in waiting rooms.


9. Take your child to the library often and check out a variety of age appropriate reading material.


10. Be a role model—read on your own. By seeing how much you enjoy reading, your child will learn that it’s a great source of information and fun. (from Positive Promotions)

During Library Card Sign Up Month, pay special attention to #9 and make sure all the kids you know have a library card!

Labels: KiDS' RooM News, library card sign up month, lsa, ReC RooM News

 

This Week @ the Library...

Library Card Sign Up Month Week Three:
Another 7 Ways to Use Your Library Card -- Try One!

1. Connect with other people in the community.


2. Get a book from another New Hampshire library.


3. Join the F. A. N. Club.


4. Ask for a recommended reading list for your kids.


5. Pick up a DVD.


6. Learn how to use a database or the computer catalog.


7. Get new ideas for redecorating your house.

Get 'em While They're Hot!
Pick up a copy of Fahrenheit 451 for the October 3rd book discussion.

Labels: library card sign up month, this week

 

"Back to School" Reading @ your library

Here are some books about going to school that kids will like to read--stop in and check one out!

Picture Books
Arthur’s Back to School Day by Lillian Hoban
Berenstain Bears Back to School by Stan & Jan Berenstain
David Goes to School by David Shannon
The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble
Little Rabbit Goes to School by Harry Horse
Miss Bindergarten Stays Home From Kindergarten by Joseph Slate
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
Second Grade Ape by Daniel Pinkwater
Vera’s First Day of School by Vera Rosenberry (audio)
What do Teachers Do (After YOU Leave School)? By Anne Bowen

Chapter Books
Farewell, My Lunchbag: From the Tattered Casebook of Chet Gecko, Private Eye by Bruce Hale
Frindle by Andrew Clements
Heads or Tails: Stories from the Sixth Grade by Jack Gantos
Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day by Gary Paulsen
The School Skeleton by Ron Roy
Shredderman: Attack of the Tagger by Wendelin Van Draanen
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
There’s a Boy in the Girls Bathroom by Louis Sachar
The Top Ten Ways to Ruin the First Day of 5th Grade by Ken Derby
The World According to Humphrey by Betty Birney

To find other books about going to school, search for the subject "schools" in the library catalog.

Labels: KiDS' RooM News, reading suggestions

 

New Hampshire Librarian's Day

Yesterday, Library Trustee Diane Jerry and I attended New Hampshire Librarian’s Day in Washington D. C. This whirlwind one day trip began with a 6:40 am flight on Southwest and ended when we touched down in Manchester at 9:20 pm. In between, nestled among a number of delays and many, many stairs, we visited the National Portrait Gallery, had lunch at the Library of Congress, met with the Librarian of Congress James H. Billington, and toured the Library of Congress and the Capitol.

We heard many interesting stories, and saw many beautiful things throughout the day, but one thing in particular reminded me of summer reading at our library. While not aesthetically beautiful, it is a creative beauty. Think License Plate Lingo meets the preamble of the Constitution of the United States. That’s right, 50 license plates representing the 50 states that, when put together, spell out the preamble of the Constitution in an interesting way.

Diane and I were truly exhausted by the end of the day. It was a great trip, and D. C. is a wonderful place to visit. I highly recommend it.

Labels: miscellaneous, ReC RooM News

 

This Week @ the Library...

Library Card Sign Up Month Week Two:
7 More Ways to Use Your Library Card -- Try One!

1. Learn about the history of Litchfield.


2. Make photocopies.


3. Call the reference desk if you have a question.


4. Let your children choose an armload of books for free.


5. Borrow or download a language course and learn a new language.


6. Take out the latest entertainment magazine.


7. Find a new recipe.

Peek-a-Boo Bookworm Take 'n Make
Pick up your craft kit this week.

Labels: library card sign up month, this week

 

Home Bookshelf Makeover: Kind of like a home perm, but not as risky.

According to Real Simple magazine, there are three simple steps to a “neater book nook.” First, decide which books, or categories of books, you want to keep and remove the books you want to get rid of. Second, regroup the books you decided to keep in a “way that makes sense for your purpose,” such as genre, author, subject, size, color, or books you’ve read vs. books you haven’t read. Finally, reorganize your shelves for visual appeal. Consider stacking some books horizontally, lining up the spines along the same line at the front of the shelf, and leaving space on the shelf for a picture frame, decorative bowl, etc.

In my home, I use a variety of approaches. My non-fiction is arranged loosely in Dewey Decimal order, spines aligned at the front, with a decorative item placed here and there. My fiction is separated by what I’ve read and what I haven’t read. And finally, in my living room, which is decorated with an Americana theme, I keep presidential biographies at the bottom of my display shelves—some placed vertically, some placed horizontally.

How do you organize your books at home? Click on "comments" below and let us know!

Read the full Home Bookshelf Makeover article online. For more helpful tips, check-out an issue of Real Simple at your library.

Labels: miscellaneous, ReC RooM News

 

New Garden Path

The library has a new garden path thanks to sophomore Cameron Harford. Cameron approached the library and Litchfield Garden Club with a proposal to create a garden path of stone and pavers to enhance the existing gardens. Once given the OK, he secured donated materials from a local landscaper. In addition to the garden path, a fresh layer of mulch was added, as well as several new plantings.

Stop by to view the lovely results.

Labels: miscellaneous

 

Peek-a-Boo Bookworm Take 'n Make

Pick up your take home Peek-a-Boo Bookworm craft kit September 11 - 15!

Labels: events/activities for kids, KiDS' RooM News, take 'n make

 

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising Coming to a Theater Near You

The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising is a film adaptation of the second book in Susan Cooper's acclaimed The Dark Is Rising Sequence. Opening nationwide on October 5, the movie, "tells the story of Will Stanton, a young man who learns he is the last of a group of warriors who have dedicated their lives to fighting the forces of the Dark. Traveling back and forth through time, Will discovers a series of clues which lead him into a showdown with forces of unimaginable power. With the Dark once again rising, the future of the world rests in Will's hands." (Internet Movie Database)

Labels: KiDS' RooM News, ReC RooM News, TeeN RooM News

 

This Week @ the Library...

Library Card Sign Up Month Week One:
7 Ways to Use Your Library Card -- Try One!

1. Join a book discussion group, live or online.


2. Pick up a copy of the Annual Reports for the Town of Litchfield Town.


3. Borrow an activity pass.


4. Get homework help.


5. Borrow or download an audiobook for your next road trip or commute.


6. Decide which computer to buy using a consumer guide.


7. Read a large-type book without wearing your glasses.

All Booked Up on Wednesday
Stop by at 6:30 p.m. for a discussion of Nevil Shute's A Town Like Alice.

Book of the Month Club
Copies of September's White Ghost Girls are available at the Circulation Desk.

Labels: library card sign up month, this week

 

28 Ways to Use Your Library Card

During the month of September, we’ll spotlight 28 ways you can use your library card, one week at a time. Try something new or recommend something to a friend during Library Card Sign-Up Month.

Labels: library card sign up month

 

The Smartest Card is @ Your Library

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and we want to make sure that your child is among the two-thirds of Americans that carry the smartest card of all – a library card!

Studies show that children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are more likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifetime learning. Because of this, we consider a library card to be the most important school supply of all. Children can come to the library to get homework help and check out books, as well as check out DVDs, pick up crafts to go, and attend programs, all making after school life a little more fun.

This month, the library is holding its annual library card sign-up contest between the first grade classes at Griffin Memorial School. Library card applications will be sent home with each child, and at the end of the month, the class with the most library card holders, both old and new, will win a special story time with Children’s Librarian Carrie-Anne Pace.

For more information on how you can sign up for your library card, stop in for a visit, call us at 424-4044, or simply send us an email.

Labels: KiDS' RooM News, library card sign up month

Remember to READ 4 THe FuN oF iT @ Aaron Cutler Memorial Library!