The Founding Fathers: What Were They Thinking? Thursday 5/24 at 7pm

Local Resident and historian Dick Hesse will present a NH Humanities Council Program "The Founding Fathers: What Were They Thinking?"  In 1787 delegates gathered in Philadelphia to address a wide variety of crises facing the young United States of America and produced a charter for a new government.  In modern times, competing political and legal claims are frequently based on what those intended.  Mythology about the founders and their work at the 1787 Convention has obscured both fact and legitimate analysis of the events leading to the agreement called the Constitution.  The program explores the cast of characters called "Founders", the problems they faced and the solutions they fashioned.

The Old Country Fiddler this Thursday at 7pm

Charles Ross Taggart was a traveling entertainer who grew up in Topsham, Vermont and performed in various stage shows across the country for over 40 years, starting in 1895. A fiddler, piano player, humorist, singer and ventriloquist, he made at least 25 recordings with the Victor, Edison, and Columbia compansies and appeared in a talking movie picture 6 years before Al Jolson starred in The Jazz Singer. Adam Boyce portrays Mr. Taggart near the end of his career, c.1936, sharing recollections on his life and career, with some live fiddling and humorous sketches interspersed in this living history program. Thursday May 17th at 7pm in the Community Room of the Library. A New Hampshire Humanities Council Program.

The Art and Architecture of the Mandolin

Friday May 11 at 7pm. Listen to some sweet tunes and learn about mandolin design and construction with Max and Lauri Girourard and John Holden.

Miniature Horse at the Library!

All ages are welcome to drop in on Saturday May 5th from 2:00-3:30pm to meet Cover Girl, a miniature horse, listen to a horse tale, and get your picture taken with her!!

Be a Friend of the Library!

Now's your chance to come to the annual Friends Meeting, get a free meal, meet some great people, and have your voice heard! Join us on Wednesday April 18th at 6pm in the Community Room of the library - kindly RSVP (with Elizabeth at 746-1000 or leave a message at the Circulation Desk) to give us a food head count and tell us if you need a ride.  Hope to see you there!

Edible Books! Sunday April 1st at 2pm.

WHAT?  The only rule is that you create something entirely edible based on a book, book title or literary theme.
WHO?  EVERYONE!! Kids, adults and families are invited to bring in their creations!
WHAT ELSE?  Fiddle music with Fiona Shea and Madeleine Stewart!
WHEN?   April 1st starting at 2pm in the Community Room of the Hopkinton Town Library. Tables will be set up by 1pm so you can bring in your "edible book".  All are welcome at this family event, even if you haven't made an edible book!
WHY?  To celebrate books and libraries (and because it will be fun!)
The International Edible Book Festival is a creation of Judith A. Hoffberg and Beatrice Coron. The first festival took place in 2000 and has been taking place at venues around the world ever since, usually on April 1st, the birthday of French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1862).  Do a web search on "edible books" or "books2eat" to find out more.

Pictures from our previous Edible Books Fair are here.
 

READ-A-THON - Attention kids age 5 and up!  While your parents are at the School District Meeting this Saturday you can read all morning!  Bring books and a lunch; snack will be provided.  Please call the library at 746-3663 to register or email Leigh at lmaynard@hopkintontownlibrary.org.  Program will take place in the Community Room from 8:45am-1pm Saturday March 17th.

Classical Music concert this Sunday!

Boogie with the B’s:

Dance Through Time with Classical Duets.

Hopkinton Town Library

Sunday February 19^th 

3pm

Please join us as cellist Dorothy Braker and violinist Lissa Thomas give a musical tour of great classical works from the famous "B" composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Bartok, as well as some others, including Vivaldi and Gliere. Come enjoy the concert, ask questions, and learn about stringed instruments and chamber music.  All ages are welcome, including the young and wiggly!

Ten Million Steps: Hiking the Appalachian Trail with Justin and Patrice Lavigne

On Thursday February 9th at 6:30pm former Hopkinton Recreation Director Justin Lavigne and his wife Patrice will show slides and talk about their recent completion of the Appalachian Trail. This program will also be offered at the Slusser Senior Center (next door to the library) the same day at 1:30pm.

Musical Instrument Petting Zoo

Sunday Feb.5th from 4-6pm all ages are invited to join Concord Community Music School and their traveling instrument zoo in the Library's Community Room.  Listen to demos and have fun trying the musical instruments yourself!

Free tax help at the Library!

The AARP Tax Aide income tax assistance and preparation program is back at the Library again this year. Tax preparers will be available on Tuesdays from 10:15am-3:30pm from February 7th through April17th.  APPOINTMENTS ARE REQUIRED. Call the library at 746-3663 to schedule your appointment today.  Membership in AARP is not required.

Chinese New Year Celebration - this Sunday 2-4pm!

http://www.hopkintontownlibrary.org/chinesenewyr12.pdf

Read with Ben our Shetland Sheepdog today between 4:30 and 5:30! Call for your 10 minute slot - 746-3663.

Great programs this weekend!

It's a busy time of year but you should try to take time to come to two great programs this weekend.  On Saturday Dec. 17 at 3:30pm, 2011 Grammy nominee Judy Pancoast will be here for a family concert.  On Sunday Dec. 18 at 4pm, our own local resident Kevin Gardner will be here to read from a variety of works for all ages including A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas and The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren. 

Genealogy Program

Part 3 of our Genealogy Series is Wednesday 12/7 at 6:30pm in the Community Room.  Genealogist Christine Sharbrough joins us once again to talk about Online Genealogy.  Learn the 5 best reference books, the 5 best websites, the 5 things to do now, and the 5 forms to use in your research. Even if you haven't been to the first 2 programs this will be very useful to you!

Come and hear Ken Gloss talk: "Is There Value in Your Old and Rare Books?"

Ken Gloss, of the Brattle Book Shop in Boston will be here this Thursday 11/3 at 6:30pm.  Ken is the proprietor of the Brattle Book Shop, one of America's oldest and largest antiquarian bookstores, as well as an appraiser on the PBS program Antiques Roadshow.  Bring your book treasures for Ken to review!

A Piano in Every Room!

Join us this Wednesday evening at 7 pm when local author Rosamond van der Linde, founder of the Sonatina School of Piano, will read from her memoir A Piano in Every Room. The book tells the astonishing story of a family living in a 42 room house with 34 pianos!

This Sunday - Mother Nature's Child

On Sunday October 23 at 4pm we're showing  Mother Nature's Child, a 2010 film that explores the essential ways nature experience promotes children's well-being, contributes to the future of the planet and nourishes the human spirit. Following the film there will be a discussion with the film's co-producer Wendy Conquest. Free and open to the public.

Get outside and READ!

Looking for a new way to enjoy the outdoors? It's on the path behind the playground (which is behind the Hopkinton Town Library). The book, Moose Tracks, by Karma Wilson, is displayed along the path for you and your family to read as you walk. The book was generously donated by Main Street Bookends, located in Warner, NH. Knowlton Realtors provided the box holding the trail notebook. Be sure to let us know that you've been on the trail by recording it in the notebook and tell us what you think!

The Story Walk TM will be there from now until spring, for you to enjoy in sneakers or snowshoes!

Free and open to the public. Questions? Call the Hopkinton Town Library at 746-3663 or email Lmaynard@hopkintontownlibrary.org

News from Mrs. Maynard - Your generous donations of moose money this summer, will be used to support the Bald Eagle at New Hampshire Audubon in Concord for the month of November. I hope you'll be able to go visit the eagle this month, along with the other raptors and birds. Thank you so much for your kind donations.