Library Corner: Goodall

by Goodall Library staff

Updates from Goodall Library 

We have had a busy summer so far here at Goodall Library, but it’s been an amazing one as well. We recently went fine-free, our wifi hotspots have been a huge hit, masks are now optional, and our Film Fridays program has been booming. We have a grand renovation planned and are starting to raise funds for that, too! If you would like to help, please check out the new merch we have for sale at the library or consider making a donation to our capital campaign. We also have 180 people signed up for our Tails & Tales Summer Reading Program, ranging from toddlers to adults, all of whom are doing a spectacular job using their Beanstack app to track their reading and try new activities.

Upcoming Events, all part of the Tails & Tales Summer Reading Program:

Chewonki Presents: Scales & Tails: Friday July 16th @ 11am: No slots open, but you may add your child’s name to a waiting list in case other attendees cancel. This educational, fun event will feature some live reptiles and be held outside on the library grounds. If there is inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled to another date.

Online Harry Potter Trivia: Saturday July 31st @ 3pm on Zoom: Test your knowledge of all things Harry Potter on the famed wizard’s birthday! Participate in teams or individually. Top 3 teams will win themed prizes. No sign-ups required.

STEM Event: Buoyancy Experiments/Flinking: Thursday August 5th @ 2pm: Sign-ups begin July 22nd. Join volunteers from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard as they lead you through experiments to help you figure out what floats, what doesn’t, and why. This event will be held outside on the library grounds. If there is inclement weather, the event will be moved inside to our Community Room.

Kids Read to Dogs: Wednesday August 11th @ 11am – 12:30pm: Sign-ups begin July 29th. Choose a 15-minute time slot during the program to come in with your child and have them read to a certified therapy dog. We are so lucky to have the dogs and handlers from Golden Love Therapy in Wells, ME back again for this special event. This event will be held outside on the library grounds. If there is inclement weather, the event will be moved inside to our Community Room.

Finding Science in Folktales: Monday August 16th – Thursday August 19th: Pick up one of our 50 available kits at the beginning of the week, first come first serve. Kits will have activities related to a series of videos we will post, courtesy of the Children’s Museum of NH. Each video will offer an energetic reading of a folktale, with a walkthrough of one of the kit activities to show something science-related in that folktale. If you do not get an activity kit, you can still enjoy the free videos any time that week.

Summer Reading End Celebration at Belgian Meadows Farm: Saturday August 21st @ 11am – 1pm: Sign-ups going on now. Limited space available so sign up early to guarantee a spot. This is going to be a wonderful outdoor event to celebrate all our young readers. Belgian Meadows Farm is located at 279 Merchants Row in Lebanon, ME. Kids will be able to enjoy wagon rides, educational activities about horses, a playground, tree swing, walking trails, snacks, and more. Call the library or view the event on Facebook for more info.

Weekly Craft Kits and Online Story Times: Each week during the summer, we have a new “Tails & Tales” themed craft kit available for pickup at the library. They tend to run out fast so we suggest getting them at the beginning of the week. See the schedule for crafts in the Summer Reading Program Welcome Packet. A related story time is posted on Goodall Library’s Facebook page each Thursday at 11am, and is available to view any time thereafter.

New Books:

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig: This new adult fiction book is a “feel-good book guaranteed to lift your spirits” written by acclaimed author Matt Haig.  Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality.  One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life.  While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself?  Would any of these other lives truly be better?

Any Way the Wind Blows (Simon Snow #3) by Rainbow Rowell: This new young adult fiction book is the conclusion to Rainbow Rowell’s acclaimed Simon Snow trilogy, featuring Carry On and Wayward Son. In this final story, Simon is deciding whether he still wants to be a part of the World of Mages, and if he doesn’t, what that might mean for his relationship. Meanwhile Baz, Penelope, and Agatha are dealing with their own special brand of crises. It is a book about endings. About catharsis and closure, and how we choose to move on from the traumas and triumphs that try to define us.

Clarinet & Trumpet by Melanie Ellsworth: This fun new picture book is charming, funny, and comes with a shaker that is delightful rather than headache-inducing. It tells the story of the great friendship between Clarinet and Trumpet, and how that friendship falls flat when a new woodwind – Oboe – steals Clarinet’s attentions in the music room. This tale has vibrant illustrations and solid themes, and is a must-read for ages 4 – 7. Younger readers may enjoy the shaker as well.