It must be December! The “Trees for Sale” sign is up at the East Andover Fire Station, and Ragged Mountain and Mount Kearsarge looked beautiful with their light dusting of snow recently. We have already put the Thanksgiving books away and brought the Christmas books out of storage and put them on display.
With all the uncertainties of living during a pandemic and an unsettling election cycle, it is easy to forget how fortunate we are to be living in this particularly beautiful corner of the earth. As we enter the holiday season, it is a good time to practice the fine art of counting our blessings; whether it is a neighbor waving as they drive by, hearing a familiar voice on the phone, or the sound of the Canada geese honking as they fly south, we do have much to be grateful for, for the many things that bring us joy.
As the weather turns colder and we spend more time indoors, this is a good time to get some books from your libraries; books that can teach you new things, expose you to different ideas, or transport you to a different time and place. If you are uncomfortable coming into the library, we are happy to bring you materials curbside.
With the holidays in mind we are holding another raffle – a holiday raffle. Patrons will receive a raffle ticket every time they check materials out from the library, including the State Library Inter-Library Loan system.
Thanks to the generosity of the wonderful businesses in town, we will have prizes from Belletetes, Circle K, JJ’s Market and Deli, Naughty Nellies, Pizza Chef, and The Repeat Boutique — and hopefully a few more by the time of the drawing on December 21. Please remember to ask for a Holiday Raffle Ticket every time you check out materials (including Inter-Library Loan) from either library.
Gift Giving
As you think about gift giving, please keep the library and literacy in mind. Instead of giving that special person a book, please consult with either librarian and purchase that book through the library. We can dedicate that book to the recipient and wrap it. You present the book, and when they are done reading it, it can come back to the library and become part of our collection.
If you would like to give something practical with a library theme that supports literacy, then consider purchasing a book bag, mug or a T-shirt from OutOfPrint.com: “Out of Print has donated over three million books to communities in need and supported a variety of literacy initiatives. With every purchase, you help us to make a difference, while also supporting the authors, publishers, and artists who helped bring these iconic works to life.”
Another possibility would be to donate to ReachOutAndRead.org in honor of a special person. Reach Out and Read “coaches parents on the importance of reading to their children every evening and gives away children’s books, often to homes without a single kid’s book. Reach Out and Read is astonishingly cost-effective — about $20 per child per year — because it piggybacks on pediatricians who donate their time. The idea is that pediatricians should not only prescribe antibiotics for ear infections, but also prescribe reading to set up the child for a better future.”
Book Club
The Book Club will be reading Frederik Bachman’s feel-good story, Britt-Marie Was Here. The publisher summarizes the book: “Britt-Marie can’t stand mess. She is not one to judge others — no matter how ill-mannered, unkempt, or morally suspect they might be. It’s just that sometimes people interpret her helpful suggestions as criticisms, which is certainly not her intention.
“But hidden inside the socially awkward, fussy busybody is a woman who has more imagination, bigger dreams, and a warmer heart that anyone around her realizes.
“When Britt-Marie walks out on her cheating husband and has to fend for herself in the miserable backwater town of Borg, she finds work as the caretaker of a soon-to-be demolished recreation center. The fastidious Britt-Marie soon finds herself being drawn into the daily doings of her fellow citizens, an odd assortment of miscreants, drunkards, and layabouts.
“Most alarming of all, she’s given the impossible task of leading the supremely untalented children’s soccer team to victory. In this small town of misfits, can Britt-Marie find a place where she truly belongs?
“Funny and moving, sweet and inspiring, Britt-Marie Was Here celebrates the importance of community and connection in a world that can feel isolating.”
Please swing by either library to pick up a copy (available starting December 4 per Inter-Library Loan quarantine requirements), and let Lee or Priscilla know that you would like to join the Zoom discussion on Wednesday, December 16, at 7 PM, and we will send you the Zoom link.
Please remember that both libraries will be closed on Thursday and Friday, December 24 and 25 and again on Thursday and Friday, December 31 and January 1. So please stock up on your holiday reading early.
Best wishes for a healthy and happy holiday season!