Busy Saturday Planned at the Library!

We have a lot going on this Saturday at the Library,
and remember all these events are FREE!

***10:30am Paws for Reading: Come read to Goldie the dog in the Children's Room. Call to sign up for a 15 minute time slot. (516-6052)

***11:00am: Family friendly Mozart concert at the Library.  This live classical music concert will feature Naho Bessho on piano, Sally Wituszynski on violin, and soprano Melissa Manseau.  They will play some well-known pieces from Mozart, including the “Turkish March”, a violin sonata, and arias from his operas. Designed especially for families, the concert’s length will be just 40-45 minutes so that children may attend and enjoy the music too. The performers’ goal is to encourage classical music appreciation among all ages.

 

***2pm: Free showing of the movie Paranorman--rated PG.

Holiday Book Giving

Do you have any young children to buy Christmas gifts for this year? I have quite a few on my list, and have been having a ball pouring over my recent favorite picture books to find the perfect one for each child. I usually use the latest Ladybug Picture Book list as a starting off point, and I usually fall in love with quite a few, and move on from there. Here are the ones I have purchased so far:

***Calvin Can't Fly by Jennifer Berne. Calvin is a starling who would prefer to spend his time reading books rather than learning to fly. Sounds good until it is time to fly south for the winter. Calvin's brothers, sisters, and cousins come to his rescue and he is able to return the good deed. The illustrations are wonderful--if only our library was in the hollow of a tree--sigh.

***Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld. This is the story of Cloudette, a "pipsqueak" of a cloud, who learns that there are some advantages to being small, even if she can't take part in the spectacular storms with the big guys .

***If I Built a House (also If I Built a Car) by Chris Van Dusen. In this book, young Jack imagines what his house would look like it he were the designer. It has all the necessities like a zero gravity room, and a race track! Sure to get young minds working on their own designs.

***Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin. I love this fun loving cat and his groovy ways. There are other books in the Pete the Cat series, and these are great read aloud books. Fun, fun, fun! 

***Those Darn Squirrels Fly South by Adam Rubin. (or Those Darn Squirrels & Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door). Featuring crotchety Old Man Fookwire, his beloved birds, and their nemesis--those darn squirrels. Silly, fun, and hilarious for kids as well as adults.

November is Picture Book Month

Last year, an international literacy initiative that celebrates the print picture book was launched by author/storyteller Dianne de Las Casas.  She felt that she needed to do something in response to an article published in the New York Times that said picture books were on their way out (Let’s hope not!).  Because of this initiative, November has been chosen as Picture Book Month and is now celebrated around the Globe. Be sure to visit their website, http://picturebookmonth.com/, to read some very interesting articles by famous authors and other picture book champions on "Why Picture Books Are Important".

To join in this celebration, the Children’s Room staff has updated their list and created a new brochure for  “Picture Books Every Child Should Know”.  Pick up your copy in the Children’s Room or download a copy click here. 

Busy Saturday at the Library

The Library will be closed on Thursday & Friday, November 22 & 23. We will reopen on Saturday, November 24, and will be showing The Amazing Spider-Man at 2:00pm in the Lecture Hall! It is also "Lego Saturday" in the Children's Room!  Use our Legos or bring your own to build and create. Meet new friends, share your building tips, get new ideas, and have fun! Legos will be available all day.

Read This Before You Go Shopping!

EbscoHost, the company that produces the beloved NoveList, also puts out a magazine and newspaper index called EbscoHost Magazine and Newspaper Search. It offers a very useful feature that allows you to search for product reviews. If you can't find a review for band saws in Consumer Reports you may find a great product review in another magazine by using this search.

Choose MasterFILE Premier from the EbscoHost Menu.
At the search screen choose Advanced Search. It's located under the search box.
On the right side of the screen is a box called Document Type. Select Product Review, then search for what ever item you want to research!

Anyone can use EbscoHost from inside the Library, and Dover Public Library cardholders can use it from home by linking to EbscoHost.

Let Me Count the Ways

Every once in awhile I am reminded of how much I love NoveList, and then I feel compelled to tell all of you.  I had a middle schooler in yesterday who had to read books above a certain lexile level.  For those of you unfamiliar with lexiles it is an educational tool used to match readers with books for their reading level.  It can be difficult to find lexile levels, but not on NoveList of course.  We were able to use the advanced search in NoveList and input the required lexile, the student's age range, and the type of book that interested her, and voila--an appropriate list of books.  NoveList is connected to our Online Card Catalog, and with a click of a button we can tell if we own the book, and if it is checked in.  Anyone can use NoveList from inside the Library, and Dover Public Library cardholders can use it from home by linking to EbscoHost.  Did I mention that I love NoveList!

Family-Friendly Mozart at the Library!

On Saturday morning, December 1 at 11am, the Dover Public Library will host a free, live classical music concert featuring three performers and some well-known pieces from Mozart, including the “Turkish March”, a violin sonata, and arias from his operas. Designed especially for families, the concert’s length will be just 40-45 minutes so that children may attend and enjoy the music too. The performers’ goal is to encourage classical music appreciation among all ages.

Performing will be: Naho Bessho on piano, Sally Wituszynski on violin, and soprano Melissa Manseau.

Naho Bessho, born in Japan, is a concert pianist in Dover. At age 19 she won the highest award at the Japan Classical Music Competition. She graduated from Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music with a Master of Music degree. In 1999, she played a piano concerto with the Krakow Philharmonic Orchestra from Poland. In 2001, she won 2nd prize at the Yangtze-River-Cup International Competition in Osaka. She came to the United States in 2002, and graduated from Boston University with a Performance Diploma in 2006. Since then she has given many piano recitals in Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire. In 2010, Naho released her first CD, "Invitation". This October, she gave a solo recital at Historical Piano Concerts, presented by the Frederic Historic Piano Collection, in Ashburnham, MA, where she played a 1840 Erard piano.

Sally Wituszynski earned a Bachelor’s degree in Viola Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. She has also completed a Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of New Hampshire. Sally is a founding member of the Artful Noise String Quartet and has played in many ensembles, including the Vermont Symphony, the Hanover Handel Society, the Granite State Symphony, and the New Hampshire Philharmonic. Sally currently teaches music at Berwick Academy and at Tri-City Christian Academy, and she is the Master Teacher for the UNH String Project.

Melissa Manseau is a Farmington, NH resident and has a Master’s in vocal performance from the University of Northern Iowa. She has a Bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of New Hampshire. Melissa was an Apprentice Artist with the Sarasota Opera in 2001. Most recently, Melissa performed with the Cape Cod Opera. In addition, she recorded three song sets with Parma Records, one of which was submitted for consideration at the Grammy awards. Last winter, she played the role of Mother in “Amahl and the Night Visitors” in Dover, NH.

Please join us at the Dover Public Library for this wonderful opportunity to enjoy, listen, and learn more about classical music! For further information, call the library at 603-516-6050.

The Library Will be Closed Veterans Day

The Library will be closed this Monday, November 12th, in honor of Veterans Day.

We will be open our normal hours ( 9 - 5) on Saturday the 10th. Don't miss the 2PM free matinee; we will be showing Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, rated PG. This movie has been described as "Hilarious! Easily the best one yet!"

Dover's Korean War Triple Ace Honored

On Saturday, November 10, 2012, in honor of Veterans Day, the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire will present a tribute to America's top Korean War Ace, Air Force Captain Joseph McConnell, heroic native of Dover, NH.

“The heroic service of Capt. Joseph C. McConnell has faded from memory over the years and it for this reason that the Aviation Museum of NH is planning to recognize his unique and gallant service with a celebration, “ said Jack Ferns, the museum’s executive director.  After serving as a B-24 navigator in World War II, McConnell graduated flight training in 1948 and went on to fly F-86 Sabre jets over Korea.  He downed 16 MIGs in just four months, becoming the highest scoring US ace of the war.  He received both the Distinguished Flying Cross and Silver Star for his actions in combat.  The New Hampshire native died when the F-86-H that he was test flying crashed near Edwards Air Force Base on August 25, 1954.

His feats and exploits were documented in a popular 1955 film, "The McConnell Story", which starred Alan Ladd and June Allyson and had its world premiere here in Dover at the Strand Theater. The McConnell Center on Locust Street (the former Dover High School and Dover Junior High School) is named for Dover's flying ace.

The exhibit will be opened at 10:00 AM at the Museum which is located at 27 Navigator Rd., Londonderry, NH with a video presentation on Korea during 1951 to 1953.  At 11:00 AM the opening ceremonies will begin with series of speakers in the Slusser Aviation Learning Center and it is open to the public and attendance is included in the regular admission price.  Korean War veterans are encouraged to attend.  The Museum is located at Manchester- Boston Regional Airport and additional information is available at www.nhahs.org or www.facebook.com/nhahs. or by calling 669-4877,

 

An Incredible Donation!

Sometimes you just never know what a regular old Monday will bring! I was at lunch when the Reference Librarian came and got me: "I can't explain it; you just have to see this!" Two gentlemen, one from California, the other his father from Nevada, had been sent by the City's Cemetery Superintendent to the library. They had been to see the gravesites of various family members from the Morrill and Fernald families. Anyone remember Morrill's Furniture in downtown Dover? Yes, that family.

Anyway, these two men had a rather large box with them. In it was an intricate floral wreath, approximately 12" in diameter and mounted in a glass frame. But the flowers were crafted entirely from human hair! The last bits of hair had been contributed by the Nevada gentleman's grandmother when she was four years old in 1875! Here's a picture:

The gentlemen wanted to donate it back to Dover and thought maybe the library might accept it. Since we don't collect artifacts, I immediately called Thom Hindle, curator at the Woodman Institute Museum, at home and insisted he come right over. I also used the phrase, "I can't explain it, you just have to see it!" Thom is only a block away and he arrived within 10 minutes.

 The details in this wreath are astounding! And the gentlemen were so pleased to meet Thom because they'd been to the museum's doors and found it closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Plus they were due to travel back on Thursday. Long story short: the Woodman Museum will be thrilled to accept this elaborately woven and painstakingly-tied piece of American "fancywork" for their Dover history collection. The gentlemen also had brought along all sorts of documentation and family pictures that gives the wreath amazing provenance and authenticity! It's hard to tell from this snapshot I took with my phone, but museum visitors will soon be able to see this Dover-made human hair wreath on display at the Woodman!

Sometimes it's just awesome what happens at the library!