The Library will be closed this Monday, February 21st, in observation of Presidents’ Day.
A few weeks later, on Tuesday March 1, 2022, we’ll be opening late due to an all-staff training. We’ll be open from 2pm until 8pm on March 1st.
We’re sorry to announce that due to the predicted snow storm and winter weather, the library is closing early tonight at 6:00 (instead of 8:00) and we will remain closed tomorrow, Friday February 4th.
We’ll see you again on Saturday from 10 until 2!
Stay safe and warm, Newport!
Now more than ever it is important for the library to be as accessible as possible to our community. We have strived to fulfill this responsibility while upholding the safety of our patrons and staff. We know that the library adds value to each dollar invested here. But how do we do that?
If you think of each item as an investment, then the value is multiplied each time a patron checks that item out.
Take the “Favorite Authors” Program for example. Joining the waitlist for your favorite author is easy. Just select your favorite authors, like John Grisham, Janet Evanovich, Nora Roberts, and more! Submit them at the front desk and the library will reserve new hardcovers by those authors and notify you when books are ready to be checked out.
Currently, the latest John Grisham hardcover (Fear No Evil) costs $14.50. Four patrons have checked it out since it became available this December and five more are on the waitlist. By using the library, the cost of that title has been divided by the 9 patrons, not including any other times that title is checked out in the future.
We at the library keep track of the value that we provide to our community with the services we provide and the materials we offer.
$238,900 is what the community would have paid if they had to buy books rather than borrow them.
$182,900 is what the community would have paid for in children’s books if they had to buy them instead of borrow them.
$85,380 is what the community would have paid to purchase DVDs.
$37,188 is what the community would have paid to download audiobooks.
We also provide copy and computer services, which amounts to several thousand in savings, providing resources for patrons who do not have their own computers and printers.
This doesn’t include the value provided with our community programs like story times and writers groups and crafting groups; the list goes on!
And there will continue to be even more value provided in the future as our staff works to maintain Newport’s legacy through the services of a staff historian, and enriching the collection by acquiring in demand materials through grants and our budget.
The RFL is pleased to announce that we will now be open to public browsing once again! Browsing and computer use will no longer be by appointment only, and materials can be checked out at the front desk.
Masks continue to be required, and we ask patrons to limit their time in the building to 30 minutes at a time.
We will also be limiting computer users to 2 at a time, and the children’s section to 2 family groups at a time.
We are excited to see our patrons again and to continue to provide services to our community in this capacity once more!
Want to be sure you get the most up to date info about the library’s hours and services? Join our email list by signing up on our website, https://newport.lib.nh.us/
Looking at the weather forecast, we’ve decided to stay closed tomorrow, January 29th.
However, it seems like the perfect day to curl up with a good book! You can still make an appointment today to pick up a movie or book before the storm hits! Just give us a call at 603) 863-3430, or click here to do it all online!
Stay safe and warm!
As of January 31st, the IRS is accepting e-filings for the 2021 tax year. While we at the library are not qualified tax advisors, the library can offer some helpful resources.
You can use our computers to print your tax forms. Just give us a call (603-863-3430) and we are more than happy to help you book a computer appointment. We also have instructional booklets available which explain the ins and outs of filing your 1040 for 2021. Booklets can be picked up along with any materials checked out and make a curbside appointment.
A little reminder that anyone can struggle with the daunting task of tax filing: “The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.”–Albert Einstein
Some of the many services provided by the library are computer use and printing. We have 4 desktop computers available to anyone, not just card holders! Both grayscale and color printing are available at a competitive fee.
Even during this transitional time, where the number of patrons allowed in to the library has been limited for safety, feel free to make an appointment (by giving us a call at 603) 863-3430, or following this handy link) for computer or printing services!
It’s the end of January, but it’s not too late to invest in a cute calendar for the rest of 2021!
The RFL cat calendar is now on sale for $15!
All funds go directly to supporting Dexter and Minerva. They have missed seeing patrons and will be so happy to see everyone again!
Don’t forget you can always make a browsing appointment by clicking the link for >schedule your appointment< at the right side of the page, or just give us a call at 603-863-3430
Is your New Year resolution to read more? To make some new friends? To try something new? Consider joining one of our book groups: The Brown Bag and Books, and the Beach Readers.
The Brown Bag and Books group meets the 4th Tuesday of every month at 12:30.
| Month | Day | Title | Author |
| Jan | 25 | My Life in France | Julia Child |
| Feb | 22 | Surviving the White Gaze: A Memoir | Carroll, Rebecca |
| Mar | 22 | Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters | Dunn, Mark |
| Apr | 26 | Horoscopes for the Dead | Collins, Billy |
| May | 24 | Animal Farm | Orwell, George |
| Jun | 28 | The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry | Zevin, Gabrielle |
| Jul | 26 | White Dog Fell from the Sky | Morse, Eleanor |
| Aug | 23 | Fortune’s Rocks | Shreve, Anita |
| Sep | 27 | Hale Winner | ~A Surprise~ |
| Oct | 25 | The Night Watchman | Erdrich, Louise |
| Nov | 22 | Finding Freedom | French, Erin |
| Dec | 27 | Pot Luck! | ~Hopefully~ |
| Jan | 25 | Chances Are... | Russo, Richard |
The Beach Readers Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 6:00
Copies of the latest books will be available at the library’s circulation desk. You don’t even need a library card to pick up a book! Just sign them out and join the discussion with like minded readers!
Richards Free Library is pleased to announce that it has been awarded $23,076 in funding through the Institute for Museum and Library Services’ “Grants to States” program. The grant program is part of the American Rescue Act Plan of 2021 and is being facilitated by the N.H. State Library.
The Richards Free Library will use this grant award to create a circulating board game collection, expand our circulating video game collection, and create gaming programs for all ages here at the library.
In the grant application, Richards Free Library detailed that it would meet these needs by using grant funds to purchase video games, video game consoles, as well as board games and accessories. We will be hosting monthly gaming programs and plan to collaborate with other local libraries including Abbott Library in Sunapee and Tracy Memorial Library in New London on these programs.
“We know a lot of people have missed our board game nights since the pandemic started, and we hope that being able to circulate board games will be a first step in bringing back gaming in the library. The video game programs… we know those will be a big hit with the teens and we hope in the Spring that we’ll be in a place to allow programs back in the building,” said Justine Fafara, Library Director.
“New Hampshire’s strong relationship with its public libraries was made even more evident during the past two years, when librarians and their staffs were able to adjust services nimbly in order to continue to meet the needs of their communities,” said N.H. State Librarian Michael York. “The innovative programs funded by these grants will continue to strengthen not only public library services, but also the communities in which the libraries reside.”
“As pillars of our communities, libraries and museums bring people together by providing important programs, services and collections. These institutions are trusted spaces where people can learn, explore and grow,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “IMLS is proud to support their initiatives through our grants as they educate and enhance their communities.”
Richards Free Library’s goal is to have the program up and running by May 2022.
Part of the N.H. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the N.H. State Library promotes excellence in libraries and library services to all New Hampshire residents, by assisting libraries and the people of New Hampshire with rapid access to library and informational resources through the development and coordination of a statewide library/information system; by meeting the informational needs of New Hampshire’s state, county and municipal governments and its libraries; and by serving as a resource for New Hampshire. For more information, visit nh.gov/nhsl.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow IMLS on Facebook and Twitter.
