218. Hopkinton Town Library, Contoocook, NH

It's a great treat to be going through a small NH town (with someone else driving in the snow), turn a corner, and find an amazingly handsome library. I was surprised to see the 1998 date in the lobby; this library could have been built yesterday. As soon as we walked in, my sister (the driver) went directly to the inviting granite fireplace she saw straight ahead. I turned left and immediately found one of the "living room" areas I like so much. This one had windows, new books for browsing, and a craft display.

Continuing, I came to the kids' area with three tall windows, each with a cushioned window seat. There were also a wooden train table, a shelf of parenting books, a purple wooden rocker with a Peter Rabbit motif, and a sort of cubby corner with a slightly raised floor; it might be used as a tiny stage, a hiding place, or ... ? Whatever imagination can conjure. The librarian's desk and office plus kitchen and restrooms are nearby. Programming includes a day in early December when parents were invited to drop off kids ages 5 and up, with their dinner, to play "Bingo for Books" and watch a movie while their parents shopped locally. Neat idea! There is also a winter Story Walk based on Jan Brett's Three Snow Bears; the walk is located at a nearby playground.

There is a long table with a lendable telescope and a variety of games. A long screened porch is lined with Adirondack chairs, perfect for reading in more clement weather. I learned that a mirror image of this porch is on the other side of the library, but did not see it.

One thing had puzzled me: every NH library, it seems, has a grandfather clock. A staff person showed me the "History Room" and there it was. See picture below. [The picture of the clock will be delayed until I am able to rotate it 90 degrees!] This room is full of murals painted by local residents, showing a variety of local scenes. There is a lot of talent here!

One of my favorite features was the prevalence of READ posters featuring local individuals and groups: cheerleaders, a firefighter, families, the knitting club! These posters, in full color, are created by high school students as part of a graphic arts class--what a great idea.

For more information, have a look at http://hopkintontownlibrary.org/.

12/26/2013 bus, plane, car

A fireplace in the Granite State, the perfect place to sit on a snowy day.