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One Year after Bradbury's Death, "Fahrenheit 451" Burns Bright in Keene
The Keene Public Library announces a marathon readers' theater production of Ray Bradbury’s 1953 novel, "Fahrenheit 451" performed by the Edge Ensemble Theatre Company beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday May 11, 2013 in Heberton Hall at the Keene Public Library. The Keene Public Library is located at 60 Winter Street.
The intent of a reading marathon – also known as a “long read” – is to encourage deep reading, or the old notion of “getting lost in a good book.” That idea has become foreign to many, especially young people, because of constant distractions like smart phones, iPads and iPods. “'Fahrenheit 451" seemed to be the perfect length for a marathon, and the subject matter couldn’t be more apt,” says Kim Dupuis, founding artistic director of The Edge Ensemble. “The themes Bradbury explored have only grown more relevant since the novel was published in 1953.”
The Edge Ensemble, a resident theater company that’s been in Keene since 1990, decided to combine the idea of a marathon read with a readers' theater, recruiting students from local schools as well as the Edge’s own ensemble performers and other community members as narrators and cast members.
Marathon reads have become popular tools on college campuses to encourage a deep appreciating of reading. They are held annually at UCLA, Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., and at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. These marathons inspired Dupuis who, as the Edge’s artistic director, has worked on many educational projects with area school districts, to merge the idea of a marathon read with a readers' theatre. Having "Fahrenheit 451" as the group's inaugural readers' theatre seemed a natural fit, and students from Keene Middle School, Monadnock Waldorf High School, Fall Mountain Regional High School, and Surry Village Charter School will participate as readers and cast members.
The Fahrenheit 451 project will also involve fifth- and sixth-grade members of the Opera Club at Ben Franklin Elementary School in Keene, who are writing an original performance piece based on Bradbury’s novel called “Operas Burning.” They’ll perform the piece at the Colonial Theatre in Keene this June, after participating in The Edge’s Fahrenheit marathon.
To promote the "Fahrenheit 451" reading, the Keene Public Library is asking the community to share the one book they would save if the library suddenly caught fire or books were banned by government decree. Book titles will be displayed in the library and on the library's website at www.keenepubliclibrary.org.
On Wednesday, May 8 at 7:00 p.m., the library will feature the 1966 film based on the book. Julie Christie plays dual roles—one as wife of fireman Oskar Werner and the other as a book-loving schoolteacher.
“Our goal is to get community members of all ages to come out for a day of reading a great novel that has much to say about contemporary society,” says Dupuis. The date of the May 11 event is just short of the one-year anniversary of Bradbury’s death. He died on June 5, 2012.
The reading is sponsored by the Friends of the Keene Public Library. Permission for this reading of "Fahrenheit 451" was granted by Don Congdon Associates, Inc. Copyright 1953, renewed 1981 by Ray Bradbury. The Toadstool Bookshop of Keene donated copies of "Fahrenheit 451" to The Edge Ensemble for its cast of readers.
The Keene Public Library offers a full calendar of more free public events throughout the year for people of all ages. For more information about these programs, please contact Gail Zachariah at the library at 603-352-0157.
It's Financial Wellness Month @ your Library!
The beginning of a new year is a perfect opportunity for individuals and families to change their financial situation by learning about important financial matters like creating and managing a budget, paying down debt while saving for emergencies, and creating achievable financial goals. The Keene Public Library has formed a partnership with UNH Cooperative Service and More Than Wheels to offer a free financial literacy series for adults. The six-part workshop series will start on Wednesday January 9 at 6:00 p.m. Two-hour classes will be held through Wednesday February 13. Although free, participants should register by calling the library at 603-352-0157. Particiants should also plan on attending all six classes.
The series covers a variety of topics including goal setting, credit, insurance, stretching resources, spending choices, and making a spending and savings plan. Participants will:
• Gain control over spending
• Develop a plan to achieve financial goals
• Reduce expenses and debt
• Increase savings
• Understand insurance needs
Free SAT Prep @ your Library!
The College Board says on its website that over 2 million kids will take the SAT this year. Unfortunately, only a very small percentage will feel as though they're ready. Many resources exist to help students prepare for the SAT. The most common preparation method is workbooks and there are literally hundreds of books from which to choose. Students who need or desire a little more guidance should consider enrolling in a classroom preparation course. There are also many of those available but most are ccostly. But do you know that there is free help available at the Keene Public Library?
For several years, the Keene Public Library and Keene Orthodontic Specialists have partnered to offer a free SAT Prep Series on Saturday mornings in March. The course series is designed to assist and motivate students in taking their SAT exams for college. This course will cover test strategies and practice test taking in all three areas of the SAT exam. Actual questions and problems taken from the SAT exams will be addressed. There are simulated tests which are then reexamined with two highly qualified instructors. Students will be able to judge where their weaknesses lie and learn strategies for preparing for taking the actual exams.
Any student planning to take the SAT is eligible for the course, although priority is given to Juniors. Students should plan on attending all four Saturdays of the course from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the lower level of the library. Space is limited and fills up quickly. To register, please call Colleen Swider at the Keene Public Library at 603-352-0157 and provide the following information:
- student's name
- home address
- school, grade
- cell phone number
- email address that is checked frequently.
Upon completion of the registration, the student will receive an email acknowledgement that must be printed out and will serve as a ticket to the first class. The email acknowledgement should be received within 3 business days, if you do not receive it, please call Colleen Swider at 603-352-0157.
Additional Recommended Resources
College Power Prep - SAT and ACT Prep
Khan Academy SAT Math Test Prep
Learning Express Tests - You will need a card from the Keene Public Library to access this resource from home. If you register on the website you will be able to save your practice tests.
Study Guide Zone - Free resources for students or anyone who wants to improve their score on standardized tests.
Tutor.com Test Prep Resources - You will need a card from the Keene Public Library to access this resource from home.
Signup Now for Storytimes
Babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and their caregivers are invited to enter a wonderful world filled with songs and rhymes, clapping hands and smiling faces, wide eyes and comfortable laps at the Keene Public Library. Registration for the next session of Preschool Storytime, Toddler Two-Times, and Lapsit Time at the Keene Public Library begins the week of January 7, 2013.. The seven-week session of programs ends the week of February 22. Registration will continue throughout the series as space is available.
During Preschool Storytime is designed for children aged three to six and is held on Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. Lapsit Time is designed for pre-talking babies and their caregivers and is held Thursday mornings at 10:00 a.m. Each lapsit program includes simple age appropriate stories, songs, fingerplays, and handouts. Toddler and Two-Times is an introduction to books and the library for talking toddlers and their caregivers. Toddlers who are can say at least 50 words are ready for the Toddler Two-Times program. Toddler and Two-Times is held Fridays at 10:00 a.m.
Additionally, the Keene Public Library a drop-in story Saturday story program each week of the year on Saturday at 10:00 a.m.. This program will include stories, fingerplays, and a simple craft or take-home project. The drop-in programs are perfect for busy families who cannot commit to a regular storytime or for visiting friends and relatives.The story programs at the Keene Public Library were created in response to continuing research that shows the importance of sharing language with very young children. Sharing books helps to create a deep and lasting bond between child and caregiver. The early introduction of language play, books, rhymes, and songs into a child’s life offers him or her a variety of experiences. Finally, sharing books with very young children can help to prepare children to learn to read and love books. “Reading is the basis for all learning,” Youth Services Librarian Gail Zachariah explained. “Encouraging your kids to read and use the library is the best thing you can to help them do better in school and keep learning throughout their lives.”
Library Holds Forum on Youth Restorative Justice
The Keene Public Library is pleased to a public forum on Restorative Justice and Youth Misbehavior on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. to learn about Restorative Justice and Youth. Interested parties should register by calling 603-352-0157.
“Youth Restorative Justice Programs start with the belief that young people are a valuable asset to a community and encourages youth to take accountability for their actions and to see themselves as an important and integral part of our community " says Gail Zachariah, Head of Youth and Community Services. She encourages anyone wanting to know more about Restorative Justice to come to this public forum. The event is free and open to the public, though pre-registration is requested. To register, call the library at 603-362-0157 or visit our online calendar through our website at www.keenepubliclibrary.org.
Restorative Justice focuses on repairing the harms caused by an offense instead of focusing on punishing the offender. The process allows the community, the offender, and even the victim to be involved when appropriate. In some communities, Restorative Practices are taking the place of zero-tolerance. Instead of being kicked out for fighting, stealing, talking back, or other disruptive behavior, students in some schools are being asked to listen to each other, write letters of apology, work out solutions with the help of parents and educators, or engage in community service. All these practices fall under the umbrella of “restorative justice”—asking wrongdoers to make amends before resorting to punishment. This public forum will take a look at how Restorative Justice could be applied to misbehavior with scenarios acted out by Acting Out.
Acting Out is a unique program of the Youth Initiatives Office of Monadnock Family Services for Monadnock area teens. The mission of the program is to cultivate resiliency, social skills and healthy development in youth through theater training.
The Restorative Justice process asks the questions: What Happened? Who was Harmed? What are their needs? What needs to happen in order to repair the harm? And who is obligated to make amends? This encourages healing for the victim and for the community.
After seeing the dynamics of Restorative Justice Programs through Acting Out role-play scenarios, community members are encourage to participate in a discussion about how to increase the use of restorative practices here in Keene.
The forum is co-sponsored by the Keene Public Library, Acting Out, Cheshire Mediation, and Phoenix Farm. The Keene Public Library offers a full calendar of free public programs throughout the year for people of all ages. For more information about these programs, please contact Gail Zachariah at the library at 603-352-0157.
Keene Library to celebrate Take Your Child to the Library Day
The Keene Public Library will participate for the first time in Take Your Child to the Library Day on Saturday February 2, 2013. Take Your Child to the Library Day is a fun a way for libraries to welcome and encourage families to become regular library users by celebrating and showing what they have to offer. Connecticut librarians Nadine Lipman and Caitlin Augusta initiated the first Take Your Child to the Library Day on February 4, 2012. This annual celebration will take place on the first Saturday in February."A lot of families are not aware of all that their local library offers," says Gail Zachariah, Head of Youth and Community Services. "Some parents come in when a report is due and are surprised to discover that the library is a fun place and that we offer much more than just books." The library has a large collection of DVDS and recorded music to borrow. Board and computer games can be played in the library. Many toys like a train set, kitchen area, and puppet stage encourage both creativity and language development in children.Libraries offer programs throughout the year for children and families. On Take Your Child to the Library Day you can sample activities throughout the day. At 10:00 a.m. children of all ages can enjoy a storytime in the Youth Program Room. At 10:30 families and children ages six and up can join a free Valentine Origami Workshop with local origami artist Linda Singer. From 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. families can attend classic read-alouds and activities based on favorite books at Literacy Alive! Literacy Alive is an international program run by Kappa Delta Pi, the international education honor society at Keene State College, to raise awareness of literacy and the joy of reading. Drop-in book related crafts will be available all day in the library’s Youth Department.The Friends of the Keene Public Library and the Board of Trustees of the Keene Public Library sponsors Take Your Child to the Library Day at the Keene Public Library. For more information about free programs for youth at the Keene Public Library, please contact Gail Zachariah at 603-352-0157.
Communities matter @ your library: Celebrate National Library Week
This week, the Keene Public Librry joins libraries in schools, campuses and communities nationwide in celebrating National Library Week, a time to highlight the value of libraries, librarians and library workers.
Libraries today are more than repositories for books and other resources. Often the heart of their communities, campuses or schools, libraries are deeply committed to the places where their patrons live, work and study. Libraries are trusted places where everyone in the community can gather to reconnect and reengage with each other to enrich and shape the community and address local issues.
Librarians work with elected officials, small business owners, students and the public at large to discover what their communities needs are and meet them. Whether through offering e-books and technology classes, materials for language learners, programs for job seekers or those to support early literacy, librarians listen to the community they serve, and they respond.
The Keene Public Library serves the City of Keene with a first rate collection of 118,763 books, 7,617 videos primarily in DVD and Playaway formats, 3,301 audio books primarily in CD and Playaway formats, 1,957 musical recordings primarily in CD format, and 249 magazines and newspapers. Monthly circulation figures for these materials are quite high. In February 2013, there were 16,397 circulation of books, 6,184 circulations of videos, 1,555 circulations of audiobooks, 430 circulations of musical recordings, and 371 circulations of magazines and newspapers. An additional 1,670 e-books and audiobooks were downloaded or streamed in February, 2013.
“Service to the community has always been the focus of the library,” said Gail Zachariah, Head of Youth and Community Service. “While this aspect has never changed, libraries have grown and evolved in how they provide for the needs of every member of their community.” Today, the library is very busy with programs. Since July 1, 2012, the library has organized 598 free public programs which were attended by 7,284 community members. In the same time period, the library’s meetings rooms were used 536 times by community groups to offer public programs and meetings.
The Keene Public Library is celebrating National Library Week with an Edible Book Contest on Monday April 15 at 6:30 p.m. Anyone that loves libraries, books, baking, or eating should consider attending the event. Completed works of edible book art should arrive at the library by 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 15. Each item should be accompanied by an information card listing the title of the entry, the name of the book it is based on, author of the book and creator’s name. Participation in the contest is not required to attend the event. Volunteer judges will be drawn from the list of attendees, with voting starting at 7:00 p.m. The event is open to the public. Once entries are judged, the books will be eaten. To identify allergens, please include a list of ingredients on a 3x5 card.
First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April.
For more information, visit the Keene Public Library at 60 Winter Street, call 603-352-0157, or see the library’s online calendar available at www.keenepubliclibrary.org. Current library hours are Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
School Vacation Programs at Keene Library
There is plenty to do during school vacation week at the Keene Public Library. Families can stop by the library anytime between Monday, April 22 and Friday, April 26 for a book related drop-in craft. The Keene Public Library invites children of all ages to a special Earth Day story celebration Monday April 22 at 10:00 a.m. The library’s monthly LEGO® Club takes place on Monday, April 22 at 4:00 p.m. Although children of all ages are welcome to attend, participations in this program will use LEGO bricks that are most suitable for five years-of-age and older.
On Tuesday, April 23 at 10:00 a.m. and Wednesday, April 24 at 1:00 p.m., the library invites children six years-of-age and older to “Artplorations” where they will explore art while celebrating 75 years of distinguished picture books! It has been seventy-five years since the first Caldecott Award for an outstanding illustrations in a picture book was first given in 1938 to “Animals of the Bible,” illustrated by Dorothy P. Lathrop with text selected by Helen Dean Fish (Stokes). Participants in these two hands-on art and reading programs will share stories and then experiment with art inspired by some of the Caldecott winners. Please call the library at 352-0157, for more information or to register for “Artplorations.”
On Thursday, April 25 at 11:00 a.m., children two years-of-age through eight year-of-age and their parents or caregivers are invited to a Family Yoga event. Participants will explore yoga through breath exercises to help calm and focus their bodies and minds; yoga poses and pose sequences to build strength and flexibility, and enhance coordination and confidence; songs and playfulness; a non-competitive/cooperative game; and relaxation/visualization to help them learn to relax their bodies and minds! The family yoga class is free but participants should call the library at 352-0157 to register. Family Yoga is taught by Monique Lamore, CCLYI, MSW.
The Keene Public Library offers more than 500 free public programs a year. The Friends of the Keene Public Library sponsor all programs. The Keene Public Library is located on 60 Winter Street Keene, N.H. For more information, please call (603) 352-0157.
Library Announces Scary Story Contest Winners
The Keene Public Library is pleased to announced the winners of the recent Scary Story Contest. The contest was part of The Big Read: New Hampshire Reads Edgar Allan Poe. This statewide exploration of Edgar Allan Poe was sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Intistute of Museum and Library Services, the New Hamsphire Center for the Book, the New Hampshire Library Association, and the Friends of the Keene Public Library.
In October, we invited students in the third through twelth grade to write a short story of 500 words or less and include one of the following phrases:
It was many and many a year ago, ....I felt a hand grab me and pull me back into the darkness....
The phone rang and rang, butnoone could answer it....
The tree had been watered with blood and hungered for more...
If I'd known vampires were real, I never would have dress up like one for Halloween....
Winners in three separate age divisions were chosen. Three additional stories were selected as honorable mentions.
The winning stories are:
The Hunted by Cecelia M., who is in the ninth grade at Keene High School
Beware the Tree of Blood by Olivia F., who is in the eighth grade at Monanock Waldorf School in Keene, N.H.
The Haunted House by Hayla S., who is in the third grade at Fuller School in Keene, N.H.
The honorable mention stories are:
Clairvoyant by Samantha D., who is in the eight grade at Keene Middle School
Deserted by Brianna, who is in the seventh grade at The Community School in South Tamworth, N.H.
Vampires Roaming in Town by Oliva P., who is in the sixth grade at Keene Middle School
Award Winning Poet and Author Visits Keene
Award-winning Asheville poet Allan Wolf offers two free poetry programs in Keene on Friday November 16. At 7:00 p.m., he’ll take the Heberton Hall stage to present a high-energy family and teen-friendly poetry performance. Allan performs from memory in the tradition of Appalachian storytellers, combining a dynamic style with a wide-ranging selection of poems for all ages to enjoy. At 3:00 p.m., high school students are invited to a free poetry performance workshop where pparticipants will learn what performance poetry is and a few theatre/presentation techniques to help them better understand and appreciate the poems they read. Wolf demonstrates how students can conduct themselves in front of a group of people and find their own personal power and charisma. Participants will learn how to transform a poem into a script and how to put on a complete poetry extravaganza of dramatic and stand-up verse. Both programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Keene Public Library and the Keene Public Library Endowment Fund and are free and open to the public.
Allan Wolf is an author, poet, and performer with the edgy intensity of a slam poet, the intellectual sensibility of an academic poet, the theatrical showmanship of an actor. His mission has always been to take poetry to the people and he now writes and presents full time. Wolf has a vast repertoire of over 1000 poems committed to memory, spanning Shakespeare, Dickinson, Poe...Clint Eastwood...and Elvis. From the moment he steps onstage or into the classroom, his lifelong passion for words and high-energy, highly-active performance and teaching style are contagious.
Wolf earned his Master’s Degree in English and taught writing at Virginia Tech, where he received the Richard L. Hoffman Teaching Award. Wolf became the educational director for Poetry Alive!, a national touring company that presents theatrical poetry for all ages. He is a member of The Dead Poets, a musical trio that transforms classic poetry into music. An active organizer in the early days of the poetry slam competitions, he helped his home town of Asheville, NC (where he lives with his wife and 3 children) make history in 1995 by becoming the smallest city to ever win the coveted National Poetry Slam Championship title! Wolf now writes and presents full time. His books include The Blood-Hungry Spleen and Other Poems About Our Parts (Candlewick Press), and New Found Land: Lewis and Clark’s Voyage of Discovery (Candlewick Press), a novel in verse chosen as a School Library Journal Best Book, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and an IRA Children’s Book Award Notable. He is the author of a book about writing poems titled, Immersed In Verse: An Informative, Slightly Irreverent & Totally Tremendous Guide to Living the Poet’s Life (Lark Books) and a YA novel in verse titled Zane’s Trace (Candlewick Press). His most recent book is The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic (Candlewick), a 2012 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults book. Through poetry, the novel tells the story of the sinking of the Titanic through 24 voices, including passengers, the ship’s captain, a member of the orchestra, a rat on board the ship, and the iceberg itself.
The afternoon poetry performance workshop will be particularly beneficial to students competing in the Poetry Out Loud (POL) National Recitation Contest, which will be starting soon at the Keene Public Library. The goal of the Poetry Out Loud competition and accompanying curriculum is to encourage the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance. This program helps students master public speaking
skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. Poetry Out Loud builds on the spoken word as an art form, inviting the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word, and theater into the classroom. Nationwide, the program involves 365,000 students annually and awards $50,000 in scholarships. Funding comes from The Poetry Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts, and is awarded to each State Arts Council to carry out a statewide program. In New Hampshire, any high school — public, private, or parochial, as well as home school groups — are welcomed to participate. The Keene Public Library has been a host site for POL for the past five years. There is no charge to compete and materials are provided.
The Keene Public Library is located at 60 Winter Street. For more information about these and other programs at the library, please contact Gail Zachariah at 603-352-0157.