Letters
Region
Abstract Paintings & Tribal Masks Exhibition At New Hampshire Antique Co-Op
Now on view through May 31, 2020
Congregational Church Stays Connected
During the suspension of in-person activities in light of the Covid-19 situation, the Congregational Church of Amherst, UCC has a variety of ways for members and others to connect with church programs. This is especially important during April as Holy Week and Easter are on the horizon.
The most up-to-date information about church activities can be found on the church’s website (ccamherst.org) or by calling the church office at 673-3231. Sunday services are broadcast on FacebookLive and recorded for later on-line viewing. Services are followed by a Virtual Fellowship Hour. Links for these and other events can be found on the website.
The church’s Facebook page is another source of information, including updates and video messages from the pastors. Pastors Maureen Frescott and Kate Kennedy are available to provide pastoral care during this time, and the church welcomes community members to connect with this loving, serving, open and affirming community of faith.
Amherst Town Library
AMHERST TOWN LIBRARY
Amy Lapointe, Library Director
14 Main St., Amherst NH 03031
Phone 673-2288 Fax 672-6063
email: library@amherstlibrary.org
web http://www.amherstlibrary.org
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LIBRARY IS CLOSED DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC CRISIS
Amherst Town Library Children’s Room
What’s Up in The Children’s Room During Stay-At-Home 2020
During these weeks of social distancing, we are working hard to think of ways to keep in touch with our patrons, who all mean so much to us. With that in mind, and with the knowledge that children feel most secure when they are continuing with their predictable routines, we are offering video versions of our library programming. We do so with the full knowledge that we have neither the equipment nor the experience to create professional-grade videos! Please forgive our many mistakes, and take these videos in the spirit in which they’re offered---as a way to connect with our wonderful patrons until we can sit together at the library again. We miss you all, and can’t wait until that day arrives…
Access our videos at the following link:
http://www.amherstlibrary.org/childrens-room/online-storytime-links
Family Storytime: Miss Sarah tries to upload a new episode on Tuesday mornings, and you can access any of the episodes we’ve already shown at any time by following the link.
Little Listeners: Miss Sarah tries to upload a new episode on Thursday mornings, and you can access any of the episodes we’ve already shown at any time by following the link.
S.T.E.A.M. Storytime: Miss Lisa is uploading video instructions for some of her most popular S.T.E.A.M. projects. Follow along and make your own---it’s fun! She tries to upload a new project on Wednesdays, and you can access any of the videos we’ve already shown at any time by following the link.
*At the time we were all asked to practice social distancing, Miss Sarah was at work recording some of her children’s music. Although none of the tracks have been fully polished, she thought she’d make a few of them available for listening---just to keep in touch in another way! Look for the links on the Storytime page, and have a listen!
MINECRAFT CLUB (ages 7-14)
While we practice social distancing, we will be connecting as Minecrafters via the Amherst Town Library Facebook page. Miss Sarah has created a special Minecraft Group, and hopes you’ll all be posting to it!
Each week she will set you all a Minecraft Challenge---spend some time completing it, and when you’re done doing something really cool, take a screen shot, and post it to the group, where we can all take a look---
Don’t forget to post a picture (with first name only) when you’re finished. Join the Amherst Town Library Minecraft Club on Facebook.
STAY-AT-HOME FUN LINKS AND MORE
Now that we’ve had some time to get used the idea of staying at home for awhile, we are feeling almost overwhelmed with the online opportunities we’ve been made aware of. With that in mind, we’d like to offer you a sampling of some of the countless resources that are out there, and encourage you to share these and other great ideas with each other. We’d also like to remind you that this is actually a great opportunity for kids to get outdoors, and for them to have a chance to get bored---for it’s in those moments of boredom that your child finds an opportunity to create their own fun!
Find these resources on our website at the following link:
http://www.amherstlibrary.org/childrens-room/stay-home-fun-links-more
What’s up for tweens and teens? Follow this link to the library TEEN SPACE, where you’ll find some booklists to keep you reading along with some fun and interesting links http://www.amherstlibrary.org/teen-space/blog
Stuck Inside S.T.E.A.M. Project with Miss Lisa - Erupting Volcano
Library Trivia is Going Virtual!
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 7 PM – 8 PM
Hosted by Friends of the Amherst Town Library
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Thanks to Dolph Hoyt Presents, we are now able to bring you the 8th annual Library Trivia Night to you AT HOME! So, put on a nice shirt, grab a drink and get on that couch - it's time to play some trivia!! (This is a family friendly event, so everyone can play!)
Miss Sarah entertains children during online Storytimes on YouTUBE.
Summer Reading at The Library
YES---the annual Summer Reading Program WILL be happening at the library! We are planning our summer activities under the assumption that some number of social distancing restrictions will still be in effect. We know you will understand our need to avoid certain types of activities while we try to offer as many of our well-loved programs as possible, sometimes in slightly different ways.
We are in the process of working out the details, but here’s what we know right now---
• Our target date for beginning the program is Monday, June 15. Please visit our website (www.amherstlibrary.org) for updates and details as they become available.
• We will offer a reading program for our children that is as close as possible to the wonderful program they have come to expect. The “Summer Slide” doesn’t go away just because our social lives have changed, and we want to keep everyone reading this summer. There will be reading logs for tracking reading hours, prizes to be earned, weekly craft kits, find-the-picture scavenger hunts, virtual storytimes, and, yes, there will be a virtual PET SHOW!
• Our teens will have the opportunity to win gift cards to local business by submitting “Book Bucks”. We will offer some virtual craft programs, some challenges, and some opportunities for virtual get-togethers.
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We are planning to send out information through the schools, email newsletter and social media, and we’ll be updating our website as our plans are finalized. Although some things may not be possible this summer, and some things may be different, we think that Summer Reading is a great way to say, “We’re here, and we’re in this together---your library is here for you!”
We Miss Everyone!
A library is a place of stimulation, learning, and connection. And it still is, but it is hard to have the building closed. The important thing is to keep patrons and staff safe, and halt the spread of the virus. This is why we made the decision to comply with state and local directives and close the building itself. But we are still “open” and have many services for you to use in the short term. Our virtual services include ebooks, downloadable audios and magazines, storytimes on youtube, virtual book groups, and many more. Visit our Website and Facebook page to check them out! You will love our Peeps entries. During this crisis, children and their families have done an amazing job with these marshmallow creations and kept the tradition going!
Don’t worry about your checked out items! Due dates have been extended for them and you will not be charged any overdue fees. Your checkout limit on Hoopla has been increased and we’ve shifted monies for print materials into increased ebooks for you. http://www.amherstlibrary.org/tools-collections/ebooks-more
We want to open as soon as it is safe to do that. This will be a phased operation. First our staff, who have been working diligently from home, will go into the building to get it ready and have the supplies we need to handle returned items safely. Then we’ll likely go to curbside pickup of materials that you will order remotely. The next step is to open the library for a few hours several days of the week, and limit the number of people in the building at one time. Gradually we will increase hours and resume programming. This will not happen quickly, so we all must be patient with the process. In the meantime we are here to help you.
We miss everyone and have enjoyed engaging with you through social media. Reach out for help as you need it and ask what questions you have. We want to support and enrich you as we all live through this difficult time.
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