You Could Win Our Friends Holiday Gift Basket!

FRIENDS HOLIDAY GIFT BASKET

Drawing will be held in the library at 4pm Monday, December 20th

Tickets: $3 each or 2 for $5

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library and filled with generous donations from local businesses plus goodies for everyone in the family!

Kids’ items include story books, puzzles, games, and coloring. Adults can enjoy Dunkin’ coffee in a Hydro Flask mug, chocolate, cookies, candles, bath salts, reading material, eco-friendly house care, and an adorable home gnome.

A big THANK YOU to the local businesses that donated Gift Certificates:

West Newbury School of Music

Long Hill Orchard

From the Heart Quilts

West Newbury House of Pizza

Nunan’s Florist & Greenhouses

Henry Bear’s Park

Shanti Salon

Green House Goods

Barnes & Noble

All proceeds go to benefit programming and enrichment opportunities for the G.A.R. Memorial Library. New members always welcome! Thank you for your support!

And for a lasting gift, how about a commemorative brick in the library walkway? Remember that special person, pet, or maybe a favorite quote. Click here or stop at the library for a form. Only $100 and the library benefits as well. Win, win!

Virtual Bestselling Author Series: DAVID BALDACCI DISCUSSES "MERCY"

Thursday, December 9 @ 7:00 PM

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Meeting via email.**

Bestselling author David Baldacci will discuss his latest book, Mercy, via Zoom. David Baldacci is one of the world's favorite storytellers.

About the Book: FBI Agent Atlee Pine’s harrowing search for her long-lost sister Mercy reaches a boiling point in this breakneck thriller.

This event is hosted by the Tewksbury Public Library in collaboration with Wellesley Books and many other Massachusetts Public Libraries.

Registration required. Click here to register.

A Very Rockwell Christmas

Wednesday, December 15th @ 6:00 PM

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Meeting via email.**

This is the first in a series of art talks by Culturally Curious.

Enjoy Rockwell’s depictions of the humorous and heartwarming aspects of people coming together for the holidays. Painted over several decades, Rockwell’s Christmas images capture universal scenes of celebration and joy and have helped to shape American ideas about “the most wonderful time of the year.”

This is a virtual program. Please Register here. You will receive the Zoom link the day before the event.

FamilyStorytime

Tuesday, Dec. 14 and Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 10:00 AM

Come join Miss Kate inside the Library. Let's have fun listening to stories, singing songs, doing fingerplays and playing games. You can pick up a craft kit and enjoy creating something at home. Ages infant and up. Families welcome.

Please call the library 978-363-1105 with questions. Please wear your mask.

Reading with Lulu or Thor

Lulu - Saturdays, Dec. 11th or 18th 10:00-11:00 AM

Thor - Thursday, Dec. 30th 10:00- 11:00 AM

Sign up for a 15 minute session to read with Lulu or Thor our lovable therapy dogs. They are waiting to see all of you again and are wonderful listeners. Please wear a mask.. Call the Library 978-363-1105 or stop by to sign up

Gift with Greens Craft Kit

This is a very special craft kit. Register and take home a kit to make an arrangement using evergreens, pine cones, ribbons and more. For ages 3-11.

Make a present anyone would be happy to receive. Supplies are limited. Please sign up online or call the Library 978-363-1105

Available December 13th.

TAG Takeout

Place your order by Dec. 10th!

TAG Takeout is a monthly takeout service for teens in grades 6-12 that includes books and goodies. The best part - it's totally free! All you need to do is fill out the google form by clicking here and tell us your interests. Based on your answers, we will select books for you.

Pick up your takeout bags from December 13 - December 17.

Please read the directions and disclaimer on the google form. There are a limited amount of bags per month and will be given out as first come, first served.

Teen Creative Writing Club

December 15th @ 3:30 PM

Do you write for fun? Are you a fan of fanfiction? Or are you a poet, and you didn’t even know it? Then join the Creative Writing Club and meet fellow writers from your community! We meet the third Wednesday of every month. Drop-ins are welcome, please register to join! For ages 12-18.

Visit our Calendar of Events

What's Happening?

Library of Things at the G.A.R.

What's new? The Library of Things is growing with the addition of a telescope to view the stars, planets and more! It's an Orion StarBlast 4.5" Astro Reflector Telescope purchased by the Friends of the Library and set up by the Aldrich Astronomy Society. It can be signed out by an adult 18+ with a library card in good standing and we will show you how it works before you leave. Comes with instruction book and a pocket guide book and headlamp.

Coming soon to the Library of Things... Snowshoes!

Look what's new with Kanopy and Overdrive!

Users can now discover our library’s Kanopy service directly from Libby. Kanopy appears in the Extras section of the Libby app alongside our library’s own curated collections, campaigns, and catalog guides.

The Kanopy app and all the ways for users to browse, stream, and enjoy videos from Kanopy remain unchanged. This is just another way to access Kanopy and its content.

Who Done It? Mystery Book Group

Thursday, December 16th - 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM - Now meeting in the 1910 Building Annex, 381 Main St, West Newbury

Are you a Mystery fan? Ready to figure out who done it? Join this lively group and tackle a new kind of mystery each month.November's read is "A' is for Alibi by Sue Grafton. Please contact the library by phone or email to sign up and join this group. All are welcome.

Going on around town:

Annual Tree Lighting and Caroling

Thursday, December 9th at 6:30 pm

There will be caroling, hot cocoa and cookies to welcome the holiday season.

The Training Field is on Main Street on the open patch of land adjacent to GAR Memorial Library and across Route 113 from the Old Town Hall.

West Newbury Historical Commission's Monthly Tales of Our Town

Central School: A Testament to Civic Pride and Investment in the Future

December’s story concerns the Central School (now known as the 1910 Building, or the Town Offices). West Newbury’s decision in 1909 to build a new Central School—the most consequential municipal building since Town Hall’s construction in 1842—was a testament to civic pride and investment in the future. It was also, like many school building projects, a reluctant acknowledgement that deplorable existing conditions made action unavoidable. Inevitably, intervening events made the building an imperfect solution to the Town’s educational needs, though always a commanding structure adaptable to new purposes.

Click here to read all about it.

We welcome your comments and suggestions!