Mother's Day

On May 8, 1914 the U.S. Congress passed a law proclaiming the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. This year Mother's Day is on Sunday, May 9. Stop by the library and browse our collection of books on display that celebrate moms and all the special things they do for us.

A Lee Mystery

Town Administrator Diane Guimond passed along an email to me the other day from a New Hampshire resident letting her know about a detective story, A Conflict of Evidence, that takes place in the Town of Lee. After a little detective work of my own, I learned that the book was written by Dr. Rodrigues Ottolengui, a New York City dentist who wrote mystery novels on the side. Published in 1893, the book is no longer in print, and as its copyright has expired, it is now in the public domain. The library does not have a copy in its collection -- and it seems that statewide only the UNH Library holds a copy, currently in storage. A digitalized copy is available for viewing on Google Books, ManyBooks and other sites that provide free access to ebooks. Chapter three, "Footprints in the Snow" starts with a description of the town. As to Dr. Ottolengui's connection to the town of Lee, the only clue I've been able to uncover is that the author/dentist had a brother named Lee. Maybe a tribute to a beloved sibling?

The e-book, the e-reader, and the future of reading

Thank you to our library trustee Bruce Larson, for bringing to our attention this article in the Christian Science Monitor.

The e-book, the e-reader, and the future of reading

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Holiday House Tour -- 2009

I was afraid this would happen. Start a blog and then never keep it up to date!

It's been a busy fall, with more and more people coming through our doors and thousands of books, audiobooks and DVDs flying off the shelves as residents take advantage of all the free library materials and services available for loan. Libraries across the country are seeing a spike in usage as people look to save money during these tough economic times.

Early December saw the first snowfall of the season, which provided a perfect backdrop for the Friends of the Lee Public Library's Holiday Open House Tour, held on Sunday, December 6. The House Tour is a Friends fundraising event, held every few years. Seven homes, five of which are historic, were featured on this year's tour, each decorated in the homeowner's unique style for the holiday season. What a wonderful day it was! The bright sunshine on the snow put everyone in the holiday spirit. The proud homeowners were gracious hosts, issuing a warm and friendly welcome to all. Tour visitors bumped into old friends or had a chance to make new acquaintances as they traveled from home to home. All our volunteers, whether they took a shift helping out at a home or providing baked goods, gladly donated their time. Local businesses donated trees and wreaths to the homeowners. And the Friends Board of Directors, under the guidance of Phyllis Foxall, tended to the myriad of details that ensured a successful tour. While the House Tour serves as a traditional fundraiser, it also showcases the small town community spirit that thrives in Lee. The library staff and trustees are truly grateful for such strong support.

Check Out The Plastic Tower on Display Now At The Library

Lauren Banker and Alex Freid, members of Durham Students for a Democratic Society, stopped by the library today to set up a display that demonstrates the impact single- serving plastic bottles have on the environment. The display features an impressive tower of 475 bottles, which is the average amount of bottles used by students at Oyster River High School per day. Lauren and Alex note that it takes 15 gallons of oil to produce 475 bottles. That amounts to 75 gallons of oil a week-- 2700 gallons of oil per year--just for the production of those daily 475 plastic bottles used by Oyster River High School. For more information about the Durham Students for A Democratic Society: Durhamsds@gmail.com. And take a peek of the library's collection of "green" living resources on display at the checkout desk.

Wi-Fi Available 24/7

Whether you decide to cool off inside (we have air conditioning!) or take advantage of this summer's cooler-than-usual outdoor breezes, the library's Wi-Fi access is available 24/7 for all your email and Internet searching needs. No password/authorization code is required.

A Special Guest

Yesterday we had a special guest at our morning storytime program for 2-5 year olds. Gus, a real miniature donkey owned by Lee residents Gina Kemp and Laura Gund, stopped by, delighting parents and children alike! We were also glad to have the sun stop by for a visit too!