Children's Programs
CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS
Monthly Children's Programs:
SPECIAL NOTE: Head over to the Elkins Virtual Library page for Children's Services.
DIGITAL PROGRAMMING IS AVAILABLE DURING THIS QUARANTINE TIME!
We have some exciting programs for your babies and toddlers. If you care for a child age birth to 5, please come! Every Tuesday at 10:00am you can find fun activities and children’s programming at Elkins Public Library. Here is an idea of what to expect:
1st Tues of the month: JUMPING BEANS: this program is our most physical offering. After a brief introduction we get right down to a wiggle dance followed by an interactive reading. The 45-minute program revolves around dance, storytelling, singing, yoga and stretching. After a quick goodbye song, we break out into active games or activities.
2nd Tues of the month: ROCK AND READ: this program developed 7 years ago, features an established routine each time we meet. Babies and toddlers are encouraged to dance and wiggle, sing and play instruments. The consistency of the songs and activity allow the younglings to anticipate and feel confident when they can sing along and remember what comes next. This program is followed by a craft or activity and time to socialize and have a snack.
3rd Tues of the month: STORY HOUR: although every program at the Library revolves around a book, this program is a more traditional story time. After Wembly greets the children by name, we enjoy our favorite dances, finger rhymes, felt stories, picture books and book discussion. After a quick break for snack and refreshment, we enjoy a take-home craft. Remember that all ages are welcome!
4th Tues of the month: SENSORY CIRCUS: keeping in mind that children born in the last 5 years have an entirely new way of learning and engaging in the world, this program features 10 center-based activities that the child can circulate through, taking the time that they need with each stop. Music fills the room and parents and caregivers can visit while engaging in the play.
LEGO CLUB! Children and families are welcome to come and build together with Lego bricks. This club meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month at 4:00. We have over 12,000 bricks and plenty of ideas to inspire the young builders in your household. This is a drop-in club, no sign up required.
TEENS AND AFTERSCHOOLERS!
Come and recommend books, movies and programs you would like to see at your library! Do your homework with help, occasionally enjoy a snack and hang out and talk. Children are allowed in the library without a parent when they are 9 and older. Ask at the Circulation Desk for more information and rules.
1000 BOOKS BEFORE KINDERGARTEN! We are excited to introduce our participation in this national program. The single most important thing you can do to prepare your child to read independently is to read to them every day. Congratulations to all of the children participating in the program! These kids make us SO proud! If you complete a chart showing that you have read 100 books and turn it in to Mrs. Baker – the next time you come to the library, there will be a present waiting for you! Come to the library to find out more!
MAKER SPACE! The newest trend in libraries is at Elkins! It’s a creative, DIY space where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. Stay tuned to the newsletter, this website, Facebook and the town-wide email to hear what we will feature each month. Come every afternoon from 3:00 to 4:00pm to enjoy this fun time after your homework is done.
TODDLER TOWN: Come in ANY TIME and play and spend time in your library. We have all sorts of toys to choose from thanks to the Friends of Elkins Public Library.
YOUTH OUTREACH: We are pleased to be in the classrooms every month at CES and Dewey School at Canterbury Shaker Village It is a pleasure to serve the young people of this town, you are reading at record numbers!
WINTER WARM UP, BIG TRUCK DAY AND SUMMER READING EVENTS LISTED BELOW!
Adult Programs
SPECIAL NOTE: Head over to the Elkins Virtual Library page for Digital Resources.
PUZZLE SWAP: All puzzles should be at least 500 pieces and in very good condition.
BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP every third Tuesday of the month. The books are in and available at the Circulation desk. Join this group for interesting discussion and fellowship.
ADVENTUROUS LADIES AND DARING MEN SOCIAL CLUB!
Formerly known as Zen Coloring Beginning Oct. 3 and weekly on Thursdays from 1:30 to 3pm. You are invited to experience a variety of programs such as Chair Yoga, a pizza party, speakers, games, holiday cookie decoration, book discussions, movies, coloring and more! The schedule will be posted on the Elkins Public Library Facebook page, in the Canterbury Town e-mail and in the newsletter.
AL&DMSC!
OMBBC (Old Man Boring Book Club): Join us for reviews of the latest history and biography books available at Elkins. The club consists of several adults from the community. This group will meet the first Thursday of each month at 7:00pm. Women are invited and encouraged to attend! This group typically decides to take July and August off. Join them again in September!
RUG BRAIDING! Kate Goegel teaches oval rug braiding here at the Library. Usually there is a small materials fee, sign-up is required and the class size is limited. Some experience recommended. Please contact Sue at 783-4386 for information concerning the next session. .
Adult Programs
PROGRAMS 2020 - STAY TUNED FOR CHANGES TO OUR PROGRAMS!
March 24: 7pm Telling the Shaker Story – Mark Travis and Becky Souls
June 9: 7pm (Humanities) Jennie Powers: The Woman Who Dares. Jennie Powers took a stand against social vices in New Hampshire and Vermont in the early twentieth century. She was a humane society agent in Keene from 1903-1936 and one of the first humane society agents to become a deputy sheriff in New Hampshire. Jennie was known across the country as “The Woman Who Dares” cited by the Boston Post newspaper in 1906 as having arrested more men than any other woman in America. As a photographic activist, she used her camera to document animal cruelty, family violence, and wide-spread poverty in New Hampshire’s Monadnock region and beyond. Hosted by the Canterbury Historical Society.
Sept 22: 7pm (Humanities) That Reminds Me of a Story
Stories speak to us of community. They hold our history and reflect our identity. Rebecca Rule has made it her mission over the last 20 years to collect stories of New Hampshire, especially those that reflect what's special about this rocky old place. She'll tell some of those stories - her favorites are the funny ones - and invite audience members to contribute a few stories of their own.
Special Programs
IMAGINE YOUR STORY 2020 Summer Reading!
2020 Nationwide Summer Reading Theme, "Imagine Your Story", we will spend the summer celebrating stories, fairy tales, fantasy, adventure and mythology!
Summer Reading 2020 IMAGINE YOUR STORY!
This year the Summer Reading program offers many ways to participate with your Library! We are so excited to get the summer off to an exciting start with our Summer Reading Kick Off event!
Wednesday, June 10 at 4:00pm. Join in on Elkins Public Library's Facebook page and watch a LIVE broadcast of Wildlife Encounters!
Wildlife Encounters live animal experience features a diverse selection of seven amazing small and medium-sized Ambassador Animals! It's sure to be an interactive and eye opening experience where you will likely meet animals you've never encountered in your life! You will be able to ask questions and get answers during the show!
Details on Summer Reading will be posted soon! Prepare yourself for a summer of fun!
Come on over to the Virtual Library to join in the fun!
Winter Warm Up!
WINTER WARM UP!
Join us on the Thursday of February School Vacation, February 27, 2020 (the Thursday of the February school vacation) for a fun day of entertainment and homemade macaroni and cheese and fruit treats. It’s time to have some fun on a cold, winter day at the Library. This year we feature the fabulous Lindsay and her Puppet Pals! Lindsay brings her larger than life Puppet Pals to child and family audiences across NH, MA, and ME. Funny, fast paced, and interactive, this variety show delights the young and the young at heart!
Learn more at
Big Truck Day 2020
The Big Truck Day tradition will continue!!
In cooperation with Shaker Regional School District we are combining efforts to bring you a great parade!
This coming Wednesday, 4/29/20, Shaker Regional teachers, support staff and the Elkins Public Library staff will be assembling and heading your way via PARADE! We’re in this for plenty of smiles, waves, and some noise-making to communicate just a small amount of how much we miss you!
Our plan is to depart and head down the parade route starting at 1pm. Parade route to be posted next.
You’ll see that we’ll be traveling through both Belmont and Canterbury, accompanied
by our local communities’ emergency service partners! Our vehicles will obey traffic
laws, and we’d like to remind our entire community to remember and maintain social
distancing recommendations.
We can’t wait to see you!
Elkins Public Library is joining in with Big Truck Day.
There will be a table of coloring pages, bookmarks and free books for children to take located in the bandstand in The Canterbury Center. We will have pre-filled bags for your safety. Please practice safe social distancing while going to the table following the practice of staying 6 feet apart. Staff members will be there to assist you safely.
We are so excited to see you. Keep your eyes open for Harold!
Shaker Regional School District Educators Parade and Big Truck Day 4/29/20, 1pm
Coordination of Parade Vehicles will take place at Belmont High School
● We ask that parade-watchers not come to BHS as that would create too much of a crowd in one space and would obstruct our coordination of the event itself. There are lots of opportunities for your smiles and waves along the route (see below)!
Parade Route - On the road at 1:00pm!
● LT (Left Turn) onto Seavey Road
● LT onto Church Street
● RT (Right Turn) onto Monument Square
● LT onto School Street
● RT onto Memorial Street
● LT onto Concord Street
● LT onto Rte. 106
● RT onto Rte. 140
● RT onto Best St (circle through BES lot around back of building)
● LT onto Rte. 140
● RT onto Rte. 106
● RT onto Brown Hill Road
● LT onto Rte. 107
● LT onto Leavitt Road
● RT onto Plummer Hill Road
● Straight onto Bishop Road
● LT onto Mile Hill Road
● RT onto Horne Road
● RT onto Union Road
● RT onto Arlene Drive
● LT onto Ladd Hill Road
● LT onto Union Road
● LT onto Hurricane Road
● Straight onto Church Street
● RT onto Monument Square
● RT onto Main Street
● Straight onto Shaker Road
● RT onto Baptist Road
● Straight onto Center Road
● LT onto Rte. 132
● LT onto New Road
● LT on Pickard Road
● Straight onto Kimball Pond Road
● End at town center!
