New York Times Magazine Now Available for Check Out

Leach Library now treats the New York Times Magazine like any other periodical, and so back issues can now be checked out. The Times Magazine features outstanding writing on a wide range of issues. For example, check out this interesting article on New Hampshire resident Jodi Picoult, one of our most popular authors, which was published last Sunday. Her book "My Sister's Keeper" has been turned into a movie and is in theater's this Friday. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/magazine/21picoult-t.html

Life After Twilight: What to Read this Summer

Did you love the Twilight series but now aren't sure what to read next? Check out this great blog posting on the web site of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/shelftalk/archives/170339.asp

Changes at the Christian Science Monitor

The Christian Science Monitor (CSM), founded in 1908 by New Hampshire native Mary Baker Eddy, has recently undergone some major changes. CSM has replaced its five day per week print edition with a daily Internet edition and a weekly edition. Leach Library now treats the print edition like a magazine, which means it can be checked out like any other magazine except for the current issue. The Christian Science Monitor is one of America's great news gathering organizations. Known in particular for its outstanding and unbiased coverage of international affairs. CSM provides readers the world over with unique insights into the critical issues of the day. CSM is available in the magazine/newspaper section of the library. Contact the reference desk at 432-1132 or reference@londonderrynh.org if you have any questions.

Isinglass Award Winners Announced

The Isinglass Teen Read Award began in 2001 by the Barrington Public Library and the Barrington Middle School in order to promote teen reading, the participation of teens in the creation of their own reading list, and to honor those authors whose works speak to youth. All are available at Leach Library. Check our Shelfari Book Shelf on the right hand side of the blog for the full list of winners. Have you read any of these books? Let us know what you think by posting a comment.

Hiking Season is Here!

Now is the time to hit the beautiful hiking trails of New Hampshire. Where have you hiked recently? Let us know by posting a comment.

Here are some great web sites and books to help you on your journey. All books listed here are available for check out at Leach Library.

Websites
View from the Top: Provides up-to-date descriptions of trails by people who have recently hiked them. If you are concerned about encountering snow at the higher elevations you will want to consult this site. http://www.viewfromthetop.com/forums

Mount Washington Observatory: Includes forums on White Mountain hiking trails and current weather conditions for the high peaks. You'll also want to check out the cool web cam for the Mt. Washington summit and the outstanding collection of White Mountain photography. http://www.mountwashington.org

United States Forest Service, White Mountain National Forest: Official web site for the White Mountain National Forest. Includes information on passes and permits, current weather conditions, maps and brochures, and information on various recreational activities -- not just hiking. http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain

Hike Safe: A joint effort between the White Mountain National Forest and New Hampshire Fish & Game Department to educate hikers on the inherent risks of hiking and how they can become better prepared before beginning any hike. http://www.hikesafe.com

Books
Call#: 796.5 PLE
Author: Pletcher, Larry
Title: The hiker's guide to New Hampshire

Call #: 796.5109 APP
Author: Smith, Steven D.
Title: The Appalachian Mountain Club's White Mountain guide: hiking trails in the White Mountain National Forest.

Call #: 796.5109 BUC
Author: Buschbaum, Robert
Title: Nature hikes in the White Mountains.

Call #: 917.41 AMC
Author: Appalachian Mountain Club
Title: AMC Maine Mountain Guide

Call #: 917.42 DOA
Author: Doan, Daniel
Title: 50 hikes in the White Mountains: hikes and backpacking trips in the high peaks region of New Hampshire.

Important Scotch-Irish History Book Now Available Through Google Books

The fulltext of "Scotch-Irish Pioneers in Ulster and America" by Charles Knowles Bolton is now available through Google Books. The book, originally published in 1910, chronicles the migration of the Scotch-Irish to the new world in the eighteenth century. One of the main uses of the book today is for its list of signatories to the "Shute Petition," a request from certain "Inhabitants of ye North of Ireland" to travel to the new world if they received from Shute "suitable incouragement." The actual petition still exists and is part of the New Hampshire Historical Society collection and is a wonderful piece of New Hampshire and Londonderry history.

Leach Library to Host an Evening of Traditional Sea Songs with Tom Hall and Linn Schulz

On Thursday, May 14th at 7:00pm, the Leach Library will host an evening of traditional sea songs, tales, and folklore with musicians Tom Hall and Linn Schulz.

Tom Hall has spent nearly 60 years learning, listening to and singing traditional folk songs. He has given hundreds of performances in a variety of venues and has helped to organize many folk music festivals. He has been performing with his wife, Linn Schulz, for over fifteen years. Together they host a monthly sea shanty session at the Press Room Pub in Portsmouth, as well as perform for the annual Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival.

In this program, Tom and Linn will perform traditional sea songs in their original, and at times salty, language. The performance will include sea shanties which were sung as working songs and "fo'c's'le" songs or "forebitters" which were sung for entertainment when sailors were off duty. In addition, they will be presenting the tales and folklore behind the songs. Audience participation is welcome and encouraged.

The event is being sponsored by the Friends of the Londonderry Leach Library. It is free and open to the public and will be held in the library's lower-level meeting room. Light refreshments will be served.