Local library programs - free! :)

[chrissieq]

My neighborhood library has programs through the county system - master gardeners, world music, programs about world history - but specific to our site, we have once a month Lego Saturday where the head librarian has brought in her son's massive collection and kids can build for hours! We have a read to a dog day once a month where trained dogs and their owners volunteer for a few hours on a Saturday to have kids read to the dogs. We have a poetry slam once a year. We have a valentine making party each February where families make a valentine for someone in the care center down the street and then make as many as they want for family and friends. There is a library sponsored book group that meets at a near by park. Like most libraries, there is once a week story times - 2 different based on age range. There is always a puzzle on a table by the computers so those waiting for their turn can help complete the puzzle.

[AmeliaJane]

Per the library-size issue--it seems like a lot of libraries now are part of county or regional systems where you can borrow throughout the system. So when I lived in PA, the library I used was very tiny, but I could borrow through the extensive county network which was well over 100K volumes. So I would make sure to check that statistic.

In my current city, it really depends on the branch. Some branches have four book groups, some have none. There is an extensive series of computer classes and plenty of story hours, summer reading programs for kids, etc. Part of the problem is that although the system has come back partially from cutbacks, the hours are still not as extensive as some places I have lived. Most branches only are open one evening a week, and although most of the Saturday hours are back, only the biggest downtown branch is open Sunday (which is not a neighborhood where people go on the weekends, so I don't get it). Overall, it limits the hours of programs for working people.

[Miss Cellane]

I guessed, based on population size of cities. Manchester is very likely to have more than 100,000 volumes. Other, smaller cities in NH are very likely to have less than 100,000. It's the population cut. I've been studying population size of NH towns.

Past experience has shown me that cities of population 50,000 with well funded libraries have 100,000+ volumes. I lived in 3 college towns in a row with pop 50,000. College towns like their libraries.

There is a library directory that lists this kind of thing but it's not available on the web that I can find, it's one of those secret sources only librarians can access.

Iris Lily, I found this website: http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/lds/public_library_stats.html

If you check tab 16, which is Chart 17, of 2012 Selected Data Comparison Tables, you will find the holdings count for most of the public libraries in NH.

My town doesn't quite make your cut, with just over 90,000 volumes, but there are six cities which do. In addition, if you live in Durham, Lee or Madbury, you can use the UNH library for free. All other state residents must pay $60 a year to check out books (you can go and read to your heart's content in the building for free). Keene also has enough books in their public library to make the cut, and residents can also use the Keene State College Library.

[iris lilies]

Iris Lily, I found this website: http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/lds/public_library_stats.html

If you check tab 16, which is Chart 17, of 2012 Selected Data Comparison Tables, you will find the holdings count for most of the public libraries in NH.

My town doesn't quite make your cut, with just over 90,000 volumes, but there are six cities which do. In addition, if you live in Durham, Lee or Madbury, you can use the UNH library for free. All other state residents must pay $60 a year to check out books (you can go and read to your heart's content in the building for free). Keene also has enough books in their public library to make the cut, and residents can also use the Keene State College Library.

Then there are several towns I could move to in NH!

[artist]

You all in New Hampshire do not believe in taxation. I am of two minds about that--I need a basic public library of 100,000 items. Even in this day of electronic media, I need 100,000 volumes to scan. To peruse the shelves. I need to touch and feel 100,000 volumes.Yes, I use the word "need" even though I will not actually touch 90% of the volumes.

Yet, DH and I are talking about moving to New Hampshire. Only Manchester would meet my criteria of 100,000 volumes in one place.

So I need to carefully think about this, and I really do not want to live away from a city of size, anyways.

...and on topic, I don't need the public library to show me computer skills but it's great that it has those classes. My library offers tons of things through Lynda.com and it's great.

I'm also in NH... Nashua. Our library has overed a lot over the years. Computer classes, resume building, networking, knitting classes, chess club meetings, movie nights (adult) movie night (kids), concerts in the summer (the jazz concert the other night was wonderful), book clubs, museum passes, an decent art and media center and they have a section for hanging local art.