Richards Free Library Blog

Members of the Newport Middle High School Football Team help the Friends of the Library set up the book sale for tomorrow's 50th Anniversary Library Festival. The girl's field hockey team sets up the tents; members of the football team carry all the books down three flights of stairs and out to the tents and the girl's soccer team takes down the tables after the sale. Hooray for the teens of Newport!

Master embroiderer Hafiza Malikbaba has spent her life in eastern Afghanistan; she spent this summer in Warner, NH. Next week, as she prepares to return to her home and her work, Hafiza will present a public program in the Ballroom, talking about life in her native country and about her efforts as assistant director of Rubia, the Afghan Women's Handwork Project, a nonprofit organization serving rural Afghan women and children through training, education, and promotion of their traditional handwork. The program is sponsored by the Centurions of the Friends.

The library invites the public to meet the international workcampers from Volunteers for Peace and spend the evening learning about Newport's Greek heritage. Members of the Greek community are invited to bring photos, stories, items, etc. Charen Urban of Newport Middle High School will share photos she took in Greece while on her sabbatical. The event will take place on Tuesday, August 8th in the newly renovated (air-conditioned) ballroom on the library's third floor at 6:30 p.m. A light dessert will be served.

August 7th at 7:00 pm

Biloxi, Mississippi - After Hurricane Katrina

In December 2005, a group of Dartmouth College students went to Biloxi to help with relief efforts. Elaine Frank of Newport was one of the advisors on the trip. She will share the video that some of the students made, some of her impressions from the trip and facilitate a discussion on both the positive and negative impacts of disasters on communities.

Sponsored by the Centurion Friends of the Richards Free Library, this program is free and open to all.