News and Notes from the Blanding Library

Changes at the Blanding
The Blanding Library is pleased to welcome Whitney Pape as new library director. Whitney comes to the Blanding with a wide variety of library experience, including positions at the Pawtucket Public Library, the Redwood Library in Newport, and Brown University Library. I look forward to writing more about Whitney once she gets settled into in her new position.

At the same time, all of us connected to the Blanding, whether staff member, volunteer or library patron, will be sorry to see Blanding director Laura Bennett leave. Laura is retiring this summer, after serving as director for almost two decades. She saw the library through many changes, including the library’s leap into all the new technology of the digital age, our year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Goff Hall in 2015, and the new addition to Goff Hall, which was completed just this year. We all wish her the best in her retirement and hope she will be a frequent visitor at the Blanding.

Kindness Rocks
Next time you’re at the Blanding, look for the colorful little stones with inspirational messages in the garden out front of Goff Hall. These are part of a “Kindness Rocks” project and are the work of three local sisters, Abby, Molly and Sophie Green, who spent many hours on their project. The Green sisters are the granddaughters of Steve Green, builder of the new addition at Goff Hall.

The girls’ mother Jennie learned of the “Kindness Rock” project and saw that Rehoboth was not on the list of communities that participated, so the family took it upon themselves to begin it here in town. You can take part in the project by taking a rock to share or by leaving a new rock for others. To find out how the “Kindness Rock” project got started, check out thekindnessrockproject.com.

Last of the Summer Programs
It’s been a great summer for kids’ programs at the Blanding. Here are three August programs to finish out the season:
Tues. Aug 8 at 1:30: Introduction to Game Design with Scratch, a 2-hour workshop for kids ages 8-12. Registration required. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Blanding Library.
Wed. Aug 9 at 10:30: Steam Ahead Workshop for those entering grades K to 4. Registration required.
Mon. Aug. 21 at 11: Itsy Bitsy Beings workshop for those in grades 4-12. Registration required. For more information: blandinglibrary.net, or call 508-252-4236.

Book Sale in September
It’s almost time for the Blanding’s annual used book sale, which will be held this year the weekend of Sept. 15-17, from Friday evening to Sunday morning. Look for more information in next month’s Reporter. The library is accepting donations of used books in good condition. Please bring donations inside the library during business hours only. Thank you.

New Morning Hours Start Soon
Thanks to additional funding, the Blanding is able to add extra morning hours to our schedule. Starting in September, the library will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday hours remain the same: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The library is closed Sundays and holidays, including Mon. Sept. 4 for Labor Day.