News & Notes from the Blanding Library

Keys for Christmas
Do you have a bunch of old metal keys in your junk drawer? Who knows what doors and drawers they unlock at this point. But we’ve got a good use for them. First we’ll tie them up with a ribbon to decorate our Centennial Tree in the lobby at Goff Hall. (We’re calling our Christmas tree a Centennial Tree in honor of Goff Hall’s 100-year anniversary coming up.) Then after January 1, we’ll recycle the keys for the metal and donate the funds to the Goff Hall renovation project.

Holiday Programs & Passes
Our popular holiday programs for kids fill up fast but you can check at the Blanding to see if there are any last-minute openings for our “Make Your Own Gingerbread House” programs at 3:30-5 pm on Tues. and Wed. Dec. 9 and 10. These programs are sponsored by The Friends of the Blanding Library.
If you’re looking for something to do over the Christmas holidays, the Blanding has a variety of one-day discount passes to local attractions that you can borrow with your library card. Check out our website or call the library at 508-252-4236 for more information. It’s always a good idea to call ahead to reserve the pass you want.

“Access for All” at Goff Hall
Just an end of the year reminder that the Rehoboth Antiquarian Society is in the midst of a fund-raising campaign to raise money to renovate Goff Hall with new bathrooms that are handicapped accessible. The building has been making do with 100-year-old restrooms that can only be reached down a long flight of stairs so this renovation is really needed. If you haven’t sent in a contribution to this worthy cause, we urge you to do so. And if you haven’t seen the excellent video about this project, please see the Blanding’s Facebook site or go to YouTube and look up Goff Memorial Hall/Blanding Library “Access for All” Campaign.

Book Club News
Note the changed date for the December book group meeting. It will be on Wed. Dec. 10 at 7 pm; the book is “The Map Thief” by Michael Blanding. Next up will be a discussion of Anna Quindlen’s “Still Life with Breadcrumbs” on Wed. Jan. 7 at 7 pm. The book group welcomes new members. Stop by the Blanding for a copy of this very enjoyable novel.

Coming Up in January
The Blanding will be celebrating the 100-year anniversary of Goff hall in 2015. We’ve already got a line-up of fun things to do each month, so keep checking our calendar at blandinglibrary.net.

Games Day on Jan. 10: The first event of the year will be held on Sat. Jan. 10 at the library, for children and adults, all day from 10 am to 4 pm. Beat the winter blahs by coming into the library to play a variety of board games and have a slice of cake too. Help us complete a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle in one day. A cribbage instructor from the newly-formed Cribbage Club will be giving lessons in the game from 1 to 2 pm. Bingo with prizes will be held from 2 to 3 pm.

The Blanding (blandinglibrary.net) is a member of the SAILS library network. We are located in historic Goff Hall at 124 Bay State Rd., phone 508-252-4236. The library is open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 am to 8 pm and on Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. The library is closed Sundays and holidays, including Dec. 24 and 25 and Jan. 1. Happy Holidays to all!