Come meet your new Youth Services Librarian, Miss Emily! Emily comes from the Hooksett Public Library, where she spent two years. She enjoys spending time with her husband and three crazy boys at home. Join Miss Emily for a special Thanksgiving Storytime. We will gather in the children’s room to read stories, sing songs, and think about what makes us feel thankful. There will be a craft to work on together, or to bring home for later, on Nov. 17 at 10:30 a.m.
The November non-fiction book group is centered on “A Libertarian Walks into a Bear” by Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling. A tiny American town’s plans for radical self-government overlooked one hairy detail: no one told the bears. Once upon a time, a group of libertarians got together and hatched the Free Town Project, a plan to take over an American town and completely eliminate its government. In 2004, they set their sights on Grafton. The discussion is set for Nov 12 at 1 p.m.
Our Friday Fiction book group on Nov. 19 at 10:30 a.m. to discuss “The Glass Hotel” by Emily St. John Mandel. From the award-winning author of Station Eleven, an exhilarating novel set at the glittering intersection of two seemingly disparate events – a massive Ponzi scheme collapse and the mysterious disappearance of a woman from a ship at sea.
The library will be closed Nov. 11 and Nov. 25 and 26. It will close early Nov, 24 and be open Nov. 27.
Concord’s Fall Leaf Collection will return with bulk collection starting Nov. 1 and bagged collection starting Nov. 22. Bulk leaf collection will continue as weather permits through Dec. 10. Participating residents may rake leaves loosely to the curb for a one-time collection. Crews from Concord General Services will collect leaves in different areas of the city, focusing on residential areas within the City’s drainage system. Starting locations alternate each year; this year crew one will start at Blossom Hill Cemetery and work south, crew two will start on Elm Street in Penacook and work south, and crew three will start on Manchester Street and work north on the east side of the river. Trackless leaf loaders will be used for bulk collection, which will require residents to rake all leaves fully into the street to be reachable for collection. Residents are advised to not place leaves in piles or around obstructions such as mailboxes, signs, or poles. The city recommends keeping leaves in a tight windrow along the curb, sidewalk, or edge of pavement to keep streets clear. Refrain from on-street parking Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. until collection is complete on the street to avoid blocking access to leaves. Due to unpredictable leaf volumes at the curb and weather conditions, it is unknown when crews will reach certain areas for collection. Residents are encouraged to have leaves ready by the start of the program to not miss collection. Crews can only come to areas once and will not be able to return to areas already collected. The only area with a predetermined collection is the area near Concord High School on Veterans Day. Bulk leaf collection is weather-dependent. Be prepared for changes in weather and remember that snow could possibly suspend collection. To guarantee leaf collection, especially as the weather changes, residents are advised to participate in the city’s bagged collection. Bagged leaf collection will be available for three weeks to residents with curbside trash collection. Leaves must be placed in biodegradable yard waste bags or in rigid containers labeled for leaves, and must be at the curb by 7 a.m. each Monday, regardless of a resident’s trash day. Bagged leaf collection will not necessarily coincide with trash collection like it does in the spring. Leaves will be collected separately from trash and could occur before or after a designated trash day. Bags should be at the curb by Nov. 22, Nov. 29, and Dec. 6 for collection each week. Bagged collection is not weather-dependent like bulk collection, but residents are encouraged to be proactive. Alternative methods for leaf disposal include mulching leaves into the lawn, bringing them to a local accepting farm, or dropping them off at Gelinas Excavation & Earth Materials Recycling Center. Find more information at concordnh.gov/leafcollection.