A Message from the Trustees on Reopening the Library
As you may have heard, the Governor recently announced that libraries, among other services and businesses, may reopen on June 15th. What you may not know is that the Governors’ Economic Reopening Task Force has issued universal guidelines for all New Hampshire businesses and organizations to follow in order to reopen safely. There are also guidelines specific for libraries. We ask for your continued patience and understanding as we begin to implement these guidelines.
As we move forward towards re-opening, the Library Board of Trustees has as its top priority to assure both your safety and that of our staff. For the time being, the Library building will remain closed to the public, but many of our services continue to be available or will soon resume. We encourage you to take advantage of our expanded online options through our website http://www.centerharborlibrary.org. The dropbox is now open so you can return any items you may have borrowed prior to the COVID-19 health emergency.
We are happy to announce that you will soon be able to borrow Library materials again. Starting June 26th, we will offer curbside pick-up. Just telephone 603-253-6950, email ch_library@metrocast.net or use your online library account to reserve your requests. You will be notified when your requests are ready for you to pick-up.
Although you won’t be able to browse the stacks, feel free to contact our Librarian Jon Kinnaman for suggestions on what to read next. He is back working in the building and would be happy to assist you, whether with our own book collection, downloadable books or streaming media.
We don’t yet know when we will be able to open our doors and welcome you back to our Library in person. Unlike larger libraries nearby, we are a small library with limited public space that presents unique challenges. Please rest assured that the Library Board of Trustees is firmly committed to serving our community during this public health emergency and beyond.
Thank you for your immeasurable patience and support. Stay well.
The Nichols Memorial Library Board of Trustees, 5/25/2020
Trustees Charge and Meetings. The Library Trustees are the governing body of the library and the link between the library and the community. The Board of Trustees normally meets on the 4th Monday of each month at 10:00 am at the library. Meetings are open to the public. Due to the padnemic emergency, meetings are being condcuted by video conference on the Zoom platform. You can read the agenda for upcoming meetings and get a link for Zoom conferences on the Town of CH web page.
Minutes. Consult this page for the minutes of library board meetings.
2020 Board of Trustees: Annette Nichols (Chair), Sara Heath (Treasurer), Karen Ponton (Secretary), Shannon Whalen, Bette Miller, and Susan Gurney (Alternate). Gayle Lacasse, who was lected to a 2-year term at the 2020 town metting, tendered her resignation at the June meeting due to work conflicts.
Library Assessment. In 2018, the Town of Center Harbor and the Nichols Library Board of Trustees authorized an assessment of the library building to ascertain its existing condition and plan for its future. The assessment was conducted by Alba Architects LLP of Woodstock, NH. The final report was submitted on February 27, 2019. The report was funded in part by a grant from the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance. Images taken by Alba of the library’s interior and exterior are available for viewing. Also available are ariel images of the library’s exterior
Annual Report. Here is our 2019 annual report.
The Nichols Memorial Library Association. When the Nichols Library opened, the Center Harbor Library Association, which had donated its substantial private collection to the new library, re-constituted itself as the Nichols Memorial Library Association. It managed the Nichols Trust until November 2005, when the Association disbanded and the library became an entity of the Town of Center Harbor.
