There are bountiful free books and material you can still access online! Check out the list of resources below and also visit our Digital Services page, Children’s page, Teen page, and Museum page for more resources.
Legal Services List
Click here for an updated legal services list from the New Hampshire Law Library.
Preparing for Financial Emergencies
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) provides resources to help people manage their finances in preparation for, recovering from, or rebuilding after a natural disaster. The CFPB provides free tips and information to help you feel better prepared and avoid scams. Click here to find this information.
NH Public Health Recommendations
Here are the NH Public Health recommendations for people who are fully vaccinated when around others from outside the household (updated 5/17/2021)
New Hampshire Child Care Search
NH Child Care Search is a free service that helps families find childcare to best meet their needs. Reach out to Child Care Aware of N.H. (CCAoNH) by calling the Main Outreach line at (603) 578-1386, ext. 2531 and an Outreach Specialist will return your call. General Summer camp information can be found here: https://www.nh-connections.org/families/nh-camps/
They can also contact CCAoNH here: https://www.nh-connections.org/contact/ and select Child Care Resource and Referral Outreach.
DOE Summer Camp Program
The Department of Education is offering summer programming. The state-operated summer enrichment program will pay up to $650 of the youth recreation camp fees of qualifying students. Parents/caregivers of qualifying students will select a New Hampshire youth recreation camp from a list of approved camps across the state. For more information, please visit https://rekindlingcuriosityeducation.nh.gov/
Additional support – Office of Student Wellness toolkits that may be helpful for providers, yourself and families you are working with.
https://nhdoe.instructure.com/courses/37/pages/osew-toolkits
Find a Summer Camp in New England Map
With more than 130 years of experience in providing a safe, thriving environment for young people to explore personal interests, build self-esteem, develop interpersonal skills, discover the creativity and health benefits of the outdoors, and make lasting friendships and memories. Find a Camp – YMCA Alliance of Northern New England (ymcasofnh.org) https://ymcasofnh.org/find-a-camp/
NEW SMYTH SEED LIBRARY-Now OPEN
The seed collection will be focused on community sharing and will allow patrons to check out seed packets to use in their home or neighborhood gardens. The seed library holds a large and varied selection of heirloom and organic seeds to choose from with the seeds to be placed in smaller packets to be checked out. There will be no due dates or late fees, just a limit on the overall number taken to keep seeds available for everyone. The seeds will not be required to be returned, but the library will encourage users to let a few of their plants go to seed and donate the retained seeds to neighbors or back to the library for others to use. This allows the library to form a diverse stock of local sustainable seeds for the community to borrow.
*Drop in to see our seed list and borrow what you like!
_________________________________________________________________________________
Seeking Volunteers for Blood Drives and Local Disasters
Local Disaster Volunteers Needed
Help your neighbor in their greatest time of need. Want to put your compassion into action? JOIN the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team! The American Red Cross of Northern New England is seeking compassionate and committed individuals to join our Disaster Action Team. Every day people are forced from their home due to fires, storms or other disasters. Our Disaster Action Team volunteers respond day and night to meet the immediate needs of their neighbors. Assistance given may include financial provisions for food, clothing and lodging, emotional support, prescription medication, and other critically needed items. Shifts are flexible and all training is provided. Learn more here.
Local Blood Drive Volunteers Needed
Help save lives in your community by supporting blood collection. Did you know someone in the US needs blood every two seconds? Every day, roughly 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed in the US. Simply put, that’s a lot of blood that is severely needed. Thankfully, many heed the need and donate blood. To continue to meet this critical need in Northern New England we are looking for friendly, customer focused individuals to volunteer at blood drives in your community.
As a Blood Donor Ambassador volunteer, you will engage donors by greeting, registering, answering questions, providing information, and supporting them through the recovery process at the refreshments table. The special attention volunteers give helps create a favorable impression that encourages ongoing donor support. 5 hours shifts available on a monthly basis. Learn more here.
AmazonSmile
Want to help make a difference while you shop in the Amazon app, at no extra cost to you? Simply follow the instructions below to select “Smyth Public Library Assoc” as your charity and activate AmazonSmile in the app. They’ll donate a portion of your eligible mobile app purchases to us.
How it works:
1. Open the Amazon app on your phone
2. Select the main menu (=) & tap on “AmazonSmile” within Programs & Features
3. Select “Smyth Public Library Assoc” as your charity
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to activate AmazonSmile in the mobile app
Resource for Aspiring Educators
Check out this site if you are an aspiring educator! It provides free tools for students and lifelong learners to develop their careers in education, including career outlooks, program ratings, licensing information, and expert advice. They also provide resources for recent graduates and current teachers such as guides to earning master’s degrees in education and our jobs board, which displays new openings in teaching, administration, and learning support positions every day.
Brainfuse HelpNow Tutoring
Smyth Public Library is pleased to announce the launch of Brainfuse – on demand, anytime, anywhere eLearning. Brainfuse HelpNow™ provides differentiated learning solutions for users of diverse needs and background. Students communicate with live tutors using an interactive whiteboard to chat, write, draw, copy/paste text or images and graph homework problems. HelpNow™ will be available to all library patrons from any computer with internet connection starting this month. To access HelpNow™, please visit the library’s website catalog at [https://smyth.biblionix.com/catalog/?search=].
Live Tutoring: HelpNow offers live tutor access for homework help, skills building and test preparation where after taking a quiz, the user can connect directly to a live tutor from the test center without having to return to the main page. Because HelpNow is personalized, both the student and the tutor can access quiz questions to do an intensive test prep which may include loading lessons on the whiteboard. All live sessions are saved and can be replayed as well as shared with friends and teachers by email. Using the CloudPack feature, students can store and upload MS Word, Excel, JPG, and other accepted file types directly onto the whiteboard.
Asynchronous Services: The Writing Lab and the 24/7 Center options give users the freedom to receive assistance at any time of the day without connecting with a live tutor. Users can submit papers through the Writing Lab for a detailed feedback. 24/7 Center is for non-writing assignments such as math or science. All reviews and comments from our tutors are found and stored in the Message Center which is found on the student homepage.
Study Tools: LEAP helps patrons build academic skills through targeted lessons, quizzes, and live, online tutoring. LEAP creates a learning plan based on a skills assessment that is taken at the beginning of the course. Flashbulb is a robust, learning resource where you can find flashcards or create your own. There are many ways this can be used. Brainfuse students have created sets to use with their friends and teachers have created sets for their students to use.
Collaboration tools: For students who prefer to work independently and form their own online study group, HelpNow offers a set of collaborative tools – MEET and Brainwave. MEET allows students to schedule their own online sessions using the Brainfuse MEET whiteboard which is specifically designed for a group setting. Brainwave is a recordable whiteboard where students can draw, write on the whiteboard and chat then save and email it to others for feedback.
Adult Learning Center
Adult Learning Center is the adult learners’ version of HelpNow™ where patrons can access High School Equivalency prep, US Citizenship test prep, resume assistance, Microsoft Office support, and Career Resources. The Writing Lab, Send Question, and Skills Building are also included in the Adult Learning Center suite.
New Hampshire Legal Aid
Click here for resources regarding legal issues during COVID-19.
Free Meditation for Chaotic Times
Feeling tense, anxious, or stressed? Try this FREE Meditation for Chaotic Times from East Forest. Take long, deep, nourishing breaths whenever possible. Move in nature as much as you can. And, most importantly, keep on loving no matter what!
Free Genealogy Webinars
Click here to listen to librarian webinars from FamilySearch for your own genealogical referencing.
hoopla: Pottermore and Foreign Language Content
hoopla’s foreign language content continues to grow! They have collections dedicated to content in Spanish, French, and other foreign languages for patrons, all available instantly with no holds or waiting! View the collections here.
Patrons can experience the magic of Harry Potter and other Wizarding World titles available in 12 languages with no holds or waiting. hoopla has released the eBooks and audiobooks to the most popular titles in the Harry Potter series in many languages for the first time! Click here to view.
Unemployment Information Outreach
Do you know anyone who has claimed unemployment this year? Individuals who received unemployment need to know it is taxable income. Taxable benefits include any of the special unemployment compensation authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, enacted this spring. We do not want them to be caught off guard when filing their tax return next year! Although some states don’t tax unemployment, it is always taxable at the federal level. The State will provide taxpayers with a paper Form 1099-G or make it available electronically by January 31st showing the amount of taxable benefits paid.
A flyer can also be found on the IRS website listed as
Publication 5444 Did You Receive Unemployment Benefits?(Rev. 08-2020) https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5444.pdf. Please check IRS.Gov for the latest updates.
It is our goal that more people will know that:
- unemployment income is taxable
- they can contact their state unemployment office to have taxes withheld from ongoing unemployment payments
- if they did not have taxes withheld from unemployment payments, there are ways to pay on those taxes before the year ends
- they can use the withholding calculator https://apps.irs.gov/app/tax-withholding-estimator, and determine what they may owe
Publication 4128 Tax Impact of Job Loss – the Life Cycle Series (Rev. 05-2020) https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4128.pdf
Form W-4V Voluntary Withholding Request (For unemployment compensation and certain Federal Government and other payments.) https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-
Go to www.irs.gov/FormW4V for the latest information
Addressing Oppression: Becoming an Ally
View this document to better understand ways in which you can become an ally and confront the oppression within our nation’s society. Reading recommendations, words to understand and know, as well as online resources and ways to actively help are provided.
Need to talk to your White children about racism but don’t know where to start?
Try Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness, by Anastasia Higginbotham.
A Free PDF download is available for a limited time at https://www.dottirpress.com/
Also consider Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning.
An audiobook version is available now through Spotify. Learn more about the content of this powerful novel, and access the audiobook at https://bookriot.com/2020/06/04/stamped-from-the-beginning-by-ibram-x-kendi-free-on-spotify/
ChildLight Education Company
This company stands in solidarity against any and all acts of racism, disrespect and inequitable treatment of people. Talking about racism, traumatic events and violence can be difficult for families, but they have put together some valuable resources that may help in discussing this issue.
How Teach Your Kids to Fight Hate: An Age-by-Age Guide
Supporting Vulnerable Students in Stressful Times: Tips for Parents
How to Talk to Kids about Race and Racism
AARP: At Home Volunteering
Create the Good program has developed a list of virtual/at-home service opportunities to consider. Click here to access this resource and opportunities.
Video On Demand
The library has partnered with Infobase to offer free videos and films. Check out the thousands of titles and click here to view new releases!
Documentary Films
Features free films for you to watch from home.
Sora
A free resource for kids, providing audiobook downloads; this is a great resource to for summer reading.
How do you set up Sora?
- The Sora app works on mobile devices or tablets.
- Download the free Sora app on your mobile or tablet from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
- Open Sora and tap I have a setup code (at the bottom of the screen).
- Enter this setup code: audiobooksync.
- Enter the email address you used to sign up for SYNC.
- Tap: Explore (at the bottom of the screen) to see the week’s featured titles [2020 season starts April 30]
New MidAmerica Books
Provides free access to THOUSANDS of eBooks with unlimited, simultaneous user access.
Check out the categories of books and material offered by MidAmerica Books:
Zoom Online Databases
Direct URL: https://abdozoom.com/zoomchoice/?tk=6DCDDD77F68C85E0E1688D962154F2EC
Website Login: abdodigital.com
Site username: abdo-zoom
Site password: 072020
Elementary Grade Databases
Direct URL: https://abdodigital.com/?tk=4CD2971823E2F0334483B74C3AB4257F
Website Login: abdodigital.com
Site username: abdo-elementary
Site password: 072020
Secondary Grade Databases
Direct URL: https://abdodigital.com/?tk=2BAD8E765579168B2CFA074F892D1601
Website Login: abdodigital.com
Site username: abdo-secondary
Site password: 072020
ABDO
Various digital bookshelf and a zoom research database
Elementary Digital Bookshelf Prek-8
Secondary Digital Bookshelf 5-12
ABDO Zoom Research Database
Scribd
is making their millions of eBooks, audiobooks and magazines FREE to anyone for 30 days, no credit card required. There are many fantastic books for adults and children available without waiting.
Audible
Audible has launched Audible Stories, a free service that offers family-friendly educational and entertaining audiobook content.
Haymarket Books
You can now download ten free ebooks on social and economic justice from Haymarket Books to read while social distancing.
TumbleBooks
Many databases are easy to use, and feature unlimited access from home! Your patrons can read as many books as they want, when they want, and on any device. There are no check-outs, holds, or bulky downloads. Books are available instantly. Check out our Children’s Events and Resources as well as our Teen page for more information.
AudioBookCloud
Audio book database for all ages.
RomanceBookCloud
Huge collection of steamy Romance novels for the older crowd!
LibraryThing
Add, catalog, and organize unlimited books while stuck at home
Infobase Learning Resources
For the following links please use this login information:
Username: 1688356-user
Password: digital
Science Online
Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center
Health Reference Center
World News Digest
Today’s Science
The World Almanac for Kids
Access Video On Demand: Master Collection
Access Video On Demand: Just for Kids
The World Almanac for Kids Elementary
Free Lesson Plans and Education Resources
Efficient Ways to Improve Student Writing
7 Steps to Teaching Writing Skills to Students with Disabilities
Teaching English Learners: What Classroom and Content Teachers Need to Know About English Learners
The Educator’s Guide to Applying Real-World Math: 15 Resources with over 100 Lesson Plans
Alternatives to Dissection
7 Beneficial At-Home Science Activities that Can Help Ease ADHD Symptoms
Surefire Ways To Engage Kids in Learning Chemistry
A Helpful Collection of Calculators for Teachers & Students
How to Make History Come Alive
LivBits Let’s Keep Reading
Distance Learning
Picture Book Read Alouds
This is made up of authors reading their own work, including a list from the Indianapolis Public Library with over 100 titles, and titles in other languages.
Read, Wonder, and Learn
This is a lot of authors sharing lessons, excerpts, etc from their books.
More Children’s and Teen Resources
Children’s book publishers have such a wealth of online content that can be useful year-round in connecting kids with books. Activity kits, educator kits, discussion guides, graphic novels, and more are available for free in a wide range of topics and for hundreds of books.In an effort to make these resources easier to discover and use, publishers have shared them with us so you can find them all in one place online. The new CBC resource page is now available and contains links directly to publisher websites to easily access and learn more about the amazing children’s and young adult books and activities they have to offer.
Ben’s Guide
NASA Space Place
Revolutionary Story Time
Homemade Tangrams
Make your own mask
Books by the Bushel Monthly Activities
Junior Library Guide
A weekly webcast featuring the story Aiden Tyler and Quaran-teen.
Authors Everywhere
A YouTube channel with authors sharing their books and work, will also, hopefully, host panels and other discussions.
Jarrett Lerner’s Activities Page
Lots of print outs/activities that encourage creativity and story creation – I think a fun thing to do would be to pick a certain page and encourage all kids (and adults!) to work on it and then have them tag the library on social media in their finished work.
Lunch Doodles with Mo Williams
Mo Willems invites YOU into his studio every day for his LUNCH DOODLE. Learners worldwide can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day for the next few weeks. Grab some paper and pencils, pens, or crayons and join Mo to explore ways of writing and making together.
Take this quiz to find your next 500+ page read!
These closed-space book recommendations make for perfect quarantine reading.
Cooking Demos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWs_h5i0FP0&t=17s&mc_cid=2964a6aac0&mc_eid=a7545970d0
The Creative Feast
Try cooking with Liz as she live streams various culinary tips, tricks, and how-to’s! Also visit her Facebook page at The Creative Feast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKn2B9o8ht4
Cookbook authors are helping with what to cook during quarantine.
Science Resources
Center for Wildlife Morning Meeting with Wildlife Ambassadors Facebook Live!
Join us for a Morning Meeting with Wildlife Ambassadors on Facebook Live each day at 10am EST where we will highlight one of our amazing wildlife ambassadors or neighbors! We would like to welcome you to an up and in (virtual) person opportunity to meet our wildlife ambassadors as well as be able to ask questions of their caregivers! We also post fun activities to do at home, as well as educational and entertaining content! Don’t have access to social media? No worries! All videos will be posted on our Youtube channel! We look forward to learning and laughing with you!