May events at Belmont Public Library

BELMONT — The Belmont Library has acquired a telescope in anticipation of the summer reading theme A Universe of Stories. The Orion Starblast tabletop telescope was customized by the New Hampshire Astronomical Society, and is available to patrons over the age of 18 for three-day checkout. 

Master Gardener Nell Garden visits on Thursday, May 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the Corner Meeting House, answering questions as planting begins. Master gardeners are trained volunteers educators in the community, helping the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension programs reach more people. The seed library is now open to help with spring gardening.

LEGO Build is Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m.-noon.

The non-fiction book group will meet on Thursday, May 9 at 1 p.m. to discuss ‘Lab Girl’ by Hope Jahren. Jahren, a scientist, has built three laboratories in which she's studied trees, flowers, seeds, and soil. Her first book is about work, love, and the mountains that can be moved when those two things come together.

The Friends are meeting to discuss summer volunteer plans on Thursday, May 9.

The library is hosting a 3D printer for a few weeks starting May 13. See the printer in action and talk with the librarian about the future of this technology. 

Middle schoolers will make miniature mandalas on May 15 at 3:30 p.m., and RSVPs are requested.

The Friday Fiction book group reads ‘The Widows of Malabar Hill’ by Sujata Massey on Friday, May 17, at 10:30 a.m. The book takes place in 1920s India and follows Perveen Mistry, Bombay’s first female lawyer, as she investigates a suspicious will on behalf of three Muslim widows.

The Belmont Senior Center book group is reading ‘The Daring Ladies of Lowell’ by Kate Alcott on Tuesday, May 21, at 10:30 a.m. at the Senior Center. The historical novel is about a young woman drawn to the looms of Lowell, Massachusetts who falls in love.

Rome and Pompeii are primary sites through which to see the Roman empire's past. R. Scott Smith, professor of classics at the University of New Hampshire, will explore the archaeological remains of Rome, the "Eternal City," and Pompeii, the town buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D., and discuss the problems of preserving these ancient ruins on Thursday, May 23, at 7 p.m. at the Corner Meeting House.

Preschool age storytime features stories, movement, music, and crafts to encourage early literacy skills on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

The library has passes to New Hampshire state parks, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, and the state historical society. Contact the library for details. Squam Lake Science Center and Canterbury Shaker Village passes will be added when they open. The state parks pass is courtesy of the Friends of the Belmont Library.

The library is closed Monday, May 27, for the Memorial Day holiday.

The Belmont Public Library is open six days a week and any time by visiting www.belmontpubliclibrary.org.