Local Author: Mike Whaley

Tuesday, October 7th
5:30-7PM

Community Room

Longtime local sportswriter/sports editor Mike Whaley (Rochester Courier, Rochester Times, Foster’s Daily Democrat) will be at the Rochester Public Library on Tuesday, October 7, 5:30 p.m., to discuss and sign copies of his new book – “Floor Burns: A Wild Journey Across the Forgotten Backroads of NAIA Basketball in New England.”

Whaley’s book is a sprawling in depth celebration of small college basketball in the region, covering all six New England states. It’s also part memoir as Whaley played NAIA basketball himself in the early 1980s at Lyndon State College in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. It was the era of short shorts before the 3-pointer and the shot clock.

New Hampshire figures prominently in the book with stories on Franklin Pierce University, Keene State College, New England College, and old Nathaniel Hawthorne and Notre Dame colleges. There is also a National Basketball Association connection to the NAIA. Future NBA coaches Stan Van Gundy and Steve Clifford got their starts there – Van Gundy as a head coach at Castleton State in Vermont and Clifford as a player at UMaine-Farmington. Boston Celtics’ legend Jungle Jim Loscutoff went on to coach after his pro career in the NAIA at old Boston State College from 1964 to 1976.

This is Whaley’s second book. His first – “A Pen For All Seasons – was published in 2023, a collection of his favorite newspaper sports stories and columns. He lives in Portland, Maine, with his wife, Jill Rosenblum.

Murder and Mayhem:

True Crime in New Hampshire from 1883-1915, with Milli Knudsen

Wednesday, October 15th
6:30-7:30PM

Community Room

The RPL welcomes veteran author and genealogist Milli Knudsen as she looks at true crime in New Hampshire with her book Murder and Mayhem: True Crime in New Hampshire from 1883-1915. In the rapidly changing world of 1883-1915, criminals and good citizens learned to cope with new ways to commit crimes and how to protect themselves. Emerging forensic science became a valuable tool. In those pre-internet days, newspapers widely covered the crimes and trials and created an audience of true crime readers, much like what we have today. Murders, robberies, the rise of insurance coverage and therefore arson, the reaction to the 1915 influenza outbreak (including resistance to mask wearing), sex crimes and the advent of financial crimes are all included in case studies averaging 300 to 800 words. Sometimes the lives of the investigators—the judges, doctors, and journalists who covered crime stories—are every bit as fascinating as the crimes themselves. Murder and Mayhem tells the stories behind the headlines and gives you a glimpse into life in New England in the years leading up to World War I. Illustrated with historical images of victims and criminals alike, and fully indexed, this volume is perfect for true crime buffs, and historians. Based on primary sources, including the second prison registry of the New Hampshire State Prison, at the New Hampshire State Archives, and NH court records of the time period, this volume is important for genealogists and a good choice for library acquisition. The world changed in dramatic ways between 1883 to 1915. The ways to commit crimes and the ways to investigate crime changed as well. Knudsen has captured these fascinating stories, among many others, from those years in her newest volume!

Books will be available for purchase. 

Medicare Mishaps: Pitfalls to Avoid for Seamless Coverage

Wednesday, October 29th
6:00-7:30PM

Community Room

Don’t let Medicare confusion cost you. This seminar highlights critical nuances and exposes common pitfalls that lead to higher costs and coverage gaps. Learn how to make informed choices and secure the right Medicare plan for your needs.

Unwind

Every Tuesday
6-7:45PM

Second Floor

Join the craft enthusiasts for a relaxing session each week. Whether your passion lies in knitting, crocheting, embroidering, or utilizing threads, yarn, and strings for repairs, come and enjoy a leisurely time fostering camaraderie. For any inquiries, kindly contact Abby at rpl.info@rochesternh.gov. Please be advised that meeting locations may vary due to scheduling conflicts with other events.

Puzzle Swap

Thursday, October 9th
9-5PM

Second Floor

Bring a completed puzzle and exchange it for a new one to solve! The puzzles should consist of at least 250 pieces and cater to adults.

Guidelines for puzzle exchanges: Ensure the puzzle is whole with no missing pieces. Place the puzzle in a zip-lock bag along with the original box or container.

Provide an image of the completed puzzle (either on the box, a poster, or a large photograph).If you don't have a puzzle to trade, feel free to take one and return it for exchange at the next swap.