The Parrott Unbound

In the last installment of Portsmouth Public Library's quarantine recordings series, a discussion of stories set in familiar worlds with a magical twist.

PPL staff who serve adults and teens share some of their favorite teen books with adult reader appeal.

Portsmouth Public Library crafters break down their current projects and how they approach learning new mediums and skills.

Part 2/2. Portsmouth Public Library staff talk books that shaped their perspectives, connected them to others, and influenced their literary tastes.

Part 1/2. Portsmouth Public Library staff talk books that shaped their perspectives, validated their experiences, connected them to others, and influenced their literary tastes.

Bodacious baking resources available from Portsmouth Public Library’s digital collection.

Awesome audiobooks available from Portsmouth Public Library’s digital collection.

In this installment of The Parrott Unbound, experience a scene from Portsmouth Public Library’s Shakespearean Bootcamp program, which took place in February. We’re dropping you right in the middle of the action with a reading from Act 5, Scene 1 of Hamlet. This scene and accompanying analysis is the culmination of a month-long intensive workshop that gave players a chance to perform dramatic re...

On February 15, author, funeral reform advocate, and speaker Lee Webster brought her insights into planning natural, affordable, and meaningful funerals to the library. Topics explored during the talk include: legal rights and responsibilities, problems with cremation, and green alternatives that are not green at all.  Portsmouth Public Library, New Hampshire Funeral Resources, Education & Advo...

This summer, Piper Bartlett-Browne, a science teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Dover, traveled to the Arctic to conduct long-term climate change research aboard the U.S. Coast Guard vessel Healy. Piper’s research was part of the PolarTREC Program, a National Science Foundation funded program which invites just 12 teachers each year from the United States to partner with polar scient...

On August 7, Professors Nicole Gugliucci  (Physics) and Joshua Tepley (Philosophy) of Saint Anselm College led a discussion on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. How likely is the existence of alien sentience? How profound would it be to discover the existence of aliens? Would it fundamentally change human culture? Or would life go on more or less the same as it was before the discov...

Hear the entire audio of Melissa Saggerer's popular talk at the library, The Tragedy of the Waitresses and other Historical Vignettes: The Isles of Shoals in Brief!

In Episode 2, we featured an interview by Heather Armitage with social worker Susan Stibler about self-care. Hear the whole interview here!

In Episode 6, we featured a small snippet of Director Steve Butzel's interview with John Eddy, a retired U.S. Foreign Service officer. Hear the whole interview here!

Geeks ahoy! This episode is for you. See the library through the eyes of two mysterious aliens, Ong & Flo. Hear interviews with cartoonist, writer and performer Kali Moulton, author Jeff Deck, our recently retired Youth Services supervisor Susan Laun, library page and former library overnight guest Fran Dintino, and retired Foreign Service Officer John Eddy! This episode also features excerpts ...

Looking to the past gives us insight and wisdom to make better decisions about the future. The library is committed to conserving and sharing the history of our community for just this reason. In this episode, learn from local folks working to illuminate the lives of enslaved people in New England, hear about the liberty eagle that hangs in our lobby and what it represents, discover a local pro...

Ignite your creativity with an episode all about making! Hear excerpts from a panel on the library's 2018 "Text and Textiles" exhibit, with paired poets and textile artists; learn about March's Project Upcycle event, created by the library's very own Jennifer Moore; hear the storied history of The Elvis Room in Portsmouth; and learn how to order your very own 3D prints from the library!

Amid the news of tragedy, disconnect and suffering, take time to listen to the inspiring stories of folks in recovery from substance abuse. Learn to meditate with instructors from the library's Weekly Meditation program. Learn more about some of our favorite cathartic literature. We hope this week's episode helps in your personal recovery! Love, the Librarians at PPL

Learn how local folks are working on environmental sustainability, how traditions are sustained by dedicated stewards like lighthouse keepers and historians, and how we can sustain ourselves emotionally in difficult times. Plus, sustain your appetite with some delectable culinary readings!

The library is a public space where all are welcome. On that theme, hear excerpts from our 2018 Ask an Immigrant Anything panel, learn why we no longer charge late fees, hear from a few of our favorite pieces of literature, and find out about the rather strange cetacean news unfolding at Prescott Park... Welcome to The Parrott Unbound!