Upcoming Events

The Meriden Library will host “A Visit with Abraham Lincoln,” a living history presentation by Steve Wood, at 6pm, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, at 22 Bean, Meriden, NH.

Plainfield Libraries was awarded a Humanities-to-go grant for this presentation. All are welcome! Free to the public!

Abraham Lincoln, portrayed by Steve Wood, begins this program by recounting his early life and ends with a reading of the "Gettysburg Address." Along the way he comments on the debates with Stephen Douglas, his run for the presidency, and the Civil War. The Meriden Library will host “A Visit with Abraham Lincoln,” a living history presentation by Steve Wood, at 6pm, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, at 22 Bean, Meriden, NH. The program, free and open to the public, is funded in part by a grant from the New Hampshire Humanities. It will include the story of Lincoln’s visit to New Hampshire in 1860, after his Cooper Union Address in New York City, and his subsequent nomination and election to the Presidency. After the program, Wood will step out of character and take questions from the audience. Wood, from Claremont, has been speaking as Abraham Lincoln for historical societies, libraries, schools, and community events throughout New England since 1995. He is retired, having worked for nearly thirty years with UNH Cooperative Extension as an Extension Educator in Forest Resources. More information about the speaker is available online at http://history.atspace.com and on Facebook at Telling His-Story (and Hers).

 Valentine’s Cookie Decorating February 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m at PRML 

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with something sweet! A  fun, festive Valentine Cookie Decorating event for children and their caregivers.

Mondays at 9:30 am in the meeting space!

Friends of the Meriden Library sponsored event

Meditation Monday
Join us at the Philip Read Memorial Library for Meditation Monday.

🕓 4:30 PM
📍 Philip Read Memorial Library

This calming session offers a perfect way to start your week with tranquility and mindfulness.

All are welcome—no prior meditation experience necessary.

Tai Chi Class: Find Balance, Energy, and Relaxation

Join us for a gentle and revitalizing Tai Chi Class open to all experience levels.
Learn the Yang Short Form, Tai Chi principles, and Qigong exercises for health and well-being.

🕘 When: Tuesdays | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

📍 Where: Meriden Library – Meeting Space
✨ FREE and open to the public!
Wear comfortable clothing. No registration required.

Who: Seniors in Plainfield, and Meriden, and their families, caregivers, and friends.
 

When: 2nd & 4th Tuesdays – Social Coffee Hours
Come and visit with other local seniors. Bring games, puzzles, or hand crafts like knitting if you like. Coffee provided.

Where: Philip Read Memorial Library 1088 NH-12A, Plainfield, NH 03781 Phone: (603) 675-6866

Questions: Call Jim Allen at 603-558-2576

Our goal is to provide our seniors with social time, stimulating conversation, and puzzles, games etcetera. Seniors living in Plainfield and Meriden, are warmly invited to attend. We also welcome our seniors’ caregivers, family members, and friends.

September 2025 to June 2026

10:30 am to Noon

All are welcome!

Tuesdays at 4:30 pm.

All levels welcome.

What is cribbage?

Cribbage, or crib, is a card game, traditionally for two players, that involves playing and grouping cards in combinations which gain points. It can be adapted for three or four players.[1]

Cribbage has several distinctive features: the cribbage board used for score-keeping; the crib, box, or kitty (in parts of Canada and New England) two distinct scoring stages; and a unique scoring system, including points for groups of cards that total 15. It has been characterized as "Britain's national card game" and the only one legally playable in licensed pubs and clubs without requiring local authority permission.[2]

The game has relatively few rules yet many subtleties, which accounts for its ongoing appeal and popularity. Tactical play varies, depending on which cards one's opponent has played, how many cards in the remaining pack will help the hand one holds, and what one's position on the board is. A game may be decided by a single point, and the edge often goes to an experienced player who utilizes strategy, including calculating odds and making decisions based on the relative positions of players on the board.

Both cribbage and its close relative costly colours are descended from the old English card game of noddy. Cribbage added the distinctive feature of a crib and changed the scoring system for points, whereas costly colours added more combinations but retained the original noddy scoring scheme.

Radon Awareness Program with NH DHHS
February 17, 2026 • 6:00 PM
Meriden Library

Radon Overview & NH Program Initiatives

Join Mary Butow, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS), for a conversation about radon in NH and what you can do to protect yourself and your family.

In her presentation, Mary will provide a brief introduction to radon, review its health effects, regulatory framework and current initiatives for the program. The presentation information is designed to make community members aware of resources for testing and mitigating radon and how they might partner with the program to increase homeowner and renter awareness of environmental hazards. The talk will also help residents to recognize the exposure routes for radon and typical methods of treating both air and water.

Bio:

Mary Butow is the Radon Program Manager with the NH DHHS. In her current role, she oversees implementation of NH's State and Tribal Indoor Radon Grants (SIRG) program grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including responding to community concerns and promoting testing and mitigation of radon. Most recently she was a Human Health Risk Assessor with the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Environmental Health Program. In her role at NHDES, she formulated health-based standards for chemicals in drinking water, and examined technical literature, environmental sampling data and reports to identify chemical contaminants which may pose a risk to human health.

Feb 17 2026, 6 - 7pm at PRML