Library Events
French Language Discussion Group
1:30 PM - 3:00 PMFamily Story Time
9:30 AM - 10:00 AMReading Dogs - Chloe & Tillie!
10:00 AM - 11:00 AMMah Jongg
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
News & Announcements

Amanda Lovelace and Parker Lee Poetry Reading, Monday April 3
April 3, 2023
Join Portsmouth Public library in welcoming Amanda Lovelace (she/they) and Parker Lee (...
Read More
Guitar Sunday at PMAC: John Muratore, Sunday April 3
March 24, 2022
This popular series returns with classical guitarist John Muratore, at PMAC on Islingto...
Read More
Classics Book Club: The Great Gatsby, Tuesday April 4
April 4, 2023
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Read More
ART EXHIBIT, SPLASH! March 11- April 27
March 11, 2023
In this 400th year of Portsmouth celebration, SPLASH!, a celebration of youth art month...
Read More
NY Times Bestsellers
Check Out Past Library Events on our YouTube page!

Genealogy Workshop: Old Shoalers – Historical Records and Resources for the Isles of Shoals
March 22, 2023Although the Isles of Shoals are visible from the beaches of New Hampshire, researching ancestors who lived out there can sometimes feel as elusive as the fogbanks. The Isles of Shoals boasted a thriving settlement with international connections in the 1600s, yet were all but abandoned a century later before enough fishermen returned to form the town of Gosport. Gosport was itself an important part of the interconnected seacoast community. Its most prominent surnames - Caswell, Robinson, Downs, Randall, Berry - are also common in the vital records of Rye, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Kittery, and York. With the decline of the fisheries and the rise of tourism, the Shoals became home to several large hotels. Today one of those hotels still stands on Star Island and is used along with former fishermen's homes to host conferences on a variety of subjects throughout the summer. Another island, Appledore, is home to the Shoals Marine Laboratory among the ruins of the former Appledore Hotel. A few private families still own Smuttynose, Malaga, and Lunging Island. In this workshop hosted in March 2023, historian Sam Collins, former curator of the Vaughn Cottage Museum on Star Island, explores the historical records of the Isles of Shoals. He digs into the wide range of archival materials both on the islands and accessible at mainland institutions, and explains how to get out to see the islands for yourself! Sam Collins is a maritime historian and tall ship sailor who has spent the last 20 years working on boats and islands up and down the coast of New England. After receiving an undergraduate degree in Maritime history and an MA in museum studies with a focus on Atlantic history, he ran the museum on Star Island for 6 years and wrote his final project on the rise and fall of the salt cod fishing community that made up the former town of Gosport. He lives in Maine on a small farm not too far from salt water. Give the library feedback and enter to win a library book bag! This helps us make decisions about library programming and advertising. Fill out a brief Event Feedback Form here: https://forms.gle/uLaj2MrLtenEZmvH7 Want to learn about more upcoming events at the library? Sign up for our monthly newsletter here: https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/library/newsletter #GenealogyWorkshop #IslesOfShoals #StarIsland #GosportNH

Indigenous Stories & Local History: An Unbroken Circle - Indigenous Communities & the Seacoast
February 1, 2023Members of the Indigenous New Hampshire Collaborative Collective share how their work is reframing New Hampshire’s history from an Indigenous perspective. The history of the Indigenous communities of the Seacoast has been endangered since the colonization of this land by white settlers in 1623. While it was a momentous occasion for those forging a path for themselves in a new world, their discovery of this shore led to the displacement of the Indigenous communities who lived here for over 12,000 years. In this panel discussion, local Indigenous leaders clarify long-held falsehoods, share their peoples' history, and discuss their current projects. As we move into a new century of colonial settlement let us recognize that Indigenous ties to the Piscataqua region have never ceased. Their stewardship of the land has never wavered. Indigenous perspectives must be heard in order for us to understand the land we call home and move together toward our shared future. About the Panelists Catherine Stewart is a writer, director, media designer, and facilitator working in theatre and film. She developed her practice as part of the Lincoln Center Directors’ Lab and today runs Film Unbound LLC, a media production company making both fictional and documentary films. Catherine will be the moderator for the panel discussion. Paul W. Pouliot is the Sag8mo or Chief Speaker for the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook and Abenaki People and president of COWASS North America and the Abenaki Nation of Vermont. He is an Indigenous historian, lecturer, Federal Religious Advisor, and a founding member of the Indigenous New Hampshire Collaborative Collective. Denise K. Pouliot is the Sag8moskwa (Female Head Speaker) of the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook Abenaki People and traditional artist. She currently serves on the New Hampshire Commission on Native American Affairs, is a Federal Religious Advisor, and is a founding member of the Indigenous New Hampshire Collaborative Collective. Kathleen A. Blake is a retired educator of mixed heritage, whose indigenous descendency is from the Wendat (Huron), Algonquin, and Mi’kmaq peoples. She currently serves as an affiliate faculty member of UNH’s Native American and Indigenous Studies Minor Program, a board member for the Racial Unity Team, and a member of the Dover Racial Equity and Inclusion Committee. Anne Jennison is a traditional Native American storyteller and historian. She is the current Chair of the NH Commission on Native American Affairs and is a member of the Indigenous NH Collaborative Collective, an affiliate faculty member for UNH’s Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) Minor, and co-creator of the "People of the Dawnland" exhibit at Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, NH. Give the library feedback and enter to win a library book bag! This helps us make decisions about library programming and advertising. Fill out a brief Event Feedback Form here: https://forms.gle/uLaj2MrLtenEZmvH7 Want to learn about more upcoming events at the library? Sign up for our monthly newsletter here: https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/library/newsletter

Civics 101
November 7, 2022In this panel discussion on October 26, 2022, Rich DiPentima and Dante Scala gave a primer in national, state and local politics, and how to get better involved.

Local History: Standing Together - The Seacoast LGBTQ Social and Support Groups Since the 1950s
October 18, 2022For more than 60 years there have been social outlets for the LGBT community in the Seacoast area. We will explore what social outlets and support groups were available to the community through the decades. What was the first social group? What bars were available and where were they located? What groups are still available? About the Presenter Tom Kaufhold founded the Seacoast NH LGBT History Project in 2015 to collect, preserve, and share the artifacts and stories of the LGBTQ community, a community he has been active in since the 1990s. Tom is a retired business systems analyst and resides in Portsmouth with his husband Michael. He enjoys antiquing and spending time with his grandson. Give the library feedback and enter to win a library book bag! This helps us make decisions about library programming and advertising. Fill out a brief Event Feedback Form here: https://forms.gle/uLaj2MrLtenEZmvH7 Want to learn about more upcoming events at the library? Sign up for our monthly newsletter here: https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/library/newsletter

There's Something in the Woods
October 14, 2022Maine author Michelle Souliere tells creepy local stories from Maine and New Hampshire! At the end of the recording, you'll be absolutely convinced ... there's something in the woods. Michelle is the author of the books Strange Maine and Bigfoot in Maine, and the owner of The Green Hand Bookshop in Portland, ME. https://greenhandbookshop.com/ For more on Bigfoot, visit https://www.bfro.net/ Give the library feedback and enter to win a library book bag! This helps us make decisions about library programming and advertising. Fill out a brief Event Feedback Form here: https://forms.gle/uLaj2MrLtenEZmvH7 Want to learn about more upcoming events at the library? Sign up for our monthly newsletter here: https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/library/newsletter