2025 Community Conversations: Belonging and Understanding

Schedule of Events

For virtual events, registration is required. All virtual events will be held via Microsoft Teams and once registered, all participants will receive an email link to join the discussions on the day of the event.

See the full library calendar for all details and to register for events.

Belonging at the Biological Level on Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 6:30 p.m., virtual. Dr. Kate Murphy from Plymouth State University will present on our inherent need as human beings to belong to a community. Dr. Kate will discuss the psychological and sociological aspects of belonging and understanding. She will also discuss ways of how to be a good human and positively contribute to our community.

Book Discussion on Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. We will be discussing How to Know a Person by David Brooks:

"Drawing from the fields of psychology and neuroscience and from the worlds of theater, philosophy, history and education, one of the nation's leading writers and commentators helps us become more understanding considerate toward others, and to find the joy that comes from being seen."

The conversation will be casual and supportive. Physical copies are available on a first-come, first-served basis from the Goffstown Public Library, and may be available through our e-library, in large print, and audiobook formats. 

Norman Rockwell: Inclusion, Exclusion and Representing America on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. Norman Rockwell is heralded for depicting and defining middle-class American life in the 20th century. In addition to painting funny and uplifting scenes, he often captured bittersweet images of people experiencing universal and relatable feelings of being left out or left behind. As an artist with this particular skill set, why are his works devoid of America’s rich cultural and racial diversity? Toward the end of his career, however, Rockwell painted several poignant works about race in America that can be seen as an extension of his earlier sense of the power of inclusion and exclusion. This enlightening program tracks Rockwell's commitment to painting a more diverse America. Presented by Jane Oneail (pronounced OH-neel), the founder of Culturally Curious, an arts education consulting firm specializing in art appreciation programs. 

Belonging at the Civil Rights Level on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 6:00 p.m., virtual. Gilles Bissonnette, Legal Director at the ACLU of New Hampshire, will present on the civil rights aspects of belonging and understanding. He will discuss how legal protections intersect with our need to feel part of a community and be understood. Attendees will gain insights into equality, discrimination, and the role of civil rights in fostering social inclusion.

The Human Library on Sunday, March 9, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. As a conclusion of our Community Conversation series on belonging and understanding, we are bringing The Human Library back for a sixth time. "Books" available to check out may include people who have experienced adversity due to race, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion/belief, culture, profession, and/or lifestyle.

• Books are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Books can be "borrowed" for 20 minutes and reserve the right to be returned at any time.
• The Library will only be open for this special event. Regular services will not be available.

"In the best sense of the word, The Human Library is a library of people and their experiences with prejudice. However, instead of paperback books, actual people are on loan for conversations. The concept is about acknowledging and challenging the prejudice that we all carry towards one another. For that reason, The Human Library creates a safe space for conversation where topics subject to taboo, marginalization, or stigmatization can be openly addressed without condemnation. The people acting as Books have directly or indirectly been exposed to prejudice, bias, or discrimination based on aspects of their person, heritage, or life experiences. At The Human Library, we invite in all questions and our Books engage in sharing their personal experiences with the Readers."

The Human Library was conceived in 2000 by a Danish youth organization called Stop the Violence in response to intolerance and violence within their community. The concept quickly gained a foothold and since then, Human Libraries have been held in over 70 countries. Please visit Human Library for more information.