New Hampshire Humanities adult literacy program Connections brings the best of children’s and young adult literature and New Hampshire Humanities-trained discussion facilitators to more than 500 adult learners each year.
Quality books and stimulating discussions promote English language skills, cultivate conversations about ideas, reinforce family literacy, support a culture of reading, and encourage civic engagement. Connections works in partnership with adult basic education and ESOL classes, refugee resettlement organizations, services for adults with developmental disabilities and state and county prisons. Participants are both native speakers and new Americans.
Connections participants keep the books they read; incarcerated parents send them home to their children along with a recording of their personal reading. Each four-week series is organized around a theme such as “Planting the Earth,” “Home in New England,” “Picturing America’s Stories,” “Journeys,” “Give Me Liberty,” “A Day’s Work,” and “A Sense of Place.” In addition to book discussions, Connections offers an annual celebration of family literacy including poetry readings, folktale festivals and author talks from luminaries such as Lois Lowry in 2014, Tomie dePaola in 2015, and Juan Felipe Herrera in 2018.
"Connections is an example of New Hampshire Humanities
identifying a real need, rallying partners around it,
and coming up with a real solution."
Ken Sheldon, Bank of America
For Teachers and Program Coordinators
For Students
For Facilitators
Connections is made possible in part by generous support from:
Merrimack Country Savings Bank Foundation
Getz Charitable Trust, Citizens Bank, N.A., Trustee
Ann deNicola Trust, Citizens Bank, N.A., Trustee
Ella F. Anderson Trust, BNY Mellon, N.A., Trustee
Contact Connections Coordinator Terry Farish at 603-224-4071 or email 
