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THE BIXBY BULLETIN
December 2025
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As we skid into the darkest days of the year, I find myself noticing and appreciating the light, like how the bare trees make my dining room sunnier for the winter. At this time of year, reminders of light are everywhere. The Bixby Library lights the way year-round with its stained glass dome, west-facing porch, electric fireplaces, new lights in the stacks, and, most importantly, the lightness and brightness of the library staff.
John literally keeps the lights on and the building cozy. Amber, with her remarkable ability to suggest just the right book. Martha, who brings people together with the book club and crafts for everyone. Shelby magically engages teens and tots with movies, activities, and enthusiasm. Miranda is the beacon, helping everyone find their way. On behalf of the Trustees, an enormous thank you to the staff for keeping the Bixby bright through our search for a new Library Director. I hope you will join me in letting them know you appreciate their light!
For our loyal newsletter readers, here’s a little extra light. The Bixby Library Trustees are pleased to announce that our new Library Director, Jennifer Pearson, will be starting full-time on January 12. We’ll be making a more formal announcement in a few weeks–be sure to stay tuned. Jennifer will be relocating from Tennessee, so if you have any tips for winter in Vermont, suggestions for things to do in the five towns, or if you just want to be the first to introduce yourself, she asked me to pass along her email address: jennifer.pearson@bixbylibrary.org.
And, if you want to be part of the light in our community, please consider a gift to support the Bixby Library in our annual appeal. Every gift matters, including gifts of your time (we love volunteers!).
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See you at the Bixby,
Erin Roche
Bixby Board of Trustees President
| | What's New at the Library? | | Turning the Page on 2025: Bixby Library’s Year in Review | | It’s been a big year at the Bixby! From books to programs to everyday visits, here’s how you and your neighbors used the Bixby Library in 2025: | | |
The impact? Truly priceless. But if we had to measure it, that adds up to $1,393,188 saved this year thanks to your library card. Even if you didn’t visit often, your friends and neighbors benefited every day from these free resources.
Help us keep the momentum going by supporting our annual appeal—donate here to help make next year’s impact even greater!
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Our Halls Are Decked, Thanks to Our Friends
& the Middlebury Garden Club!
| | The Bixby has transformed into a winter wonderland! Charming gnomes crafted by the Friends of the Bixby greet you along the outside walkway, and the Middlebury Garden Club has adorned our building with festive decorations. Thank you! | | 2025 has been another remarkable year at Bixby Library! Our community checked out over 28,800 items from our shelves and Library of Things—and borrowed more than 11,800 digital titles through Libby, Hoopla, the Palace Project, and Kanopy. Thanks to your support, the library has remained a vibrant resource throughout 2025. We can’t wait to welcome you back in 2026 for even more stories and discoveries! | |
Amber Lay, Assistant Director/Adult Services Librarian
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The Bixby Library has plenty of fun in store this December and early January for kids! From December 2–23, pick up a snowflake template in the Children’s Room, decorate it, and return it to the Circulation Desk to be delivered to local seniors at the Vergennes Grand.
Join us for hands-on creativity this winter as we dust off the button machine to make magnets, buttons, and other gift-worthy creations, plus marshmallow igloos, DIY lava lamps, and snowglobes (limited space—sign up early!). To wrap up the season, join us for a festive Noon Year’s Eve Party with hat-decorating, refreshments, and a countdown to noon.
And while you’re here, don’t forget to check out our “Recommend Books to Our Cats” display—Poppy, Zuko, and Rhubarb are in a reading slump and need new books to check out!
| | Looking to add a little creativity to the season? Stop by the library between 11 AM - 2 PM on Saturday, December 13 to decorate an ornament for you to take home! We’ll have plain, round wooden ornaments you can paint, draw on with markers, or decorate with gems. All ages are invited to join the fun in the library’s upstairs Half Round Room. | | |
The holiday season has arrived in full swing! Join us for this year’s Holiday Stroll on Saturday, December 6. Starting at 10 AM, we’ll open our doors and welcome you into a winter wonderland–themed Bixby! Enjoy a holiday Storytime at 10:30 AM, followed by free musical performances from Addison County’s female trio Va-et-Vient (Come and Go) at 11 AM and Vermont’s female chorus Maiden Vermont at 12 PM.
Spend the day with us and explore the Friends of the Bixby Library Book Sale, a puzzle swap, a toy swap, holiday card making, festive treats, and more. Yule be sure to have a holly jolly time!
| | | | Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall | |
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall immediately pulled me in with its mix of raw emotion and quiet, building suspense. Set in 1968, Beth’s quiet English farm life with her devoted husband begins to fracture when her first love, Gabriel, returns to the village. What starts with a single gunshot spirals into a tangle of resurfacing memories, buried grief, and dangerous jealousies that threaten far more than just Beth’s peace of mind. Moving seamlessly between past and present, this novel delivers both a sweeping romance and a gripping mystery, all while posing piercing questions about the pasts we bury and the futures we dare to choose.
Amber Lay, Assistant Director/Adult Services Librarian
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This charming fantasy novel follows Nesi, a young woman descended from the gods, the 99 “Pillars of Heaven.” With divine blood, she is bound to life in the temple unless she can earn sponsorship from one of the 99 Pillars–each an animal responsible for a different aspect of human life–by passing an audition to prove her worth. Nesi’s luck is running thin: after failing 96 auditions, one of her last chances at freedom is to audition for the Fox of Tricks. To her dismay, the test is far more intense than she imagined–sending her back 300 years in time to when her people were under occupation. There, she must spark an uprising to end the occupation, save her ancestors, and ensure history unfolds as it should.
Miranda Degreenia, Community Engagement Manager
| | | | The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer | |
The House Saphir is a rich gothic fantasy that reimagines the classic Bluebeard tale with magic, character-driven emotion, and mystery. The story follows Mallory, a witch who can see ghosts but otherwise has no real powers. She is drawn to the eerie House Saphir, where she navigates a world of restless spirits, a dangerously magnetic heir, and unsettling secrets. The book is filled with whispering halls and a house that feels hauntingly alive, unfolding with steady tension. The emotional stakes rise as Mallory is forced to confront both her own limitations and the truth behind the Saphir family. This book is perfect for fans of gothic fantasy or anyone who loves fairytale retellings with some grit.
Shelby Gagne, Children & Youth Librarian
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Questions or comments on this month's newsletter?
Contact Bixby Bulletin Editor-in-Chief, Miranda Degreenia.
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Library Hours:
Tuesday–Thursday: 10 AM–7 PM
Friday–Saturday: 10 AM–3 PM
(802) 877-2211
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