As the days cool and evening comes earlier, our thoughts turn to indoor activities, and we have plenty of options for you to choose from at the library this November! | | |
Join us in welcoming Emily Franklin, bestselling author of The Lioness of Boston, on Tuesday, November 10, at 6 pm. She will talk about her new novel, Love & Other Monsters, a story of love, lust, art, and betrayal. Co-hosted by Yankee Bookshop; books will be available for autographing.
Set in the scandalous summer of 1816, eighteen-year-old Claire Clairmont – Mary Shelley’s stepsister and Lord Byron’s lover – changed the course of literature forever... and then was erased.
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Gather the family for a special reading of The Day the Pond Flew South on Saturday, November 12, at 10:30, co-hosted by Yankee Bookshop.
This new picture book by award-winning writer and educator Michael Caduto tells the story of Loon and his bird friends who hatch an ingenious plan to help him fly south.
Michael will also share a Tsimshian tale from Alaska about how a remarkable loon was rewarded with the gift of its beautiful necklace. Then, using string and beads, participants may create their own “loon’s necklace.”
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The next exhibition in the Mezzanine Gallery, "Painting Around Woodstock," will present a wide-ranging selection of work by Plein air Painters.
You have spotted them around town and along the back roads: painters, with easels set up and travel boxes of supplies open. Stop by during November and December to discover how they interpret our region in all seasons of the year.
Make a plan to meet the painters at the Artists' Reception on Tuesday, November 17, at 5:30 pm.
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When was the last time you played Scrabble? Boggle? Bannagrams? Polish your skills before the family arrives for the holidays!
We will meet up on Thursday, November 19, at 6 pm, for several rounds of whatever Word Games you choose. NWPL has a selection, or bring a favorite from home.
This is our Library After Hours event for the month, so as usual, it is BYOB; NWPL will supply the munchies.
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Ethan Tapper knows what it means to care for a forest ecosystem, and the Yankee Bookshop and NWPL are excited to welcome him back to town on Friday, November 20, at 4 pm.
In The Forest Year: Finding Hope in a World Worth Saving, he explores the practices of staying, caretaking, and paying attention. Both place-based and practice-driven, Tapper writes not as an armchair philosopher or an academic, but as a working forester and ecologist stewarding forests in real time, blending emotional insight with ecological rigor.
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The Kids' Chess Club meets after school on Tuesdays, and we’ve been asked to leave the sets up for older players to stop by for a game or two at 5 pm.
As in the past, all levels of play are welcome for Tuesday Evening Chess. If you are a tad rusty about the moves, we’ll help you tune up your skills.
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Be sure to check the Events Calendar for date and time adjustments made to accommodate the upcoming holidays. Changes to the book discussion group meetings are listed below.
We wish for you an abundance of feasting, family, and friends this Thanksgiving!
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As we approach Thanksgiving, we want to express our gratitude for your support of Norman Williams Public Library and ask you to please consider making a gift today to our 2026 Year-end Appeal. Your generous support makes a difference, now more than ever.
NWPL is not a fully-funded municipal library; each year, nearly two-thirds of our operating budget must come from fundraising. Your donations allow us to offer a myriad of services and programs – free of charge – to all facets of our community.
We are thankful!
| | Details on alternative ways to donate – check, Venmo, etc. – can be found on our website HERE. | | |
"Painting Around Woodstock"
A Group Exhibition by
Plein air Painters
November & December 2026
Artist Reception
Tuesday, November 17, 5:30 pm
Plein air – the French expression for “open-air” – goes back centuries, but was made possible by the introduction of paints in tubes in the 1870s and popularized by the French Impressionists.
When working outside, these painters closely observe the constantly changing colors, textures, and shadows as the light shifts, the wind blows, and water flows.
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Intrigued by the topic, the titles, or books in general? NWPL hosts a variety of lively book discussion groups. We invite you to join a session – or several! All groups are open and welcome new participants. Click on the group name for more details.
The hybrid format offers you the choice to attend some group meetings in person or virtually via Zoom. Please email Programs@NormanWilliams.org for the links to sign in.
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Tuesday, November 3, 10:30 am: What's on Your Nightstand has no required reading! Chat about the books that excite you and discover what others are enjoying. (meets monthly, hybrid on request)
Wednesday, November 4, 1 pm: Literary Pairs will read The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman and The Ferryman and His Wife by Frode Grytten to explore the theme: "We are all haunted by the ghosts of our past; memories can bring ‘diamonds and rust,' as Joan Baez lyrically described." (meets quarterly, hybrid on request)
Tuesday, November 17, 6 pm: Read, Cook, Eat!: A Cookbook Club will feature the flavors of India. (meets monthly, in person)
Wednesday, November 18, 4 pm: Read Between the Lines will discuss Theo of Golden by Allen Levy. (note: a week earlier than usual; meets monthly, in person; hybrid on request)
Tuesday, November 24, 10:30 am: Exploring Irish Literature will talk about In the Woods, a mystery by Tana French. (meets monthly, in person; hybrid on request)
Day & date TBD: "One-off" Book Discussion of the Vermont Reads selection, Charity and Sylvia by Tillie Walden.
| | Ongoing Programs for Children & Adults | | |
Free and open to all, we are pleased to offer programs in the library, online, and in a hybrid format (in person and via zoom). Programs below are in person unless otherwise noted.
Email Programs@NormanWilliams.org for information and links to join.
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Zentangle Time!
Monthly on the last Wednesday**
(**Moved to November 18) 4 pm
Draw relaxing, structured patterns with others (without instruction). (MORE INFO)
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Toddler Story Time
Weekly on Thursdays
10:30 am
Enjoy stories, socializing, and often a themed craft/project. (MORE INFO)
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Library of Things
Our Library of Things is growing!
In addition to the sewing machines, studio microphone, CD player, and croquet set that have been in the collection for a while now, patrons may borrow
- a portable paper shredder
- a food dehydrator
- a digital moisture meter
- a hand-held thermal camera
- a heavy mallet
- and other games and tools!
We also have backpack kits from VINS with books, equipment, games, and information to explore the great outdoors.
Browse the collection online, or stop by the library for details.
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Privacy Pod
We are excited by the wonderful opportunities our new Privacy Pod offers! Located on the main level, it is available – by reservation – to all who need a quiet spot for a video call or other small conference space.
NWPL was awarded the 2026 Sustainable and Resilient New England Libraries Grant from the Association for Rural and Small Libraries through the generosity of the Manton Foundation to fund this project.
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Social Media
You may have noticed that we've been quiet on social media lately… We were hacked! Though some of our content has been recovered, the old link brings you to a broken page.
Please visit the new NWPL Facebook Page and "follow us" to stay up with late breaking news and updates. The library's two Instagram accounts – one for the Kids and the other geared toward Adult news and programs – are both fun to follow!
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NWPL Bag Mobile
Sometimes mobility issues and transportation challenges make it hard to get to the library. Enter the Bag Mobile! We are happy to fill a special tote bag with your choice of books. This may be picked up at the library by a caregiver or friend.
We have regular off-site delivery services to library patrons within a 3-mile radius of the village green. Currently, we pick up and deliver items weekly, on Tuesday afternoons. We will do our best to accommodate requests outside of those locations if you cannot send someone to pick up the Bag Mobile at NWPL.
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