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BIXBY BULLETIN NEWSLETTER
November 2024
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Thank you, Library Supporters! We are here for you.
Thanks to you, we've worked hard to expand and improve offerings for people of all ages this past year. As a result, the Bixby is bustling with community members who enjoy the library and its bountiful resources.
More of you than ever are coming into the library to use our free public Wi-Fi, work on the computers, make copies, gather in a meeting room, hang out on the comfy couches, warm up or cool down during emergencies, attend a class, pick up The Historic Sites Walking Tour, browse the book displays, borrow a game or puzzle, attend an author talk, enjoy weekly Storytimes, sit a spell on the porch rockers, chat with a neighbor, gain inspiration from the rotating historical collection and art exhibits, work remotely, flip through a magazine, add a piece to the community puzzle table, take a craft, join the Fiber Arts Circle, volunteer, post a flyer, play bridge, and have all your reference questions answered.
At this time of year, we ask our community members to donate to the Bixby Library. Your donation directly funds our operating costs, enabling us to fulfill our mission of belonging, sustainability, and literacy. We hope you’ll include us in your giving plans this year, and take a moment to donate to the Bixby Library Annual Appeal.
To add some Bixby pizzazz to our appeal, if you donate now through December 31st, you will be entered into a raffle for one of three custom Bixby Library shirts. Community Engagement Manager Cedar Winslow has created and donated a beautiful block carving of the library, that will be hand printed on your choice of t-shirt, long sleeve, or hoodie. You'll be supporting our community while sporting the image of our historic library.
Every donation, no matter the size, directly contributes to the heart of the Bixby Library. Thank you for being part of the community that makes the Bixby so special.
With Gratitude,
Catharine Hays
Library Director
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One of my favorite roles as the adult librarian is planning our monthly, themed book displays. Curating these collections gives us a chance to highlight hidden gems, local authors, underappreciated genres, or celebrate a cultural event. It's fun seeing someone stop, curious, drawn into stories and ideas they might not have found on their own. A display can transform a routine library visit into a magical moment of discovery.
These displays encourage conversations. During Banned Books Week, many patrons were surprised to learn that books like The Bluest Eye, Captain Underpants, and The Giving Tree had been challenged. A child asked their mom why books get banned, sparking a thoughtful discussion right here in the library.
It’s moments like these that remind me the library is more than just books—it’s a space for curiosity, connection, and personal growth. So, next time you’re at the Bixby, take a look—you might just find your next favorite read!
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Amber Lay, Assistant Director/Adult Services Librarian
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As I reflect on these past three months of leading Storytime, our Stuffed Animal Storytime and Tea Party event wonderfully illustrates the importance of this weekly program. Children and their caregivers were invited to bring their favorite stuffed animals and wear their fancy party clothes. Looking around the room there was a delightful collection of tea-time attire that ranged from sequined dresses and fancy party hats to plaid pants and overalls. The collection of stuffies was similarly eclectic as children helped stuffed cats, bears, unicorns, dinosaurs, and every animal in between sip make-believe tea.
Pretend play is a developmental milestone for children and all around the room, children happily engaged with their stuffed animals and the pretend tea. After the party, one mother excitedly shared that her child engaged in the imaginative side of play for the first time. Research shows that children learn best from their peers, which is one of the many reasons the community of children and caregivers in the Bixby's Children's Room is so special.
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I appreciate all the comments patrons share at the circulation desk. The one that I loved most of all was about the Bixby Book Club. A book club regular was about to move out of state. At her last meeting, she told the group, “This book club has been one of my favorite things about living in Vergennes.”
People come to book club for all sorts of reasons: to chat with those who share their love of books, to discuss a book they’ve particularly enjoyed, or to spend time out of the house with good company. We have members who have been coming since the very first meeting, and others who have just started coming this year. Whatever their reason for coming, I am thrilled to hear that the Bixby Book Club has meant that much to someone.
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Over the past year, I've witnessed our community's heartfelt desire to connect with one another. One beautiful avenue for connection is our ongoing Fiber Arts Circle. Each month, people of all ages gather in the community room, settling into a comfortable rhythm of company.
For many, this circle has become something to look forward to — one longtime member shared that “Fiber Arts Circle has been a bright spot in my life. I’m always disappointed when I have to miss a week."
At last month's Fiber Arts Circle, one of our patrons expressed interested in crocheting a warm hat for the winter. A first time, crocheter, he practiced the fundamentals for hours before giving up on the project. The next day, I received an email from another Fiber Arts member, offering to pick up the work where he left off. I later found the two of them sitting together in the Community Room, laughing together over a ball of yarn. Connections like these make our community just a little warmer, a little brighter.
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The Bixby Library will be closed on Thursday, November 28th and Friday, November 29th in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday. | |
Nonfiction November Recommendations | | |
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Ira Allen: A Biography by J. Kevin Graffagnino | |
Vermont history buffs will delight in the richness of this highly acclaimed new biography on Ira Allen by historian J. Kevin Graffagnino. He transports us to an era when pre-Vermont land was up for grabs, and intrepid instigators and opportunists like Ira could make a fortune wrestling the political landscape for personal gain. Family drama, sibling rivalry and painful choices remind us that it's the story in history that makes it relevant to our lives today.
J. Kevin Graffagnino joins us for an author talk at the Bixby Library on Thursday, November 14, from 5:30 to 6:30 PM to bring this complicated character to life and answer your questions about the pre-revolutionary war era in our beloved state.
Catharine Hays, Library Director
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Discover the amazing, real-life story of Abdel Kader Haidara, an archivist and historian in Mali who has collected thousands of ancient Islamic and secular manuscripts from desert farmers that kept them hidden for centuries. His intent was to create a library of the collections to preserve this important part of Islamic history, but he was soon challenged with the takeover of this section of the country by Al-Qaeda. In their interpretation of Islamic law, these old manuscripts were considered blasphemous and should be destroyed.
In nail-biting fashion, this story tells how Haidara and his colleagues smuggled over 350,000 volumes out of Timbuktu to safer areas of southern Mali. It is an astonishing story of bravery, skill, stealth and luck.
Sid Bosworth, Circulation Desk Volunteer
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Looking for something new and different? Curiously fascinating and un-put-down-able? Pick up the newest title by Malcolm Gladwell of “The Tipping Point” fame. This book continues with his original thesis… once a certain number of people or groups make the same decision, or a certain amount of work is completed; or money is involved, the scales will “tip” and create a societal change. This time, he writes about (as he calls it) the “underbelly” of the tipping point…the ills of society.
Gladwell makes his case through storytelling, using his well-researched (and footnoted) arguments. You, the reader, are pulled along in the narrative, shaking your head in disbelief that people could be so gullible and treacherous.
Anonymous, Circulation Desk Volunteer
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Contact Bixby Bulletin Editor-in-Chief, Cedar Winslow
with questions or comments on this month's newsletter.
If you enjoyed our newsletter, forward it to a friend near or far!
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Library Hours:
Tuesday–Thursday: 10 AM–7 PM
Friday–Saturday: 10 AM–3 PM
(802) 877-2211
Contact Us
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