BIXBY BULLETIN NEWSLETTER

April 2023
Director's Dispatch
Happy National Volunteer Month!

And boy, do we have a lot to celebrate.  

For this year’s April 20th special Volunteer issue of the Addison Independent, we sent in the names of a whopping 95 people who regularly lend their time and talents to making the library of service and available to the public, week in and week out. And this doesn’t even include the wonderful volunteer groups who tackle special projects and events from the school district, through the United Way of Addison County, and from the Northlands Urban Forestry Program, to name a few.

You probably think of the knowledgeable and welcoming volunteers who greet you at the Circ Desk when you’re ready to check out a book, work on one of the public computers, or use the printer. It’s true; we couldn’t get nearly as much done as we do (and have as much fun) without them. Yet there are many more behind the scenes who are also indispensable (and fun) in helping to beautify the building (inside and out), processing new and interlibrary loan books, making our historical collections more accessible and curating exhibits, mentoring and coaching our LEGO Robotics team, hosting book and plant sale fundraisers, serving on the Summer Soirée fundraiser committee to create a night to remember, and attending all those evening meetings as a member of our Board of Trustees.

Please join me in thanking our fellow community members who do so much for so many through their work at the Bixby. You are greatly appreciated and truly treasured.

Warmly,

Catharine
What's New at the Library?
Tickets Sales are Now Live for the Bixby Library's
Summer Soirée Fundraiser
Mark your calendars and tell your friends! The can't-miss Bixby Library Summer Soirée Fundraiser is being held on Friday, June 9, 2023.

Tickets are $75 and include:

  • Live music and dancing with The Grift!
  • Welcome drink and cash bar
  • Local gourmet eats
  • Curated live, silent, and online auction items and experiences
  • Red Sox tickets raffle
  • Benefit Art Exhibition featuring the Vermont Pastel Society
  • Photo booth action

You can purchase your tickets online here.

Interested in becoming an event sponsor, donating an auction item, or helping out in other ways? Please get in touch with Catharine Hays at catharine.hays@bixbylibrary.org to learn more about how you can support this year's fundraiser.
Chromebooks Now Available for Checkout
Need to borrow a computer? We can help! The Bixby now has six Chromebooks available to patrons for a seven-day checkout period as part of our Library of Things collection. Chromebooks can be used in the library or taken home.
Plant Sunflower Seeds in Solidarity with Ukraine
Pick up a free packet of sunflower seeds in the library's lobby courtesy of the Vermont Plants Sunflowers for Ukraine community action group. The group's mission is to inspire countless acts of solidarity with the people of Ukraine by sharing free seed packets and inspiring the planting of hundreds of thousands of sunflowers in every corner of Vermont. Every seed planted will be a statement of solidarity.
Join Our Team!
The Bixby is excited to announce an opening for an outgoing, innovative team player to expand our programming, promotion, and community outreach impact. We seek someone passionate about the role and potential of libraries and who is inspired to bring this to life with their creativity, enthusiasm, and expertise. View the full job description on our website here. Interested or know someone who would be a good fit? You can apply by emailing a cover letter and resume to catharine.hays@bixbylibrary.org.
Librarian's Corner
Recently, you may have noticed some ads on Front Porch Forum promoting a new digital library service called, The Palace Project. Good news! The Bixby was one of the first libraries to sign up, meaning our library cardholders can access even more digital content on their Apple or Android mobile devices. The Palace app provides free eBook and audiobook loans from GMLC's Overdrive/Libby, Digital Public Library of America, Palace Marketplace (which includes content from Amazon Publishing, Audible, and the Indie Author Project), and the state library's collections, all in one convenient location. To learn more about the Palace App and how you can start taking advantage of the service, visit our website or ask a librarian at the Circulation Desk.
Amber Lay, Assistant Director
Spring is finally here! We started the month with our monthly Young Writer's Club. Then, we celebrated the "Week of the Young Child" with free books at lu.lu and a special Friday Storytime. This is a reminder that our weekly Storytime is happening at the Vergennes Playgroup in the Vergennes Congregational Church at 10:30 am. This Saturday, April 15, is our monthly Lego Club. Can you build the challenge of the month? If you signed your child up to receive a tree from the Neighborhood Forest program, pick-up dates are Friday, April 21, and Saturday, April 22, during open hours. And if you're a new-ish parent or new to our area, plan on joining us on Saturday, April 22, at 11 am to meet other local parents and enjoy light refreshments.
Mary Neffinger, Children & Youth Services Librarian
Did you vote for your favorite: Waffles or Pancakes? Well, the results are in! It sure was a close one, too. 57 people voted for pancakes, and 56 people voted for waffles. I think most of us agree; it’s all good with VT maple syrup on it. 

April is full of more library fun at the Bixby, so be sure to stop in and check out all of our new interactive displays. For this National Poetry Month, why not try poetry writing using one of our prompts or poem templates, or choose a small poem for your pocket on "Poem in your Pocket Day" on April 27? Also, Shakepeare’s birthday is celebrated on April 23. Do you think you can guess correctly who said it: Shakespeare or Ed Sheeran? And we will again have an Earth Day Recycled Crafts Challenge for the week of Earth Day (April 22). What creative craft can you make with recycled items?
Martha Sanborn, Circulation & Information Desk Manager
We Recommend...
Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
Booker Prize–winning author of The Luminaries is back with a new book set in New Zealand's South Island. The novel follows an anti-capitalist guerilla gardening collective who accepts funding from an American doomsteader billionaire to grow their movement, contrary to their own ideals. This timely social satire and literary thriller is a fast-paced read that does not disappoint.
Change Sings by Amanda Gorman and Loren Long (illustrator)
Check out the Vergennes Union Elementary ABAR book of the month, Change Sings, written by presidential inaugural poet and activist Amanda Gorman. A young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey in which they learn that they have the power to make changes in the world, in their communities, and, most importantly, in themselves. With lyrical text and rhythmic illustrations by Loren Long, Change Sings is a triumphant call to action for everyone to use their abilities to make a difference.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Barbara Kingsolver’s latest book is written from the first-person point of view of her main character, Damon Fields, nicknamed Demon Copperhead. The book takes place in Virginia, where Damon is born to a teenage drug-using single mother and is soon put in foster care. It is easy to see why this well-written book is a New York Times Best Seller and a selection for Oprah’s Book Club.
Mark Your Calendars!
Adult Programs
Youth Programs
Programs for All Ages
Community Happenings
Recycled Crafts Event with the Green Club

Saturday, April 22nd, from 10-12 pm

Celebrate Earth Day with the Green Club by making either a recycled milk jug bird feeder or a paper seed ball.

This free event will take place at the Bixby Library in Bixby Hall.
Free Tax Preparation Assistance

Free tax preparation assistance is available for eligible low-to-middle-income and senior Vermonters.

The IRS and AARP sponsor free tax assistance for eligible Vermonters. All volunteers receive training from the IRS and the Vermont Department of Taxes. Assistance is available to prepare and file the following:

  • Federal Income Tax Return
  • Vermont State Income Tax Return
  • Homestead Declaration and Property Tax Credit Claim
  • Household Income Schedule
  • Renter Credit Claim

Learn more at the VT Department of Taxes website here.
Library Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday: 10 am-7 pm
Friday-Saturday: 10 am-3 pm
(802) 877-2211