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During these dog days of summer, the library offers a respite from the heat, a place to connect with others, and a resource for books, movies, games, tools, and more.
Stop by to read the newspaper, for a game of chess, or to put a piece in the jigsaw puzzle.
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You have one more week to fill out your Summer Reading Program logs. Turn them in at the Children’s Circulation Desk before the end of August to collect your book and prize as well as pick up your raffle ticket. The activities in the Children’s Room don’t end then! The Spud Club will continue to meet and monitor the Potato Plot, and Story Times on Thursdays and Saturdays will keep the youngsters engaged.
The theme for the final “Unearth A Story” session on Saturday, August 8 is Nature Stories. The readings will be followed by a creative collage activity. Please join us for either the story at 10 am or the craft project around 11:00, or both.
We’re planning the “Po-tat-Ho-Down” End of Summer Celebration for sometime in September with a drawing for raffle prizes, potato sack races, potato stamping activities, and of course, a French fry bar! Stay tuned…
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Imagine your spaces help make daily life easy and enjoyable…
“Organizing 101,” on Tuesday, August 11, at 6 pm will be led by professional organizer Kris Harmelink. Believing that home organizing is transformative, she will guide participants on how to tackle their own projects and offer methods, tips, and tricks.
Whether you have a specific decluttering project in mind or simply wish to understand how a pro does it, join us!
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Need help understanding Medicare?
“Medicare 101: What You Need to Know” will be held on Thursday, August 13, at 11 am. Blue Cross VT will lead this educational seminar that will help guide you through the basics of Medicare: what it is, when you can enroll, benefits available, and an overview of your plan options beyond Medicare.
While free of charge, with no obligation to enroll with BC/BS, they do ask you to register here.
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Word Games is the Library After Hours program on Thursday, August 20, at 6 pm.
We’ll play Bannagrams, Boggle, Quiddler, Upwords, Scrabble, or other favorites you may wish to bring.
Come with friends and meet new folks. BYOB; we’ll supply munchies. Unscramble letters, find words, have fun!
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The Norman Williams Public Library is gradually growing our “Library of Things,” a collection of non-book items for you to check out: tools, electronic equipment, and games.
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Do you have a sewing project, but no sewing machine? Borrow one of ours!
- Creating a podcast? Check out our studio-quality microphone.
- Kids visiting? Try our table tennis set, or – for quieter entertainment – a cribbage board.
- VINS has assembled “STEAM Backpacks” full of educational and entertainment materials; two levels: K-2nd grade and 3rd-5th grade on four themes: Birds, Insects, Tracking, and Geology.
- The American Heart Association provided blood pressure cuffs so you can try out a monitor at home.
Most items may be checked out for two weeks after you sign a Borrower's Agreement.
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Can you fix things? If so, we want you!
NWPL is working with Sustainable Woodstock, The Bunny Bin, and local volunteers to launch Woodstock’s first-ever Repair Café on Saturday, September 19.
A Repair Café is a free community event where neighbors bring broken, worn, or beloved-but-well-used items and skilled volunteers help repair and restore them, keeping still-usable items out of landfills. Think small appliances, clothing repairs, furniture fixes, bicycle tune-ups, sharpening, soldering, you name it...
We're looking for the fixers, tinkerers, menders, and makers in our community. With your help, we can empower people to make small repairs and build connections along the way.
To get involved, share a skill, or sponsor the event, please fill out this form or email Programs@NormanWilliams.org, and we’ll be in touch with details.
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Hope you have time to enjoy a book while sunning on the beach, swinging in a hammock in the shade, or taking a break on the benches around the library.
Enjoy the summer!
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Puppies & Pooches on Parade
Saturday, August 29, 10 am - noon, Village Green
Registration open now through 8/26.
Puppies & Pooches on Parade is the Friends of NWPL’s signature fundraising event and a whole lot of fun!
There will be face painting, a special performance by Jacks Are Wild, and light refreshments. Plus, each registered dog has a chance to win in their category, and there are some wonderful raffle prizes.
The Friends of NWPL is an independent 501-(c)3 not-for-profit organization that raises community awareness of and support for the Library.
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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 of attending some group meetings in person or virtually via zoom. Please email Programs@NormanWilliams.org for the links to sign in.
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Wednesday, August 5, 1 pm: Literary Pairs will explore the theme “Ground Control to Major Tom / Take your protein pills and put your helmet on…” – a song lyric by David Bowie. We’ll read and discuss Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach and Orbital by Samantha Harvey. (meets quarterly, hybrid option)
Tuesday, August 11, 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)
Tuesday, August 18, 6 pm: Read, Cook, Eat!: A Cookbook Club invite you to share "Your Favorite Recipe" - and perhaps dine in the Side Garden, weather permitting. (meets monthly, in person)
Tuesday, August 25, 10:30 am: Exploring Irish Literature will talk about Jean Grainger's novel, The Tour. (meets monthly, in person; hybrid on request)
Wednesday, August 26, 4 pm: Read Between the Lines will discuss the novel The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamail. (meets monthly, in person; hybrid on request)
How does discussing The Odyssey for the next "One-off" Book Discussion sound? We're working on confirming a facilitator and a Tuesday evening in October. Please let us know if you are interested: Programs@NormanWilliams.org.
| | 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
4 pm (Next meeting: August 26)
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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Play Mahjong
On haitus until September 11
1:00 pm
Mahjong is a tile-based game of skill, strategy, and luck that developed in China in the 19th century. (MORE INFO)
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Family Story Time
Weekly on Saturdays
10:30 am
Grandparents, parents, and caregivers are invited to bring their young charges to enjoy stories. (MORE INFO)
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The Norman Williams Public Library offers free services and programs to everyone in our community. A privately-sustained public resource, the library receives only a portion of its funding from the town. We rely on fundraising to cover more than two-thirds of our operating budget.
Please consider a gift today. Your generous support for the Norman Williams Public Library makes such a difference!
| | Details on alternative ways to donate – check, Venmo, etc. – can be found on our website HERE. | | |
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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Art Pharmacy Community Partner
The Norman Williams Public Library is excited to be named a Community Partner in Art Pharmacy’s year-long pilot program at Dartmouth College.
Art Pharmacy, a nationwide organization, was founded in 2022 to address the dual mental health and loneliness crises by connecting members with non-clinical, community-based activities that carry protective and therapeutic benefits.
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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.
| | Follow us on Facebook & Instagram... | | ... & on our dedicated Youth Instagram Account! | | | | |
