Here at the Ilsley Public Library in Middlebury we have a new adult services librarian, Renee Ursitti, who is working with Chris Kirby on planning adult programs. As a result, we have a few really exciting programs coming up this fall.
We have lots of good stuff coming up, some of it a little different from what we usually do.
•  Ilsley is sponsoring a new book club, “Loosely Bound,” designed for people who feel too busy to commit to a traditional book club. Readers can pick and choose which months to participate, based on their interest in the selected title and their availability. October’s book is “How to Stop Time” by Matt Haig, and the first 10 people to sign up get to keep a paperback copy of the book, thanks to a grant funding from the Rotary Club. The October discussion will be held on Oct. 22 at 5:30 p.m. and will be facilitated by Renee Ursitti.
•  Ilsley is participating in Vermont Reads, Vermont Humanities Council program that invites citizens across the state to read the same book. Ilsley has 50 copies of this year’s book, “March, Book I,” by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell. Renee Wells, director of Education for Equity and Inclusion at Middlebury College, will lead a community discussion of the book on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 12 noon-1 p.m. Food will be provided at the community discussion, again made possible by our grant from the Rotary Club.
•  On Saturday, Sept. 28, the library is doing something new and fun: classical music in the library lobby! Students Henry and Nathan Wu will perform a concert in the library lobby from 11 a.m.-12 noon. They will host a Q&A about classical music after their performance.
•  On Sept. 19 Ilsley is hosting an author talk with Tom Perera at 7 p.m. Perera is a retired Columbia University professor who hunts for and restores German Enigma machines, travels widely with his wife, and gives talks on his travels. This Sept. 19 illustrated talk will chronicle Shackleton’s epic Antarctic exploration aboard the Endeavor and the miraculous survival of his crew after his ship was crushed in the ice and his crew were forced to take refuge on a tiny spit of land.
•  Once a month this fall, starting on Sept. 11, Ilsley is hosting a “Knitting Know-How Night” with Cheryl Burnham and Amy Quesnel. A “Knowledgeable Knitter” to answer your questions, help fix your mistakes, and teach you new tricks.
•  Ilsley is hosting a game day event on Oct. 27 from 12 noon-6 p.m. This is an opportunity to try out and play Eurogames (such as “Settlers of Catan,” “Power Grid,” “Dominion” and “Sentinels of the Multiverse” etc.) as well as more familiar American-style games.
•  Early literacy Storytimes will resume the week of Sept. 9. Read, sing and dance with your child during Baby and Toddler Storytime on Tuesdays, Preschool Storytime on Fridays, and Family Storytime on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.
•  Library Explorer Storytime will resume in October. K- 3rd grade students are welcome to listen to a story and complete a craft or activity with Tricia Wednesdays after school.
•  Ilsley will host a Spooky Science program with Dr. Mary Jane Simpson Friday, Oct. 18, at 10:30 a.m.
— Dana Hart, Ilsley Library executive director