Access to and opportunities at the library keep growing

Getting into the Charlotte Library has gotten even easier.

Thanks to a grant from the American Library Association, automatic door openers were installed last week on the two main doors and the program room door, making the building easier to enter and exit.

Part of the Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant the library received invites community conversation about access so if you’ve got ideas about making the library more accessible, please arrange for a conversation with the library director.

Anyone familiar with the “Arthur” television show on PBS will recall Arthur’s visit to the library with his friends. They break into song, “Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card.”

It’s been a few years since that show aired but the spirit is the same and the opportunities available with a library card just keep increasing. Check out some of these things you can do at the library:

• Fix your car
• Find your family tree
• Write a resume
• Watch a movie
• Discover dinosaurs
• Befriend birds
• Visit a museum
• Crochet and craft
• And, maybe most importantly, you can borrow books.
  

Library staff are happy to help you access these resources so stop by and let them know how they can help.

September is also National Literacy Month. National Literacy Month promotes reading to young children to enhance their cognitive skills and encourages the undertaking of the development of their cognitive abilities.

Cognitive development is establishing an individual’s ability to understand the thoughts that run into their mind. Reading and improving the literacy of young children fundamentally provides them with the framework for how our world looks. It can help them develop an understanding of what they see, hear and read.

Looking for a way to get started? Join our children’s librarian for story time on Tuesday mornings. You can also ask at the desk for recommendations to launch your family’s reading adventures.

Children’s programs

Preschool story time
Tuesdays, September, 10 a.m.
Join the Charlotte Library for preschool stories, crafts and activities. No registration required. Age 2 and over.

Preschool play time
Wednesdays, September, 10 a.m.
Play in the preschool years enables children to explore and make sense of the world around them, as well as to use and develop their imagination and creativity. Exploring the sensory table, sorting, playing with blocks or Play-Doh — these are a few of the open-ended projects planned for Wednesday morning play-based learning at the Charlotte Library. Stay tuned for details about upcoming fall programs.

Kindergarten-first grade story time
Tuesdays, Sept. 26, 3 p.m.
Extend the kindergarten and first-grade day with story-time fun at the Charlotte Library. Students can ride the blue school bus from Charlotte Central School. They will be met at the bus stop and escorted across the street to the library. Limited availability. Registration required. Please email.

Coding club
Wednesdays, through Oct. 18, 2:15-3:30 p.m.
Hack Club, a global organization helping teenagers to code, is hosting a six-week coding club at the Charlotte Library. The club will run 2:15-3:30 p.m. every Wednesday. Snacks will be provided. Any child between the seventh-twelfth grade is welcome, no prior experience is required. If this sounds interesting to you, email and include the name of your child, their grade and whether they’ve had any coding experience.

Programs for adults

Special Events
Author book talk
Sunday, Sept. 24, 4:30 p.m.
Stephen Kiernan will hold an informal discussion and read from his newest book “The Glass Chateau.” Copies available to purchase.

What’s NOAA all about?
Tuesday, Sept. 26, 5:30 p.m.
Ever wonder what it’s like to be a weather forecaster? Join the weather-curious for a presentation by the National Weather Service of Burlington to learn about what these meteorologists do every day to keep you safe. A family program for kids, parents and anyone interested in weather.

“The Most Costly Journey”
Wednesday, Sept. 27, 7 p.m.
Much of the work on Vermont dairy farms is done by people from Latin America. Over a thousand migrant laborers milk cows, fix tractors, shovel manure and take care of calves in our state. Julia Grand Doucet from the Open Door Clinic will also discuss “The Most Costly Journey,” providing insight into the lives and experiences of the workers whose labor supports the continued viability of dairy farming in Vermont, as well as an overview of the goals of the El Viaje Más Caro Project and its approach. This discussion will take place at the Charlotte Library.

Recurring programs

Don’t miss these fun events that appear regularly on our calendar.

Book chat
Wednesdays, 3 p.m.
Meet each week to discuss new books, old books and books we might have missed. Each week, Margaret Woodruff selects a theme and highlights related titles from the library collection. No registration necessary.

Garden Circle
Wednesdays, 4:30-6 p.m.
Join the Garden Circle of volunteers who will tend the educational gardens around the library. Contact garden stewards Karen Tuininga and Linda Hamilton to join the merry work sessions.

Crochet & Knit Night
Wednesdays, 5:30-7 p.m.
Claudia Marshall is your host for a casual weekly session of crocheting and chatting, knitting and catching up. Bring your project or start a new one with yarn and needles available at the library, along with plenty of books to instruct and inspire. For teens and adults.

Library book discussion series
Thursday, Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m.
The regular book group is back. Join each month to discuss celebrated titles both old and new. Check the library website for title information. Copies available at the library circulation desk.

Mending matters
Monday, Oct. 2, 5:30 p.m.
Give life to your old clothes. Learn how to hem pants, replace a button and fix a hole in a sock and more. Bring in your old favorite (clean) clothes in need of mending to take part in this hands-on workshop with Colleen Brady. No experience necessary. For all ages from tweens to adults. Let us know you’re coming.

Artist talk
Wednesday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m.
Landa Townsend shares the vision and the craft of her exhibit “Dragonfly Habitat at the Edges of Weatherhead Hollow Pond.” The prints highlight the non-toxic and sustainable Japanese woodblock printmaking technique. Made possible by funding from the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Cooking book club
Tuesday, Oct. 17, 5:30 p.m.
Explore the varieties of American cooking and culture. Select a recipe that strikes your fancy and taste buds. Books include “The Sioux Chef,” “The Immigrant Cookbook,” “Aloha Kitchen,” “Jubilee,” “Homegrown” and “Forgotten Drinks of Colonial America.” Then bring that dish to share with others for an evening of eating and discussion about the geographic and historical range of American cuisine. Books are available at the library circulation desk.

Library contact information:
Margaret Woodruff, director
Cheryl Sloan, youth services librarian
Susanna Kahn, tech librarian
Phone: 802-425-3864
Email

The Charlotte Library Board of Trustees meets on the first Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. The next meeting takes place on Thursday, Oct. 5, online and in person. Please contact the library or visit the library website for more information.