Grateful for the Friends of the Charlotte Library’s efforts

We are so grateful to the Friends of the Charlotte Library for the support they provide. Without their grants, programs such as Summer Reading and resources such as our digital collections would be diminished if not nonexistent. This active group provides key funding for these extras. If you’re interested in more information, please contact us.

Halloween is on the horizon. We’ll be hosting the annual pumpkin-carving party on Oct. 28. Join us for “Pumpkins, Pianos and Poems” from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on the library porch.

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 playtime
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. 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 and 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

Get Started with Gmail
Saturday, Oct. 7, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Create a Gmail account and learn how to do basic email functions, such as sending, receiving, replying and deleting email. Please bring a cell phone (it is needed to complete the Gmail signup). Laptops and snacks provided. Participants will be entered into a raffle to win a gift card from a local business. Free.
Space is limited; registration required. Register online or by calling 802-425-3864.

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.

Internet browsing basics
Wednesday, Oct. 18, 1-2 p.m.
Build skills and get comfortable using a web browser, performing searches and navigating websites in this hands-on workshop. Learn helpful terminology and practice with other learners in a supportive environment. Laptops and snacks provided. Participants will be entered into a raffle to win a gift card from a local business. Free. Limited space, registration required by calling 802-425-6345. Supported by AT&T and The Public Library Association.

Recurring programs

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 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.

Mystery book group
Monday, Oct. 16, 10 a.m.
“All Systems Red” by Martha Wells is the story of a corporate-dominated spacefaring future where planetary missions must be approved by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. Copies available at the circulation desk.

Thursday night book group
Thursday, Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m.
A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, Pulitzer Prize-winner Geraldine Brooks braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession and injustice across American history in “Horse.” Copies available at the circulation desk. Join on Zoom.

Writing art into poetry
Sunday, Oct. 22, 2:30 p.m.
Join JC Wayne, to explore the theme of “under the surface” by writing poetry in response to the library’s current exhibit of sustainable art by Landa Townsend. Townsend will get us started by sharing her story and some of the materials and techniques used to create her Japanese woodcut prints. For adults, teens and tweens. Sign up by email.

Better Together book club
Wednesday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m.
An open group discussion of books related to parenthood. “Good Inside” by Becky Kennedy offers perspective-shifting parenting principles and troubleshooting for specific scenarios, including sibling rivalry, separation anxiety, tantrums and more. Copies available at the circulation desk.

Men’s Book Group:
Wednesday, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.
“Educated” by Tara Westover is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. Copies available at the library circulation desk. Join the Zoom discussion.

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 this Thursday, Oct. 5, online and in person. Please contact the library or visit the library website for more information.