Summer reading programs, library events abound

Whiting Library fills summer with books, nature events

Whiting Library at 117 Main St. in Chester kicks off its summer reading program with sign ups beginning on Wednesday, June 7.

The program features incentives for reading, presentations about Vermont’s plants and animals led by Jay DeGregorio of the Nature Museum and a concert at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 8 titled from Trash to Tunes, featuring Dennis Waring playing and discussing instruments made from recyclables.

In keeping with this year’s Build a Better World theme, children who sign up will receive a bag with building materials, along with a schedule of events. As young patrons meet their reading goals, they’ll earn raffle tickets with a chance to win a variety of prizes. The drawings will be held on Friday, Aug. 18.

The Nature Museum visits the library’s Community Room for 10 Wednesdays beginning at 1:30 p.m., June 14 with a program on animal adaptations.

The programs for preschool and school-age children and include hands-on activities, a snack and an art project. Subsequent topics include

• Migration on June 21;
• Trees on June 28;
• Raptors on July 5;
• Abenaki Indians on July 12;
• Fish and Rivers on July 19;
• Thunderstorms on July 26;
• Reptiles on Aug. 2;
• Moths and Butterflies on Aug. 9; and
• Fall Colors on  Aug. 16.

Additional information on the programs is available on the website, www.whitinglibrary.org.

Friday Morning Story Time continues through the month of July at 10:30 a.m. Karin Fischer will meet with children 0–6 years old in the Community Room. Beginning on June 23, at the same time as story time, Jeanne Waldren, known as Grandma Jeanne, will provide programming for school-age children. Call Karin for additional information, 802-875-2277.

Grab a passport, explore Vermont libraries

Through Sept. 1, 118 Vermont public and academic libraries will be handing out passports in the 3rd annual Passport to Vermont Libraries program, encouraging residents and visitors alike to visit some of Vermont’s unique, beautiful and historic libraries including:

• The Isle La Motte Library is an old stone building. Their first librarian was a volunteer named Cynthia Ritchie, described as “an intelligent 12-year-old girl.”
• The Belcher Library in Stockbridge has an antique pump organ.
• The West Rutland Library is built from marble.

Local libraries will stamp your passport and some also offer small prizes. Four patrons statewide — an adult, a young adult, a child and one wild card  — will receive Vermont Library ambassador awards for visiting the most libraries. Passport holders are encouraged to post pictures and stories on the VLAS Facebook page.

More details about the program are available at http://Vermontlibraries.org/passport.

Wilder Memorial Library wants your books

Weston’s Wilder Memorial Library is collecting used books for its annual book sale. Drop off books at the library at 24 Lawrence Hill Road in Weston, or call 802-824-4307 or email director@wildermemoriallibrary.org the library to arrange a home pick-up.

The Book Sale is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 22 on the Weston Green.

Phoenix Books offers children’s reading challenge

This summer, children entering 4th though 8th grade are invited to take the free Reading Without Walls Bingo Challenge.

National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Gene Luen Yang started the program to celebrate reading and diversity by challenging children nationwide to read a book about a character who doesn’t look or live like them; read a book about a topic they don’t know much about; and/or read a book in a format that they don’t normally read for fun.

Sign-ups have begun. Feel free to join anytime during the summer. For more about Reading Without Walls visit http://read.macmillan.com/mcpg/reading-without-walls.

The program is available at all Phoenix Books shops including 58 Common St. in Chester. Visit www.phoenixbooks.biz or call 802-875-3400 in Chester.

— Susan Lampe-Wilson