Meet Your Legislators at the Kellogg-Hubbard

On Monday, February 26, at 7pm the you'll have a chance to meet some of the Washington County Senators and House members who represent our service area: Montpelier, Berlin, East Montpelier, Calais, Middlesex and Worcester. Our legislators will tell us what they are working on and will answer any questions you have. Refreshments will be served in the Hayes Room. Don't miss this opportunity to hear what is happening under the Dome.

Times Argus Op-Ed

The Times Argus has published an op-ed that Sarah Hofmann and I wrote, titled "Kellogg-Hubbard Library plans for future."

A Single Pebble Raffle at the Library

Have you seen our display for the February/March Raffle in the front lobby of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library? We are offering a 14-Course Chinese Dinner for Ten People at A Single Pebble in Burlington. Planning a family event, a special dinner with friends, a graduation or birthday celebration? Now’s your chance to win this chinese banquet for ten people. The drawing will be held on March 31st. Tickets are $2 each, 6 for $10, or 15 for $20. As we all know, A Single Pebble is THE place for Chinese cuisine and was voted best restaurant in Vermont. All proceeds of the raffle will benefit the library. Thanks to Steve Bogart at A Single Pebble for this generous donation.

Gargoyles Guarding the Library

Sometime during the night two gargoyles appeared at the front entrance of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library much to the delight of library staff and patrons. Who created these masterpieces? We don't know, but we are so happy to have these great creatures in our midst. We would love to know who the artists are so that we can thank them for this lovely gift!

Difficult Conversations Series

DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WORKSHOP SERIES No matter how competent you are, we all have conversations that cause anxiety and frustration. Whether you're trying to manage a delicate situation at work, navigating a disagreement with a neighbor, or managing a dust-up at home, many of us tend to avoid those "difficult conversations." This "Difficult Conversations" workshop series can help. All workshops will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This workshop series, based on the book Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen, offers tips and a chance to practice bringing up the hard stuff with less stress and more success. Workshop participants will receive a free copy of this book with a list of program sponsors on the inside cover. Pre-registration is required for each workshop. Call Karen at
223-9606 or email klblazer@montpelier-vt.org.

We had an overwhelming response to the first workshop– The Basics of Having a Difficult Conversation with Kathleen Moore and Ginny Sassaman. We will hold a second workshop on this topic on February 28 at 6:30pm. Whether trying to manage a delicate situation at work, talk to family members about a loved one’s needs, navigate a disagreement with a neighbor, or voice opposition regarding municipal affairs, many of us tend to avoid or stumble through these “difficult conversations”.

February 21 – Difficult Conversations with Neighbors with Brooke Hadwen
How do you talk to your neighbors about the fumes that come in your window when they leave their car running? The dog that barks each time you sit in your yard? Or the ball that keeps coming over the fence onto your garden? Learn ways to give information, ask for what you need, and negotiate differing expectations.

Space is limited so please call to register!

Exploring the Sacred

EXPLORING THE SACRED: The Feminine in the Cosmos and in the Human Person with Dr. Ted Brenneman, Professor Emeritus, Religion, University of Vermont. This series will focus on the quality of the feminine and the way this quality expresses itself in the configuration and processes of the earth. Brenneman will explore various facets of the feminine by examining a group of goddesses that express and live out particular qualities of the essential or “archetypal” feminine: the feminine in its first and most fundamental form. The first presentation was cancelled due to the Valentine's Day blizzard, but we will meet Wednesday, February 21 and 28, at 7pm in the Hayes Room at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

Thai Woven Fish Workshop

"You've never seen a room full of gray haired people so focused and enjoying themselves making a craft that fourth graders usually do." That was Chris Brown's assessment of the Thai Woven Fish Workshop that he attended with his wife, Connie, this past Saturday at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. (Not everyone had gray hair although the majority did!) The workshop was taught by Suchada Sanonguthai, a Thai AFS Visiting Teacher at Montpelier High School and Primprao Dejdamrong, a Thai AFS Visiting Teacher at Randolph Elementary School. We learned how to weave paper into the shape of fish using wall paper or recycled 2006 Vermont Life calendars. The woven fish is a symbol of perseverance and prosperity. It took perseverance to learn how to weave the pretty fish. I felt like I was all thumbs. Once we got the hang of it we had 15 people crafting fish after fish. Chris and Connie Brown were in the library today. They are addicted at weaving fish - they make them every day. I must admit I have five new fish on my kitchen counter. I experimented with using construction paper with one fish. Connie is using ribbon. Today two other people told me how much they enjoyed the workshop. I keep looking at the woven fish mobiles on display at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library for more design ideas. Who knew a time honored domestic Thai craft would capture our imagination!

Snow and love come to Kellogg-Hubbard on Valentine’s Day.

New York Review of Books

There is positive news today of progress in negotiations with North Korea to halt its development of nuclear weapons. The most recent issue of The New York Review of Books has an excellent article by Richard Bernstein that places the current six-party talks in the context of prior negotiations and North Korea’s internal politics.

The New York Review of Books is available at Kellogg-Hubbard along with about 100 other periodicals. The NYRB is, in my opinion, among the best. It’s been published since 1963, with an amazing array of writings from historians, poets, academics, scientists, and journalists. The letters to the editor can be quite entertaining as writers take reviewers to task. For example, in the current issue, Allen Orr responds to criticism of his review of Richard Dawkins's The God Delusion:

Finally, Dennett [author of the letter criticizing Orr’s review] fundamentally misunderstands my review. He seems to think that I'm disturbed by Dawkins's atheism and pointedly asks which religious thinkers I prefer instead. But as I made clear, I have no problem with where Dawkins arrived but with how he got there. It's one thing to think carefully about religion and conclude it's dubious. It's another to string together anecdotes and exercises in bad philosophy and conclude that one has resolved subtle problems. I wasn't disappointed in The God Delusion because I was shocked by Dawkins's atheism. I was disappointed because it wasn't very good.

What fun!

A Valentine's Gift

Yesterday a woman came to the library to buy an annual membership for her sweetie. This couple lives outside of our legal service area and the membership costs $24 for the year. The recipient of this gift loves the Kellogg-Hubbard Library and she could not think of a better way to show of her love than to buy a KH Library membership. We think it's a great Valentine's gift, too! Another great gift is to read aloud to someone you love.

Let it snow!

We've had a very busy day here as everyone stops in to stock up on books and videos for what they hope will be a proper blizzard! The library staff is pretty intrepid, so I'm hoping that we can open the library tomorrow morning in spite of the weather. However, if you hear that the State offices are closed, expect that the Kellogg-Hubbard will follow suit. We'll announce on WDEV if we have to close or shorten our hours.

But like almost everyone else, I'm enjoying the fantasy of having an entire day in front of our wood stove with my book. What is the library director reading right now? Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick. I tend to read history books in fits and starts, but this book grabbed me about twenty pages in and it hasn't let me go since.

If we think that we know what hard times are, we'll think again when we read about the fabled pilgrims who endured an incredibly grueling voyage only to arrive in a wilderness in winter, during what was known as a "little ice age". Their efforts to find a suitable place to settle, their relationships with local tribal leaders, their efforts to govern themselves, their tragedies and successes not only make for compelling reading, but also tell us something about our country's culture. It's a far cry from the Thanksgiving story we were taught in school.

On a side note, you'll read more about the devastating plagues that all but wiped out the Indian tribes who had previously inhabited the coast. If you'd like to know more, check out another fairly recent book, 1491 by Charles C. Mann.

Readers' Choice

As you walk into the front lobby of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library there is a table on the right full of books that are recommended by staff and patrons alike. There is also a book called Readers" Choice, Suggestions from Patrons and Staff. If you particularly liked a book that you borrowed from the library you can add it to this volume. Here are a few suggestions from that book:

Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay by Mira Kirshenbaum

For anyone who is ambivalent about the relationship they are in, this is a godsend. Straight forward, helpful, I can't say enough about it.

The Gentleman from Finland by Robert Goldstein

A very humorous look at a trip on the Trans-Siberian Express in the
1980's.

Between the Woods and the Water by Patrick Leigh Fermor

Superbly written travel memoir - Eastern Europe before World War 2.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clark

(if you like Fantasy) Stick with it thru first 200 pages or so, it's worth
it.

And someone else added "TRUTH!" the the above
recommendation.

The Readers' Choice book is fun to read. Take a look at the book display of recommended reads next time you're in the library. You may find a book that you wouldn't have otherwise chosen. Another place to look for good books is Recommended Reading is on our website.

So many books, so little time.

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Library Community Meetings

Kellogg-Hubbard Library Community Meetings

You’re invited to the library ….to talk about our requests for Town Meeting Day. We want to tell you how the Library funding plan is unfolding and we want to hear from you on how you think we’re doing!

Please come to any of these meetings:
Saturday Feb. 17 at 11:00 AM
Thursday Feb. 22 at 10:30 AM
Thursday Feb. 22 at 5:30 PM

Meetings will be in the Hayes room, on the first floor of the Library and will last about one hour.

If you are unable to attend a meeting but have questions about library funding feel free to call Martin Hahn at 223-3338. We want to hear from you!

Kellogg-Hubbard…. Our community library for 110 years!

We are also looking for volunteers!
Would you be willing to make phone calls to ask voters for their support of the library funding request?
Would you be willing to hold banners in front of Montpelier City Hall on Town Meeting Day?

If so, please call Rachel or Martin at 223-3338.

State aid for libraries

On January 25, the Valley Reporter published an editorial supporting a state appropriation for public libraries. (Vermont is one of only eight states that do not provide operating support for libraries.)

For more information on the state aid initiative, visit the Vermont Library Association web site.

Contact your legislators and ask them to support an appropriation for public libraries.

Under Construction

This blog for the Kellogg-Hubbard Library is under construction. Please visit us again soon.