What a month! November has been one of my busiest here at the library, and it’s been a delight to help people discover new resources, learn new skills, and engage with their community in new ways.

The library has been an official “Come Write In” location for National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo, as participants often call it). We set up a dedicated space to support writers who have committed to writing 50,000 words this month (and for others needing to write in a quiet, supportive space), and at least twelve different writers have used the space, including one from as far away as South Burlington.

Many of those writers have just begun their book-creation journeys, but November has been an exciting month for local authors who are further along that journey, too. Megan Price’s Vermont Wild series has a new volume out. Jay Dubberly, one of Bixby’s workshop leaders, released a novella. Christina Caniyo, a longtime workshop participant and local chocolatier, has a forthcoming fantasy novel. Philip Ackerman-Leist’s newest book came out at the beginning of the month, and he visited the library and presented artwork and storied related to that book. Many of these writers will be offering their books for sale at the Holiday Stroll. What an exciting time to be a reader in our community!

Several other exciting programs kept me busy this month. The highlight may have been the crowd that gathered to learn Sourdough Basics with Eliza Hunter and who were delighted to take home live sourdough cultures for their own kitchens. The culmination of our Vermont Reads program also featured an exclusive tour at Rokeby Museum and visits from Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform and from scholar Jane Williamson.

The discussions that have happened at the library this month have reached across topics as varied as food and food production systems to civil rights and criminal justice, and I’ve been amazed at the level of engagement of each participant who has come to the library.

It’s been a delight to witness and to participate in these discussions among community members, and I look forward to many more such opportunities. Keep an eye out for your next chance to get to know neighbors better at the library!

-Muir Haman, Adult Services Librarian