I can't believe we're at Episode 9 of Where the Books Are Now already! In this episode, I talk with Kate Hunter, Library Director at the Orwell Free Library in Orwell, VT. The Orwell Free Library is housed in a house! It looks like a lovely historic home on the outside and on the inside it is the public library and Historical Society. This library, like many public libraries in Vermont, has a great history story. The library is located right in the center of town on the village green and bonus, the school is right across the street, making it so easy for kids to come to the library after school.
The staff have started a coffee hour on Fridays at 9:00 am and Kate says that it's very well attended by people in the community. We also talked about other programs and services (like Teen pizza on Thursdays) and the summer reading program. Kate likes partnering with other organizations to bring new programs and events to the community. Orwell also has a Library of Things collection which includes tables and chairs, an egg incubator, a bubble makers, a large speaker, and more!
The Orwell Library has also joined the Sustainable Libraries Initiative certification process and is part of a Vermont cohort of libraries working toward this. If you want to know more, just stop by, call or email Kate and she'll tell you about this exciting initiative that is happening all over the country.
We wrapped up with our book recommendations. Kate loved The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. and also talked about some sci-fi and fantasy that I'm going to try. One of her favorite authors is N. K. Jemison. Kate likes her worldbuilding. She really liked the Martha Wells "Murderbot" series, and recommends that series on audiobook as well.
I shared a recommendation for a non-fiction book written by Stephen Long, the founder of "Northern Woodlands" magazine titled, Thirty Eight the Hurricane That Transformed New England. When I think of hurricanes, I think of the coast, but this book shines a light on the devastation by a hurricane that turned inland and wiped out thousands of acres of trees. The effects of that hurricane can still be seen in New England forests.
My final pick for this episode was Who is Maud Dixon by Alexandra Andrews a novel about a woman who wants to be a famous author and will do some extraordinary things to try to make that happen.
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