Richmond Free Library

The Richmond Free Library closed effective 6 pm, Friday, March 13 for the safety of its patrons and staff.

Until the Governor’s Executive Order of Stay Home, Stay Safe, we had been offering curbside pick-up of physical items. We have now discontinued that service until further notice.

If you have any items out right now, don’t worry.   All items are renewed to May 1.  Please hold on to them until then, if you can.

In the meantime, please visit www.richmondfreelibraryvt.org and explore various offerings on the website.

All patrons may set up an account with GMLC Overdrive and download ebooks and audiobooks with a valid card.  If your card expired, please send us an email with your current contact information(name, address, phone, email)  and we can get it renewed. Ovedrive comes with a very helpful app called Libby.  We recommend downloading to whatever device you’re using.  (It’s not yet available on Kindles.)  If you need some help navigating with Libby, this booklet should help. Help with Libby. Let us know if you need more help.

Are you missing Storytimes at the Library.   While no digital display can replace the incomparable Wendy, Jennifer and LJ, in the meantime please visit the Library’s Youth Services page.  We have provided links to Tumblebooks, a read-aloud platform for all ages and to Scholastic’s Learn at Home packages from grades pre-K to high school. We’ve also created a link to the Big List of Children’s Authors.  Everyone from James Dean (Pete the Cat), Oprah Winfrey reads Thelma Godin’s Hula Hoopin’ Queen, Grace Lin shows how to draw Chinese Dragons,  Mo Willems shares PIggie & Elephant activities.   There are also many links to authors of young adult books.  Vermont’s Children’s Literacy Foundation has also provided an extensive collection of Literacy Resources for Learning.   You can’t check out a book from the library right now, but do check out all of these great resources.  We’ll continue to add materials for entertainment, education and enrichment!

Are you or someone in the family home from school and needing help with various subjects or certification programs?   LearningExpress is a highly acclaimed eLearning platform that provides support to students and professionals for academic skill-building, tutorials, occupational exploration, standardized test prep, career certification test prep and more.  Patrons will create their own account where they can keep track of modules explored.  Brush up on your math, science or writing skills,  study for the GED, SAT, ACT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, a variety of Allied Health Certifications, Firefighting, Plumbing and more.   Explore the possibilities at Learning Express.

Stay Home – Stay Safe – Read (or listen)!

The Library now has a TumbleBookLibrary subscription. – Thanks TumbleBook!

TumbleBooks, a world leader in online children’s book databases, has made its family of online libraries available for free to public libraries until at least August 31.

Its flagship product, TumbleBooklibrary is a collection of animated talking picture books, read-alongs, ebooks, quizzes, lesson plans, and educational games.  You will find a link to these animated picture books as well as links to math picture books and books for teens on our YOUTH SERVICES page.

The Richmond Free Library has closed effective 6 pm, Friday, March 13 to protect our community. The library has many patrons (and staff) over the age of 60. It is also an after-school meeting and pick-up location with high traffic in the afternoons. We are not in a position to disinfect the library, and we cannot keep up with wiping “high touch” areas as new patrons come in and out of the library. We do not have a “purpose built” building and the space we have is not conducive to social distancing. Our library is a combination of several small spaces that encourage interaction (which libraries love!)  and one large meeting area for programs. Our programs were discontinued on Monday, but there is no way people can maintain adequate distance in other areas. Nor can staff maintain safe distances at our service desks.

I’m also seeing conflicting information in medical literature on the persistence of the COVID-19 virus on surfaces. Several reputable and peer-reviewed journals have indicated the virus survives up to 9 days in ideal conditions, and most likely dies off after 5 days in other conditions. This is certainly contradictory to other sources, and points out that there is yet a good consensus on this factor. In reality, there is still much to learn about COVID-19 and it’s transmission. The CDC is putting out its best guess.  What we do know is that while the contagion seems to moving slowly, it will grow at an exponential rate unless actions are taken to slow it.

In keeping the library open, it signals the public that it’s a safe place to convene. It isn’t. There are only five confirmed cases in Vermont. That doesn’t seem like a threat, but it’s only because there is limited resources for testing and monitoring.  Real numbers of infection are not available. The virus is spreading, and I think everyone should be contributing to the halt of the disease.

In the meantime, our communities need to quickly develop safety nets of all kinds for our residents.

The Library will be implementing some means of book delivery and pick up next week and discontinuing due dates. Our online resources are limited, but we will encourage their use as well. Any other ideas on service that is not in-person are welcome. Some staff will be continuing to work at the library, but we will not be admitting patrons until further notice.

Please feel free to call or email us.

Rebecca Mueller, Dir.

The Library is closed until further notice.  All programs have been suspended.  Our annual Baby Brunch will be rescheduled for later in the year.

More information will be forthcoming.

We have new improved 2020 passes for Sleepy Hollow in Huntington and Catamount in Williston. The benefits to pass holder include free day or half-day entry for up to two adults and two children in the same family. A family can use the pass once a season. This is a great way to experience these local outdoor centers for perhaps the first time. Thanks go out to RiseVt for funding the passes and to Sleepy Hollow and Catamount for working with the library to provide this opportunity to get out and ski, snowshoe, hike, trail run or bike. Ask for the passes year-round at the circulation desk.

Weekly Youth Programs  Program details are below. Weekly youth programs at the Library run September – May and follow the MMUUSD schedule for vacation days and weather closure days.

Baby Laptime This short, active storytime is for our youngest little book lovers and their grown ups. We’ll look at picture books, sing simple songs, do some rhyming and bouncing and sometimes get out the shakers and scarves. Designed for infants and early toddlers.  Join us on Mondays at 10:30 am.

Playgroup with Stories and Songs The good times kick off with songs and shakers around the colorful alphabet rug.  Next up is storytime and snacks (bring your own). Then, the toys and art supplies come out for free play and crafts. Co-sponsored by the Lund Center. Kids from infant – five and their grown ups are invited to join us in the commnity room on Wednesdays from 10 am – noon.

Preschool Storytime This special storytime is for children ages 3 – 5.  We will share picture books, songs, activities and games with a focus on the six pre-reading skills that form a child’s early literacy experience and help set them up for a lifelong love of books and reading. Join us on Fridays at 10:30 am.

Join other knitters in the Mezzanine Lounge at the Richmond Free Library on Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00 for social and skill exchange. All levels, any handcraft (crochet, tatting, needlepoint, etc.) welcome.