Richmond Free Library

Online via Zoom
Wednesday, October 28, 4:30-5:45 pm
Wednesday, November 11, 4:30-5:45 pm

Is the 1619 Project a groundbreaking exploration of the legacy of Black Americans, or un-American propaganda? We will read the project in full and discuss the public and critical responses to it. Conceived by Pulitzer-Prize winner Nikole Hannah-Jones and published by the New York Times Magazine in 2019 to mark the 400 years since American slavery began, the 1619 Project reframes American political, social, and economic history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the center of our national narrative. The collection of essays, poems, and short fictional pieces has continued as a podcast, a high-school curriculum, and an upcoming book series, even as it has been criticized by progressive historians, libertarian economists, and cultural conservatives, and has spawned a competing 1776 Unites! project. We hope for a lively community discussion!

Sessions will be facilitated by Richmond resident Rebecca Starks. A poet, freelance editor and teacher, Rebecca has facilitated regular reading and writing workshops for OLLI through the University of Vermont.

PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND BOTH SESSIONS. After registering, you will be sent a pdf link to the 1619 Project as well as a Zoom link for the first meeting.

Use this form to sign up for this free program: https://forms.gle/yBpuVkE66431Sabs6

The new Watershed Explorer Challenge booklets are here! Created by the Lake Champlain Sea Grant program, this well-designed, 32-page booklet is geared toward middle schoolers but also suitable for upper elementary or early high school students. It’s designed to help young people learn about the Lake Champlain Basin and has fun activities on topics like water clarity, macroinvertebrates, and food webs. In addition to the 11 different indoor and outdoor activities, the booklet has a glossary and links to additional resources to investigate a topic in more depth. Upon completion, kids can take the pledge to become an official Watershed Explorer before mailing a prepaid postcard to receive a Certificate of Completion and an answer key.

Learn more and find additional resources.

Call (434-3036) or email (rfl@gmavt.net) the library to request copies of the booklet!

Whether you are choosing to school your children at home and provide your own curriculum and activities or your children are enrolled in the school district’s online school option, you might benefit from many of the resources compiled by the Vermont Department of Libraries. A full list of resources can be found on the YOUTH SERVICES page of this website.

Wednesdays at 11 am

We will be gathering on the library lawn behind the building and observing physical distancing and all other safety protocols. Families will be asked to bring their own blanket or chairs and to set up their space on a premarked spot on the lawn. No registration is necessary. Storytimes will include books with big, bold pictures, rhymes, songs, stretches, and the opportunity to pick out some picture books to take home. Outdoor Storytime will be on Wednesdays at 11 am until it grows too cold to do so, or until Covid-19 protocols change. The program will not happen on rainy Wednesdays.

As James Baldwin wrote in his letter to his nephew in The Fire Next Time, white people “are, in effect, still trapped in a history which they do not understand; and until they understand it, they cannot be released from it.”

Here is a list of  resources (Listen, Read, Engage) we have available at the Richmond Library concerning the history and experiences of blacks in the United States. An internet search will yield many antiracist reading lists, check out this one from Read It Forward, and if you see something you are interested in but is not available at RFL, we can try to get it for you via Inter-Library Loan (titles must not be newer than 6 months).

We are very pleased to once again be able to offer library patrons access to the physical collection. This includes books, audiobooks, magazines, and DVDs. We cannot allow visitors beyond the outer foyer but you will find that this space has been adapted to serve as a safe and convenient place to pick up your item requests. Book bins in the foyer have been labeled alphabetically. Requested items will be bagged, labeled and placed in the bins according to patron’s last name. The door will be left open so visitors need not touch anything except their own bag. Please be mindful of others and wait your turn to enter the space if there is already someone there.

There are three ways to request materials:

1. Place a hold on whatever you like through your library account at rfl.kohavt.org.  You will need your library barcode number to log in to your account.  Your password is your own last name (capital first letter). Please note that the maximum number of holds allowed per account is five.
2. Call us at 434-3036. Leave a message if it is after hours.
3. Email us at rfl@gmavt.net.

Pick up times are as follows:
Mon & Fri: 10 – 4 pm
Wed: 10 – 8 pm (new!)
Tues & Thurs: 12 – 4 pm
Sat: 12 – 2 pm

* All items can be returned to the outdoor book return bin anytime.

We sure miss our Storytimes with the kids,  but know that all you fine parents have it covered. Home Storytime!  The good news is that we just made it a little easier for you to enjoy a themed storytime in the convenience and safety of your own home.  We have put together eight Storytime Bags for you and your child to check out and enjoy.  Each Storytime Bag features a different theme and contains, books, songs, rhymes and a craft/activity to do with your child.  Current themes include: Pets; Plants, Flowers & Gardens; Counting; Cars, Trucks & Things that Go; Silly Books; Friends; Seasons & Weather and Outdoors & Camping. We’re pretty sure your child is going to love this idea, so give it a try.  Request one of the bags today.

The library now has a TumbleBook Library subscription. 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. Thanks TumbleBook!

Its flagship product, TumbleBook Library 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.