WOODBURY – A person walks into a library . . .
People still do, I’m pleased to say, and we still sign out real books. There are close to 8,000 books on the shelves of the Woodbury Community Library (WCL), though when I walk in, I almost always find my week’s readings from the rotating display on the shelf that faces the door, the first that meets my eye.
When I walk into the Woodbury Community Library I am also met with a welcoming smile from Myrna, the library director, or Jacob, the assistant librarian, even though, invariably, they are occupied with a task, a patron, a project. Even so, I am greeted warmly and might even be offered tea.
After the books and the smiles, I see art on the walls; I make my way around the library to peer more closely at the paintings and drawings by local artists and to read their captions and descriptions. Even if I had attended their opening, it’s nice to have another look when the library is less crowded.
Gatherings to celebrate the work of local artists is just one of the ways in which the library has evolved into much more than a place that houses books. When I walk in to the Woodbury Community Library I might see someone sitting in a big comfy chair reading, or at a table working from a laptop computer or listening to a podcast. Like many of our brave little state’s almost 200 public libraries, the Woodbury Community Library is connected, offering books in many formats; for patrons who enjoy e-books and audio formats, WCL’s subscription to the Green Mountain Library Consortium allows them to borrow these materials at no charge to use on their own device, or on a library e-reader available for loan. The Library also offers free public access to laptop computers, headsets, and a printer as well as high-speed internet service.
Sometimes when I walk in to the Woodbury Community Library I hear guitar, banjo, and singing from the adjacent community room. On certain Saturdays I see local people marketing their crafts there. I might see a child pushing a train around a wooden track, or reading on the floor with a parent. The library hosts numerous programs, clubs, and events for people of all ages: singalongs, read-alouds, and writing workshops; arts and crafts and art shows; talks on gardening, local geology, and water. The library also has a history of collaborating with Woodbury Elementary School educators on grant funded student learning projects, such as “Dirt Tracks & Thunder Road: History & Stories of Auto Racing in Vermont.” This school year the topic will be water, its benefits and dangers.
Presently a dinner and conversation with our elected state representatives is being planned for early February, with on-site child care available for attendees. March will feature the return of the Woodbury Community Library’s biggest, most renowned event by far, the annual pie breakfast. This fundraiser takes place in the school gymnasium and, along with all-you-can-eat pie, there is a bounty of interesting and useful items at silent auction.
There’s a lot going on at the Woodbury Community Library. For, despite all the digital access, the community remains the library’s most important and vital connection.
When I walk in to the Woodbury Community Library, I am amazed at all the services, programs, and of course, books. I encourage you to drop in, attend an event, and even explore the web page (woodburycommunitylibrary.wordpress.com/). There’s something for everyone at this vibrant place in the heart of Woodbury.
