Brooks Memorial Library - Brattleboro VT

MLK Day Holiday: Library closed
2023-01-16 | 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
The Library will be closed on Monday, January 16th in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday, “a time that we celebrate, commemorate and honor the life, legacy and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” according to the King Center, whose theme for 2023 is “Cultivating a Beloved Community Mindset to Transform Unjust Systems.”
On this holiday, the library salutes community partners who are working to transform unjust systems, including The Root Social Justice Center, Lost River Racial Justice, and Windham County NAACP.

Sci-Fi Reading Group-Please Note Date Change
2023-01-17 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, the Sci-Fi Reading Group will meet Tuesday, January 17th in the Quiet Reading Room from 7-8:30 pm to discuss Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang.
From Goodreads: “What if we discovered that the fundamentals of mathematics were arbitrary and inconsistent? What if there were a science of naming things that calls life into being from inanimate matter? What if exposure to an alien language forever changed our perception of time?….These are the kinds of outrageous questions posed by the stories of Ted Chiang.”
The Sci-Fi Reading Group Meets the third Monday of every month and is open to readers and dreamers of all ages. Even those who haven’t read the book are welcome to join! We are always taking suggestions for books for future discussions. Physical and eBooks available from the library.

Southeastern Vermont Audubon Society Presentation
2023-01-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Main Reading Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Wildlife rehabilitator Fred Homer and veterinarian Ron Svec will present a slide show and talk about their work, their experiences, and their friendship over the years as a team to provide care to many species of injured or orphaned birds, most especially the many species of birds of prey they have helped. They will discuss their work together and individually for providing the necessary care, treatments, and surgery needed to release these awesome birds back into the wild. A question and answer period will follow.
Main Reading Room at the Library.

SEVT Audubon Society
2023-01-17 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-02-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Join South Eastern Vermont’s Audubon Society on for a monthly program featuring nature and the environment.

Friends of the Library
2023-01-18 16:30 - 18:00, 2023-02-15 16:30 - 18:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Monthly meeting of the Friends of the Library. Citizen attendance and commentary is welcome!
https://bml2.brookslibraryvt.org/about-us/friends-of-the-library/

New Yorker Discussion Group
2023-01-18 19:00 - 20:00, 2023-02-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Do you read The New Yorker magazine regularly? Would you like to discuss recent articles with fellow readers? The New Yorker discussion group gathers on the third Wednesday of each month at 7pm in the Community Meeting Room on the second floor. Similar to a book group, participants bring their favorite articles in the magazine every month for comments and discussion.
The program is free, open to the public and accessible to people in wheelchairs.
Call the Library at 254-5290 for more information.

Game Cafe!
2023-01-21 14:00 - 16:45, 2023-01-28 14:00 - 16:45, 2023-02-04 14:00 - 16:45, 2023-02-11 14:00 - 16:45, 2023-02-18 14:00 - 16:45 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Come join game enthusiasts in playing Magic the Gathering in various formats (including Commander/EDH) as well as other fun and creative board & card games.
Bring your favorite games- All Ages Welcome!

RESCHEDULED DUE TO SNOW: Instapot Cooking Demo
2023-01-23 17:00 - 19:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Instapot Cooking Demo has been rescheduled to next Monday, January 30th!

Brattleboro Stamp Club
2023-01-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States

Town Arts Committee
2023-01-24 17:00 - 19:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
The monthly meeting of the Town Arts Committee members invites guests and the public to discuss town arts!

Healthcare Resource Info Hours
2023-01-25 14:00 - 16:00, 2023-02-08 14:00 - 16:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Do you use Medicaid?
Members of the VT Worker’s Center will be on hand to provide information about the Medicaid re-determinations that will be starting on April 1st. Members of the public are invited to drop in between 2 and 4pm to find out about the re-determinations, how they are impacted, and what you can do if they are cut off.
We will also have resources for other questions about healthcare – not only Medicaid – and the opportunity to participate in a healthcare survey.

CANCELLED: CPCC
2023-01-25 17:00 - 18:00 | Meeting Room D – Quiet Reading Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Join us next month on February 22nd in the Quiet Reading Room on the Mezzanine!
Monthly Town CPCC meeting please see https://www.ibrattleboro.com/ and Town of Brattleboro website under “Committees”

Special after-hours event--THISTLEFOOT!
2023-01-27 19:00 | Main Reading Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Thistlefoot makes its way to Brooks Memorial Library!
Brattleboro, VT ~ Join us for a special after-hours celebration of local author GennaRose Nethercott and her debut novel, Thistlefoot, Friday, January 27, 7:00 pm at Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St. in Brattleboro. Steeped in the folklore of Eastern Europe, this tour-de-force tale journeys through generations of heartbreak, horrors and heroism, from Russia to Brattleboro, on the chicken feet of Baba Yaga’s house. A ripping yarn filled with rivalry, romance, regret and redemption, Thistlefoot has received accolades from readers and reviewers alike.
GENNAROSE NETHERCOTT is a writer and folklorist. Her first book, The Lumberjack’s Dove, was selected by Louise Glück as a winner of the National Poetry Series. Whether authoring novels, poems, ballads, or even fold-up paper cootie catchers, her projects are all rooted in myth—and what our stories reveal about who we are. She tours nationally and internationally performing strange tales (sometimes with puppets in tow) and composing poems-to-order for strangers on an antique typewriter with her team, the Traveling Poetry Emporium. The presentation will feature puppets, crankies and immersive reading. It promises to be an unforgettable evening, and not for the faint-hearted.
Books will be available for sale and signing from Everyone’s Books. Sponsored by the Friends of Brooks Memorial Library.
The program is free and open to the public and is accessible to people in wheelchairs. For more information call the library at (802) 254-5290.

Abortion Aftercare Basket Assembly Party
2023-01-28 10:00 - 13:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Planned Parenthood Vermont Action Fund is hosting an event where community members are invited to join us in packaging care bags for patients to take home after their abortion.

Instapot Cooking Demo
2023-01-30 17:00 - 19:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Join Edible Brattleboro for a fun and interactive instapot cooking demonstration – including lentil soup, greens, and dessert!
Registration Required! Register HERE or by emailing cooking@ediblebrattleboro.org

LEGO-Palooza
2023-02-02 15:00 - 17:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Join us on Thursdays after school from 3-5pm to play with LEGOs!
We provide the LEGOs. You build. Do not bring your own LEGOs.
Children cannot keep LEGOs, but if there is enough room, we will display them in the window.
Free and open to the public!

Weatherization Where You Live: a Workshop
2023-02-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Heating expenses getting out of hand? Keep your homes heat where you need it. Renters, homeowners, and land lord opportunities available.

Mineralogical Society
2023-02-07 18:00 - 20:45 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Study of Minerals and Geological topics

Parenting 4 Social Justice Reading-Discussion Group
2023-02-08 18:00 - 20:00 | Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
We are sorry, the current session of this monthly book group is filled to capacity. We hope to offer future opportunities to discuss this pivotal work. Please check back in late May.

Actors Theatre Playhouse 10-Minute Play Auditions
2023-02-13 18:30 - 21:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Open Auditions

10-Minute Play Festival

On Saturday Feb. 4th from 10 am-1:30 pm and Monday Feb. 13th from 6:30-9 pm, The Actors Theatre Playhouse in West Chesterfield, N.H. will hold Open Auditions for its Ten Minute Play Festival for nine performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, June 8th – June 24th, 2023.

Audition Location: Brooks Memorial Library Community Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT

This year’s Festival winners were selected from national submissions of over 250 ten minute plays. The plays that have made the final cut have gone thru a vigorous screening by all our directors and we look forward to bringing these seven plays into our production. Read them and see for yourself!

Copies are available as PDF files for your perusal by email from producer Jim Bombicino (jbombicino@comcast.net).

If you are interested in auditioning, please email Jim or call/text 802-274-0503 to schedule an appointment for a given time on either date. If you are unable to attend either audition session, you may contact Jim to make other arrangements.

Since the inception of the Actors Theatre Ten Minute Play Festival twelve years ago, we are proud to have created many acting and directing opportunities for seasoned actors and newcomers alike. Actor participation and enthusiasm are key to the success of the program and we take care to cast actors of various experiences, ages, and types.

At the audition, you will be asked to read from the 10-minute plays that interest you. Directors may ask you to read for other plays as well. You may audition for as many plays as you like and you may be cast in more than one play.

Rehearsals for the 10-minute plays will most likely begin with a read through in March and rehearsals in May, with the most intensely scheduled rehearsal time being the three weeks prior to the opening. The directors this year are: Wendy Almeida, Jim Bombicino, Lionel Chute, Bob Kramsky, Brenda Seitz, Lin Snider, and Ben Stockman. They will schedule rehearsals for their respective plays. You should plan to be available on call to rehearse during the final three weeks before opening. Tech week: June 3rd – June 8th.

Grab a friend to bring to the audition, or share this notice with anyone who might be interested in acting or working behind the scenes!

Again, email jbombicino@comcast.net to preview plays
and book your audition date for either Saturday Feb. 4th or Monday Feb. 13th.

We hope you enjoy reading these GREAT NEW PLAYS, seven of which will be chosen for production following the casting process. We hope that you are inspired to participate!

Ode to Clouds
Written by Carol Mark
A fifty something ‘hippy’ helps a distraught young newcomer reframe her recent breakup by pointing out images in the clouds….from the ledge of a NY apartment building!
Roles: Joni – 50s+, Stacey – 20s.

And Twice on Sunday
Written by Brad Sytsma
A comedic spin on one of the most basic elements of spycraft….the exchange.
Roles: 2 Agents – young man, man or woman, 2 Trench coats – man or woman.

It’s About Forgiveness
Written by Albi Gorn
A reconciliation beyond the pearly gates…can Myrna forgive Herman for the ultimate sacrifice?
Roles: Man and woman 50’s+

Out From Under With Mary
Written by Chris Shaw Swanson
While waiting for a drug test at an inner city methadone clinic,
a suburban housewife realizes there is more to homeless Mary than meets the eye…and ear.
Roles: Diane – 30’s, Mary – 50s+

Torrid Taxes
Written by Laurie Spector
As the tax filing deadline rapidly approaches, a beautiful woman with a dark secret
changes the world of a dedicated CPA in ways he never calculated!
Roles: Chance (man) – 30s-40s, Desiree (woman) 20s-30s.

Speed Date
Written by Carol Mark
Can you find love in 2 minutes? Crazy. How about eight? Maybe not so crazy.
Roles: Pam – 30s-50s, Tony – 30s-50s, Sam – bartender.

Homeland Security
Written by Mathew Widman
A black comedy about who we watch, and who watches us.
Big government and big business conspire to save American in the digital age.
Roles: man and woman 20’s-30s, man and woman 30s-50s.

Independence Day
Written by Rhea MacCallum
A mom and her adult daughter share laughter and tears
as they navigate the difficult road to terminal illness.
Roles: Alice – frail, 60s+, Elizabeth – 30s-40s

Fighting Mr. Right
Written by Barbara Lindsay
Does Marla really have the best strategy for finding Mr. Right?
Roles: Marla and Joel – 20s-30s.

Leaving Nic
Written by Connie Schindewolf
Sue struggles to break up with her former love….Nic(-otine). A comedy.
Roles: Sue and Nic – 30s-50s

Library Board of Trustees
2023-02-14 16:30 - 18:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Monthly meeting of the Brooks Memorial Library Board of Trustees. Citizen attendance and commentary welcome!
https://bml2.brookslibraryvt.org/about-us/board-of-trustees/

Sci-Fi Reading Group February Meetup
2023-02-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
The Sci-Fi Reading Group will meet Tuesday, February 21st in the Quiet Reading Room from 7-8:30 pm to discuss Binti by Nnedi Okorafor.
From Goodreads:
“Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs…If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself — but first she has to make it there, alive.”
The Sci-Fi Reading Group meets the third Tuesday of every month and is open to curious minds of all ages, whether or not they’ve read this month’s selection.
