SEVT Audubon Society
2024-09-17 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | 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.

Brattleboro Stamp Club
2024-09-16 19:00 - 20:45 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Join the Brattleboro Stamp Club for all sorts of philatelic curios, conversation, and comradery!

September Sci-Fi Reading Group Meetup
2024-09-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Meeting Room D – Quiet Reading Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
The Sci-Fi Reading Group will meet Monday, September 16th, in the Quiet Reading Room from 7-8:30 pm to discuss Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson.
“The colony ship Ragtime docks in the Lagos system, having traveled light-years to bring one thousand sleeping souls to a new home among the stars. But when first mate Michelle Campion rouses, she discovers some of the sleepers will never wake. Answering Campion’s distress call, investigator Rasheed Fin is tasked with finding out who is responsible for these deaths. Soon a sinister mystery unfolds aboard the gigantic vessel, one that will have repercussions for the entire system—from the scheming politicians of Lagos station, to the colony planet Bloodroot, to other far-flung systems, and indeed to Earth itself.“
The Sci-Fi Reading Group meets the third Monday of every month and is open to curious minds of all ages, whether or not they’ve read this month’s selection.

Tool Time with Master Gardener Cindy Twombly
2024-09-16 18:30 - 20:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Join Cindy Twombly, who has been a Master Gardener for 20 years, to discuss our favorite, efficient garden hand tools. Gardening is a “labor of love,” but it is labor for sure. There are tools to make the work easier and we will share some of our “tried and true” favorites. You are also invited to bring one or two of your favorite hand tools to share as well. We will also review tools in the Library’s Field to Fork Tool Shed — free for all library patrons to borrow!

Brattleboro in Stitches
2024-09-14 13:00 - 16:00, 2024-09-07 13:00 - 16:00, 2024-08-24 13:00 - 16:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Bring a work in progress to sew, knit, crochet, embroider, or mend. Sewing machines, irons, and companionship will be provided.

The Board Gaming Guild
2024-09-13 15:30 - 16:30 | Children’s Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Come join in on the fun with the Brooks Memorial Library’s Board Gaming Guild!
Now every Friday at 3:30pm. Stop by to have a great time playing board games in the Children’s Room!
Ages 8 and up. No sign up required!

Game Cafe!
2024-09-11 18:00 - 20:45, 2024-09-04 18:00 - 20:45, 2024-08-28 18:00 - 20:45, 2024-08-21 18:00 - 20:45 | Meeting Room D – Quiet Reading 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!

Rhyme Time
2024-09-11 10:30 - 11:00, 2024-09-04 10:30 - 11:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Join us on Wednesday mornings @ 10:30 am for 30 minutes of stories, songs, and fun!
Rhyme Time is for kids 5 & under and their caregivers.

Library Board of Trustees
2024-09-10 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!
Board of Trustees

Friends of the Library Ice Cream Social at Gallery Walk
2024-09-06 17:00 - 19:00 | Gallery Walk, Harmony Place, Brattleboro, Vermont, 05301, United States
The Friends of Brooks Memorial Library invite you to an old fashioned ice cream social at September’s Gallery Walk to celebrate Library Card Sign Up Month. Join us at the Harmony Lot on Friday, September 6 from 5-7pm or until the ice cream runs out! Ice cream is by donation.

LEGO-Palooza
2024-09-05 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!

Artist Talk with Landa Townsend: Mokuhanga Woodblock Prints
2024-09-04 19:00 - 20:30 | Main Reading Room
“Throughout history, art has mirrored the natural world, drawing inspiration from its beauty and complexity. My artistic journey began with this very concept – a deep appreciation for the intricate details and vibrant colors found in nature. Witnessing the environmental challenges our planet faces compelled me to take a more proactive role. My art practice evolved from simply imitating nature to actively participating in its restoration. I found myself drawn to Japanese printmaking techniques, particularly their emphasis on natural materials and meticulous craftsmanship. This resonated with my desire to create art that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also environmentally responsible. The traditional methods of Japanese woodblock printing, for instance, utilize water-based inks and handmade papers, aligning perfectly with my commitment to sustainable practices.” — Landa Townsend
“Dragonfly Habitat at the Edges of Weatherhead Hollow Pond: 2021-2024” by Landa Townsend, Environmental Artist
From August 3 – September 30, 2024, experience the vibrantly colored woodblock prints by Landa Townsend in the Main Reading Room of the Brooks Memorial Library.
This collection of prints is the result of two summers of research and observations of dragonfly flight patterns and behaviors, primarily focusing on the Libellula lydia, Libellula luctuosa, and Libellula putchella populations at Weatherhead Hollow Pond in Guilford, VT.
After attending sustainable, non-toxic printmaking workshops at the Two Rivers Printmaking Studio in White River Junction, Vermont, Townsend proceeded to create a series of abstract images representing this ecosystem. These woodblock prints vividly depict the dragonfly behaviors and environment of this vital and delicate ecosystem, while exploring Japanese woodblock techniques that prioritize non-toxic and sustainable methods.
This project was made possible by an Artist Development Grant, 2021-22, with funding support from the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Landa Townsend is an acclaimed environmental artist known for her thought-provoking and immersive artworks that explore the intricate relationship between nature, culture, and humanity. With a deep passion for ecological restoration and a profound understanding of the interconnectivity of ecosystems, Townsend creates captivating installations that invite viewers to contemplate their place within the natural world.

Mineralogical Society
2024-09-03 18:00 - 20:45 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Join the Brattleboro Mineralogical Society to discuss Minerals and other Geological topics!

Brattleboro Great Books Group
2024-09-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Meeting Room D – Quiet Reading Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Monthly discussion of “Great Books”

LIBRARY CLOSED
2024-09-02 10:00 - 21:00 | Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
The library will be closed on September 2nd in observation of Labor Day.

CANCELLED: Brattleboro in Stitches
2024-08-31 13:00 - 16:00 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Cancelled! Series will resume on September 7th, 2024.

Nature Journaling with Patti Smith
2024-08-31 10:30 - 12:30 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
A nature journal that captures observations and experiences can bring your full attention to the world around you. Keeping a nature journal can be a potent tool for learning or for finding peace and beauty. In this workshop, Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center naturalist Patti Smith will share some tips for creating a beautiful journal that will help you meet your observation goals. Smith will introduce the materials she uses in the field and suggest prompts for observation. She will share her tips for being safe and comfortable outdoors at all times of day and in all seasons. The group will practice sketching exercises that improve observation and drawing skills. Are there books that can help? Of course! We’ll look at some of those too.
Patti Smith has worked at BEEC since its founding in 1991, continuing to develop and share her lifelong fascination with the natural world. Those who read her View from Heifer columns know that some of her best friends are rodents and they will be acquainted with Willow the beaver, Burdock the porcupine, and the other wild creatures she has befriended and cared for. Patti is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and fields the many calls that come in to BEEC about wildlife woes. Her favorite season is winter.

Queer Council of Brattleboro - Monthly Volunteer Meeting
2024-08-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Join the Queer Council of Brattleboro for this a month meeting offering information, trainings, and organizing for those who are interested in learning about supporting LGBTQ+ resilience and revelry!
Meeting on the last Tuesday of every month from 7 – 8:30 pm.

Town Arts Committee
2024-08-27 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!

Monday Movie Matinee: Kung Fu Panda 4 - ENCORE
2024-08-26 10:30 - 12:30 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Join us at a NEW TIME, 10:30am, for our Monday Movie Matinee. Kung Fu Panda 4.

Make Your Own Nature Journal with Linda Lembke
2024-08-24 10:30 - 12:30 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
In this 2-hour workshop, Linda Lembke will teach the basics of bookmaking and guide participants in creating their own nature journal with a pocket for small treasures. All materials will be provided and each participant will take home a journal, ready for recording observations of the natural world.

This workshop is limited to 15 participants and registration is required by August 17th. It is recommended for adults, and children age 6 and older accompanied by an adult. To register, please email circulation@brookslibraryvt.org or call the Circulation Desk at 802-254-5290, ext. 0.
Also join us for the second part of this nature journaling series on Sunday, August 30th with Patti Smith, who will teach participants the art of nature journaling and how to fill our new journals.
Linda Lembke is the sole proprietor of Green River Bindery in Guilford, Vermont, where she incorporates both traditional and experimental approaches to her limited edition binding. Linda is an artist on the Vermont Arts Council’s education roster, and works frequently on bookmaking projects with teachers, students, and artists. She has been leading bookbinding workshops for many years and is known for her thoughtful instruction and her thoroughness.

We Had Fun and Nobody Died: Author Talk with Amy Waldman
2024-08-22 16:00 - 17:30 | Meeting Room A – Community Meeting Room, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301, United States
Promoter Bio Lifts Curtain on Music Industry
This summer, a new biography from the Wisconsin Historical Society Press shines a light on the career of music promoter and club owner Peter Jest. The funny, irreverent, nostalgia-inducing We Had Fun and Nobody Died: Adventures of a Milwaukee Music Promoter (pub date: June 25, 2024) details how, from a young age, Jest brought national acts to the UW–Milwaukee campus, booked thousands of concerts across Wisconsin and the Midwest, and opened Shank Hall, the beloved Milwaukee venue named after a club in the cult film This Is Spinal Tap.
Author Amy T. Waldman’s compelling narrative follows Jest as he attempts to manage a turbulent band on the road, negotiates with agents, deals with fires (both real and metaphorical), and takes pleasure in presenting music of all kinds—from world-famous acts to up-and-coming local bands. The book also features stories of the lasting friendships Jest established over the years with the likes of John Prine, Arlo Guthrie, the Violent Femmes, and others.
This rollicking ride through Jest’s career is brought to life with dozens of photos, concert posters, tickets, backstage passes, and other memorabilia documenting decades of rock, folk, and alternative shows that helped put Milwaukee on the live music map. As the industry becomes increasingly dominated by profit-driven corporations, We Had Fun and Nobody Died chronicles a one-of-a-kind, fiercely independent promoter whose love of music and dedication to the artists have helped him keep it real in the music business for more than forty years.

About the Authors

Amy T. Waldman is an award-winning writer and editor who has written feature articles, reviews, profiles, and essays for a range of publications, including “Fresh Sounds,” a biweekly column of record reviews for the Marshfield News Herald. She currently works as a reference librarian at the Milwaukee Public Library.
Peter Jest has promoted music in Wisconsin and the Midwest for more than forty years and is the owner of the music venue Shank Hall in Milwaukee. This is his first book.

Advance Response to the Book

“Amy Waldman and Peter Jest weave a thrilling tale of fanhood gone pro. Dreams followed, dragons slain, and the roof of a venerable venue repeatedly blown sky-high. We’re proud to have provided the name [for Shank Hall]; it took men and women of sterner stuff to do the heavy lifting.”
—Michael McKean, actor and comedian, This Is Spinal Tap

“We Had Fun and Nobody Died is a fantastic journey of a Midwest boy, his love of music, and his excitement to be part of it all.”
—Kevn Kinney, lead singer and guitarist of Drivin N Cryin

“Peter Jest’s story is one that conveys a winning combination of friendship, determination, and entrepreneurial insights that led him to a lifelong career in support of the live music industry and the community that comes together in common appreciation of it.”
—Shana Morrison, singer-songwriter

Peter Jest was briefly the tour manager for the Milwaukee band Violent Femmes, pictured here in a 2015 performance in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Robb D. Cohen/Invision/AP)
Peter Jest, owner of Shank Hall, shares his best stories in a new memoir co-authored by Amy Waldman
Wisconsin Public Radio Interview by Lorin Cox, August 7, 2024

Friends of the Library
2024-08-21 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. Community attendance and commentary is welcome!
Friends of the Library
