Whiting Library

Story Hour
2025-07-02 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-06-25 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-06-18 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-06-11 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-06-04 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-05-28 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-05-21 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Whiting Library, 117 Main St., CHESTER, VT, 05143, United States
Story Hour is geared toward preschoolers, but all ages are welcome to join the fun! Each session runs from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, with approximately 15-30 minutes of focused storytime, where children will enjoy engaging stories, hand plays, music, and occasional new book previews from the library. The remaining time is free choice, allowing children to explore hands-on learning through play, crafts, and social interaction.
Whether listening to a story, making a craft, or engaging in imaginative play, kids are strengthening the skills they need for future reading success!
Look for us in the Community Room downstairs, or, if the weather is nice, we may be outside in the backyard.
Preregistration is appreciated but not required—drop-ins are always welcome! To sign up, call the library at 802-875-2277 or email Carrie at youthlibrarian@whitinglibrary.org.

Playgroup for Wee Littles (0-5) & Caregivers
2025-07-01 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-06-24 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-06-17 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-06-10 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-06-03 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-05-27 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-05-20 10:00 - 11:30 | Whiting Library, 117 Main St., CHESTER, VT, 05143, United States
Whiting Library is home to a weekly playgroup for the Wee Littles (0-5 years old) and their caregivers on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. This is a free, fun and relaxed gathering where little kids play while their grown ups supervise and socialize.
No need to pre-register, simply drop in to the library Community Room. Stay as long or as little as you like. Geared towards Caregivers who want to find friendship and build connections in the greater wee little people (0-5 years old) community.
Fun & games, plus art & craft projects in the community room downstairs!
Everyone learns best through play! Contact our Youth Librarian, for more information via youthlibrarian@whitinglibrary.org or call 802-875-2277.

Summer Reading Challenge Kick Off Party with author Carrie Kruck
2025-06-28 10:30 - 11:30 | Whiting Library, 117 Main St., CHESTER, VT, 05143, United States
Sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge!
Join Whiting Library for a summer filled with reading, creativity, and discovery! Our Summer Reading Challenge encourages kids simply to read every day—no sign-up, timers, or reading logs required. Just stop by the Youth Room, pick up a summer reading challenge sheet (or not!), and take part in fun activities that keep learning going all summer long.
Our special guest of honor will be New Hampshire author Carrie Kruck, who will read from one of her picture books. All youth who attend can select two new books from various options! A Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) grant makes the book giveaway and author presentation possible.
Did you know that summer break can lead to the “summer slide,” where kids lose academic progress? Our Summer Reading Challenge is the perfect way to keep young minds sharp! Regular reading helps reinforce literacy skills, prevent learning loss, and spark new achievements—all while having fun.
📚 How It Works
🎁 Every kid who visits the library on Saturday, June 28, from 10:30AM – 11:30AM will receive 2 free books!

Just tell a staff member that who would like to participate in the Summer Reading Challenge.
Read every day from June 28th to August 2nd.
Attend fun events throughout the summer at the library.
🧱 The Nature Museum programs, Story hour & playgroups held weekly
🎨 Try the artist scavenger hunt at the library. Color your world with fun art projects at the library this summer.

📚 Kids read and report back to the library for a weekly pick from the prize basket or bookshelf!🍦 Celebrate All Summer Readers at our Ice Cream Social – Saturday, Aug 2 at 11:30AM!
Library cards for Whiting Library are free to all residents of the towns of Chester and Andover, Vermont. Adults please bring your proof of residency (i.e. mail with your name and address on it) with you when you sign up for a library card.
For more details, contact Carrie King, Youth Librarian, at youthlibrarian@whitinglibrary.org.

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Summer Unplugged - Bears!
2025-06-25 13:00 - 13:45 | Whiting Library, 117 Main St., CHESTER, VT, 05143, United States
One of New England’s largest waddlers is the American black bear. Although often feared, these sizable mammals are intelligent, sneaky, and beautiful. How can we share our habitats safely with these two hundred pound omnivores? Come activate your inner bear as we learn about the life of black bears, explore black bear biofacts, snuggle up for a story reading, and engage in the black bear experience!
The Nature Museum aims to engage and educate in order to spark a lifelong connection and responsibility to the natural world. Our vision is that we help all people be inspired to explore the wonder, science, and beauty of the natural world and to protect the regional and global ecology.
Thanks to the generous support from Great River Hydro, The Nature Museum is excited to once again bring free environmental education programming to public libraries throughout the Middle Connecticut River Valley and at the Bellows Falls Fish Ladder and Visitor Center during the summer of 2025.
These programs aim to be engaging and highlight topics related to the unique ecology and landscape of Northern New England. These programs are geared towards youth ages Pre-K through elementary grades, but all are welcome! Programs will be approximately 45 minutes long with dedicated time for a story reading and any nature related questions you may have for our expert educators. Library programs will be both outdoors whenever possible and indoors as needed depending on weather and location. Join us to unplug, discover, and learn!

Living the Otter Life with Katherine Applegate (3rd-6th Grade)
2025-06-24 16:00 - 16:30 | Zoom Online
This online event will be 30 minutes in length. Register here: https://libraryc.org/whitinglibrary/77774/register
Join us as award-winning author and summer reading champion Katherine Applegate talks to viewers about her enthusiastically heartwarming novel in verse, Odder.
Everyone wants to meet Odder, the Queen of Play. Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she’s known. She’s a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herself―and about the humans who hope to save her.
Katherine Applegate’s Odder, is inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers. This poignant and humorous tale told in free verse examines bravery and healing through the eyes of one of nature’s most beloved and charming animals.
About the Author: Katherine Applegate is the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for young readers, including The One and Only Ivan, Wishtree, Crenshaw, the Endling series, the Roscoe Riley Rules chapter books series, and the Animorphs series. She lives with her husband, who writes as the author Michael Grant, and their children in California.

Closed for Juneteenth
2025-06-19 | VT

Summer Flicks: Mama Mia
2025-06-18 13:00 - 15:00 | VT
This intergenerational movie series for individuals with dementia, their friends, and families is open to everyone.
This afternoon’s presentation is Mama Mia, the 2008 story of a bride-to-be trying to find her real father, told through hit songs by the popular 1970s group ABBA.
Starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgård
Rated PG-13, 2008, 1 hour and 48 minutes

Adult Book Discussion: The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
2025-06-11 16:30 - 17:30 | VT
If you want to participate in the book club, please contact the library at director@WhitingLibrary.org or call 802-875-2277 to reserve a copy.

Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs)
2025-06-10 15:00 - 17:30, 2025-06-03 15:00 - 17:30 | Whiting Library, 117 Main St., CHESTER, VT, 05143, United States
Embark on Epic Adventures with Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs)!
Calling all gamers aged 13 and up! Dive into a world of imagination, strategy, and camaraderie at Whiting Library’s weekly tabletop gaming sessions.
🎲 Games We Love to Play: Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and more!
Whether you’re an experienced player or brand-new to the tabletop scene, there’s a seat for you at the table. Meet fellow enthusiasts, take on thrilling quests, and immerse yourself in epic adventures—all while building new friendships.
When: Tuesdays at 3:00 PM
Where: Whiting Library
Ready to roll the dice and start your next adventure? The table is set—let the games begin!

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Lisa Jewell Virtual Author Talk and Watch Party
2025-06-10 14:00 - 15:00 | VT

Gina Della Tonga and Brian Gratwicke, Smithsonian Tropical Institute, Extinctopedia
2025-06-04 14:00 - 15:00 | VT

LEGO Builders Club
2025-05-28 15:00 - 16:00 | Whiting Library, 117 Main St., CHESTER, VT, 05143, United States
Join us for an hour of creative, hands-on fun with building bricks aka LEGOs! Each month, young builders can let their imaginations soar in a relaxed and playful environment. While a monthly theme and inspiration cards are available for those who need a little guidance, kids are free to create whatever they dream up. Completed creations are proudly displayed in the library’s Youth Room for the entire month, with a “Builder’s Card” showcasing the name of their creation and their name.
This program isn’t just about building with bricks—it’s about building skills! Play is a powerful tool for developing early literacy and motor skills. Through constructing, designing, and storytelling about their creations, kids practice problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and expressive language—all critical for literacy development.
For younger siblings, a selection of larger building blocks is available, ensuring the whole family can participate and enjoy stress-free fun. A variety of build books are also on hand for inspiration and to check out.
Drop in, stay as long as you’d like, and join the fun!
The four rules of Lego Club are:

Respect the space.–No running around, just sit and work on your piece.
Respect others.–That means everyone has to share and help each other out. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Respect yourself.–Stay positive. We don’t compete with or put down other club members; we build just for fun.
Respect the Legos.–We don’t throw the Legos. We don’t eat the Legos. We don’t shove the Legos up our nose. We don’t shove the Legos up our friend’s nose. And the Legos have to stay in the library at the end of the day.

Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs)
2025-05-27 15:00 - 16:30, 2025-05-20 15:00 - 17:30 | Whiting Library, 117 Main St., CHESTER, VT, 05143, United States
Embark on Epic Adventures with Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs)!
Calling all gamers aged 13 and up! Dive into a world of imagination, strategy, and camaraderie at Whiting Library’s weekly tabletop gaming sessions.
🎲 Games We Love to Play: Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and more!
Whether you’re an experienced player or brand-new to the tabletop scene, there’s a seat for you at the table. Meet fellow enthusiasts, take on thrilling quests, and immerse yourself in epic adventures—all while building new friendships.
When: Tuesdays at 3:00 PM
Where: Whiting Library
Ready to roll the dice and start your next adventure? The table is set—let the games begin!

iOS Mobile Device Basics
2025-05-23 13:00 - 14:00 | VT
This workshop is for those who have a new iOS mobile device or are considering getting one and want to learn more about the basic functions. It will support attendees to get connected, identify common apps, and build confidence in using their devices safely. These free digital literacy training workshops for the community to help close the digital divide as part of a national collaboration supported by the Public Library Association and AT&T. Using resources from Digitallearn.org and available through AT&T ScreenReady, workshops will help community members build skills and confidence using technology.
DigitalLearn.org Workshops and Modules were created by the Public Library Association, with support from AT&T.

How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us with Author Rachelle Bergstein: A Virtual Author Talk
2025-05-21 14:00 - 15:00 | VT
You’re invited to an online intimate conversation with bestselling author Rachelle Bergstein as she chats about her newest book The Genius of Judy. This book takes an expansive look at Judy Blume’s life, work, and cultural impact, focusing on her most iconic—and controversial—young adult novels, from Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret to Blubber.
Register for this virtual event at https://libraryc.org/whitinglibrary/upcoming.
Everyone knows Judy Blume.
Her books have garnered her fans of all ages for decades and sold tens of millions of copies. But why were people so drawn to them? And why are we still talking about them now in the 21st century?
In The Genius of Judy, her remarkable story is revealed as never before, beginning with her as a mother of two searching for purpose outside of her home in 1960s suburban New Jersey. The books she wrote starred regular children with genuine thoughts and problems. But behind those deceptively simple tales, Blume explored the pillars of the growing women’s rights movement, in which girls and women were entitled to careers, bodily autonomy, fulfilling relationships, and even sexual pleasure. Blume wasn’t trying to be a revolutionary—she just wanted to tell honest stories—but in doing so, she created a cohesive, culture-altering vision of modern adolescence.
Blume’s bravery provoked backlash, making her the country’s most-banned author in the mid-1980s. Thankfully, her works withstood those culture wars and it’s no coincidence that Blume has resurfaced as a cultural touchstone now. Young girls are still cat-called, sex education curricula are getting dismissed as pornography, and entire shelves of libraries are being banned. As we face these challenges, it’s only natural we look to Blume, the grand dame of so-called dirty books. This is the story of how a housewife became a groundbreaking artist, and how generations of empowered fans are her legacy, today more than ever.
Register now for a conversation you don’t want to miss!
About the Author: Rachelle Bergstein is a lifestyle writer, author, and editor, focused on style, pop culture, and families. Her work has appeared in the New York Post, The New York Times, NPR, and more. She is the author of three books: Women from the Ankle Down, Brilliance and Fire, and The Genius of Judy. She lives with her husband and son in Brooklyn. Find out more at RachelleBergstein.com.

Family Concert with Stu Fuchs and Family
2025-05-17 11:00 - 12:00 | VT
Join our special guests, Stu Fuchs and ​Sarah Carlisle, for a family concert. Get ready to sing, dance, and have some fun!
Stu Fuchs is an award-winning musician and teaching artist who empowers people of all backgrounds to express themselves through creative play. A “classically trained, improvisational freed multi-instrumentalist,” Stu blends mindfulness and music at his annual “Ukulele Zen” retreat held at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. Sarah Carlisle, who plays upright bass and mandolin, formally studied classical and jazz music at the Peabody Conservatory and Temple University.
