As we approach the darkest time of the year, the idea of comfort comes to mind. This is a season that brings comfort to many with its cozy clothes, woodstoves, outdoor recreation and holiday traditions. Yet moving into Winter can also create the need for comfort as many face loss, hardship and doing without in cold weather. At the library we have a variety of upcoming programs and titles to help bring some comfort and enjoyment as the nights grow longer.

In keeping with the comfort of traditions, our last Open Mic night for the season is coming up on Friday, December 8th at 7pm. This Fall’s shows have been a great collection of music, poetry, and plays, and new acts are always encouraged. Mrs. Claus will also be returning to the library for a special evening Storytime on Thursday, December 14th at 6pm. Wear your PJ’s, bring your letters for Santa and join her for Christmas stories, songs and snacks. Bringing the comfort of organization and planning to a New Year, we will be hosting a Bullet Journaling workshop on January 14th.

As a reader, If you like to snuggle in then check out “The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living” by Meik Wiking. Added to our collection last winter and checked out many times since, this is a short beginner’s guide to the “happiest on earth” culture’s philosophy of well-being, togetherness and comfort. Isabel Allende’s latest novel “In the Midst of Winter” begins with a car accident during a snowstorm in Brooklyn that brings together three different characters, including an undocumented immigrant and two people in the ‘winter’ of their lives. Moving from there to Guatemala and 1970’s Chile and Brazil, this would be a good choice for readers who like to escape the cold through a book. And for those who take comfort from being outdoors with their little ones at this time of year, the recent donation of “Celebrating the Great Mother: A Handbook of Earth-Honoring Activities for Parents and Children” by Cait Johnson and Maura D. Shaw shares several ideas for the upcoming season including gathering and using your own smudge sticks and handmade ornaments for a Yule Tree.

One last yet important way of enjoying comfort is sharing it with others. Giving Tuesday may have just passed, however there are still many opportunities to help others this season. In doing so, perhaps we can bring a little more comfort to our community and beyond.

A favorite holiday is approaching. Traditionally there are no presents or candy involved, instead it is a time to gather with friends and family and eat good food. The name literally means the chance to share appreciation. So, in honor of Thanksgiving here are some of the things we are grateful for at the library:

We are grateful for our Trustees, Friends and Volunteers. Our Trustees help shape and guide the mission and services we provide, the Friends raise important funds to help implement those services, and our volunteers keep the doors open and the circulation desk running for our patrons. Simply put, without these dedicated groups the library could not operate.

We are grateful for programs like the recent grant-funded PLACE Climate Change Discussion Series hosted by the MRV Libraries. Over the past three months, community members came together to grapple with several themes of climate change explored in both books and short films. What emerged from these discussions were a few solid ideas and next steps for our community to build resiliency and adapt to the more frequent and extreme flooding we are seeing even now. We appreciate the hope fostered from the conversation.

We are grateful for the community members who have agreed to share their expertise for our upcoming programming. This Sunday starting at 4pm at the Moretown School, clinical herbalist Allison Dellner returns for the last workshop in a year long series. Our focus will be on aromatic, pungent, and spicy herbs. We will discuss the condensing, shedding and releasing energy of the fall season, and make Fire Cider together. The class is free to attend however registration is required by contacting the library. The Moretown Open Mic coming up on Friday at the Old Town Hall is also a great opportunity to get together and appreciate the hidden talents of friends and neighbors.

We are grateful for books, audiobooks and ebooks. For the cost of a library card (free), they bring us into new worlds, expand our horizons, give us new perspective, and sometimes simply entertain us. Some recent additions here include the biography “Ali: A Life” by Jonathan Eig, “The Rules of Magic” by Alice Hoffman, and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ latest “We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy”.

And last but not least, we are grateful for community support including from local businesses like the recent donation of a Happy Light from Verilux for patrons to check out. Whether from direct patronage, participation in programming, donations or tax dollars, we are privileged to provide materials and services to meet the community’s needs. Hope to see you at the library soon!