LATEST NEWS AT BROWN PUBLIC LIBRARY

NOTED POETS COMING TO NORTHFIELD ON MAY 26: Vermont Poet Laureate Sydney Lea and fellow poets Baron Wormser, Meg Kearney, Cleopatra Mathis, David Keller and Eloise Bruce will all take part in a poetry reading in memory of their friend Donald (Don) Sheehan. A professor at Dartmouth College for 15 years and executive director of the Frost Place (in Franconia, NH) for 30 years, Don Sheehan shared his love of literature in many other settings as well, including seminars conducted in Northfield for Saint Jacob of Alaska Orthodox Church.

The poetry reading will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 26th in the Northfield Community Room (adjacent to the Brown Public Library). It is unusual, and a tribute to Don Sheehan, that so many well respected poets will be at the same reading. The public is cordially invited to attend, and refreshments will be served. For further information please contact the Brown Public Library at 485-4621 or Father Caleb Abetti at abetti@gmail.com.

UNIVERSAL CLASS is a new online educational resource available to every public library in Vermont. It gives library patrons access to over 500 free online courses--everything from hobbies (arts and crafts, dog training, photography) to job skills (writing improvement, medical billing, computer programming) to education and test preparation (writing for children, home schooling strategies, general science, algebra) and much more! All you need to register is your library bar code number. Self-paced courses with real instructors have video-based lessons, graded tests, a collaborative learning environment, and certificates of achievement. To register go to http://vermontstate.universalclass.com/register.htm or call the library (485-4621) for more information.

NEW CATALOG SYSTEM, NEW LOOK: To access our catalog, click: The Brown Public Library Catalog. Librarians will be glad to answer questions you may have about using the new catalog. To return to this page after using the catalog, click on your browser's BACK arrow.

The Brown Public Library sits on a rise above the common in the small town of Northfield, Vermont. The Library accepts as its mission the responsibility of providing access to books and other resources in support of education, recreation and culture. It will create and support programs that encourage reading for children, life-long learning for adults, and access to the latest in technical communications. Please take this opportunity to browse through the items on the navigation bar at the left. The library appreciates your comments and suggestions.

circulation desk

Internet Access: The library provides eight computers for patrons to access the Internet. Please go to Public Computers to learn about the library's computing services and policies.

Safe Computing: Learn how to protect yourself and your children when accessing the Internet. This knowledge is essential, especially when using public access computers and when using social networking sites. Click here Protecting Your Privacy and Internet Safety to learn what the FBI and other organizations advise about safe computing practices.

children at story hour

Story Hour: A favorite activity of children is taking part in the story hour. (Yes, adults are allowed to listen in to an interesting tale. Everyone is welcome.) Check out the Children and Youth page to see all of the library's resources for children.

Children's Computer: A computer for young children sits on a table that is just the right size for the younger set. There are two chairs so friends can enjoy activities together. This computer is specially configured to enhance safe Internet access for children; it has links to several entertaining and educational websites for young children. For parents and guardians, there are links to the FBI and other websites that offer sound advice for using the Internet safely. Ask the library staff about The Children's Computer. Click here to see the children's computer. Now while this computer is compact, it still has room for a cat that lives inside. He won't purr if you pat him, but when children double-click on FELIX, he performs all kinds of mischievous antics for them. Grownups can watch, too--if the kids give them permission.

The Traditional and the New: While the library serves patrons of all ages in the traditional way with books, periodicals, audio and video materials, and interlibrary loans, it is committed to employing modern technology to assist patrons, providing computer and Internet access, including connections to various research databases, and ClearView, a desktop system for magnifying text and objects to assist people with impaired vision. The library offers downloadable audio books any time anywhere at Listen Up! Vermont. Also certain special passes are available for patrons. See Services for details on these and other library services.

traditional and new

The Library Building and History: Our library, which was built over a century ago, integrates very comfortably the traditional and the new. In the foreground of this photo you see a nest of public access computers in the recent two-story addition. In the background are an original window and brick wall that were formerly part of the exterior of the original structure. In photo at the top of the page, the staff member at the circulation desk is in the original library building, while the patron she helps stands in the new wing.

Above the fireplaces in the north and south readings rooms are paintings of historic interest relating to the library and Northfield. To learn about the paintings, click: Northfield's Libraries and George Washington Brown and Mary Ann Paine's Painting of Northfield.

The new addition also connects the Brown Public Library with the Northfield Historical Society, which is located in the former home of Charles Paine, a prominent 19th century Northfield entrepreneur and Vermont governor.

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