​We are so happy to announce the Roger Clark Memorial Library Gingerbread House tradition continues!  Sign up now to reserve a kit chock-full of holiday goodies - everything you need to decorate your very own gingerbread house at home. RSVP by 12/10 via phone/email at 746-4067 and pittsfieldvtlibrary@gmail.com to make arrangements to pick up your supplies at the library between 12/15-19.  Kits are prepared with love by Dana Decker.  Thank you, Dana!

​Have you been homeschooling? How's it going? Join our remote discussion group where we'll talk about your successes schooling at home, as well as those things that maybe didn't work so well. This is the first meeting of a new library group for sharing ideas and finding support, for homeschooling families with children of any age. Monday, 11/23, 10 am. We hope you'll join us! RSVP for information on how to join. 746-4067 or pittsfieldvtlibrary@gmail.com.

​On November 19 at 6 PM, Roger Clark Library in Pittsfield will host a remote talk by Rebecca Rupp, who will  speak  through Google Meet on Soup to Nuts: An Eccentric History of Food. The history of what and how we eat encompasses everything from the prehistoric mammoth luau to the medieval banquet to the modern three squares a day. Presented by writer Rebecca Rupp, this talk will let attendees find out about the rocky evolution of table manners, the not-so-welcome invention of the fork, the awful advent of portable soup, and the surprising benefits of family dinners – plus some catchy info on seasonal foods. What’s the story of chocolate? Why do the Irish eat corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day? Who invented lemonade? Why are turkeys called turkeys? And what are sugarplums anyway?
Rebecca Rupp has a Ph.D. in cell biology and biochemistry from George Washington University and now works as a professional writer.  She is the author of some 200 articles for national magazines, on topics ranging from the natural history of squirrels to the archaeology of privies, and nearly 20 books for both children and adults. She blogs on food science and history for National Geographic.  Becky has just finished an adult book on the history of food (Twelve Courses: The History of a Feast ).
This talk is free, open to the public, and accessible to those with disabilities. For more information, contact Maya  at (802) 746-4067 or pittsfieldvtlibrary@gmail.com.
Soup to Nuts: An Eccentric History of Food is a Vermont Humanities program hosted by Roger Clark Memorial Library. (Supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this
program do not necessarily represent those of the NEH or Vermont Humanities.)

News about the Book Club from Micheline:
The RCML book club welcomed five new members in person (Renee, Caroline, Beth, Sharon and Kim ) on 10/21 at The Clear River Tavern. In less than two months, a group of five members has grown to 12 members.  We are excited and thank everyone for joining and meeting in person. Everyone had a mask on and the venue allowed us to social distance as required.
The book we discussed in October was Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain. The author's book club questions generated a lot of great discussion. One member shared her experiences living in the south thus relating to the characters, environment and social times of the 1940s.  Another member went to school with Diane Chamberlain. She shared with us when she found out her friend was the author and some personal experiences they encountered during their time together.  She also shared that they still communicate via Facebook and the possibility of reading other books she has written and connecting with her via Zoom for discussion.
We are currently reading Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes.  It gives us a fictionalized account of the Kentucky Pack Horse Librarians.  It is inspired by a real group of librarians who, between 1935 and 1943, delivered books to some of the most remote regions in the Appalachian Mountains. We will talk about this book on 11/18 at 6pm at The Clear Tavern.   If you are interested in this book or have read it and wish to join us, please contact:
Erica at hurdof2@gmail.com or Micheline at michelinebissell@gmail.com.
We will hand out the next book at the  11/18 meeting; it's called Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton. It is a ravishing jewel of romance, hope, family, and the history of Cuba.  This novel will be talked about at our December 16, 2020 meeting.
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It's that time again--our annual Halloween book giveaway!   Come on down to the library on Halloween, and choose a free book from a selection of Young Adult, Children's Fiction, Picture Books, and Board Books.  We’ll have a tent set up outside the library from 5 until 7 pm.   Call or email for details.  746-4067 or pittsfieldvtlibrary@gmail.com.  Masks required, event will be socially distanced.  ​

Let’s spread some spooky Halloween cheer!  Bring your decorated pumpkins (no candles, please)  to Roger Clark Library in Pittsfield during the week of 10/26, and library ghouls  will place them on the Village Green for all to enjoy!  Call or email for details, 746-4067 or pittsfieldvtlibrary@gmail.com.

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Roger Clark Memorial Library has a pass for free admission to any state park that you can check out whenever we are open.  Read more about what’s to do in our gorgeous state parks in October.  Here’s an article from Rebecca Roy, Parks Interpretive Program  Manager at Vermont State Parks:
“Vermont State Parks in your area are still open for the season, you can check out the pass in your local library and enjoy a beautiful fall day in one of Vermont's most scenic places. Many state parks are operational through mid October, including nearby Gifford Woods State Park on Route 100 in Killington. Gifford Woods is a great place for a hike (the Appalachian Trail runs right through the campground!), have a picnic, or go for a mountain bike ride with your family (there are some easy and more challenging mountain bike trails in the park.) Gifford Woods remains fully operational until October 18 so you can even plan a late season camping trip.  Coolidge State Park in Plymouth is fully operational through October 12, and the leanto campsites there have the most beautiful fall foliage views in the entire state. Coolidge also has fantastic hiking trails, and even a small nature center where you can explore some of the natural and cultural history of the area. If you want to push the envelope of late season swimming, you can head to Camp Plymouth State Park from Coolidge. Camp Plymouth closes on Labor Day, but Vermont State Parks are never really closed--we just close down facilities and often lock the gates. You can park outside the gate (not blocking the gate) and walk into any state park for a day visit. This is true for all state parks, although I do not encourage winter swimming. (Nordic skiing or snowshoeing are better choices in winter months!)  Want to learn more about the state parks near you? Check out our website: https://vtstateparks.com."