Is strengthening your reading habit one of your New Year’s resolutions? If so, please join us by the fireplace for our Silent Reading Gatherings on Wednesday afternoons beginning in mid-January.

Why come to the library to read when you can read at home? For the quiet if you don’t have a private space; the social aspect of being around like-minded people; the incentive to put away distracting devices; and the discipline of carving out a regular time to enjoy reading. Unlike a traditional book club, no book or format is specified and no discussion is expected at these mid-week Silent Reading Gatherings. 

Have you ever gotten to the end of a book and wanted–or perhaps needed–to talk about it with someone else who has read it? We are planning occasional “One-off” discussions as books that fit this category come to our attention. Fiction, biography, history, or current events, we are open to all genres and topics. Please let us know if you have a suggestion! On February 6, we’ll start with Abraham Verghese’s The Covenant of Water.

As part of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative, we are pleased to co-host “A Response to Our Times: Reversing Climate Change Through Plant-Based Eating” on January 13. The program will include presentations on how plant-based eating is good for the planet, animals, and your health, followed by a panel discussion open to questions from the audience.

A new exhibit is installed in the Mezzanine Gallery at NWPL six times a year–some feature a solo artist, others a themed group. If you are interested in showing your work, guidelines and an application form can be found on the gallery page of the library’s website or picked up at the circulation desk. Because each show runs for two months, the calendar fills up quickly! The Dance of Image and Word: Photographs and Poems by Peggy Brightman currently graces the space.

Interested in becoming more involved with the library? NWPL welcomes applications for volunteers and substitute librarians. 

• We appreciate our volunteers' gifts of time and special skills from shelving returned materials to organizing donated books for the sale in the lobby; leading story hour to facilitating discussion groups.
• Substitutes serve patrons at the circulation desks during staff vacations and other leave time. 

Join us and contribute to the life and spirit of our library!

May this New Year be full of great reading…

“A Response to Our Times:

Reversing Climate Change Through Plant-Based Eating”

Saturday, January 13, 1-3 pm

The Plant-Based-Eating Initiative (PBE Initiative), a local group of concerned citizens, will present a program and audience-initiated panel discussion about what we, as individuals, can do to reverse climate change.

• Abraham Oort, PhD in climate science, will discuss the first aspect with “A Climate Scientist’s Perspective.”
• Lisa Burke, advocate for non-human animal liberation, will discuss the second aspect with “New Vegan Ethos.” 
• Bineke Oort, MSW, will discuss the third aspect “Improving Our Personal Health.” 
• Sami Saydjari will then moderate a panel discussion with the audience leading the way with their comments and questions



Please join us to learn about how moving toward a plant-based diet is good for the planet, animals, and you. Free and open to the public; RSVPs are appreciated. (MORE INFO)

"The Dance of Image and Word"

Photographs and Poetry

by Peggy Brightman

January 1 - February 29, 2024

Artist Reception and Poetry Reading

Tuesday, February, 27, 5 pm

All her adult life, Peggy Brightman has been engaged in and has explored relationships among different artistic media like dance and music, and photography and poetry. In this exhibition, Peg explores ekphrastic relationships between her own photographs and poetry, fascinated with the cross-fertilization between words and images. (MORE INFO)

Intrigued by the topic, the titles, or books in general? NWPL hosts a variety of lively book discussion groups. We invite you to join a session–or several! All groups are open and welcome new participants. Click on the group name for more details.

The hybrid format offers you the choice of attending in person and/or virtually via zoom. Email programs@normanwilliams.org to be kept updated on book selections and links to sign on.

Discover reading possibilities and chat about the books you are enjoying with the What's on Your Nightstand group. We hope to see you on Tuesday, January 9 at 10:30 am.

Read Between the Lines will discuss Finding Freedom: A Cook’s Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch by Erin French on Tuesday, January 26 at 6 pm. The choice for the February meeting is West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge.

The "One-off" Book Discussion Group will talk about The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese on Tuesday, February 6 at 6 pm.

"A single spark can start a huge fire” is the theme for the next Literary Pairs gathering. We will discuss two novels When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka and Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng. Meets quarterly, next meeting is Wednesday, February 7 at 1 pm.

Free and open to all, we are pleased to offer programs in the library, online, and in a hybrid format (in person and via zoom). Please check each program for details.

Email programs@normanwilliams.org for information and link to join.

Poetry Group

Twice monthly on the 1st & 3rd Mondays,

(NOTE meeting 2nd & 4th Mondays in January)

4:00 PM - in person

Are you looking for feedback on your poems? You are invited to join the Poetry Group at NWPL for study and critique. (MORE INFO)

Baby Story Time - Birth - 20 months

Weekly on Tuesdays, (NOTE no meeting 12/26)

10:30 AM - in person

Introduce your child early to the joys of reading! We'll feature short stories, songs, finger puppets, free play & more. (MORE INFO)

Recite! Open-mic Poetry

Monthly on the 2nd Tuesday; Next meeting 1/9

5:30 PM - in person & via zoom



Poetry lovers: bring a poem of your own or one from a favorite poet to read and share. Or simply join and listen. (MORE INFO)

Italian Film Series

Monthly on the 3rd Tuesday; Next meeting 1/16

4:00 PM

Local language instructor Veronica DeLay is screening a series of Italian films for her students at NWPL and invites everyone to join! (MORE INFO)

Mending Circle

Monthly on the 4th Wednesday

2:00 PM - in person



A stitch in time saves nine! Mend, patch, darn, and hem items languishing in your wardrobe. Bring your projects – and your friends! (MORE INFO)

Silent Reading Gathering

Weekly on Wednesdays - beginning January 17

4:00 PM - in person



Carve time out of your busy schedule for an hour of silent reading in front of the fireplace. (MORE INFO)

Knitters Meet-up

Weekly on Thursdays

2:00-4:00 PM - in person

We knit together and provide assistance when needed. Come when you can and bring your current project. (MORE INFO)

Bridge with the Friends

Weekly on Thursdays

2:00-4:00 PM - in person

The Friends of the NWPL invite experienced bridge players to join their weekly game. To save a place, please email Peggy Fraser. (MORE INFO)

Qigong

Weekly on Fridays

8:30 AM - online via Zoom

Gerry Sandweiss shares her knowledge of Qigong–the art of conscious movement–offering a pathway to enhance your quality of life. (MORE INFO)

NWPL Bag Mobile

Sometimes mobility issues and transportation challenges make it hard to get to the library.

Enter the Bag Mobile! We are happy to fill a special tote bag with your choice of books. This may be picked up at the library by a caregiver or friend.

We now have a regular off-site delivery service to The Homestead, Melishwood, and Woodstock Terrace for patrons who request it. Currently, we pick up and deliver items weekly, on Tuesday afternoons. We will do our best to accommodate requests outside of those locations if you cannot send someone to pick up the Bag Mobile at NWPL. (MORE INFO)