at the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum
SUMMER 2008

In This Issue

From the Executive Director's Desk

Don't Miss

Catch the Reading Bug/Summer Reading Program

Collection/Reflection Project

Rising Costs of Print Newsletters

High School Poetry Contest Winner

Stephen Huneck Print Raffle

From the Executive Director's Desk

Thinking back on the events we enjoyed at the Athenaeum this snowy winter – the lectures, book readings, the superb concert featuring Bella Voce, our successful Gala, exhibits of new paintings and photographs in the Upstairs Gallery – we are looking forward to the next round of events, beginning August 15th when we present Canvas and Stone, an exhibit of paintings by Salee Lawrence and sculptures by Nancy Diefenbach.
Along with these pleasant thoughts we find ourselves concerned by events beyond our control – events that may impact how we operate. Like you, we too, are facing higher operating costs. We anticipate a doubling of heating costs; reduced discounts from book suppliers; and greater expenditures for cleaning supplies, and so forth. Unlike the supermarket or the gas station, we cannot pass these higher costs on to our “customers”. We are a free library and it is our mandate to remain so. If we are to maintain the kind of service you have grown to expect, we need to economize wherever possible.

There are several ways you can help. One is to sign up for our E-Newsletter (see related article below). Printing and mailing for last year’s newsletter cost us more than $5,000. This coming season, it will cost even more. Another way for you to help is to be as generous as you can when our Annual Appeal letter reaches you this fall. Even a small increase of 10% in your contribution would make a big difference.
We are committed to bringing you the same quality of library and computer services – as well as the wide variety of cultural events – as we have in the past. As always, we would not be the Athenaeum without your generous support.

Irwin Gelber

Don't Miss

Ongoing Events

Story Time in the Children's Library every Monday at 11AM. All ages are welcome.

"Six O'Clock Prompt" Writers Support Group - Veteran & new writers invited. 802-633-2617 or 802-592-3138 for more information.

Scrabble Club meets the 1st Saturday of each month from 12-4PM.

July 2: Readings in the Gallery - Poet Judith Jones reads from her work at 7:30 PM.

July 15: Photography Exhibit by Robert Jenks - Images of flowers photographed with a special lens to create soft images that might have been achieved by painting. In the Upstairs Gallery until August 12th.

July 16: Readings in the Gallery - Poet Maxine Kumin reads from her work at 7:30 PM.

July 30: Readings in the Gallery - Poets Jane Shore and Julie Agoos read from their works at 7:30 PM.

August 15: Canvas and Stone, Art of a Friendship - A joint exhibition of paintings and sculpture by Salee Lawrence & Nancy Diefenbach. In the Upstairs Gallery until October 11th.

October 15: Paintings by Edward Kadunc - An exhibit of Kingdom landscapes and interiors. In the Upstairs Gallery until December 31st.

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Summer Reading Program in the Youth Library

The theme of this year’s Summer Reading Program is Bugs. Every year the Athenaeum’s Youth Library sponsors this program with the goals of motivating children to read; developing positive attitudes about books; and enabling children to maintain their reading skills during the summer. We also hope to encourage regular use of the library, attract new patrons and generally have a good time. Registration begins June 9th and the program continues until the beginning of August. During the summer we’ll be having a series of special programs. We hope to see many of our young patrons there.

Glo Molinaroli

Summer Reading Program Special Events
July 7 at 11:00 - Bees Storytime
July 9 1:00 Plant a butterfly garden
July 11 1:00 Lunch Bunch Book Club
July 14 11:00 Ladybug Storytime
July 16 1:00 Bug Hunt
July 18 1:00 Lunch Bunch Book Club

July 21 11:00 Caterpillar Storytime
July 23 1:00 Bugs at the Museum
July 25 1:00 Lunch Bunch Book Club
July 28 6:00 Butterfly P. J Storytime
July 30 1:00 Oh ,What a Tangled Web program
August 4 6:00 Final Program

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Collection/Reflection at the Athenaeum

This year’s Gala featured an auction of artwork from our Collection/Reflection project. Well-known regional artists were asked to create new artwork inspired by the permanent collection in our Art Gallery. We were overwhelmed with the extraordinary pieces that were donated. Visit our Web catalog of all the Collection/Reflection artwork. We’d like to thank the following artists for their donation of art work auctioned at this year’s Gala.

Pamela Bedson-Williams
Sharon Kenney Biddle
Naomi Bossom
Anne Brooks
Richard Brown
Carolyn Buttolph
Catherine Clark
Steve Cobb
Diane Donovan
Don Fogg
Debi Gobin
Jeff Gold
Larry Golden
Wendy Hansen
Jane Hastings-Larrabee
Jan Houston
Marguerite Howland
Delsie Hoyt
Stephen Huneck
Bob Jenks

Edward Kadunc
Alice Kitchel
Shianna Kuhn
Wadeane Handy Kunz
Reeve Lindbergh
Donna Marshall
Kari Meyer
John Miller
Bill Moore
Dan Patoine
Samuel Patoine
Matthew Payeur
Sheri Pearl
Nick Piliero
Jo-Ann Sherrer Reed
Trenny Robb
Robin Rothman
Mary Simpson
Rosalie Vear
Sidora Miriam Ziegler

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The Rising Costs of Print Newsletters

Costs for mailing and printing newsletters are increasing. We’d rather use our limited resources to fund books and other library materials. You can help by receiving our quarterly newsletter via email. Please let us know by sending an email to bdandersen@stjathenaeum.org with a request to add your name to our E-newsletter list. For those of you who have dial-up service, we promise to keep the document as concise as possible and will refrain fromt sending large photographic materials. Thanks for your help!

High School Poetry Contest Winner

Sydney Lea, poet and judge for this year’s contest contributed the following review of the winning poem by Burr and Burton Academy student Elizabeth Ayre.

“Our winner’s poem, Fresh Water, combines romance, sadness and profound lyric inventiveness in a mere 22 lines, a repleteness of which few well-recognized poets would be capable in such short compass – or at all. The understatement of the poem – its willingness to let literal fact and restrained metaphor carry its emotions – is perhaps the secret to its success. That and, of course, a relish for and a mastery of the musical possibilities in language, make this both a sophisticated and moving piece of work.”

Fresh Water
The buttons on your shirt
chip and crack as I slip
my fingers between them;
they fall from your chest like the
phases of the moon.

Mouths open like oceans,
and I am pulled in
by their current.

It is moments like these
that remind me
the tongue is just a muscle,
that your words could never sail
without its waves.

You hold me tight
with wide forearms,
our breathing patterns
synchronized like swimmers.
When morning comes,
I change the sheets and
let the white comforter
rush over my hands like
fresh water.
Elizabeth Ayre

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Stephen Huneck Print Raffle

The next time you are in the Athenaeum, make sure to buy your raffle tickets for our Summer/Fall raffle. Stephen Huneck has donated a delightful print titled Snowboard Vermont. The print will be displayed at the Athenaeum.
All proceeds from the raffle will be used to help fund “kid-friendly” flooring for the Youth Library. The raffle drawing is scheduled for October 31st. Tickets are $5.00 each or 3 for $10.00. Raffle tickets may be purchased at the Athenaeum, or you can download a raffle ticket here.

Young Visitors to the Gallery

Recently a group of Good Shepherd School School kindergarteners visited the Art Gallery on a rainy June afternoon. Their project was to draw their version of works in the Gallerydrawing their versions of works in the gallery. One small visitor asked Gallery Manager Elaine Garrison who painted The Domes of the Yosemite. When Elaine replied, the youngster said “Didn’t he do a good job!”

SecondHand Prose

Now open at 1222 Main Street, selling used books year-round; operated by the Friends of the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum. Hours are Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday 10 AM-2 PM and Wednesday 2:30 -6:30 PM.

Athenaeum Hours

Mon. & Wed: 10AM to 8PM
Tues., Thurs., & Fri.: 10AM - 5:30PM
Sat.: 9:30AM - 4PM
Free wireless Internet access now available.
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at the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum is published quarterly via email.Send your comments & feedback via email to newsletter@stjathenaeum.org. Our mailing address is: St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 1171 Main Street, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819