The Quechee Library and the Wilder Club and Library will be closed on Thursday, June 19, 2025 in observation of Juneteenth. We will open for our regularly-scheduled hours on Friday, June 20.
Gallery Artist/Artist-in-Residence Program
The Quechee/Wilder Libraries are now offering opportunities for a library Gallery Artist or Artist-in-Residence!
These are 1-3 month showings of work (Gallery Artist) or creating art and connecting with the community (Artist-in-Residence). More information can be found here: Information Sheet_FAQs.
Interested artists should fill out the application here. Questions can be sent to Info@QuecheeLibrary.org
Frederick Douglass Youth Essay Competition
THE ESSAY COMPETITION
To honor Frederick Douglass’ speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”, the QLLA DEI Council and the Quechee Library are sponsoring an essay contest for High School and Junior High School students in the Town of Hartford. Through an anonymous donor, there is a cash prize for the winners.
Link to submit is here: https://bit.ly/FDEssay25
ABOUT FREDERICK DOUGLASS
In 1852, in Rochester, New York, Frederick Douglass gave a famous speech advocating for the end of slavery, but, more importantly, he presented a different perspective on the annual Fourth of July celebration that embraced our Independence, personal liberty and freedom. For Douglass, the representation that America was the land of the free, was not true! Especially for the thousands of Black Americans who at this time were still enslaved.
Frederick Douglass was a freed slave and passionate Abolitionist who challenged the President of the United States to end slavery. He was an influential advocate who through persistence, politics and numerous personal meetings with Abraham Lincoln persuaded Lincoln to end slavery. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.
THE SPEECH – Written version \\ Audio version
THE PROMPT – While slavery has been abolished, are Frederick Douglass’ remarks of 1852 still relevant in the United States today? Why or why not?
Essays must be no more than 500 words and submitted using this form by June 9th at 11:59pm.
WINNERS
Winners will be notified via email prior to the July 5th Frederick Douglass reading on the Quechee Green. On Saturday, July 5th at the Gazebo on the Quechee Green, the annual community gathering for the reading of Douglass’s speech at 11AM will include a reading of the winning essays. Winning essay writers will also receive $250.
Questions can be directed to info@quecheelibrary.org
Needleworkers United back in person!
Needleworkers United meets at the Quechee Library on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm. Whether knitting, crocheting, rughooking, stitching or any other needle endeavor, all who seek inspiration and conversation are welcome to join.
4 Book Discussion Groups
Here’s the monthly list. Pick up any title and join the conversation to match. In person or by Zoom link.
Beach Read Book Club Summer 2025: Two Wednesdays a month, June-September, at 5:30 pm at Lake Pinneo, in person. Schedule of authors:
- June 4 – BYO Beach Read
- June 18 – Emily Henry
- July 2 – BYO Beach Read
- July 16 – Taylor Jenkins Reid
- August 6 – BYO Beach
- August 20 – Carley Fortune
- September 3 – BYO Beach Read
- September 17 – Christina Lauren
Sci Fi: Monday, June 23, 6 pm. Join in to discuss Playground by Richard Powers.
Monday Mystery: Each month at 4 pm at the Quechee Library. Participants will select books by Alafair Burke for the July 7 discussion. Hybrid. Email michaela@quecheelibrary.org for the zoom link.
A Bugbee Center Variety: The first Friday of each month we bring a discussion on a new title—ranging across the genres. Since the first Friday in July is July 4th, we will meet July 11th at 1 pm to discuss Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful. Copies are available at Bugbee for borrowing. Email Alec@bugbeecenter.org for the zoom link.
Historical Fiction: July’s title is The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson. Copies are available at the Quechee Library. Tuesday, July 8, at 4:00 pm Hybrid. Email michaela@quecheelibrary.org for the zoom link.
Storytimes
Enjoy stories and a related craft project. Ten a.m. on Tuesdays at Wilder and Wednesdays at Quechee.
Watch for the storywalks rising up this summer all around town & for our reading challenges for all ages.
Covers and Keys
The Wilder Club and Library version of Covers and Keys can be enjoyed most Friday afternoons as Steve Rice, Doug Morse, Bodie Kelton, and Richard Cook play a mix.
New York Times Here
Quechee/Wilder Libraries patrons now have digital access to the daily New York Times. We are proud to be able to offer this important resource to our patrons, an important tool to understanding today’s world as citizens and as individuals. The Friends of our libraries have given us the additional resource of the New York Times Digital Cooking Access.
Click here to begin. We are glad to help you navigate until familiar.
Print copies of the Valley News are also available at both libraries. The print Times is also at the Quechee Library, donated by Jake’s Quechee Market.
Meetings
The Quechee Library Trustees meets on the second Monday of most months at 5 p.m. Open to the public by requesting Zoom link from info@quecheelibrary.org or attending in person. Most meetings are hybrid, but not all. Email for specific information.
The Wilder Club and Library Board of Trustees meets generally on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m.
The Friends’ steering committee generally meets the second Wednesday of each month at 11:00 a.m. Email info@quecheelibrary.org to join the email list of meeting dates and other Friends’ news.
