February 2026 Newsletter
In This Issue:
Library Updates
Adult Programs
Youth Programs
Featured Artist
Library Hours
LIBRARY UPDATES
All programs are held at the library and are open to all, unless otherwise noted.
The library still has curbside pick-up available for anyone that would like to use it. Just email rawsonlibrary@drml.org to let us know you would like to use this service. You can also call 802-899-4962.
Expansion update!
We have drawings for our potential expansion!. Visit www.drml.org/expansion to view them.
If you’ve got questions, comments or want to find out how to get more involved, please email expansion@drml.org
Get Sweet on your Library
February is Love your Library month and we’ve got a sweet treat for new library patrons. Anyone signing up for their first library card at the Deborah Rawson Memorial Library will receive a Snowflake Chocolate!
Not a chocolate fan? No problem! New patrons can choose between a snowflake magnet or DRML keychain.
Stop by this February and fall in love with your library!
February Food Drive for the Essex–Jericho-Underhill Food Shelf
Bring your donation to DRML and we will deliver it to the EJU Food Shelf.
DEADLINE – Saturday, 28th Feb at 2 p.m.
Especially needed is lots of Cereal (kid friendly)
also needed are:- Creamy peanut butter, Canned fruits, Soup, Pasta, Spaghetti, Pasta sauce, Tomato sauce, Baked beans, Canned tuna, Canned chicken, Baby wipes\
| SAVE THE DATE Fundraiser for Deborah Rawson Memorial Library – Wine and Dessert Night Saturday, March 14 at 7 – 9 p.m. |
ADULT PROGRAMS
26th Annual Sunday Afternoon Music Series – Rik Palieri
Sunday 2:00 pm
February 1st, 2026
Admission is Free
We have the distinct pleasure of welcoming back Rik Palieri on February 1st at 2 PM. When Rik last performed he presented highlights from his 50 years of touring and just about reached the point of talking about the influences of some of the heart and soul of the folk music revival. Rik’s program for this event is a compilation of the stories and songs that he learned from the “Legends of Folk”.
Rik is a remarkably versatile performer. At a recent concert he played a haunting melody on a Native American flute, told a story that included music on a Polish ocarina (flute), played banjo and guitar. There is no telling what instruments he will use to serenade us while paying tribute to the music that Rik grew up with.
Rik is not only a performer. He is the host & producer of “The Song Writer’s Notebook “, a TV show, archived in the American Folk Life Center in the new “Rik Palieri Collection”, at The American Folk Life Center Archives in Washington D.C. This show has helped to highlight and support many musicians.
Rik has recorded 8 albums; was part of a Grammy nominated tribute album to Utah Phillips; he is also an occasional writer for Sing Out! Banjo Newsletter & author of a book “The Road Is My Mistress, Tales Of A Roustabout Songster”.
The concert series is presented to you by the Deborah Rawson Memorial Library and an anonymous donor. Thank you!
Seated Tai-Chi
Mondays 2, 9, 16, 23 and Wednesdays 4, 11, 25 from 10:00 – 10:55 AM
In this program you will learn the form of Sun Style Tai Chi in its seated version. This Fall Prevention joint safe activity over time can help reduce symptoms for people with Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, diabetes, lower back pain, arthritis and depression while you are seated in a chair. Centers for Disease Control and Injury Prevention (CDC) report this program reduces falls by 55% and recurrent falls by 70%. This program is for adults. 50+.
Email instructor Jo Osborne
joannosborne2@gmail.com to register.
A Conversation about AI with David Weaver
Tuesday, February 3 at 6.30 p.m.
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love AI
Curious about artificial intelligence but not sure where to start? This one-hour session at the Deborah Rawson Memorial Library is designed for anyone who’s heard about AI tools like ChatGPT but hasn’t yet explored how they might actually use them in daily life. Led by a fellow community member (and recent AI convert at age 58!), this class is designed to be practical, non-technical, and surprisingly fun. You’ll learn how AI can help with everyday tasks, creative projects, and even spark new ideas—without needing to become a tech expert.
Expect a mix of relatable stories and real-life use cases. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a cautious skeptic, you’ll walk away with:
✅ A beginner’s understanding of what AI is (and isn’t)
✅ Practical ways to explore AI at your own pace
✅ Ideas for how AI could support your work, hobbies, or writing
✅ Confidence—not overwhelm—in starting your own experiments
Who It’s For:
Adults of all ages, especially those who’ve been curious but hesitant
Lifelong learners or anyone looking to understand the growing role of AI in a human, grounded way
No jargon. No judgment. Just curiosity, creativity, and a chance to explore how AI might become a co-mentor in your life.
French Conversation Chez Henry
Tuesdays, February 3rd, 10th, 17th & 24th, from 7 to 8 p.m.
All levels of French speakers, as well as the French curious, are welcome to this informal conversation group.
Sewing and Quilting Group
Wednesdays, February 4th & 18th, from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
Volunteer Mary Stephenson hosts this twice-monthly gathering of people who sew and/or quilt. Bring a project you’re working on. Sewing machines are welcome. For more information, email marystephenson6@gmail.com
Crafters’ Group
Thursdays, February 5th & 19th from 6 to 8 p.m.
Bring a craft you’re working on, and join the camaraderie and conversation.
Free documentary film screening: No Other Land
Sunday, February 8 from 5-7 p.m.
Film (96 minutes) + optional group discussion
Basel Adra, a young Palestinian activist from Masafer Yatta, has been fighting his community’s mass expulsion by the Israeli occupation since childhood. Basel documents the gradual erasure of Masafer Yatta, as soldiers destroy the homes of families – the largest single act of forced transfer ever carried out in the occupied West Bank. He crosses paths with Yuval, an Israeli journalist who joins his struggle, and for over half a decade they fight against the expulsion while growing closer. Their complex bond is haunted by the extreme inequality between them: Basel, living under a brutal military occupation, and Yuval, unrestricted and free. This film, by a Palestinian-Israeli collective of four young activists, was co-created during the darkest, most terrifying times in the region, as an act of creative resistance to Apartheid and a search for a path towards equality and justice.
This film was nominated for an Academy Award and won over 50 awards internationally!
Deborah Rawson Book Lovers (DRBL)
Tuesday, February 10th, from 7 to 8:30 p.m
This month the group reads “The Demon of Unrest” by Erik Larson
Visit or call (802-899-4962) the library to reserve your copy for DRBL’s February discussion.
Legislative Update
Thursday, February 12th, from 6 to 7 p.m.
Your local representatives Edye Graning and Trevor Squirrel will be here to provide a legislative update and answer your questions. Please feel free to join us and meet with your representatives.
Mah-Jongg
Thursday, February 12th, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Come join the fun of our monthly Mah-Jongg games. All levels are welcome. Bring a Mah-Jongg set, if you have one. The library has two sets.
Transition Town Jericho hosts Nadine Demers to lead a Clothing Repair Workshop.
In this hands-on workshop, Nadine will cover a few essential hand stitches and simple techniques to repair common clothing issues – from fixing ripped seams to patching worn knees. Whether you’re new to sewing or just want to feel more confident in caring for your favorite clothes, this workshop will help you build practical skills to extend the life of what you already own. Bring a piece of clothing in need of repair and we’ll mend together!
Free to the public, and there will be light refreshments provided. RSVP requested, send an email to: TTJericho.VT@gmail.com
Navigating Libby and Hoopla
Thursday, February 19th, from 11 a.m. to 12 noon
Not quite sure how to set up and navigate our online services? Join Holly Hall and Nicholas Kelm from the Library to show you exactly what to do. We will focus on two main services – Libby and Hoopla.
Please bring your Library card and your own device.
Deborah Rawson Library Board of Trustees Meeting
Thursday, February 19th, at 7 p.m.
The monthly meeting is open to all. Those who wish to attend remotely may email drawsonmemlib@gmail.com to receive the link.
Documentary Film – From Earth to Earth: The Lost Art of Dying in America.
Sunday, February 22, from 2 – 3.30 p.m.
This short (20 minute) documentary describes natural burial and its benefits through stories from the people who worked to make it legal in Vermont, and the stories of people whose experiences have shown the ways it can help come to terms with the loss of a loved one and with one’s own mortality. The documentary will be followed by a Q&A session led by Jim Hogle, Communications and Outreach Coordinator of the Vermont Forest Cemetery.
Mystery Book Group
Wednesday, February 24th at 7 p.m.
The Mystery Book Group will read “A Carrion Death” by Michael Stanley.
Visit or call (802-899-4962) the library to reserve your copy.
Jericho Energy Task Force presents Single-Use Planet Movie
Wednesday, February 25th at 6.30 p.m.
Plastic is vital to our modern way of life—but not all forms of it. In search of why more single-use plastic debris enters the ocean each year despite all recycling efforts, SINGLE-USE PLANET goes upstream in the U.S. to where millions of tons of raw plastic are being made with generous government support. How have other countries solved for the pollution? The quest eventually leads to France.
Vermont Reads – The Light Pirate Book Discussion
Thursday, February 26th, at 6:30 p.m.
Join us for a book discussion of this year’s Vermont Reads selection, The Light Pirate. This discussion will be facilitated by Peter Burns. All are welcome!
Named after a catastrophic storm, Wanda is born into a world that’s rapidly changing. Rising sea levels and devastating weather patterns transform her coastal Florida town. As she moves from childhood to adulthood, Wanda adapts to this remade landscape, finding adventure, love, and purpose in a place largely abandoned by civilization.
Told in four parts—power, water, light, and time—The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton is a meditation on the beauty and violence of an untamable wilderness. It considers the dissolution of the human-made world, and helps us see how human connection, adaptability, and a little bit of magic might guide us to a new future.
YOUTH PROGRAMS
Community Story Time [birth to PreK] Tuesdays at 10:30am
Join Mx. Abbey for a half hour of songs, rhymes and stories. Stay to play with newly made friends.
Stories and Songs with Beth and David London [birth to PreK] Fridays at 11am (except 2/13 & 2/27)
Come on down for an hour of pure fun with Beth and David. We’ll sing, dance, rhyme and romp.
Animation Club – Thursdays, February 5th and 19th from 3 to 5 p.m. [ages 8+] Registration Required
Curious about animating? The library has all the stuff you need to make short stop motion movies.
This program is very popular! To get on the sign-up opportunity list email youth_librarian@drml.org
LEGO Club – Fridays, February 6th and 20th from 3 to 4 p.m. [ages 6+] Registration Required
Build a snowflake, a valentine or a space ship. Your imagination is the only limit. Join us for an hour of free build time, and then display your work on the shelves in the kids room.
Sled and Slope STEAM Challenge – Tuesday, February 10th from 3 to 4 p.m. [ages 6+]
Using only limited craft supplies, can you create a sled that will travel the furthest through the program room without losing its cargo or riders? What will happen when we change the angle of the sledding hill? Come test your hypotheses with us! “This is a Snowflake Festival event!”
Read to Wyatt – Thursday, February 12th from 3 to 4:30 [all ages]
Got the winter blues? Reading to Wyatt can help! Get some time with the goodest good boy to lift your spirits.
Youth Chess Club – Friday, February 13th from 3 to 4 p.m. [ages 6+] Registration Required
Chess players of all skill levels are welcome to come enjoy this great game of skill and strategy.
This program now runs for an hour instead of an hour and a half, and is only meeting once this month.
Snowflake Bentley Puppet Show – Sunday, February 15th at 2 p.m. the at Jericho Community Center [all ages]
Sarah Frenchette of Puppet Kabob brings us a magnificent puppet show inspired by the life and times of Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley. This program will take place at the Jericho Community Center.
This program is brought to you in collaboration with Jericho Town Library
Minecraft Social – Tuesday, February 17th from 3 to 4 p.m. [ages 8+]
Defeat creepers and save the villagers or play a round of Minecraft Dungeons with friends.
While the library has a few devices to borrow, it is best if you can bring or drop off your own device.
Dino Dig – Thursday, February 26th from 10 to noon [all ages, under 8 must have parent with them]
There’s more to uncover from our first mini paleontological dig! Using toothpicks, paint brushes, water droppers and other tools to carefully excavate “fossils” from a chunk of earth.
Featured Artist
Our artist for the months of January and February is Mary Hill.
A Vermont artist who grew up in Shelburne and now resides near Mt. Mansfield, Mary loves color, patterns and textile design. “Color has always been a part of my work. Even when I think I am painting with muted colors, the outcome is vibrant and colorful. I used to feel embarrassed, about the bold colors I chose, like my art was too childlike. “Art should be more realistic”, I would think, but realism was never my strength or my interest. Color is my primary interest, the subject is always secondary. A golden yellow blob near a dark green background with a speck of blue floating nearby, YES!
Be sure to stop by to enjoy the work!
Hours
Tuesday & Thursday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Wednesday & Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. (September through May)
Monday: Closed
