What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 11am - 6pm Thursday 11am - 6pm Saturday 9am - 12pm

http://www.rochestervtpubliclibrary.com/, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579125312398

Rochester Public Library, 22 S. Main Street, Rochester, VT (2026)

06/23/2026

Please join us on Tuesday, July 7 at 10 AM for "The United States and Iran: Why Are We Fighting?", a talk given by Ambassador John Limbert, academic, novelist, and retired Foreign Service Officer. During his lengthy career, he most recently was the Class of 1955 Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the U.S. Naval Academy.
During his 34-year diplomatic career, Ambassador Limbert served mostly in the Middle East and Islamic Africa, including 2 tours in Iraq, was Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, and served as deputy assistant secretary of state responsible for Iranian affairs.
Starting in 1964, Ambassador Limbert worked in Iran as a university and high school teacher, and was later among the last American diplomats to serve in Tehran, where he was held hostage from 1979 - 1981.
He has authored numerous books and articles on Middle Eastern subjects, including the espionage novel, co-authored with Ambassador Marc Grossman, Believers.
He and his wife live in New York and own a home in Stockbridge.

06/23/2026

Dr Joshua Landis will be at the Rochester Library on July 9 to talk about "The Changing
Balance of Power in the Middle East".
Dr Landis is an American scholar who specializes in the Middle East and is an expert on Syria. He is
the head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. He has taught
at Sarah Lawrence College, Wake Forest University, and Princeton University before
moving to the University of Oklahoma.
Since May 2004, Landis has been publishing the Syrian Comment blog, which focuses on Syrian politics, history, and religion.
Dr Landis owns a home in Granville.

06/16/2026

Remember: Rochester Library is OPEN as usual Tuesday, June 16.
RPL is OPEN on Thursday, June 18 at 10 AM for Dr Nils Daulaire's talk, "Pandemics in an America-First World". Please come!
RPL is OPEN on 6/18 for our evening handcrafting group at 6 PM.
And RPL is OPEN for your book or thing requests on Thursday, June 18. Email or call if there's a book you'd like. I'll check messages and emails at 11, 2, and 5 on Thursday and leave your things outside the front door on a small table, until 6 PM.

RPL is CLOSED on Thursday, June 18, from 11 - 6 for regular library business.

RPL will be open again as usual on Saturday, June 20!

Thank you for your patience. Apologies for any inconveniences!

06/13/2026

On Thursday, June 18, Rochester Library WILL be open for our inaugural speaker in our summer series, Dr Nils Daulaire; that's at 10 AM. Please join us!
RPL WILL be open for Knitting at Knite at 6 PM.
The library WILL be open for getting books to you.

This week, the library WILL NOT be open for regular library business or browsing, as I will be cleaning out the basement. If you've been down there lately, you know the situation.

Please DO email or call with your requests for books or things! I will check messages and emails at 11 AM, 2 PM, and 5 PM. Anything I check out to you will be left on a table outside the door for you to pick up before 6 PM.

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06/12/2026

Coming up this week at Rochester Library, Dr Nils Daulaire will talk on “Pandemics in an America-First World”, discussing the global risks posed by disease outbreaks such as the current Ebola crisis in the eastern Congo in the context of the US withdrawal from many foreign aid activities and international organizations such as the World Health Organization. Nils, a long-time resident of South Royalton, served as the Obama administration’s lead global health diplomat as Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services and previously as the chief global health policy advisor at USAID.
Dr Daulaire is the first of a series of speakers on current global events scheduled to take place this summer at RPL. Please visit our website for more information.

Remember to come to the library on June 27 for our first day of celebrating summer reading! Granville Daze will play for us from 12:30 to 1, there will be treats, Tshirts to decorate, face painting, and the time to set your reading goals for the summer. Saturday, June 27, 12 - 2 PM.

Every market Friday is the day for some crazy-fun activities, experiments, and silly stories (be sure to bring yours!). You almost certainly will get wet and/or messy! Join Maya at the bandstand for Stories in the Park from 3:30 - 4:30. All ages.

Stop in for some relaxing chat and craft time this week: come for one or BOTH of our handcrafting groups! Purls of Wisdom meets on Tuesday afternoons at 1:30, and you can Knit at Knite with Knatalie D on Thursdays at 6. Bring your projects, your conversation, your questions, and your good advice–we’ll share it all! Everyone welcome, no previous experience necessary. We’ll teach you!

Here at RPL, we’re always ready with a great read, very handy gear you can borrow, museum and park passes, and free snacks. Your one stop for awesomeness! [email protected], rochesterVTpubliclibrary.com. Open Tuesdays and Thursdays 11- 6, and Saturdays 9 - 12.

06/05/2026

RPL is very pleased to once again host a variety of speakers on topics of current social, political, and economic issues, curated with expertise by Ann and Mike Van Dusen.
To start things off, join us on Thursday, June 18 at 10 AM to hear from Dr Nils Daulaire on “Pandemics in an America-First World”. A long-time resident of South Royalton, Dr Daulaire has had a distinguished career as a global health practitioner and policy maker with over three decades of primary health and health policy experience in Africa, Nepal, Asia and Latin America where he directed multiple pioneering maternal and child health research projects. He was Deputy Assistant Administrator for Policy and Senior International Health Advisor for USAID, President and CEO of the Global Health Council, and served in the Obama administration as Assistant Secretary of Health for Global Affairs at HHS and as the US representative to the Executive Board of the World Health Organization. Later this summer, Dr Joshua Landis, chair of the Center for Middle East Studies at The University of Oklahoma, will be here to talk about “The Changing Balance of Power in the Middle East” on July 9th. On July 23, Ambassador Peter DeShazo will speak on “Venezuela and Beyond: US Policy in Latin America”. Ambassador DeShazo is Visiting Professor of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. He has had a distinguished and lengthy career in the US foreign service. More speakers are being added. Information will be released as it becomes available. Stay tuned!

June’s Astronomy Night has been cancelled due to weather! We will try again in July, because we are determined and persistent people who really, really want to see some stars and planets, and we believe that, some day, probably July, it will not rain on our plans.

June 27 sees the kick-off to a summer of reading! Join Maya in front of the library from 12-2 for a party to celebrate how cool we all are and how cool reading is! There will be music from Granville Daze and lots of fun things to do. Then we get to do super fun reading stuff all summer–however much or little as you’d like!

Be sure to stop by the bandstand every market Friday to have some fun getting wet, slimy, painty, and silly with Maya at Stories in the Park. Never boring! 3:30-4:30, all ages.

Regular programming continues with Purls of Wisdom Handcrafting on Tuesdays at 1:30. And NOW, our new evening crafting group, Knit at Knite! That’s on Thursday evenings at 6 PM. On Thursdays thru June 11, join us for The Preschoolers’ Rumpus at 3; this is the last one for the summer! The Writers’ Workshop with Amy Braun happens on the 3rd Saturday of each month at 1 PM; next one is June 20.

Our Library of Things has everything you need this summer! From yard games to a canopy, from tools to bike helmets, we can make whatever you’ve got planned easier (and cheaper!) to manage. Browse the nearly 400 items on our online catalog, which you can reach through our website, rochesterVTpubliclibrary.com .
And while you’re there, check out our calendar for the very latest info and events.

Thank you so much for your support–we wouldn’t be here without you!
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11-6, Saturdays, 9-12. [email protected].

06/04/2026

Yep. Again. Astronomy night cancelled due to weather.
Was it something I said?
We'll try again in July!

05/28/2026

This summer, Rochester Public Library will help you get prepared for unexpected events. Please join us on Saturday, June 6 for the Personal Emergency Preparedness Class, with Misha McNabb, MA-EMEL, VT-CEMD, NRP–all of which means she is a medical and logistics expert in emergency preparation and response. Misha presents this course as a member of the Upper Valley Medical Reserve Corps, which is a volunteer agency that activates during public health crises. Volunteers include medical, public health, and general professionals who are dedicated to preparing communities in health matters, encouraging town resiliency–the more we can do right here in Rochester, the less we’ll need to rely on help from elsewhere.
The course will cover a variety of topics, from anticipating hazards at home and at work to basic lifesaving, to storing emergency supplies and creating your own plan. Go-bag starter kits will be given to each household participating; these include and emergency blanket, flashlight, a quick-reference guide and other items.
This is a free course, happening on June 6 at 10 AM. Child care is available!
In addition to this course, RPL will be adding emergency response items to our Library of Things. This will include things like solar-powered generators, outdoor-rated extension cords, walkie-talkies, a solar oven, a portable hotspot, cleaning supplies and PPE, a handcrank weather radio, and perhaps some more. What would you like to see added?

05/23/2026

On May 31, please join Rochester Library at The Hub (former HS building) for a free screening of The Climate Future Film Festival . This collection of 10 short films from around the world explore life and art as a response to climate change. Leading climate action voice Bill McKibben (Middlebury College) served as Honorary Judge and anchors the festival with a videotaped introduction. There will be a Q & A session immediately following, guided by Vermont Senator Ruth Hardy, local author Chelsea Steinauer-Scudder of Vermont Interfaith Power and Light, Tegan Murray of the Rochester Area Climate Initiative, and Evelyn Seidner from the VT Natural Resources Council. Many thanks to the partners of Rochester Library in making this event happen: Climate Future Film Festival, The Valley Hub, VT Natural Resources Council, and the Rochester Area Climate Initiative. Thanks as well to our amazing panelists for their commitment to this issue. And a special thanks to Diane Teetsel, film festival volunteer extraordinaire. This screening is free and open to the public. Snacks will be available for purchase.
Valley Hub Auditorium, Sunday, May 31, 2 PM.

This summer, Rochester Public Library will help you get prepared for unexpected events. Please join us on Saturday, June 6 for the Personal Emergency Preparedness Class, with Misha McNabb, MA-EMEL, VT-CEMD, NRP–all of which means she is a medical and logistics expert in emergency preparation and response. Misha presents this course as a member of the Upper Valley Medical Reserve Corps, which is a volunteer agency that activates during public health crises. Volunteers include medical, public health, and general professionals who are dedicated to preparing communities in health matters, encouraging town resiliency–the more we can do right here in Rochester, the less we’ll need to rely on help from elsewhere.
The course will cover a variety of topics, from anticipating hazards at home and at work to basic lifesaving, to storing emergency supplies and creating your own plan. Go-bag starter kits will be given to each household participating; these include and emergency blanket, flashlight, a quick-reference guide and other items.
This is a free course, happening on June 6 at 10 AM. Child care is available!
In addition to this course, RPL will be adding emergency response items to our Library of Things. This will include things like solar-powered generators, outdoor-rated extension cords, walkie-talkies, a solar oven, a portable hotspot, cleaning supplies and PPE, a handcrank weather radio, and perhaps some more. What would you like to see added?

On June 2, and each first Tuesday of the month, please join us at RPL for a masked story time. We’ll meet in the children’s rooms for some sweet stories and then enjoy the many wonderful things that can be found there! We’ll explore art, movement, science, and building, balancing free play with guided activity. Our group will be meeting before the official opening time of the library; everyone in the library during this hour will be masked. Additionally, the library’s air purifier will be running and windows open as weather permits.
N95 masks are available if needed (adult size only). Please make sure masks are covering both the nose and mouth, and please stay home if you are sick or have recently spent time around someone else who is sick. All ages are welcome! Masks are required for anyone over the age of 2. 10-11 AM

This summer, RPL is super-excited to be offering Page Turners Summer Reading for kids! We’ll have a gorgeous kick-off party on June 27, with treats, Granville Daze, Tshirts, a special after-hours library hour just for participants to check out books , and face painting! This will be a fun and gentle program, with children setting their own goals for the summer. There will be lots of treats and celebrations when weekly or monthly goals are met, and some very cool experiences to enjoy at the end of summer. I promise, this will be the most fun you’ve EVER had reading, EVER. Starting Saturday, June 27, 12 - 2 PM

Astronomy Season is here, and so are the clouds!! We’ve had to rearrange things a few times now, but I bet THIS month will be perfect for star gazing! Join us on Saturday, June 6 at 10 PM (ah, summer–it never gets dark!) at Liberty Hill Farm. Rain date is Friday, June 13. Any change in date or location will be posted on Front Porch Forum and on the library’s page. Thank you, as always, to Liberty Hill Farm!

DumbleDorks are back! If you love all things Harry Potter, stop in any summer Thursday and find stories to listen to, Hogwarts-inspired crafts, movies, games…it’ll be like you are right there with Harry, Ron, and Hermione! Starting June 25; all ages.

Stories in the Park is off to a snozzwanger of a start! We’ll meet most market Fridays for delights and wonders; bring a story to tell me! There will, alas, be no Stories on May 29th. See you again on June 5th at 3:30!

Regular programming continues with Purls of Wisdom Handcrafting on Tuesdays at 1:30. And NOW, our new evening crafting group, Knit at Knite! That’s on Thursday evenings at 6 PM. On Thursdays thru June 11, join us for The Preschoolers’ Rumpus at 3. The Writers’ Workshop with Amy Braun happens on the 3rd Saturday of each month at 1 PM; next one is June 20..

Our Library of Things has everything you need this summer! From yard games to a canopy, from tools to bike helmets, we can make whatever you’ve got planned easier (and cheaper!) to manage. Browse the nearly 400 items on our online catalog, which you can reach through our website, rochesterVTpubliclibrary.com .
And while you’re there, check out our calendar for the very latest info and events.

Thank you so much for your support–we wouldn’t be here without you!
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11-6, Saturdays, 9-12. [email protected].

Rochester Public Library

06/23/2026

06/23/2026

06/16/2026

06/13/2026

06/12/2026

06/05/2026

06/04/2026

05/28/2026

05/23/2026

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