Audio Books & E-Books

Whiting Library subscribes to ListenUp Vermont, so any patron can use their library card from home to access thousands of books and ebooks – free!  Download the Libby app, enter your library card number, enter your PIN (your last name), and get started downloading books onto your smartphone or device today.

Interlibrary Loan

The Collaborative Libraries Of VERmont (CLOVER) interlibrary loan program offers access to millions of items throughout the state. You can search the statewide catalog here.  Then call or email assistantlibrarian@whitinglibrary.org with your requests. Patrons may borrow two books through inter-library loan at a time. We’ll borrow the item from the other library and when it arrives we will contact you. This service is made possible by grant funding from the Vermont Department of Libraries.

Book a Meeting Room

The Community Room is available for public meetings on a first-come basis. Please see library staff for details. You can take a look at our Meeting Room Agreement and Policy here.  

Vermont Room

The Vermont Room is a our local history room. It has books, papers, and artifacts on Chester, regional and state history. You will need to call 802-875-2277 or ask at the check out desk, to use the Vermont Room. You can view our list of holdings at https://www.whitinglibrary.org/vermont-room-holdings. Materials in the Vermont Room are not loanable.

Book Groups

A library sponsored book group meets each second Wednesday of the month at 4:30 p.m. in the library community room. Please email the library director at director@whitinglibrary.org to join. Books will be available to checkout but you do not have to have finished the book to attend the discussion. Everyone is welcome!

Play Group

Whiting Library is home to a weekly playgroup for the Wee Littles (0-5 years old) and their caregivers on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. This is a free, fun, and relaxed gathering where little kids play while their grown-ups supervise and socialize.

Story Time

Story Time is held each Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. in the library community meeting room or outside in the backyard if the weather is nice. Story Time is aimed at pre-school-age children, but everyone who likes a good picture book is welcome to attend. Story Time often includes fun craft projects and activities to accompany the stories.

Games Groups

Games are an essential component of the library. Information presented in new formats, that encourage critical thinking and problem solving, and games that encourage social interaction among peers are just a few of the reasons to consider joining the Whiting Library Game Group. The library has a wide variety of games to choose from including classic board games, card games, WII games, and more. Visit the library events page for more information. 

Home Delivery

We are delighted to bring books and materials to “home-bound” patrons. Please contact us if you can’t come to the library to pick up materials. We can set up a time to bring you items, if that works for you if that works for you.  You can read our home delivery policy here.

Databases

The Vermont Department of Libraries, in partnership with Whiting Library, offers over twenty helpful databases through the Vermont Online Library. The service has resources for all ages and levels, from general interest to academia. It includes newspaper and magazine articles, DIY car repair, books & authors, entrepreneurship, and more. You can also access articles from The New York Times, The Washington Times, The Economist, National Review, and others. Also included is Heritage Quest for genealogists. Access is free online for patrons. Thanks to the generosity of Newsbank, we can offer access to their online databases called America’s Historic Newspapers, America’s News, and America’s Genealogy Bank! Access to Newsbank databases is provided on-site at the library only.

Online Courses

You will find many free online courses through Universal Class, Learning Express, and Udemy. Please find more information on the available courses and how to sign up for classes on our Online Library page.

Special Assistance

*ABLE (Audio, Braille, Large-print & Electronic)* (formerly Special Services Unit) The Vermont Department of Libraries offers free services to those individuals with disabilities who need special materials to continue their enjoyment of literature. See a librarian for forms and information. Whiting Library has a good collection of LP books, including a rotating selection from the VT State Library. Large print books can be requested through inter-library loan.

Book Sales

Please help support the library by visiting our ongoing book sale. The book sale room when the library is open. There are many just-new books; some are well-loved and recycled. All sales are by donation, and all proceeds directly support the library. We usually have a sizeable outdoor book sale during the Chester Fall Festival in September. Please read our donation guidelines if you have books to donate to the sale.

Cultural Passes

The Whiting Library can provide passes for free or discounted access to Vermont historical sites, parks, and museums.

• • The American Precision Museum
  • Billings Farm and Museum
  • Brattleboro Museum and Art Center
  • Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium
  • Vermont State Parks – Day Areas
  • Vermont Historic Sites
  • Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS), Quechee, VT (discount)
  • The Nature Museum, Grafton, VT
  • ECHO Center, Burlington, VT (discount)
  • Vermont History Museum, Montpelier, VT

Free Little Library

On the library’s front porch, there is a bookshelf with free materials for anyone to take and keep. There are adult and children’s books, DVDs, games, and toys.

Library of Things

The library has a variety of non-traditional materials to check out, including a telescope, garden tools, cake pans, a wood moisture meter, Chromebooks, a portable DVD player, craft bins, and much more! We also have a Seed Library run by the Mountain Valley Climate Action Committee, where you can take or leave seeds.