
Summer Nature Programs
Summer programs are lined up for the Pember Nature Preserve featuring journaling, reptiles, rain, birds, wildflowers, butterflies, moths, geology and mushrooms. Check them out on the Nature Programs 2026 page. Please note that most require preregistration to insure we have enough supplies for everyone to enjoy. Registration entails calling the museum at 518-642-1515. We look forward to seeing you!
Last Call!
Last call for viewing the exhibit Eggscentricity 2. This Saturday, May 16 will be the final day. Come see the 146 year old egg from Scotland that traveled over 4,000 miles before reaching the Pember in 1996.
Curator’s Corner

The Curator’s Corner is a new page designed to spark curiosity and engagement. We will bring together a mix of collection highlights on objects, artifacts, or images paired with prompts that encourage visitors to observe closely, guess their purpose or origin, and investigate further. Photos may be used as visual clues, inviting users to identify details or solve small “mysteries” about the items.
Alongside these interactive elements, the page will include short, engaging tidbits, unusual facts, historical context, or behind-the-scenes insights from the curator that make the content feel lively rather than academic. Search features or guided questions help users dig deeper into the collection, turning passive viewing into active discovery.
Overall, our goal is to create a playful, educational experience that blends storytelling, inquiry and exploration, making our museum content more accessible and memorable for a broad audience.
Preserve Programs
Upcoming Preserve Programs:

Bird Walk
Sunday, April 12
8:00-9:30am
Join us for an early morning bird walk beginning at the nature center (old Porter Schoolhouse) for a walk down Schoolhouse Trail and the South Loop. We will listen to birds and determine which ones have migrated back to this area. Expertise is not required. All ages welcome. If it’s snowing or raining hard, the walk will be cancelled but if it’s just drizzling rain, we are on! Registration is not necessary. Dress accordingly and spray for ticks.

Bird Nests Walk
Sunday, May 3
9:00-10:30am
We’ll walk the trails to look high and low for bird nests. How many do you think we’ll find? Join us as we begin our walk at the nature center (Porter Schoolhouse). All ages welcome. Registration is not required. If it’s raining hard, the walk will be cancelled but if it’s just drizzling rain, we are on! Dress accordingly and spray for ticks.
Pember closing early at 1pm and book club canceled


Pember closed 2/7/2026
The Pember will be closed Saturday 2/7/2026
Friends of the Pember Book Sale
Friends of the Pember Has a book sale every saturday 10-12 in the Book Room at The Pember Library


Mad Scientist Club -ages 6-11

Read it and Eat Book Club 2026

Holiday hours

New Exhibit!
On November 8, Kathye McCarthy donated an oil painting of a snowshoe hare to the museum. It’s not just any painting, but one that Roy Egg created of a mount we loan to educators and artists! We are excited to showcase this exquisite piece sitting next to the varying hare.
For those who don’t know Roy Egg (Leroy Horne), you can read an article the Rutland Herald wrote about him (2006/2018) – But is it art? Please note that his shop is no longer open.
President George Bush and First Lady Laura Bush hosted Roy at the White House to award his prize-winning painted egg that is archived in the White House Gallery. You can view Roy’s egg here – George W. Bush Whitehouse Archives

Building a Healthier Community

Comfort Food Community (CFC) will host an engaging program at the Pember Library on Thursday, October 30 beginning at 5:00 pm to introduce attendees to the organization’s mission and services that support local families.The presentation will highlight how CFC addresses food insecurity, strengthens the local food system, and connects neighbors to resources.
Following the overview, staff will lead a healthy food demonstration, showcasing a simple, nutritious recipe that can be easily recreated at home. Participants will leave with practical tips, new food knowledge, and a stronger understanding of how CFC works to build a healthier community.
Closed Saturday, October 11, 2025

Mad Scientist Program
Tuesdays at 330- 4:30 
Young Explorers
This Thursday, September 25, Young Explorers will be returning. Join us for our after-school study featuring the plants & animals of the Pember Nature Preserve. Participants, 1st grade and up will enjoy hands-on learning, playing educational games and creating nature-inspired art. The first class is an introduction to what we are all about.
We will meet in the library from 3:30-4:30.
We are full and not taking any more registrations. If you’d like to be put on the waiting list in case of a drop out, please call the museum at 518-642-1515 or use Facebook messaging.
September is Suicide Prevention Month

Farm-2-Library Friday 10-5 & Saturday 10-1

Book Club

Color our world summer programs – Saturdays 1:30-11:30

Preteens & Teens Summer Programs- Fridays 2-3pm

Summer programs preschool age programs

Bad Art Exhibit Reception

Introduction To Family History: A Four-Part Genealogy Series

Color our world summer programs at the Pember
Check out programs The Pember will be having during the summer. All programs are free and open to public registration is required to make sure we have enough supplies. More information for for each program forthcoming in the next week. Call the Library 518-642-2525 for more information
Ages 0-5: Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30 AM
Ages 6-11: Saturdays, 10:30-11:30 AM
Preteens-Teens: Fridays, 2-3 PM
Bad Art Exhibit: All Ages!
Public exhibit Tuesday 7/22 – Thursday 7/24
Exhibit Reception-Thursday July 24 5-6pm
Kids Library Card Contest: Ages 5-17
Public exhibit from Tuesday 8/12 – Friday 8/16
Ice Cream Social: All welcome – Sunday, August 17th, 12- 1 PM
Pember Book of the Week

Making Comics
Making Comics, by Scott McCloud, is a graphic how-to manual packed with information for anyone interested in learning or increasing their artistic and storytelling skills.

Pictures with Clarity and Persuasion
Learn how to write with pictures with clarity and persuasion. Scott gives three steps toward creating your own believable characters: inner life, visual distinction, and expressive traits.

Character Design
He then moves on to explain the power of words and how to use word balloons.

Power of Words
Learn how to build worlds from the minimal to the detailed that are more than just backgrounds for your characters.

Building Worlds
McCloud then gives the pros and cons of traditional tools versus digital imaging and how to discover your own unique style.

Traditional vs. Digital Tools

Your Place in Comics
I would recommend this book to writers as well as artists for it’s wealth of information.
A Spring day at the Pember Nature Preserve
The flowers and ferns are coming out in force today!

Trillium

Dog Violet

Marsh Marigold

Farm-to-Library Schedule Change
The Farm-to-Library food delivery schedule for the Pember has been changed to Fridays, starting 3/28/25.

