The Friends of the Fletcher Free Library invites the community to join in Civic Reads.
Civic Reads invites the community into meaningful conversations about the issues shaping our shared future. Each event is centered on a timely book and explores what it takes to sustain a healthy democracy and effective government.
Upcoming Events:
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A Conversation with Author Dr. Lindsay Owens Monday, November 30, 6:30 PM at the Fletcher Free Library Join us for an insightful evening with Dr. Lindsay Owens, author of Gouged: The End of A Fair Price – And What That Means for Your Wallet. Everywhere you turn, Americans are getting ripped off: Online ticket sellers hide behind exorbitant extra fees. Landlords use software to band together and organize artificial rent hikes. Surveillance pricing, algorithmic price fixing, and other high-tech forms of price gouging are the latest frontiers in corporate profiteering, and they’re distorting markets and undermining American households’ financial security. Building on the novel research and analysis in Dr. Lindsay Owens’ new book Gouged: The End of A Fair Price – And What That Means for Your Wallet, this conversation explores the modern landscape of predatory pricing and corporate profit-seeking. Dr. Owens will unpack how unprecedented corporate consolidation combined with algorithms that test, personalize, and coordinate prices at a scale unimaginable a decade ago have given companies incredible power and transformed pricing into a highly engineered science. As a result, the old pricing rulebook is gone. In its place, there’s a new credo: The best price is the one you personally are willing to pay. Owens is President and CEO of Groundwork Collaborative, a leading economic think tank and corporate watchdog. Register here! |
Past Events:
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A Conversation with Author J.J. Green and Champlain College President Alex Hernandez (In partnership with Champlain College) Thursday, September 24, 6:30 PM at the Fletcher Free Library Join us for an insightful evening with the author of The Noise War: How to Find the Truth When Everything Is Lying to You, a field manual for a world where facts are under siege and lies travel faster than light. Author J.J. Green distills two decades of frontline reporting from Kabul to Kyiv, from the Pentagon to the digital frontiers of influence warfare, into a clear, practical guide for journalists, policymakers, educators, and citizens determined to defend truth in an era of synthetic media and algorithmic manipulation.
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Actualizing Abundance: Embracing Opportunity Within Our Challenges(In partnership with Champlain College) Thursday, October 16, 5:30 PM at the Fletcher Free Library In a moment where much of our world feels full of uncertainty and chaos, we have the chance to uncover unique and powerful opportunities. Join us for an exploratory panel conversation on how in these challenging times we can begin to meaningfully move towards the tomorrow we want to live in today. We'll talk with three individuals who are seizing the opportunities in this moment to unlock innovation within traditionally rigid industries: education, energy, and food systems. Panelists: Chad Farrell, Founder and co-CEO at Encore Renewable Energy; Dr. Rachael Floreani, Associate Professor of Engineering, Materials Science and Manufacturing at the University of Vermont, Founder and CEO of Burlington Bio; Alex Hernandez, President Champlain College. Moderator: Marguerite Dibble, Founder, GameTheory
This event offers an opportunity to engage ahead of co-author Derek Thompson’s keynote at the Vermont Business Roundtable Breakfast (learn more at https://vtroundtable.org/) |
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Autocracy, Inc. Book Group Discussion(In partnership with UVM Political Science Department) Tuesday, November 4, 5:30 PM at Fletcher Free Library Grounded in Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World by Anne Applebaum, this discussion—facilitated by UVM professors Ellen Andersen, Peter VonDoepp and Alex Zakaras—unpacks how authoritarian leaders are reshaping global politics and what it means for democracy at home. |
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Tom Sullivan - "The U.S. Presidency: Power, Responsibility, and Accountability"Wednesday, February 18, 5:30 PM at the Fletcher Free Library What does it truly mean to hold "the most powerful office in the world"?Join us at the Fletcher Free Library for an insightful evening with author and scholar Tom Sullivan, as he discusses his compelling new book, The U.S. Presidency: Power, Responsibility, and Accountability.In an era of constant political headlines, Sullivan offers a deep dive into the historical foundations and modern evolution of the Executive Branch.Whether you’re a history buff, a political science student, or simply a curious citizen, this is a unique opportunity to engage in a non-partisan conversation about the structure of our government and the future of leadership in America.A Q&A session will follow the presentation.Free and open to the public |
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A Healthy UnionTuesday, March 10, 5:30 PM at the Fletcher Free Library The Civic Reads series returns with a discussion of how states can be leaders in creating healthier environments for their residents with the author of A Healthy Union: How States Can Lead in Environmental Health by Susan Kaplan, J.D. In conversation with Christine Vatovec, Ph. D. Pick up a free copy of the book starting February 2 at the Main Library. |
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Answering to Us: Why Democracy DemandsAccountability with author Professor Minh LyWednesday, April 29, 6:00 PM at the Fletcher Free Library Join us for a discussion with UVM Professor Minh Ly about his research and teaching focus on the rights and responsibilities of democratic citizenship, democratic theory, economic justice, global justice, and civic education. Free and open to the public
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