VLTA PROGRAMS AT 2009 Town Officers Educational Conferences

The Vermont Library Trustees Association (VLTA), the trustees section of the Vermont Library Association, in conjunction with the Department of Libraries will again offer a series of workshops for trustees and librarians during the spring Town Officers Educational Conferences. TOECs are sponsored by the Vermont Institute for Government, with organizational help from the UVM Extension Service which will mail a registration packet to each library in spring, 2009. If you have any questions, please contact your regional librarian.

To register for any of the TOECs, find the form online at http://regonline.com/2009toec $60 online cost includes morning coffee and lunch. Register online and save $5.00 per registrant!

Dates/ locations:

April 09 ~ Lyndon State College, Lyndonville
April 13 ~ St Michael’s College, Colchester
April 28 ~ Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee
May 6 ~ Holiday Inn & Conference Center, Rutland

This year’s conference sessions will focus on how to deal with increased demand for library services in these difficult economic times.

Programs/Speakers
8:00 am – coffee and registration
8:45 am – Opening Session: An Introduction to Disaster Response Stakeholders and Processes

9:45 am – Workshop 1: State Librarian, Martha Reid will talk about the Department of Libraries services, library trends, and give an update on the current and future financial issues facing the Department.

10:45 am – break

11:00 am – Workshop 2: Vermont Community Foundation (VCF)
The VCF is a statewide public charity with more than 500 individual funds, each of which contributes to building healthy and vital Vermont communities. A VCF representative will discuss the various services and resources that are available to public libraries and other Vermont non-profits, and which of their funds are available for grantseekers.

noon – lunch

1:00 pm – Workshop 3: Becoming an Effective Library Advocate
Learn how your library can make it through hard economic times, by becoming an effective library advocate. Learn tips and strategies from seasoned library veterans, what some libraries do to survive and even thrive during a tough economy.

2:00 pm – break

2:15 pm – Workshop 4: Library Responses to Economic Hard Times (St. Mikes & Rutland Sites)
In difficult economic times, libraries need to find more creative means for meeting their financial obligations. Our speaker will discuss various means of doing this, discussing such options as fundraising, grant seeking, investment strategies and advocacy.

2:15 pm – Workshop 4 Starting a Library Friends Group (Lyndon State & Lake Morey Sites)
.Libraries of all sizes can benefit from well organized and enthusiastic Friends of the Library group. This session will cover some basic questions, such as, what can a Friends group do to aid the library, recruiting members, getting incorporate with the Secretary of State’s Office, applying for tax exempt status – 501(c)(3) , electing officers, and how to work in cooperation with the library director and board.

3:30 pm – adjourn