eVermont: the Vermont Community Broadband Project Deadline 8/5

I am sending out an invitation to libraries that serve rural communities to pre-apply for participation in eVermont: the Vermont Community Broadband Project. This project is the result of a collaborative effort to secure ARRA (“stimulus”) funding via the Broadband Sustainability and Adoption program for the state of Vermont, and we need to hear from interested communities by August 5, 2009. [Please note that grant awards will not be announced until sometime after November 2009, so these are not funds that will be immediately available. In addition, there is no guarantee that our project will receive funding. That’s why we need your help NOW.]

VOKAL, The Vermont Koha Project

Hello all,

As many of you know, for the past 18 months, a group of 30 libraries have been working on installing, modifying, and developing our own version of the open source integrated library system Koha. Named vokal (Vermont Organization of Koha Automated Libraries) and administered by the Green Mountain Library Consortium, this project is working to bring the benefits of open source and the Koha ILS to Vermont by bringing libraries together to pool resources and support.

The group is currently entering the end of Phase I, the initial development phase. By the end of the summer, 11 libraries in the group are planning to be running individual installations of the vokal Koha ILS, testing it and creating documentation. It is our plan that, at the end of this phase, we will have a version of Koha easily accessible to libraries in Vermont. We hope this will be the case by the end of 2009.

State Parks Contests Deadline Extended

“Have you and your family ever visited one of Vermont’s national parks, state parks or historic sites? If you answered yes, then you undoubtedly have a lot of terrific photos that captured these moments.”

Vermont Public Television is sponsoring a photo contest to involve individuals of all ages in celebrating the outdoors. State parks, libraries, and historic sites will be handing out information this summer. The contest deadline, originally set for mid-August, has just been extended to October 9, 2009.

Workshop on Emergency Planning

One of the key findings of the IMLS-funded “Connecting to Collections” survey was that more than two-thirds of responding Vermont institutions (including libraries) do not have emergency plans and need and want help in preparing one. If you are one of those institutions, please plan on attending the Vermont Alliance for Response Forum that will be held on August 31, 2009 (9:00- 3:00) at the Billings Farm and Museum & Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park in Woodstock, Vermont.

Live Demo of Evergreen with Equinox

The Howe Library in Hanover, NH will be hosting a live demo of Evergreen with Equinox:

Thursday, August 13
9:30 – 11:30

We learned from the Koha/LibLime demo that it takes almost two hours to cover the background of the company, OPAC, and circulation.

Those interested in acquisitions and other items might need to stay longer.

NEDCC’s Managing Preservation Course 2009-2010

APPLY NOW – Seats Are Limited!

MANAGING PRESERVATION
A Series of Five Coordinated Seminars
October 2009 to September 2010

MANAGING PRESERVATION IS A SEMESTER-EQUIVALENT COURSE that provides information on issues and technologies needed to design, implement, and manage an effective preservation program for documents, books, photographs, and other paper-based materials, as well as digital collections. MANAGING PRESERVATION guides the student through a full preservation assessment of their institution as well as providing the framework for writing an institutional disaster plan. Each session consists of lectures, discussions, and small group exercises. The Managing Preservation blog offers a forum for continued discussion between seminars.

NEDCC's Managing Preservation Course 2009-2010

APPLY NOW – Seats Are Limited!
MANAGING PRESERVATION
A Series of Five Coordinated Seminars
October 2009 to September 2010
MANAGING PRESERVATION IS A SEMESTER-EQUIVALENT COURSE that provides information on issues and technologies needed to design, implement, and manage an effective preservation program for documents, books, photographs, and other paper-based materials, as well as digital collections. MANAGING PRESERVATION guides the student through a full preservation assessment of their institution as well as providing the framework for writing an institutional disaster plan. Each session consists of lectures, discussions, and small group exercises. The Managing Preservation blog offers a forum for continued discussion between seminars.
Read more→

Reference Round Table at Norwich on 8/7/09

The Reference Round Table is next week Friday at Norwich University Library from 1-4pm. If you plan to come and have not sent your rsvp, please let me know by the end of the week. For those that have already sent an rsvp, here is a link to driving directions, http://www.norwich.edu/about/map/directions.html.

Free Financial Fraud Workshop for VT Libraries

Fraud occurs in Vermont. And when it happens, it can have a devastating impact. This impact is felt by the person defrauded, their family, as well as by the entire community. The FINRA Investor Education Foundation, a non-profit organization, has launched an antifraud campaign to combat investment fraud in Vermont. The Foundation is working with AARP VT, the State of Vermont, and local Vermont organizations, including Vermont Public Television and the Community of Vermont Elders (“COVE”). As part of this project, the Foundation has developed a research-based curriculum to present to small and large groups. The presentation teaches Vermonters that they can be at risk for financial fraud, how to spot the “tactics” that fraudsters use in defrauding people, and the simple tools they can use to defend themselves against investment fraud. We are especially concerned about Vermonters aged 55+ who are specifically targeted.

Free Financial Fraud Workshop for VT Libraries