National Library Week April 12-18

How are your plans coming for celebrating National Library Week this year, April 12-18? WCAX/ Channel 3 is broadcasting Vermont librarians Debbie Landauer and Amy Howlett booktalking some public library favorites on Monday, April 13 following the noon news. Their annotated list is online at http://libraries.vermont.gov/sites/libraries/files/misc/natlibwk09.pdf . Feel free to use this list any way you like—for bookmarks, local articles, handouts, etc.

For more ideas, free radio PSAs and model letters to the editor, check out the American Library Association at http://www.ala.org/nlw . New York Times best selling author and actress Jamie Lee Curtis is the Honorary Chair of National Library Week 2009.

Amy Howlett
VT Department of Libraries
(802) 463-0142
amy.howlett@mail.dol.state.vt.us

Digital Information Management (DigIn) Certificate Deadline Extended!

University of Arizona Digital Information Management (DigIn) Certificate program admission is open for 2009-10. Scholarships are available. Review of applications for admissions and financial aid for Summer 2009 has been extended to April 15.

The University of Arizona School of Information Resources and Library Science is pleased to announce that openings are available in the school’s graduate certificate program in Digital Information Management (DigIn), and that scholarships are available for students entering the program in Summer and Fall 2009.

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Snelling Center Offers Leadership Workshops

Library Colleagues,

I want to bring your attention to a series of professional development workshops presented by the Snelling Center: “Leadership in a Connected Age.”

Several half-day workshops are scheduled this spring around the state and a full-day workshop will be held in Burlington in June.

For detailed information about dates, locations, costs, workshop agendas, and registration information, go to: http://www.snellingcenter.org/

This is a time when we need strong leadership in the Vermont library community – and we need to build strong connections with our community partners.

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New Listerv for Librarians Who Work with Children and Young Adults!!

Hello, all:

Vermont now has a listserv especially for librarians who work with children and teens! We are calling it VTYAC to keep in line with PUBYAC, a long standing listserv for children’s and young adult librarians. This list will be a great way for us to communicate about programming, policies, issues, room set-up, stumpers, book selection, in fact anything that you want that has to do with youth services.

How do you join? Ask me to add you to the list! Just reply to this email, and you will be magically added!

Hope to hear from you soon.

Grace Worcester Greene
Children’s Services Consultant
Vermont Department of Libraries
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05609
802-828-6954
Fax: 802-828-1481
grace.greene@mail.dol.state.vt.us

Green Mountain Book Award: voting for this year and new list for next

Hello, all: The Green Mountain Book Award committee, under the able leadership of Hannah Peacock, Chair, has announced the new masterlist for the 2009-2010 school year. You can find it here: http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/gmba You will find a good variety of books for students in grades 9-12, both young adult and adult books. As always, the books are all available in paperback. DOL will again have multiple copies for you to borrow by the summer.

Also, start thinking about getting your votes in for this year’s list. The voting deadline is May 1. The forms (for both students and teachers) are on the website above.

Grace Worcester Greene
Children’s Services Consultant
Vermont Department of Libraries
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05609
802-828-6954
Fax: 802-828-1481
grace.greene@mail.dol.state.vt.us

Time to Vote for 2009 DCF Winners!

Hello, all: Now is the time to rally your kids and vote for the 2009 DCF winner. Steve Madden, our webmaster and outgoing chair, has readied both the online and downloadable voting forms on the website: www.dcfaward.org Please use the online form unless you have some pressing reason not to.

Deadline for voting is April 17, 2009. We are NOT doing a mailing this year because of budget issues, so you will not be getting a printed form in the mail.

Have fun!

Grace

Workforce Reduction at the Vermont Department of Libraries

To: The Vermont Library Community
From: Martha Reid, State Librarian
Date: March 17, 2009
Subject: Workforce Reduction at the Department of Libraries

The Department of Libraries has received calls and emails from many of you concerning state budget cuts. I hope this memo will help answer some of your questions and concerns:

Last Wednesday Secretary of Administration Neale F. Lunderville was joined by Agriculture Secretary Roger Allbee, Human Services Secretary Rob Hofmann, and Natural Resources Secretary Jonathan Wood at a press briefing to discuss state workforce reduction proposals and the Administration’s counter offer to the Vermont State Employees Association (VSEA.) As you know, the proposed position cuts are spread across state government and will have serious effects on services to Vermont citizens. The total workforce reduction plan for the Department of Libraries includes the loss of 4 positions: 3 positions proposed for FY10 and 1 position in FY09.

Please note: this is not an announcement of regional library closings.

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