Children's Literacy Foundation – Deadline: May 4

The Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) is now accepting applications for our At-Risk Children grant. The grant is open to social service providers, community centers, afterschool programs, refugee services organizations, shelters, low income housing programs, Head Start programs, early childhood education programs, and a wide range other groups throughout Vermont and New Hampshire that serve low-income or at-risk infants and children up to age 12 (or a subset of that age range). The application deadline is May 4, 2016.Read more→

New Tool: Report a Challenge to Library Resources

The Vermont Library Association is launching a form entitled Report A Challenge to Library Resources  (direct link) that will enable librarians from across the state to report material challenges at their library. The information gathered from this form will go directly to the Intellectual Freedom Committee of the VLA and may be shared with the following professional organizations: Vermont Department of Libraries, the Vermont School Library Association, and the Office of Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association.

Here are ALA’s statistics on banned and challenged books:  http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/statistics

Anyone who has any questions or concerns about this form should contact Vermont Library Association President at president@vermontlibraries.org or Mary Danko, Chair of the Vermont Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee at mdanko@burlingtonvt.gov
The Vermont Library Association (VLA) is an educational organization working to develop, promote, and improve library and information services and librarianship in the state of Vermont

Library Snapshot Day (Any Day April 10 – 16)

Taking place during National Library Week (April 10 – 16), Library Snapshot Day is a great way of documenting all the vital services libraries provide to the citizens of Vermont. For more information, please visit: www.vtlibraryday.wordpress.com
The more libraries we have participating, the better our final statistics will be, so be sure to join us for this exciting initiative!  We look forward to getting a vision of Vermont libraries!

 

VLA CSL Letter to NEASC-CIHE Concerning Revised Standards

neasc logoDear Dr. Brittingham and Members of the NEASC-CIHE Board:
The Vermont Library Association College & Special Libraries Section appreciates the opportunity to provide feedback on the August 2015 Draft NEASC Standards for Accreditation. We support the October 20, 2015 letter from David Bretthauer, Association of College and Research Libraries President, addressing the NEASC-CIHE draft.
Additionally the Vermont section of College & Special Libraries would like to provide input and voice our concerns regarding the significant reduction of the Library’s role in the draft. The draft eliminates the standard devoted to libraries and therefore fails to recognize the vital role of librarians and library services in student outcomes. While the draft acknowledges the importance of research and information literacy, it does not account for the services and skills provided by librarians and libraries necessary to reach those standards. Read more…

Vermont Library Association Letter to President Barack Obama Concerning the Next Librarian of Congress

Library of Congress LogoOctober 16, 2015
Dear Mr. President,
On behalf of the Vermont Library Association Executive Board, we write to express support for the appointment of a professional librarian as the next Librarian of Congress. This person will stand as a leader for our nation’s libraries and cultural institutions, as well as a global role model for democratic principles such as equal access to information, economic development in new areas of technology, and information and the new education models that will enrich our society. Librarians nationally have so much to gain with such a role model in the country’s top bibliographic institution. Read More…