It’s been an exciting and productive year for the Intellectual Freedom Committee. Following is a link to a report of our accomplishments for 2007-2008.
Vermont Koha ILS Project
Some of you around the state may have heard word of a group of libraries working together to create a customized “Vermont” version of the open source integrated library system (ILS) Koha.
It’s true, and the group is more than happy to welcome new members who are interested in the development phase of the project as well as those who might be interested in joining a consortium model ILS down the road. If you are unhappy with your current system, looking at a forced upgrade, or looking to automate, the Vermont Koha Project might be of interest to you.Read more
VLA and VSLA Succeed in Getting Library Confidentiality Bill Enacted
On Tuesday, May 13, Governor Douglas signed into law S. 220, “An Act Relating to the Confidentiality of Library Patron Records.” The new law will take effect July 1, 2008.
To see text of the bill, click: S. 220
To see how your representatives voted, click : House Journal, April 28 (Scroll more than half-way through the document; or search “library” using the “Find on page” feature of your browser.)
Read more
Government Relations Committee End of Year Report
For an update on the work of the committee this past year (2007-2008), see the committee’s report: vla-grc-report-may-2008.pdf
Personnel Committee Meeting
The Personnel Committee is meeting
Monday, May 12th, 10am-noon at the Midstate Regional Library in BerlinÂ
to begin planning its next project: a survey of Vermont public librarians’ wages and benefits. The Committee welcomes volunteers to help draft, administer, and analyze the survey.
 Contact Chair Amy C. Grasmick for more information:
Kimball Public Library
kimball_acg@hotmail.com
728-5073Â
Vermont House passes library patron confidentiality bill
Tuesday morning, April 29, the House voted to concur with the Senate-passed version of the library patron confidentiality bill (S. 220). Now it goes to the governor for his signature before becoming law. Please call or write your representatives and thank them for their support on this measure. Also, a big thanks to John Shullenberger for all his efforts on our behalf.
Proposals for ACRL 14th National Conference
Contributed papers, panel sessions, preconferences, and workshops are due May 12, 2008. The ACRL 14th National Conference, to be held in Seattle, March 12-15, 2009, will offer a forum for an exciting and energizing exchange of ideas on research, practices, developments, and visions in the field of academic and research librarianship. The conference theme, “Pushing the Edge: Explore, Engage, Extend,” reflects the promise and the challenge of the Northwest. The ACRL National Conference Executive Committee invites submitters to send their edgiest, most “out-there” proposals, to help make ACRL 2009 a truly groundbreaking conference.
Proposals are sought for a variety of formats including contributed papers, panel sessions, preconferences, workshops, poster sessions, and roundtable discussions. Deadlines for proposal submissions are as follows:
May 12, 2008 – Contributed papers, panel sessions, preconferences, and workshops
- October 20, 2008 – Poster sessions
- November 23, 2008 – Roundtable discussions
Updated Slate for VLA Election
We have found a candidate to run for Vice-President / President elect. John Payne of St. Michael’s has agreed to run.  A revised ballot can be found here : official-warning.pdf. As always, additional nominations for all open offices may be taken from the floor. – Brenda Ellis, VLA Secretary
Vermont Telecommunications Authority
In early March, several librarians made a presentation to the VT Telecom Authority about the expanding role of libraries in providing public access to technology and high-speed Internet services. The mission of VTA is, in part, to ensure “that all residences and business in all regions of the state have access to affordable broadband services not later than the end of the year 2010.â€
The committee was thrilled to hear the presentation, and we hope it is a start of a conversation about our need for additional resources to meet increasing demands for services. A handout prepared for the meeting can be found here, Connecting the Unconnected.
CAYAL Meeting April 17th
Hello Youth Librarians,
 For those of you not yet initiated into the cozy inner circle of our CAYAL distribution list family (just ask), Jill Coffrin and I invite you to scenic Colchester for our spring CAYAL MEETING, to be held Thursday, April 17th, from 2-4 PM at the Colchester Meeting House adjacent to the Burnham Memorial Library.Read more