Heads up: National Library Week Broadcast on WCAX

Across the Fence on WCAX features National Library Week this Monday, April 13. Debbie Landauer and I talked up books for all ages (the list at http://libraries.vermont.gov/sites/libraries/files/misc/natlibwk09.pdf), Listen Up! Vermont (since we’re both fans, and two of our books are on LUVt), and the CREATIVE VERMONT bookmarks (http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/srp/adult).

We hope the audience runs into your public library for all of these things!

Amy Howlett
Southeast Regional Consultant
Vermont Department of Libraries
amy.howlett@mail.dol.state.vt.us

Check Out the Parks Free!

State Parks and the Department of Libraries have created a free day pass for every public library in Vermont, granting free admission to Vermont state parks. Passes will be mailed to public libraries before opening day for the parks, which is May 25, 2009. Each library can set its own policies around circulation and use. For the full press release, http://governor.vermont.gov/tools/index.php?topic=GovPressReleases&id=3405&v=Article.

Amy Howlett
Vermont Department of Libraries
amy.howlett@mail.dol.state.vt.us

New England Carnegies Website

Hello from Central Massachusetts —

I’m pleased to announce that updates and additions have been made to the “New England Carnegies” web site at http://www.necarnegies.com.

The site was launched in 2006 in order to honor the 85 public library buildings that Andrew Carnegie funded in New England. A page for each library contains a brief history, an historic postcard image, and contemporary photos. Visitors can take a virtual tour that leads them across the six states.

Now the 10 academic Carnegie libraries of the region have been added as well. That list includes the former library building at Norwich University.

Also added are the texts of historic newspaper accounts of Andrew and Louise Carnegie’s visit to Worcester, Mass., in 1913. Andrew participated in laying the cornerstones for the three branch libraries that day.

The web site is maintained by Corinne H. Smith, cataloging and reference librarian at Anna Maria College, Paxton, Mass.; csmith@annamaria.edu.

Thanks!
Corinne

Corinne H. Smith, cataloging & reference librarian
Mondor-Eagan Library
Anna Maria College
Paxton, Mass.
csmith@annamaria.edu

NELA Greenaway Award Seeking Nominations

At the New England Library Association Annual Fall Conference we honor an outstanding librarian from New England with the Greenaway Award. If you know someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the library field in New England consider nominating them for this award. The Greenaway Award committee will accept nominations until June 1. The candiate must be a NELA member, or have been one in the past. Full details are here http://www.nelib.org/greenaway/index.htm

New Winnie Belle Learned Grant Round

There is a new Winnie Belle Learned Grant round for youth services. Deadline: May 29, 2009. Our fabulous benefactor, Dr. Burnett Rawson, is very pleased with the projects for children’s and young adult services that we have funded so far in Vermont, and he is eager to fund more. For this round, he is particularly interested in early childhood serves, and services to new immigrant populations, but he is open to anything that will benefit children, teens and families. For more information, and the application form, go to: http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/vplf

If you have any questions, please ask me!

Grace

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

2009 Save America’s Treasures Grants

Deadline is Friday, May 22, 2009 (in-hand deadline, not postmark)

SAVE AMERICA’S TREASURES grants are available for preservation and/or conservation work on nationally significant intellectual and cultural artifacts and nationally significant historic structures and sites. Grants are administered by the National Park Service (NPS) in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Read more→

2009 Save America's Treasures Grants

Deadline is Friday, May 22, 2009 (in-hand deadline, not postmark)
SAVE AMERICA’S TREASURES grants are available for preservation and/or conservation work on nationally significant intellectual and cultural artifacts and nationally significant historic structures and sites. Grants are administered by the National Park Service (NPS) in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
Read more→

DOL Information about federal stimulus funds

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and Libraries

Even before the “stimulus bill” was signed into law in February, librarians in Vermont and across the country were hard at work trying to make sure that some of this money gets to libraries. There are still many unanswered questions about this funding package and new information trickles in each week. DOL is in regular contact with State officials and also with the ALA Washington Office and other state library agencies and I will pass along news as it comes our way.

Some of the biggest money will come to the State of Vermont, in the “Stabilization Funds.” Most or all of that money that comes directly to the state will be directed to projects other than libraries. But there are other ARRA funding programs that are potential sources for us to tap. Read below for tips:

Public Libraries: make sure you are in communication with your town officials. Municipalities will receive a portion of the stabilization money and libraries could be eligible public projects.

Read more→

Public Library Statistics now available for 07-08

Public library statistics are available for Vermont on this page. There’s no summary page, but here are a few statistics that might be interesting. Feel free to use the comment section to pull out your own noteworthy statistics.

  • Vermont has 182 public libraries, the largest number of libraries per capita in the US.
  • 174 of these libraries have Internet access; 160 of these have high speed access. Do the math, that’s 14 libraries with dial-up and eight with nothing.
  • Half of the public librarians in the state have MLSes or the equivalent.
  • 73% of Vermont library funding comes from local taxes; 27% comes from other local sources (grants, fundraising)
  • Eleven public libraries filter internet access on all terminals (as opposed to some libraries that offer a children’s filtered option)

Conference Scholarships

Don’t forget, scholarships for the cost of attending the conference in May are available. Don’t let the cost of attending keep you away; last year there was scholarship money left over! Click here for details.