Category Archives: News

News of interest to the Vermont library community

Urgent Call to Action! Ask your Senators to Support Library Funding!

Please contact your Senators and ask them to sign the “Dear Colleague” letter being circulated by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) in support of funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program.

Take Action

The deadline to sign the letter is Tuesday May 5! LSTA and Improving Literacy Through School Libraries are two of the most important federal programs for libraries today. The letter will not be taken seriously, and it will appear as if Members of Congress do not care about libraries if we don’t have 60 signers on the letter. Programs that don’t have a vocal support network are in danger of being cut.

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“Tango” tops challenged books list for third consecutive year

The Office for Intellectual Freedom has released our list of the Top Ten Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2008. The list is available below and on the OIF website and you can find more information in the ALA press release about the 2008 list.

The children’s book, “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, remains at the top of the list for the third year in a row. “Tango” still faces frequent challenges for reasons that include religious viewpoint, homosexuality, and age appropriateness.

OIF received a total of 513 challenges in 2008, up from 420 total challenges in 2007. For every challenge reported to OIF, however, we estimate that there are 4 or 5 challenges that go unreported.

“Tango” tops challenged books list for third consecutive year

Read more→

"Tango" tops challenged books list for third consecutive year

The Office for Intellectual Freedom has released our list of the Top Ten Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2008. The list is available below and on the OIF website and you can find more information in the ALA press release about the 2008 list.
The children’s book, “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, remains at the top of the list for the third year in a row. “Tango” still faces frequent challenges for reasons that include religious viewpoint, homosexuality, and age appropriateness.
OIF received a total of 513 challenges in 2008, up from 420 total challenges in 2007. For every challenge reported to OIF, however, we estimate that there are 4 or 5 challenges that go unreported.
“Tango” tops challenged books list for third consecutive year
Read more→

Boards Approve Recommendation For NELINET To Join Lyrasis

Atlanta, GA, and Southborough, MA, April 16, 2009 – The Boards of Directors of NELINET and Lyrasis approved a resolution to recommend NELINET join Lyrasis. Together, Lyrasis and NELINET will comprise the largest membership collaborative of its kind serving more than 4,500 libraries and cultural heritage institutions in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Southeastern United States. The leadership of both organizations recognize this is an exciting opportunity for these successful, membership-driven organizations to join together to serve their diverse library communities.

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Gale’s third annual NLW video contest

In honor of National Library Week, Gale Cengage Learning has announced its third annual video contest. Library fans are invited to create a one-minute video promoting their library. The video should explain how the library brings “power to the users.” The winning entry will be awarded $2,500 to the individual and an additional $2,500 will be presented to the winner’s favorite library. Entrants must load their videos to the Librareo group on YouTube. The deadline is June 1.

http://link.ixs1.net/s/lt?id=f2197069&si=u194023082&pc=n2071&ei=m346413

Gale Cengage provides the Vermont Online Library to all of us.

Amy Howlett
Vermont Department of Libraries

VPR Commentary – National Library Week

Deborah Luskin, VPR commenter, extolled the libraries and services she has used on VPR April 13, to kick off National Library Week. She talked about interlibrary loan, catalogs via the Internet, Moore Free Library in Newfane and Brooks Memorial in Brattleboro. Hear or read it at http://www.vpr.net/episode/45836/

Amy Howlett
Vermont Department of Libraries

WCAX–Vermont libraries helping in hard times

In case you missed it when it aired (finally!) on WCAX last Tuesday night and Wednesday morning… We have the interview with a Williston library patron who used our library regularly after losing his job. Martha Reid and I are also interviewed. Go to our website www.williston.lib.vt.us , you’ll find it on the right side of the front page. It is also available at www.wcax.com under the video gallery, “More Vermonters Check Out Libraries.”

Marti Fiske
President, Public Libraries Section – VLA
Director, Dorothy Alling Memorial Library
21 Library Lane
Williston, VT 05495
www.williston.lib.vt.us
802-878-4918
marti@williston.lib.vt.us

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