News of interest to the Vermont library community
2009 NEH PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANT (PAG)
Application Deadline: May 14, 2009
NEDCC CAN OFFER SUPPORT FOR YOUR PAG APPLICATION
THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES (NEH) will award PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANTS (PAG) of up to $6,000 to small and mid-sized institutions for preservation planning and implementing small projects that strengthen collections care overall.
Try to catch the WCAX (Channel 3) news tonight at 6 pm. Darren Perron  and a film crew spent two hours at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library this morning interviewing a Williston patron, Marty Reid and myself about library use during tough economic times. Our patron, Tom LeBarge, had lost his job and used the library to work on and send out his resume and save money on recreational reading. The good news is that he is now working again. It will most likely run in the first 15 minutes. If a “hotter†news story comes up it will run Monday night. It will be archived on the WCAX website after the showing, www.wcax.com .
The VLA membership is on the calendar year cycle, so this is the time to renew or become a new member. Please find membership benefits and the form under the VLA Info category.
Paul Howard Award for Courage
Judith Flint, Amy Grasmick, and Christine Lesinski of the Kimball Public Library, in Randolph, Vermont, are the recipients of the ALA Paul Howard Award for Courage.
Check it out! http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2009/march2009/governance2009howard.cfm
Hello – I’m doing an informal poll of several libraries in Vermont to find out if many have unusual materials other than books and video/DVDs to check out. For example, I recently learned that Kellogg-Hubbard in Montpelier has a “kill-a-watt” electricity usage monitor that patrons can check out. I know many libraries have digital media players for circulation. What else is out there that’s unusual? It might be a story for the Rutland Herald and Times Argus’ Sunday book page, depending on what I learn.
If your library circulates nontraditional items, I’d love to hear about them and how long you’ve been doing it or any special challenges they pose. Thanks for your time.
Ruth Hare
Editor, Vermont Sunday Magazine section
The Rutland Herald and The Times Argus
(802) 479-0191, ext. 1152
ruth.hare@timesargus.com
From the Announcement – http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2009/march2009/olosgamingtoolkit.cfm
Libraries are changing and dynamic places, and no better evidence of that exists than the spread of gaming in the nation’s public, school and academic libraries.
In recognition of this trend and the increasing value of gaming to literacy improvement, the American Library Association, with assistance from a $1 million grant from the Verizon Foundation, has developed an online toolkit to aid librarians in serving this growing constituency.
The Librarian’s Guide to Gaming: An Online Toolkit for Building Gaming @ your library offers content contributed by expert gaming librarians across the country. The toolkit includes a wide range of resources to help librarians create, fund and evaluate gaming experiences in the library.
Toolkit – http://librarygamingtoolkit.org/
Source: American Library Association
Are you looking for a high-energy, summer reading program?
For the past five years the quirky, carefree, energetic music of Detroit’s The High Strung has been electrifying patrons across the nation with their sunny three-part harmonies and witty, lyrical bravado. This year the guitars that accompany the band’s catchy sing-along choruses are roaming the country again, headed in your direction, and the show is only getting better.
Are you looking for a high-energy, summer reading program?
For the past five years the quirky, carefree, energetic music of Detroit’s The High Strung has been electrifying patrons across the nation with their sunny three-part harmonies and witty, lyrical bravado. This year the guitars that accompany the band’s catchy sing-along choruses are roaming the country again, headed in your direction, and the show is only getting better.
Read more
Vermont Arts Council Announces Grant Application Deadlines and Grant Workshops
Find out how to apply for a grant from the Vermont Arts Council:
The Vermont Arts Council accepts applications through its online granting system only. For Information, including complete grant guidelines for all programs: www.vermontartscouncil.org
Congratulations to the five (!!) Vermont public libraries rated among the 256 best in the country in Library Journal’s new index of library service :
Stowe Free Library
Sherburne Memorial Library (Killington)
Fairfax Community Library
Craftsbury Public Library
The Lincoln Library
The “all star” ratings are based on per capita usage as reflected in circulation, visits, program attendance, and public internet usage, and are reported in peer groups based on operating budget. For the full article and to see how your library rated, see Library Journal, 2/15/09, pp. 26-33 and visit www.LibraryJournal.com/
Y’all are an inspiration!
Amy C. Grasmick, Director
Kimball Public Library
Randolph, VT