News of interest to the Vermont library community
What follows is the gist of the Attorney General’s opinion on the new confidentiality statute.
What follows is the gist of the Attorney General’s opinion on the new confidentiality statute.
Librarians have many questions about the new Confidentiality Statute that becomes effective July 1, 2008.
State Librarian, Sybil McShane asked the Attorney General to review the law in reference to existing statutes and in consideration of some of the questions we have. Once the AG’s office has reported back we will provide more specific guidelines for implementation to all VLA members, VT Libraries and Trustees. VLAIFC will offer policy writing workshops throughout the state for the above mentioned groups in the near future.
An updated sample public library privacy and confidentiality policy is available on the website as part of the Intellectual Freedom Toolkit. It can also be found at www.sherburnelibrary.org.
Keep watching the VLA website for more information.
Gail Weymouth
VLAIFC chair
802 422 9765
Secretary of Administration Mike Smith announced that Martha Reid of South Burlington has accepted the position of State Librarian. A copy of the press release may be found here:
http://www.libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/misc/appt.pdf
New public librarians in the last few months include the following. Send your public library additions to the list for a routine posting to Amy Howlett, amy.howlett@mail.dol.state.vt.us
Mary Wheeler, Cutler Memorial Library, Plainfield
Susan Smolinski, Arvin A. Brown Public library, Richford
Mary Moser Kashner, Pawlet Public Library
Thelma Georgeson, R. K. Kittay Public Library,Rupert
Michelle Hayes, children’s librarian,Whiting Library, Chester
Jane Napier, children’s librarian, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier
Célina Houlné, director, Rockingham Free Public Library, Bellows Falls
Melissa Worden, Lydia Taft Pratt Library, Dummers
The VLA Annual Meeting took place on May 13, 2008 at the Vermont Library Conference in Burlington. The results of the election are:
Treasurer (2 years) – Wynne Browne
NELA Representative (2 years) Kip Roberson
The approved minutes of the May 2007 Annual Meeting and the Year End Budget Report 2007 have been posted (under Publications – Meeting minutes). The ballot for the Proposed Constitution and Bylaws changes will go out next week. Those members with email addresses on file will receive their ballot electronically. All other members will be sent a paper ballot. The deadline to vote is June 10th. VLA sections will be posting their annual reports soon if they have not done so already. The Government Relations Committee Report and the Intellectual Freedom Committee Report have already posted theirs.
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
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
TechSoup has partnered with Flickr to offer Flickr pro accounts to qualifying non-profits as well as Canadian libraries. What this means for Vermont libraries is nearly-free (small TechSoup admin cost) photo sharing and hosting for libraries and/or their patrons and friends.Read more