Category Archives: News

News of interest to the Vermont library community

Green Mountain Library Constortium Seeks Volunteer Listen Up! Vermont Coordinator

Spread the word! Contact the GMLC Executive Director if you’re interested at gmlced@gmail.com

Duties of the Listen Up! Vermont Selection Committee Coordinator:

  1. Ensure new content appears in the collection on a regular basis
  2. Ensure that the Listen Up! Vermont collection spending remains in budget (given by GMLC ED)
  3. Ensure that all purchases conform with the Green Mountain Library Consortium Selection Policy
  4. Ensure that the Listen Up! Vermont collection is meeting the needs of its users – for example, noting popular titles and subjects and maintaining a reasonably low wait period for titles
  5. Responsibly spend any grant funds procured for content, maintaining a record of purchases for grant reporting
  6. Ensure that the cataloging for the content on the Listen Up! Vermont site meets our state and consortium’s appropriate guidelines, including the proper cataloging of Dorothy Canfield Fisher, Green Mountain Book Award, and Red Clover titles
  7. Organizes and facilitates the Listen Up! Vermont Selection Committee’s meetings, communications, and purchases, including periodic updates of the “Staff Picks” Collection
  8. Recruits members for the Listen Up! Vermont Selection Committee, if necessary

Press Release: John Swan Lecture with Dawn Sova

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Press Contact: Raymond Brior
Phone: 802-635-1495
Email: Raymond.Brior@jsc.edu

January 14, 2014,

Vermont Library Association with the Department of Libraries presents The Bi-Annual John Swan Intellectual Freedom Lecture with Dawn Sova

Monday, January 27, 2014 at the Pavilion Auditorium

109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05609
6:00-8:00 PM Free and Open to the Public

Read more→

Vermont Libraries On The Air

Listening alert!

Monday, October 7 was the first in a series of programs on VPR’s Vermont Edition called: Dorothy’s List: A Monthly Series for Young Readers.

Tune in to hear these discussions featuring authors, young readers and books which are part of Vermont’s Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award program, sponsored by the Vermont Department of Libraries (VTlib).

From the VPR website @ http://digital.vpr.net/post/dorothys-list-monthly-series-young-readers :

“We’ll visit schools and libraries around Vermont to hear what kids have to say about the books. We’ll also speak with the authors – and let the kids ask the questions. So grab a book and join us for Dorothy’s List: A Monthly Series for Young Readers. It’s not your parents’ book club!”

For more about the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award: http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/cbec/dcf

Vermont Library Association Statement in Support of Recently Laid Off St. Johnsbury Athenaeum Library Staff

On December 7, 2012, the Vermont library community was shocked and dismayed at the decision of the Board of Directors of the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum to lay off its entire library staff in the name of restructuring. While the Vermont Library Association understands the Board’s responsibility for setting direction for their library during a time of financial stress, now, more than ever, Vermonters need libraries–and librarians. The Vermont Library Association feels that the board’s actions demonstrate a devaluation of libraries and the library professionals capable of leading them through a time of intense change in information resources and society. Librarians are not replaced by the Internet–their skills and training enrich the Internet and facilitate access for all Vermonters.

“As President of the Vermont Library Association, an educational organization that works to develop, promote, and improve library and information services and librarianship in the State of Vermont, I hope the entire library community will join us in support of libraries and librarians everywhere, specifically in St. Johnsbury at this time.” states Deborah Gadwah-Lambert.

The Vermont Library Association would like to express support to all the dedicated St. Johnsbury library staff capably serving the local community.

To express your support as well, consider these steps:

Step One: Contact the Athenaeum Executive Director, Matthew Powers and Board Vice-President, Gil Steil to express your concerns. Send email to inform@stjathenaeum.org or call 802-748-8291.

Step Two: Join the Vermont Library Association, Rural Librarians Unite, and the citizens of St. Johnsbury on the steps of the Athenaeum to “hug” the library, Saturday, January 12th at noon. We will be holding hands around the library in solidarity with Athenaeum library staff.

St. Johnsbury Athenaeum Restructuring

The VLA Board Members want everyone to know that we are aware of the restructuring at the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum and are working diligently with the ALA on a statement and a course of action. Stay tuned.

Letter from the Athenaeum Board of Trustees

http://www.stjathenaeum.org/docs/letter-121212.pdf

Article from the Caledonian Record reposted by VT Digger

http://vtdigger.org/2012/12/12/st-johnsbury-athenaeum-lays-off-entire-library-based-staff-will-hire-for-five-full-time-positions/

If you have any comments, suggestions, etc. re: VLA & the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum restructuring, please feel free to contact VLA President Deborah Gadwah-Lambert at deborahlle [at] yahoo [dot] com.

Funding Available to Increase Literacy Resources for Adult ELL – Deadline Aug 26

In May 2012, The ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS) received funding from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to continue the American Dream Starts @ your library, a literacy initiative serving adult English language learners and their families.  A primary goal of this project is to help public libraries in Dollar General communities add or improve library literacy services for adult English language learners and their families.

Read more→

Google Donates 100 Computers to Vermont Public Libraries and Adult Education Sites

Effort supports public computing at 42 libraries and adult education sites

Montpelier, VT – Google has donated 100 computers and funding for software to Vermont public libraries and adult education sites.

Vermont State Librarian Martha Reid announced the gift, which is valued at nearly $25,000 combined.

“Our local libraries have become the hubs of connectivity in many communities and we are very pleased with this public private partnership,” said Governor Peter Shumlin. “This puts power in the hands of Vermonters seeking free access to the Internet and all the benefits – for education, employment opportunities and more – that offers.”

The donation, part of a larger effort by Google to donate surplus equipment from their offices, includes desktop computers and flat screen monitors, keyboards and mice, all completely refurbished and loaded with the latest software operating systems. None of the computers is more than three years old.

Read more→

Goodbye to Marjorie Shane

Hello all –

I am sad to report that Marjorie Shane passed away last week. Yesterday was the first I’d heard of it and I thought that the library community would want to know. Any time I got the opportunity to work with her I was delighted, she was such fun! She will be greatly missed.

Her obituary is on the Ricker Funeral Home website at this address: http://www.rickerfh.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1504726&fh_id=11435 Please feel free to sign the guestbook for her family.

Services are on Friday, June 29 at noon at Our Lady Of Perpetual Life in Bradford, VT. The burial will take place in Massachusetts on Saturday the 30th. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers please send donations to either or both of the libraries where she was director:

Groton Free Library – http://www.grotonvt.com/Library/Library.htm)
Tenney Memorial Library – https://tenneylibrary.wordpress.com/

Helen