New Graded Booklists

My fabulous advisory committee (Cheryl Cox, Kathy Dulac, Amy McMullen, Hannah Peacock, Julie Pickett, Chris Poggi and Nancy Rumery) have updated the graded booklists we have on our website, from Kindergarten through Young Adult. Print them out, and hand them out to your patrons to make their selections just a bit easier.

They are on this page under “Graded booklists.” http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/cbec/resources

Grace

Turning the Page 2.0

Turning the Page 2.0 is a unique opportunity for free, in-depth, interactive, online education in public library advocacy. Register for this six week course and get one-on-one attention from professional facilitators as you build a customized Advocacy Work Plan for your library.

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Vermont State Parks Pass and Oh Ranger! App

The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources just announced a free Vermont State Parks App:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/oh-ranger!-parkfinder-vermont/id509618668?mt=8

As Parks Passes start to go out, this would be a wonderful thing to promote with the passes for library members with smart phones and tablets.

It might even be a great time to promote certain apps that have to do with the great outdoors, like the Audubon Guide Apps, which are a little pricy but I use them all the time myself and that purchase supports local business (Green Mountain Digital).

http://www.greenmountaindigital.com/

What are your favorite reference apps that you tell patrons about?

Vermont Digital Collections Survey

Dear Vermont Librarians,

I am a student at Southern Connecticut State University and a staff member at the Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro, Vermont who is completing a research project for a Masters of Information and Library Science degree.

My thesis is titled “CREATING DIGITAL COLLECTIONS IN VERMONT’S PUBLIC LIBRARIES” and it investigates how small, rural cultural organizations, specifically public libraries in Vermont, can create effective and low-cost digital collections.

I am asking for your participation in a quick survey I have developed and posted online. The survey should take you no more than 15 minutes to complete.

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Vermont Early Literacy Initiative Newsletter

The third edition of the quarterly VELI newsletter is now up on our website: http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/cbec/eli

Edited by VLA Vice President Debbi Gadwah-Lambert, the director of the Alice Ward library in Canaan,  the newsletter is chock full of ideas for early literacy storytimes, new information on brain development, resources to help you with your early literacy programs and more. This time there are contributions from Beth Reynolds of Norwich, Erna Deutsch of Essex Junction and Jill Coffrin of Williston.

Pew Surveys of Public Librarians and Public Library Patrons

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is funding a national research effort  to study the changing role of librarians, library users, and the general public in the digital age.  The Pew Research Center Internet & American Life Project is conducting the surveys and analyzing the data as related to reading/e-reading; changes in library services and the choices libraries are making; and if/how the digital age is changing how people use books and libraries.

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Resource Sharing Grants Deadline Approaching

The Department of Libraries mailed forms for the 2012 Resource Sharing Grants to eligible libraries in an April 23 mailing.

This is a reminder that libraries must return the signed 2012 Grant Agreement form and 2011 Resource Sharing Grant Report form by May 14, 2012.

We want to make sure that all eligible libraries receive grant funds, so please return those forms by the postmark deadline of May 14. These grants are made possible with federal LSTA funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and this paperwork is required to meet federal grant guidelines.

If you have questions, please contact Renee Ancel at: 802-828-3266 / renee.ancel@state.vt.us

Library Snapshot Day (Any Day April 10 – 16)

Taking place during National Library Week (April 10 – 16), Library Snapshot Day is a great way of documenting all the vital services libraries provide to the citizens of Vermont. For more information, please visit: www.vtlibraryday.wordpress.com
The more libraries we have participating, the better our final statistics will be!  So be sure to join us for this exciting initiative!  We look forward to getting a vision of Vermont libraries!