Category Archives: Uncategorized

NHLA Annual Conference May 13-14

The New Hampshire Library Association welcomes librarians from libraries of all types and sizes in New Hampshire and surrounding areas to the 2010 Annual Spring Conference on May 13th and 14th in Bartlett, NH at the Attitash Grand Summit Hotel and Conference Center.

Each day offers attendees a variety of programs, such as children’s literature, new techologies, information literacy, and legal resources. See the Program pages for a complete listing. Attendees are also invited to join various interest, group, and committee roundtables for networking and discussion with like minded librarians and information professionals.

The Vermont Arts Council announces the FY2011 Grant Deadlines and Grantseeker Workshops

Know WHEN to apply:

Artists: Creation Grants deadline: May 3, 2010
Organizations and Schools: Arts Learning Grants deadline: June 1, 2010
Community Orgs: Community Arts Grants deadline: June 1, 2010

Learn HOW to apply:

The Arts Council has scheduled two workshops to provide information to artists, educators and organizations seeking Arts Council grant funding. The sessions are free of charge and include information on available grants, the application process, and other Council programs.

Read more→

New Listserv for Vermont Library Staff

The Vermont Department of Libraries is starting a new listserv for library staff from Vermont libraries. LIBSTAFF supplements other DOL listservs available:

VTYAC            communication for youth service staff in Vermont
LibTrust          communication for public library trustees

Any message sent to LIBSTAFF will automatically be distributed to the entire group.

Want to stay up to date on DOL workshops?
Need access to the newsletter?
Curious about how other library staff do things?

LIBSTAFF is the answer.

To subscribe to LIBSTAFF, send a message with the email account to imailsrv@mail.dol.state.vt.us with the following in the body: subscribe LibStaff FirstName LastName.  The Department of Libraries will send full instructions for using the listserv to the email you use.

Contact amy.howlett@mail.dol.state.vt.us with any questions.

Amy Howlett
VT Department of Libraries

VT-French Canadian Genealogical Society Classes

 
All classes are held at our library Saturdays 10:30 am until noon and are open to the public.

Using Ancestry.Ca – Tom Devarney – Feb 13 
Native Americans – To be announced – Feb 27
Organizing your Genealogy – Sheila Morris – Mar 27
Brick Wall advice – Staff – Apr 10
Civil War Ancestors – Scott Towers – Apr 24 (French-Canadians)
 
All classes subject to change.  $5 donation appreciated.

Questions? –  Please visit our website Http://www.vt-fcgs.org, email mail@vt-fcgs.org, or messages can be left at 802-846-7897.
 
Directions:  Heading east  on Rte. 15 take the  Barnes Ave. entrance to Fort Ethan Allen, turn right on Hegeman Ave. Turn into 3rd driveway on right  (opposite VT State Police Sign) to the Dupont Building.

GoodSearch/GoodShop for Generating Funds

From a post by Teresa F. on the VLA Listserv:

Non-profits across the country are getting donations from web searches made through GoodSearch (a Yahoo search engine)and online purchases made through GoodShop (which connects to regular online retailers). The trick is getting your patrons to go through the GoodSearch/GoodShop sites to search or shop.

A number of Vermont organizations are already listed as beneficiaries. If your organization does not care to be listed, perhaps your own searches and purchases could benefit the charity of your choice. Go to http://www.goodsearch.com for more information, including coverage of the service by national media, lists of nonprofits currently enrolled, FAQs, etc. The donation check comes just once a year in December, for activity from the previous October through September.

If it were me, I’d change the library default browser to this browser and explain to patrons why to use it…it may even carry over into their home searching.

Helen

Information for Legislative Gatherings

This year the Vermont Library Association’s Government Relations Committee is recommending regional legislative gatherings during November, December and January, when the legislature convenes.

We invite you and your library to participate in these informal gatherings. While the format varies, the gatherings provide an opportunity for Legislators, librarians, and trustees to talk about library issues and the key part that libraries play in Internet access, job searching, and education. It is also an opportunity for us to hear about the legislative process and the agenda before the Legislators.

We need to meet with Legislators this year to thank them for their continued support for the new patron confidentiality law and to remind them that state funding for public libraries continues to be an important issue. Our goal is to keep this at the top of their agenda when state finances are stronger. We also want Legislators to ensure ongoing support for the Department of Libraries’ services to public libraries.

Download the legislative gathering packet.

Public Library Funding & Technology Access Survey

Responses to our Public Library Funding & Technology Access survey have increased significantly in the last week – thank you for all of your efforts!
But we still would like to have a higher response rate, and we also need to allow some extra time for those libraries in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Opportunity Online Hardware program.  Right now, nationwide there is a 55% response rate overall. In Vermont, we have about a 20% response rate.  60% is the preferred minimum threshold, but the higher the response rate, the better the data.
As a result, the survey has been extended through Friday, November 13, 2009.
You can log in and complete the survey at: http://www.plinternetsurvey.org .
We know you’re completing your Annual Public Library Reports and Standards Applications, but hope you can see you way clear to participating in this nationwide survey, as well.
Thanks.
Rob Geiszler