“Franklin County is chock full of wonderful public libraries,” said Catherine Goldsmith, president of the Vermont Library Association’s Public Libraries Section, and director of Starksboro Public Library. Goldsmith worked with Josh Worman, director of Haston Library, and the other libraries of FLARE — Franklin Libraries Are Really Excellent — to organize a tour of six Franklin County, Vermont, public libraries on Friday, Nov, 17, 2023.
The tour began at Enosburgh Public Library, and continued to Haston Library, Swanton Public Library, the Franklin/Grand Isle Bookmobile, St. Albans Free Library, and Fairfax Community Library. The following photos were provided by Josh Worman.
Enosburgh Public Library director Brenda Stanley (center) welcomes guests on the first stop of the tour.
Tour participants gather in front of the Haston Library main desk on the second stop of the tour. Standing center is Kevin Unrath, Vermont Department of Libraries library consultant for library operations, who participated in the tour.
Swanton Public Library, the third stop on the tour, has a beautiful new mural outside the children’s area.
Hadley Priebe (right), executive director of the Franklin/Grand Isle Bookmobile (otherwise known as “Figgy”), explains the nuts and
bolts of running the service.
St. Albans Free Library director Becky Manahan tickles the ivories as Starksboro Public Library
director Catherine Goldsmith looks on. St. Albans library loans electric keyboards.
Last stop! Fairfax Community Library co-director Sue Wade talks to the assembled tour-goers about the challenges of running a community library.
Library tours provide library staff and library lovers the opportunity to see the buildings, meet the staff, and admire how these libraries do what Vermont libraries do, Goldsmith said.
VLA’s Public Libraries Section strives to extend the ability of libraries to provide equal access to and availability of literary and cultural resources by providing tools and resources to librarians. The section supports librarianship in the state through educational and social events.
Previous Tours:
Addison County Library Tour, September 30. 2022
Northeast Kingdom Library Tour, April 26, 2022