The Vermont Department of Libraries, the Vermont Library Association, and the Fair Housing Project of the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) are pleased to present two webinars for library staff, volunteers, trustees, and others on local housing issues and Fair Housing Month. More information.
Tag Archives: VTlib
Millions of pages of Vermont newspapers freely searchable online
Vermont residents have access to a free searchable archive of millions of pages of Vermont newspapers thanks to a partnership between the Department of Libraries and Vermont State Records and Archives Administration (VSARA). Here are simple steps to get set up:
1. Sign up for a MyVermont.gov account at vermont.gov/myvermont.
2. Log in and fill out your profile information including your contact information in the upper righthand corner.
3. Follow the link from the Featured Item section to Newspapers.com
Let us know if you have any questions. Please share this with your patrons! Here is a four page PDF handout going through all the steps with screenshots. Read more
Free Online Education Opportunities for June
Thanks to Mara Siegel at VTlib, here are some great, free online education opportunities for the month of June
Read more
Geek The Library!
Have you heard of “Geek the Library”?
It’s an awareness campaign for public libraries, from OCLC and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It is also coming to a close soon and we’d like all Vermont public libraries to learn about it and consider participating.
We are very happy to have Jennifer Powell of Geek the Library coming to Vermont to offer 2 sessions about Geek, April 30.
The first session will be held at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library in Williston from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The second session that day will be Brown Public Library in Northfield from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
What is a “Geek the Library” campaign?
- Geek the Library provides materials and ideas for your local campaigns but you are not required to do any particular activities – you can customize for your town and library. Even very small libraries can use the campaign and integrate it in simple ways to build awareness.
- You need not have completed Turning the Page or other advocacy training in order to effectively use the campaign – 11 Vermont libraries have or are currently participating in Geek with or without other training. However, if you have completed Turning the Page, this is a terrific place to start in working community awareness of your library with very little project creation on your own.
- This is a fun campaign, asking for nothing, but building awareness of all the library can offer the community and bringing them in to the conversation.
If your library decides to join the Geek the Library campaign you will receive:
- Free planning resources-event strategy, gathering and organizing local information
- Help with local advertising and events
- Resources to download artwork and print marketing materials, as well as resources to resize templates or other materials, if needed.
- GTL Web page that can be adopted for your individual library
- Free PR and promotional material
- Access to GTL database that includes marketing, data and other resources
To register for the workshops:
Geek the Library – Williston April 30, Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston from 10:00 to 12:00
Geek the Library – Northfield April 30, Brown Public Library, Northfield from 2:00 to 4:00
If you cannot attend one of the two half-day workshops but would like to participate in or to learn more about the “Geek the Library” campaign, please go to:
Remember that you can always join Geek the Library campaign on your own and still attend the workshop and talk to Jenny from Geek campaign.
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Michael.roche@state.vt.us (802-748-3428) or Christine.friese@state.vt.us (802-828-2714) to discuss Geek the Library.
Free Library Continuing Education Events for April
Check out these great, free, online continuing education opportunities:
Read more
Free Library Continuing Education Events for February
February is packed with free continuing education opportunities, check them out:
Dorothy Canfield Fisher (DCF) Conference
Registration is now open for the Dorothy Canfield Fisher conference to be held in Stowe on Friday, May 2. The keynote speaker will be Gary Schmidt, author of Wednesday Wars, Okay for Now and Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, among others. The endnote will be given by Jo Knowles, Vermont author of several young adult novels and a middle grade novel, See You at Harry’s, which is on the current DCF list. More information and the registration form can be found here: http://libraries.vermont.gov/
Remember, VLA members receive a discount on the conference, so renew your membership today: https://vermontlibraries.org//membership
Also, I am pleased to announce that the Friends of DCF are again giving scholarships to the conference, so if you would like to attend, but cannot afford it, fill out the application also at the link above, and you may get lucky!
Library Advisory Council of the Special Services Unit Meeting
What do your visually-impaired patrons want from your library? What do you as a public librarian want from Special Services?
The Library Advisory Council of the Special Services Unit will discuss these issues at its next meeting, Thursday, Nov. 21, 10am to noon, at the Vermont Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired building, 60 Kimball Ave. (near Comcast), South Burlington.
Public librarians are invited to attend, or to send questions or comments to Amy Olsen, Lanpher Memorial Library, hyde_park@vals.state.vt.us.
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/
“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/
Historic Preservation Grants – Deadline Oct. 7
The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation offers grants of up to $20,000 to nonprofit organizations and municipalities to help repair and restore historic buildings. Established in 1986, the State-funded Historic Preservation Grant Program helps municipalities and non-profit organizations rehabilitate and keep in active use the buildings that make up a vital part of Vermont’s historic downtowns, villages, and rural communities. Since inception, the program has granted almost $4 million towards the preservation of 495 historic community buildings, including libraries. If your library is located in a historic building, you may be eligible to apply for a Historic Preservation Grant to assist with the cost of repairing and maintaining your structure.