people in libraries in vt
     
In This Issue
From the State Librarian
Vermont Early Literacy Initiative Receives $22K Grant
Digital Economy Project $1.8M Grant Award Announced
e-Vermont Community Broadband Project Concludes
What E-Rate Means to a Library
Tom McMurdo: UVM to VTLIB - More than the V Unites Us
Take Your Child to the Library Day
Apply for a Big Read Grant, Deadline Feb. 5
Celebrate International Children's Book Day
Materials Review Session in Northfield April 5
Authors O'Connor, Messner to Address DCF Conference May 3
New Books in the Library Science Collection @ the State Library
Helpful Links
Join Our Mailing List

topFrom the State Librarian

MartaReidVTStateLibrarian

 Most of the readers of this newsletter will be aware of the recent decisions made by the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum Board of Trustees that included the layoff of all library staff as part of an institutional restructuring program. http://www.stjathenaeum.org/docs/Bill-Marshall-OPed.pdf  

Reaction from the Vermont library community, including the Vermont Library Association  and St. Johnsbury library supporters, was swift and focused, resulting in the formation of a new library advocacy group and a "Hug the Library" rally held at the Athenaeum on January 12 (see: http://www.rurallibrariansunite.org/ ) which sent out the message that "The People Make the Library."

Read more 
Vermont Early Literacy Initiative Receives $22K Grant

earlyliteracy logo The Turrell Fund of Montclair, New Jersey, has awarded a grant of $22,178 to the Department of Libraries in support of the Vermont Early Literacy Initiative, a joint project of the Department of Libraries (VTLIB) and the Vermont Center for the Book (VCB). Beginning in 2010, VTLIB and VCB have partnered on this statewide initiative for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers and have provided the training program in 53 public libraries, supporting library staff in bringing early literacy experiences to children, parents and local childcare providers. The training, based on research on how babies and toddlers learn, improves library storytimes and helps the librarians introduce concepts of early literacy to parents and caregivers. The Initiative combines the VCB's "Beginning with Mother Goose" Program and the American Library Association's "Every Child Ready to Read" program to create a program customized for Vermont. The Turrell Fund grant will allow us to continue and expand the program in 2013. For more information about the Vermont Early Literacy Initiative, see: http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/cbec/eli.

Digital Economy Project $1.8M Grant Award Announced    

Megan Allison At a press conference at the State House on January 11, Paul Costello, Executive Director of the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD), and Senator Patrick Leahy announced a federal grant award of $1.8 million to VCRD to fund the Digital Economy Project. The Department of Libraries is a partner in this grant project which will build on the success of the e-Vermont Community Broadband Project by offering a new round of broadband services for Vermont communities. Speakers at the press conference included Megan Allison, librarian at the Moretown Elementary School. Moretown was one of 24 e-Vermont communities in the earlier grant program. In this new project, VCRD and the grant partners will integrate the use of online tools into rural business strategies, community development, and economic development efforts to build robust virtual systems that strengthen local economies. This follows the recovery from Tropical Storm Irene and the 2011 May floods, with the goal of equipping Vermont's rural regions with resources so that they can be more resilient to future disruptions. Read more
e-Vermont Community Broadband Project Concludes

e-VT logo As a partner in the federal e-Vermont Community Broadband Project, the Vermont Department of Libraries (VTLIB) worked with the Vermont Council on Rural Development, Front Porch Forum, Community College of Vermont, the Snelling Center, the Vermont Community Foundation, the Vermont Small Business Development Center, Digital Wish, 24 e-Vermont communities, and other partners to develop programs and services that would expand use of the Internet and computer technology in rural Vermont towns. VTLIB provided guidance and equipment to 26 public libraries; 24 of these libraries are located in e-Vermont towns and two serve the residents of e-Vermont towns in the absence of their own local public library. This grant provided critical funding to these libraries, making it possible for them to meet the growing demand for internet access, current computer technology, digital tools and resources, and instruction in the use of computers and digital tools. Read more 

What E-Rate Means to a Library 
The federally-supported FCC E-Rate program provides telecommunications discounts to schools and public libraries through a reimbursement or refund program from phone or telecommunications service providers. Most Vermont public libraries that apply for E-Rate funds can expect to receive a discount of 60% to 80% on their phone or circuit charges. These refunds help libraries pay the telecommunications bills and make broadband more accessible to their community by making it more affordable for the library.  Read more

Tom McMurdo : UVM to VTLIB - More than the V Unites Us 

As I near the completion of my second month as Collections & Digital Initiatives Librarian, I would like to share my perspective on moving from the Bailey/Howe Library at the University of Vermont to the Vermont State Library in Montpelier. Though Bailey/Howe and VTLIB are separated by just about 40 miles, they are often thought of as residents of different worlds by some Vermonters. This is a natural conclusion that follows the missions of both-Bailey/Howe supports student, staff, and faculty research, while VTLIB serves the state government, public libraries and the general public. But, in my experience, they have much more in common than their missions might suggest. Read more

Take Your Child to the Library Day Feb. 2  
take your child to the library poster The 2nd annual Take Your Child to the Library Day will be held on Saturday, Feb 2, 2013. Last year over 120 libraries in 20 states and Canada participated, including some in Vermont. This year, anticipating many more libraries, Highsmith has produced materials to help celebrate the day, featuring the artwork of children's author/illustrator Nancy Elizabeth Wallace. Read more  
Apply for a Big Read Grant, Deadline Feb. 5  
 

The Big Read is accepting applications from non-profit organizations to develop community-wide reading programs between September 2013 and June 2014. Created in response to the 2004 National Endowment for the Arts report Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America, the Big Read is a national program designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment. Organizations selected to participate in The Big Read receive a grant, educational and promotional materials, and access to online training resources and opportunities. Program activities should focus on one book or poet from The Big Read Library. Approximately 75 organizations from across the country will be selected.


To review the guidelines and application instructions, visit
The Big Read website. The deadline for applications is February 5.

Celebrate International Children's Book Day    

children's book day poster International Children's Book Day, celebrated on or near April 2, Hans Christian Andersen's birthday, is organized by IBBY, the International Board of Books for Youth. Each year a different country sponsors the day, and this year our section of IBBY, the United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) has the honor. 

 

This day is a good time to celebrate books from other countries and children and customs from around the world. For more information, see http://www.usbby.org/icbd.html.  Lots of great program ideas, as well as a poster created by artist Ashley Bryan and poet Pat Mora are available now at: http://internationalchildrensbookday.wordpress.com/.

Materials Review Session in Northfield April 5    

Librarians who select books for children and teens will want to go to the spring Materials Review session at the Brown Public Library in Northfield on Friday, April 5, at 9:00 a.m. Grace Greene, the Youth Services Consultant, will orally review approximately 75 books published at the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013. In addition to these, there will be many nonfiction books recommended by the review media and others recommended by volunteer Vermont reviewers. There will be a formal part to the program as well as plenty of time to examine all the books. RETN (Regional Educational Technology Network) will videotape the Northfield presentation, so those who are not able to attend will be able to see it from the RETN website.

 

Directions to the Brown Public Library in Northfield: From the North, take I89 to Exit 8 (Montpelier) and follow Route 12 South; from the South, take I89 to Exit 5 (Northfield/Williamstown) and take Route 12 North. The library is located on Route 12 (Main Street) in downtown Northfield. Parking is available in the library parking lots and in the United Church parking lot directly across the street from the library. The library telephone number is 485-4621.

Authors O'Connor, Messner to Address DCF Conference May 3

The eleventh annual Dorothy Canfield Fisher (DCF) conference for teachers and librarians will be held on Friday, May 3, 2013, at the Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee. The keynote speaker will be Barbara O'Connor, a popular middle grades author who has had several books on Dorothy Canfield Fisher master lists, and the afternoon speaker will be Kate Messner, author of books for all ages, and an almost Vermonter (she lives across the lake in New York). In addition, there will be workshops on various aspects of reading and on ways to promote the list, both low and high tech.  

 

Books (those on the 2013-14 DCF master list and ones by O'Connor and Messner) will be for sale at a 20% discount from the Norwich Bookstore. The conference is cosponsored by Friends of DCF, the DCF Award Committee, Vermont Department of Libraries, the Department of Education, VT-NEA, Vermont School Library Association, and the Vermont Library Association. Registration forms have been sent out to all libraries and schools, and can also be found here: http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/cbec/dcf/dcfconference . Deadline to register is April 19, 2013.


ONLY COMPLETE ARTICLES BEYOND THIS POINT

MARTYFrom the Vermont State Librarian

Most of the readers of this newsletter will be aware of the recent decisions made by the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum Board of Trustees that included asking all library staff to submit their resignations as part of an institutional restructuring program. http://www.stjathenaeum.org/docs/Bill-Marshall-OPed.pdf  

Reaction from the Vermont library community, including the Vermont Library Association  and St. Johnsbury library supporters, was swift and focused, resulting in the formation of a new library advocacy group and a "Hug the Library" rally held at the Athenaeum on January 12 (see: http://www.rurallibrariansunite.org/ ) which sent out the message that "The People Make the Library."

 

Though it is not the State's role to intervene in local library or town decisions, I want to join my library colleagues in recognizing the outstanding work of Library Director Lisa von Kann and the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum staff. I agree that it is the PEOPLE that "make [a] library." Of course libraries are about books, computers and physical structures. But these things have no real value without the people - those who administer, lead, fund, use and work - in our libraries. The rally's message highlighted the value of our librarians and library support staff who provide quality library service throughout Vermont. We know that libraries change the lives of those who use them and that it is the work of librarians and other library workers that make this happen. Without librarians, these services are hollow. After all, it is the librarians who select the books that go on the shelves (and read them so they can offer suggestions to library users), design and present programs for folks of all ages, answer the reference questions, teach digital literacy skills for novice computer users, purchase e-books and other digital content, keep up-to-speed on new technologies, prepare budgets, write reports, help job-seekers, talk with community members, develop and strengthen community partnerships, and a host of other things. They enrich the experience of every library user and make each library its own unique community center. Our librarians are essential to quality library service - in ANY kind of library. But to "make the library" a success, we also depend on other people for support: library trustees and Library Friends, town officials, library users and the citizens who vote on library budgets at town meeting. Libraries need all of these people to be engaged, informed and involved, and this kind of engagement requires good planning, communication, a shared sense of purpose, adequate resources, and financial support.

 

Good libraries don't happen by accident, and there is no one right way to structure and operate a library, especially in the 21st century when technology and the economy play such critical roles (and sometimes havoc). Over the past few years I have seen the economy chip away at libraries in Vermont and in other states. Across the country hundreds of librarians have lost their jobs and dozens of libraries have been forced to close their doors. In Vermont, public library boards and town officials have cut staff and reduced library hours. Some of our school librarians have seen their full time jobs become part time, and where they may have worked in a single school before, they are now responsible for library service in multiple outlets. These are challenging times and people (trustees, policymakers, town officials, librarians, etc.) are often called upon to make difficult (and, as we have seen in St. Johnsbury, sometimes controversial) decisions. We are rightfully proud that our democracy gives opportunity for citizens to voice their opinions and directly address policymakers and public officials, and at the same time I think we can all agree with President Obama when he said that democracy can sometimes be "messy."

 

The events in St. Johnsbury should prompt library trustees and library directors across the state to look at their own libraries and to ask: Who are the people who "make" our library? How do we communicate the value of our library and library staff in our own community? How do we best listen to and discover from local residents what they want from our library? What kinds of partnerships have we developed? How have we promoted our services and told "our story" to local citizens and town officials? Have we invited local public officials to visit our library so they can see firsthand what we do? Are our trustees and Friends equipped with statistics and stories that tell the good news of our library? Do we have a good strategic plan in place that supports fiscal responsibility while also moving our library forward? The Department of Libraries works with library directors, Board members and library Friends to think about these questions and to develop strategic plans and advocacy strategies in their local communities. Many of our public libraries have participated in the Public Library Association's "Turning the Page" advocacy program. We know from participants that they value this kind of training and are implementing what they learn. I encourage librarians and library trustees to learn more about this program and to think about ways to strengthen library services in your community. For more information, contact Asst. State Librarian Christine Friese at: [email protected].

 

Societal changes and technological innovation require that libraries remain flexible and adapt to new and ever-changing roles. It is up to libraries (that means library staff, the library board, the library planning team, etc.) to look to local community needs and plan services accordingly. Library trustees everywhere have the obligation to listen to the community, examine how and where they spend money for library service - and to garner the financial support needed to make it happen. Our Department is here to help, so let's keep in touch.

If you want to respond to me directly about my comments here, I invite you to do so at: [email protected].

 

Martha Reid  

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Digital Economy Project $1.8M Grant Award Announced fivestar2

At a press conference at the State House on January 11, Paul Costello, Executive Director of the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD), and Senator Patrick Leahy announced a federal grant award of $1.8 million to VCRD to fund the Digital Economy Project. The Department of Libraries is a partner in this grant project which will build on the success of the e-Vermont Community Broadband Project by offering a new round of broadband services for Vermont communities. Speakers at the press conference included Megan Allison, librarian at the Moretown Elementary School. Moretown was one of 24 e-Vermont communities in the earlier grant program. In this new project, VCRD and the grant partners will integrate the use of online tools into rural business strategies, community development, and economic development efforts to build robust virtual systems that strengthen local economies. This follows the recovery  from Tropical Storm Irene and the 2011 May floods, with the goal of equipping Vermont's rural regions with resources so that they can be more resilient to future disruptions. Other grant partners include the Snelling Center for Government, IBM, Microsoft, the Vermont Small Business Development Center, and Vermont State Colleges. The Department of Libraries will work with Vermont State Colleges and the Community College of Vermont to continue and expand the Internet Intern program, which trains college students to provide one-on-one "digital literacy" computer training and assistance to citizens in public libraries.

 

The Vermont Digital Economy Project will ensure that online tools are put to best use for a strong, resilient regional economy. The federal award of $1.8M along with $465K in matching funds and in-kind services brings the project total to close to $2.3M. For more information about the Department of Libraries' partnership in this project, contact Christine Friese at: [email protected].

  

A pdf of Megan Allison's remarks at the VCRD press conference can be accessed at:

http://libraries.vermont.gov/sites/libraries/file/ce/Economic%20Development%20Administration%20January%2011%202013.pdf    

 

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e-Vermont Community Broadband Project Concludes ARSL 

As a partner in the federal e-Vermont Community Broadband Project, the Vermont Department of Libraries (VTLIB) worked with the Vermont Council on Rural Development, Front Porch Forum, Community College of Vermont, the Snelling Center, the Vermont Community Foundation, the Vermont Small Business Development Center, Digital Wish, 24 e-Vermont communities, and other partners to develop programs and services that would expand use of the Internet and computer technology in rural Vermont towns. VTLIB provided guidance and equipment to 26 public libraries; 24 of these libraries are located in e-Vermont towns and two serve the residents of e-Vermont towns in the absence of their own local public library. This grant provided critical funding to these libraries, making it possible for them to meet the growing demand for internet access, current computer technology, digital tools and resources, and instruction in the use of computers and digital tools. These are the libraries that took part in the grant project:

 

Alburgh Public Library, Grand Isle County

Martha Canfield Memorial Free Library, Arlington

Lawrence Memorial Library, Bristol

Varnum Memorial Library, Cambridge/Jeffersonville

Alice M. Ward Memorial Library, Canaan

Castleton Free Library, Castleton

Dover Free Library, Dover

Bent Northrop Memorial Library, Fairfield

Grand Isle Free Library, Grand Isle County

Jeudevine Memorial Library, Hardwick

Island Pond Public Library, Brighton

Fletcher Memorial Library, Ludlow

Middletown Springs Public Library, Middletown Springs

Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier (serving the e-Vermont towns of Middlesex and Calais)

Moretown Memorial Library, Moretown

Morristown Centennial Library, Morristown

Goodrich Memorial Library, Newport

North Hero Public Library, Grand Isle County

Poultney Public Library, Poultney

Solomon Wright Public Library, Pownal

Arvin A. Brown Public Library, Richford

South Hero Community Library, Grand Isle County

William & Lucy Rand Memorial Library, Troy (serving Jay)

Bixby Memorial Library, Vergennes

West Rutland Public Library, West Rutland

Hitchcock Museum & Library, Westfield

 

The grant included $96,000 for the purchase of equipment and resources for libraries: desktop, laptop and notebook computers; e-readers (e.g. Kindles, Nooks); tablets (e.g. iPads); printers and scanners; digital video cams; and wireless routers. Three of the libraries used grant funds to purchase a year's subscription to the Vermont Online Library, a "library" of electronic resources with information on careers and jobs, foreign language acquisition, health, business and more. Three of the e-Vermont libraries used grant funds to automate their library collections, moving them from the era of the card catalog to 21st century online catalogs that can be searched from remote sites, giving incentive for residents to subscribe to home internet service.

 

Among the programs and services that are now offered by these libraries as a result of this grant:

  • collaboration projects to record local history and preserve existing historical documents and photographs;
  • mobile laptop labs taken to provide on-site computer training to underserved populations, including migrant workers and residents of senior residences;
  • enhanced public internet access for local residents and others (e.g. tourists or seasonal residents) via new public PCs and laptops and free public WiFi;
  • programs to engage teens in using new technology for learning and creative pursuits;
  • introduction of a range of new technology and devices to citizens of all ages.

VTLIB provided one-on-one consulting for these libraries to create or update their library websites. These new sites have user-friendly links to online databases and downloadable e-books and audiobooks that citizens can now access from their home or office. All e-Vermont libraries now subscribe to one or more products that provide free access to: online databases for research, language learning tools, genealogy and local history, online classes for lifelong learning and downloadable audio books and e-books.  

 

VTLIB, along with e-Vermont partner Community College of Vermont (CCV), has helped libraries address the "digital literacy" needs of Vermont citizens, providing one-on-one computer assistance and mentoring via the Internet Intern Program. This program allows for assistance that is tailored to each individual; needs ranged from basic computer skills to the use of specific applications such as Flickr, Skype or Excel. Over the course of three college terms, 19 student Interns from CCV and the Vermont State Colleges received instruction in methods and curriculum for teaching digital literacy skills and then spent four to six hours per week in 14 e-Vermont public libraries, working with local citizens. Both library staff members and student Interns reported very positive responses to the one-on-one teaching model, which allowed students to focus on the level and topics of the individual learners. Citizen learners reported that the Interns were patient and knowledgeable. Topics included email basics, navigation of Craigslist, effective searching for recipes, understanding Facebook, uploading photos, completing online job applications,and using Excel, among others.

 

Overall, these libraries have reported strengthened partnerships with other town organizations and an appreciation of the new equipment and new technologies that they would not otherwise have been able to make available to library users. The e-Vermont Project and its partners have proven that community collaboration, new technology, and innovative uses of the internet can bring powerful changes to the lives of rural residents and can advance work on local and statewide issues of importance to Vermonters.

 

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 worldWhat E-Rate Means to a Library 

The federally-supported FCC E-Rate program provides telecommunications discounts to schools and public libraries through a reimbursement or refund program from phone or telecommunications service providers. Most Vermont public libraries that apply for E-Rate funds can expect to receive a discount of 60% to 80% on their phone or circuit charges. These refunds help libraries pay the telecommunications bills and make broadband more accessible to their community by making it more affordable for the library.  

 

The application period for the upcoming 2013 E-Rate funding year which runs from July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014 is now open. Libraries planning to apply for E-Rate funds for 2013 will need to submit two forms to begin the filing process: (1) Form 470 must be submitted no later than February 14, and, (2) Form 471 no later than March 14, 2013. Libraries should not wait until the last day to file E-Rate forms. Also, please note that after Form 470 is submitted libraries must wait 28 days before they can file Form 471.  

 

To learn more about the E-Rate program, take a look at their official site at: http://www.usac.org/sl/default.aspx. Begin by reading the section on "Getting Started" at the top of the homepage. For more information, please contact Michael Roche, VTLIB's Coordinator of E-Rate services for Vermont public libraries, at: [email protected], or 802-748-3428.

 

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tom Tom McMurdo : UVM to VTLIB - More than the V Unites Us 

 As I near the completion of my second month as Collections & Digital Initiatives Librarian, I would like to share my perspective on moving from the Bailey/Howe Library at the University of Vermont to the Vermont State Library in Montpelier. Though Bailey/Howe and VTLIB are separated by just about 40 miles, they are often thought of as residents of different worlds by some Vermonters. This is a natural conclusion that follows the missions of both-Bailey/Howe supports student, staff, and faculty research, while VTLIB serves the state government, public libraries and the general public. But, in my experience, they have much more in common than their missions might suggest.  

 

At UVM and VTLIB there are friendly, helpful librarians, both behind the scenes and in public service roles. I have seen reference librarians at each institution encourage questions from patrons, and work to answer difficult queries in ways that facilitate learning and discovery. As Head of Technical Services at VTLIB, and in my role working alongside Technical Services at UVM, I am pleased to say that both departments are similar in the work they do to make access to library resources as clear and as easy as possible. Good cataloging is at the heart of both Bailey/Howe and VTLIB. Accurately describing library materials and making them readily accessible to library users is paramount to the usefulness of any library's collections.  

 

There is tremendous institutional memory present in the experience of the catalogers in the technical services departments at UVM and VTLIB. This institutional memory is greatly beneficial not only in the day to day decisions that catalogers make, but it is also a real boon for someone like me newly beginning their work. It makes things so much easier when you can talk to someone who can not only explain why something is the way that it is, but also can describe the process of the decision making that reached that conclusion. This experience also comes in handy when I forget my usual brown bag lunch. The importance of knowing what restaurants are good should not be underestimated!

 

As a newcomer to Vermont two years ago, I arrived at Bailey/Howe to help start the Vermont Digital Newspaper Project. I was coming from Berkeley and had been in the state once-for my interview-before starting work, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Now, less than two years later, I moved up to VTLIB-what I perceived to be a much different kind of environment. At both places I found friendly colleagues who are invested in making me feel welcome. I also found institutions filled with dedicated professionals that are much more alike than different.  

 

In the two short years that I have been in Vermont, I have come to realize that it is unlike any other place I have been. The quiet daily efforts of library staff and librarians, not just at UVM and VTLIB, but across the state, are part of what makes Vermont what it is: a great place to live.

 

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VTLATake Your Child to the Library Day Feb. 2

The 2nd annual Take Your Child to the Library Day will be held on Saturday, Feb 2, 2013. Last year over 120 libraries in 20 states and Canada participated, including some in Vermont. This year, anticipating many more libraries, Highsmith has produced materials to help celebrate the day, featuring the artwork of children's author/illustrator Nancy Elizabeth Wallace:

http://www.highsmith.com/upstart/search/theme:Take%20Your%20Child%20to%20the%20Library 

 

More information about the celebration is available at: http://takeyourchildtothelibrary.blogspot.com/  as well as on their Facebook page at:

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Take-Your-Child-to-the-Library-Day/286965704682090 

 

Currently the following Vermont libraries are registered as participating this year: Charlotte Library; Lanpher Memorial Library in Hyde Park; Rockingham Free Public Library, Bellows Falls; Springfield Town Library and Warren Public Library. It is not too late for other libraries to sign up, encourage family reading and activities and join the fun.

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newNew in the Library Science Collection 

These titles may be borrowed through interlibrary loan from the Vermont Department of Libraries, Central Collection.

 

Battles, Matthew. Library: An Unquiet History. New York : W.W. Norton, 2003.

 

Cassell, Kay Ann. Reference and Information Services: An Introduction.   Chicago : Neal-Schuman, an imprint of the American Library Association, 2013.

 

Fish, Thomas R. Next Chapter Book Club: A Model Community Literacy Program for People with Intellectual Disabilities. Bethesda, MD : Woodbine House, 2009.

 

Harland, Pamela Colburn. The Learning Commons: Seven Simple Steps to Transform Your Library. Santa Barbara, California : Libraries Unlimited, 2011.

 

Woodward, Jeannette A. The Transformed Library: E-books, Expertise, and Evolution. Chicago : ALA Editions, an imprint of the American Library Association, 2013.

 

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