people in VT libraries
     
In This Issue
From the State Librarian
Grant Opportunity: Spark a Culture of Innovation
6 Public Library Certifications Awarded
UX Concepts Improve Library User Experience
Libraries, Hunger Free VT Combat Summer Slide
VPLF Awards 5 Classical Connections Grants
Green Mountain Book Award Winner, New Logo
VT-Recorded Audiobooks for the Blind Available Nationally
New Hours at State Libary Begin July 1
Staff Changes at the Department of Libraries
Reception Honoring Paul Donovan, July 10
How to Read a Story cover
New Titles for Children & Teens: June Video Review
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topFrom the State Librarian

MartaReidVTStateLibrarian

Each year Library Journal (LJ), in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, honors a U.S. public library which "most profoundly demonstrates outstanding service to populations of 25,000 or less" with the Best Small Library in America award, and publishes a feature article about the winning library in their February 1 issue. Eleven libraries in ten states have received past awards and in 2016 the "best small library" will receive a cash award of $20,000, along with other prizes. Eligible libraries have until September 9, 2015 to submit an application. Anyone can nominate a library: library administrators, trustees, community members, patrons, public officials, or peer libraries. Eligibility and submission requirements are now available. Full article

Grant Opportunity: 

Spark a Culture of Innovation 

children at workshop
2014 Squishy Circuits workshop

Returning with a slightly new name, but all the fun and learning of 2014, is the grant program Maker Programs in Vermont Libraries: Spark a Culture of Innovation, funded by the Vermont Community Foundation. Ten public libraries will each receive two STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) programs. Libraries will be able to choose from among five modules: Creative Creatures, E-Origami, E-Textiles, Squishy Circuits, and Toy Hacking. Full article 

6 Public Librarian Certifications Awarded 

certification recipients The following people completed the Vermont Department of Libraries' certification program for public librarians and were presented with their certificates at the 121st annual Vermont Library Association Conference on May 18. They also received a letter of appreciation from Governor Peter Shumlin. We congratulate them for all of their hard work and dedication. Full article 

UX Concepts Improve Library User Experience
Like most organizations, public libraries are deeply interested in User Experience, or UX. UX focuses on the areas of library service that make visitors want to return to the library and recommend the library to their friends and neighbors: good customer service and user-friendly policies, well-designed websites and library signage that really works. Libraries want their patrons to enjoy rich, satisfying experiences when they use the library facility, ask tech questions, download ebooks and audiobooks, attend programs, or browse the book shelves and displays. Full article

Libraries, Hunger Free VT

Combat Summer Slide  

Hunger Free VT logo During the school year, over 37,000 Vermont children rely on free or reduced-price meals provided in school cafeterias. During the summer, many of these children are at risk of experiencing "summer slide" -- the loss of nutrition and learning skills to which low-income children are especially vulnerable when school is not in session. This summer, 22 public libraries are partnering with Hunger Free Vermont to provide free meals to Vermonters 18 and under. Full article 

VPLF Awards 5 Classical Connections Grants

The Vermont Public Library Foundation (VPLF) and the Department of Libraries are pleased to announce that five Classical Connections grants have been awarded for 2015. Classical Connections is a grant program administered through VPLF with the goal of introducing classic literature to middle school students and fostering collaborations between public and school libraries. Funding for the program is provided by Charlotte resident Alex Kroll. Full article 

Grabenstein Accepts DCF Award

DCF award ceremonyHundreds of children, parents, teachers, and librarians crowded into the Montpelier High School Auditorium on June 13 for the chance to hear the 2015 Dorothy Canfield Fisher (DCF) Award winning author speak. Chris Grabenstein's book, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, was voted this year's favorite by Vermont students in grades 4-8. Grabenstein was presented with the award, a painting of "Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Vermont artist Diana Dunn, as well as a card signed and illustrated by children attending the ceremony. He enthusiastically answered question after question from the crowd before sitting down to sign books and meet everyone one-on-one. Full article

Green Mountain Book Award Winner, New Logo  

The 5th Wave cover Vermont students in grades 9-12 have chosen Rick Yancey's The 5th Wave as the winner of the 2015 Green Mountain Book Award (GMBA). In this science fiction novel, a 16-year-old survivor tries to find and rescue her younger brother after the human population of Earth is decimated in a series of alien invasions. The first in a planned trilogy, The 5th Wave has garnered a long list of accolades, including being named among the Best Fiction for Young Adults by YALSA and Booklist in 2014. A film adaptation is due to be released early next year. A sequel, The Infinite Sea, came out in 2014 and the conclusion of the trilogy is scheduled for publication in 2016. Full article  

VT-Recorded Audiobooks for the Blind

Available Nationally 

headphones on books Under the guidance of former Special Services Librarian Teresa Faust, the Department of Libraries' Special Services Unit (SSU) -- which includes the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped -- launched a local Vermont recording program in late 2013. This program makes available to blind, visually impaired, and physically disabled library patrons books and magazines of Vermont interest that are not available nationally through the National Library Service of the Library of Congress. The new recording program features books by Vermont authors, books set in Vermont, books on topics of importance to Vermonters, and Vermont magazines. Full article 

New Hours at State Library Begin July 1 

As a result of a FY16 budget reduction, the Department of Libraries will reduce hours of operation and phase out Law Library services at the Vermont State Library, located on the 2nd floor of the Pavilion Building in Montpelier, beginning July 1. Full article

Staff Changes at the Department of Libraries

As most readers know, the Department of Libraries will lose four positions in July as a result of a FY16 budget reduction passed by the legislature in May. In addition to losing two vacant positions at the Special Services Unit (the Unit's Head Librarian and a Program Services Clerk), the Department will lose two long-time employees who have each made important contributions to the Department's work. Full article

Reception Honoring Paul Donovan, July 10 

After 40 years in state government and 17 years as State Law Librarian, Paul Donovan will be leaving his position at the Department of Libraries in July. He has earned high regard in law and library communities during his tenure at the State Library. Please join the staff of the Department of Libraries at a reception to celebrate Paul Donovan's service to the State on Friday, July 10, 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the Vermont State Library, 2nd Floor, 109 State Street in Montpelier. Formal remarks at 2:30 p.m.


ONLY COMPLETE ARTICLES BEYOND THIS POINT

MartyFrom the Vermont State Librarian

Each year Library Journal (LJ), in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, honors a U.S. public library which "most profoundly demonstrates outstanding service to populations of 25,000 or less" with the Best Small Library in America award, and publishes a feature article about the winning library in their February 1 issue. Eleven libraries in ten states have received past awards and in 2016 the "best small library" will receive a cash award of $20,000, along with other prizes. Eligible libraries have until September 9, 2015 to submit an application. Anyone can nominate a library: library administrators, trustees, community members, patrons, public officials, or peer libraries. Eligibility and submission requirements are now available.

 

In Vermont we have 183 public libraries -- and, with the exception of the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington, all of them serve populations of less than 25,000. So it should come as no surprise that I spend a lot of my time thinking about small libraries -- about their buildings, staff, collections and services and how to encourage and support innovation and excellence in each of these libraries. I know that our libraries need diverse collections, e-resources, robust resource sharing, well-trained staff, the latest technology, innovative programs and services, and engaged and well-informed trustees. I also know that our small libraries face challenges, including too small, aging buildings and shrinking budgets.

 

My thinking led me back to the LJ archives to read the articles written about these eleven "best small libraries" to better understand what they did that earned them their "best" standing. The libraries are located all over the country -- in Alaska, Colorado (twice), Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, and West Virginia, and some past winners are in very small towns, with small budgets. Just reading the titles of the LJ articles gives a quick glimpse of the qualities that put these libraries at the top:

  • "The Library Haines Built" (Haines Borough Public Library, AK) showed what can happen when vision, community support, and partners come together to increase funding and develop new library services, create programs for at-risk youth, win grants for innovative programs with the local Native American community, and build a brand new library. (2005)
  • "Everyone's Hitching Post" describes the Milanof-Schock Library's (Mount Joy, PA) "hustle" to be the combined community center, youth center, and senior center in a small but growing farming town. The library moved from offering 5 to 50 programs a month -- with a budget of $10.86 per capita. (2006)
  • "Moab's Living Room" showcased the building of a new library, with architecture that mirrors the local wild beauty, services that meet the needs of locals as well as a large tourist population, and "teen machine" media workstations. (Grand County Public Library, Moab, UT, 2007)
  • "A Michigan Model" of innovative funding, strong community support, new kinds of programming for seniors and children, and a spirited staff allowed the Chelsea District Library (MI) to double the size of its building. (2008)
  • "Carolina Dreaming" highlighted the library's transformation from a place with old books and lackluster programming to an "inclusive, modern, service-oriented, community center" over just three years of planning and change "on a shoestring." (Union County Carnegie Library, SC, 2009)
  • "Delivering on 'Yes,'" the Glen Carbon Centennial Library (IL) used the Disney model to develop a staff that delivers ideas, innovation, and upbeat customer service and lives the library's motto: "more than you expect." (2010)
  • "Labor of Love" described the straw-bale construction of a library in the economically poor town of Naturita, CO (with a Vermont-sized population of 665) and the development of a "vibrant and responsive community center." (2011)
  • "Transformed by Team Work" tells the story of the turnaround of a "dying" library in Independence, KS, and the positive results that come with strong partnerships. (2012)
  • "Little Library with a BIG Heart" describes the Southern Area Public Library (WV) which transformed itself from a "good traditional library" to a "bustling center of community activity ... and learning" -- all with 2 staff and 20 volunteers. (2013)
  • "Building a Living Library" showcased the Pine River Library (CO) which has a motto of "connecting people to possibilities." An expansion of their building and library programs prompted an explosion in library use. (2014)
  • "The Loaves and Fishes Library" (Belgrade Community Library, MT) Working with partners, including a university continuing ed program, Belgrade created a library that is a vibrant learning center, with a stong "tech tutor" program. (2015)

Reading these articles reminds me that the best libraries (no matter how big or small) have some things in common: strong, dynamic leadership, a service-minded staff who are given freedom to dream, plan and innovate, strong community support and partnerships, a clear vision of what the library should (could) be, a focus on the library as community and learning center, and the willingness and means to carefully research, learn and plan -- and do the work to make it all happen.

 

These are qualities I see in many Vermont public libraries. It is not the size of the building or even the budget that determines whether one library is "better" than another. Rather, it is the willingness of library administration and trustees to listen to their community members, create a vision and a plan for what might be, build a great staff, develop and strengthen partnerships, and be courageous about making change. Some would say that small libraries cannot afford the kind of transformation demonstrated by these eleven award-winning libraries. I say that we cannot afford NOT to have this kind of change and innovation in our public libraries. We have our share of "library stars" in Vermont --and I hope that Vermont libraries will take this award program to heart because it offers a road map for transformation, whether they aim to apply for the LJ award or not. And who knows? Maybe we'll see one of Vermont's finest on a future cover of Library Journal!

 

Regards, 

 

Marty Reid 

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makersGrant Opportunity: Spark a Culture of Innovation  

Returning with a slightly new name, but all the fun and learning of 2014, is the grant program Maker Programs in Vermont Libraries: Spark a Culture of Innovation, funded by the Vermont Community Foundation. Ten public libraries will each receive two STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) programs. Libraries will be able to choose from among five modules: Creative Creatures, E-Origami, E-Textiles, Squishy Circuits, and Toy Hacking.

 

Designed to turn kids on to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math education, the program is a partnership between the Craftsbury Public Library, the Vermont Department of Libraries, the Vermont Public Library Foundation, Champlain Makers Faire, and the Vermont Library Association. In 2014, the first year of the program, 14 Vermont communities hosted events attended by 453 kids and adults. Libraries interested in applying this year can find the application at http://libraries.vermont.gov/sites/libraries/files/InitiativesProjects/VCFGrantApplicationYr2.pdf.

 

Libraries will not receive funds, they will receive programs -- curriculum, instructors, and equipment. More information and details about each module can be found at http://libraries.vermont.gov/services/projects/VTLibrariesandMakers.   

 

Schedule


Application due:                                 August 3

Winners announced:                           August 14
Winners submit dates for programs:    September 1
Programs take place:                          October 1, 2015-April 1, 2016

Please contact Mara Siegel at [email protected] or (802) 828-2727 with any questions.

 

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publib6 Public Librarian Certifications Awarded 

The following people completed the Vermont Department of Libraries' certification program for public librarians and were presented with their certificates at the 121st annual Vermont Library Association Conference on May 18. They also received a letter of appreciation from Governor Peter Shumlin. We congratulate them for all of their hard work and dedication.

 

Bree Drapa, Westford Public Library

Tracey Durgan, Arvin A. Brown Library, Richford

Anne Hatch, Groton Free Public Library

Susanna Kahn, Charlotte Library
Wendy Savery, Gilbert Hart Library, Wallingford

Ryan Zajac, Roxbury Free Library 

For more information about the
Vermont Certificate of Public Librarianship, or other continuing education programs offered by the Department of Libraries, contact Mara Siegel, Continuing Education Coordinator, at [email protected].

 

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Like most organizations, public libraries are deeply interested in User Experience, or UX. UX focuses on the areas of library service that make visitors want to return to the library and recommend the library to their friends and neighbors: good customer service and user-friendly policies, well-designed websites and library signage that really works. Libraries want their patrons to enjoy rich, satisfying experiences when they use the library facility, ask tech questions, download ebooks and audiobooks, attend programs, or browse the book shelves and displays.

 

For libraries seeking to improve or learn about UX concepts, Aaron Schmidt's column in Library Journal is a good place to start. Whether the library is hiring new staff, developing a service philosophy or deciding which programs to begin (or end), UX lends clarity and focus to the discussion.

 

In their book Useful, Usable, Desirable: Applying User Experience Design to Your Library, Schmidt and Amanda Etches supply many strategies. For example, they use UX to examine community needs as problems to be solved. UX suggests two research techniques to identify needs: community interviews and cultural probes. Community interviews involve asking 5-7 people, not all library users, open-ended questions about their lives, needs, goals and motivation. The interview responses offer true life snapshots. Using this information, the library and its partners will be able to make improvements to their service delivery.

 

Cultural probes use still cameras and blank journals to capture input. Each of 5-7 community members gets a camera, a journal and instructions to tell the story of their own library experience by, for example, taking a picture every day and making a journal entry every two days. The photos and entries illustrate their personal experiences, highlight community issues and can provide fodder for library programs.

 

A quicker path to UX is by conducting a community survey, and Library Research Service has excellent, free templates. Libraries can check out samples of a short survey on customer satisfaction, as well as more advanced tools which include questions on library usage and local demographics.

 

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mealsLibraries, Hunger Free VT Combat Summer Slide

During the school year, over 37,000 Vermont children rely on free or reduced-price meals provided in school cafeterias. During the summer, many of these children are at risk of experiencing "summer slide" -- the loss of nutrition and learning skills to which low-income children are especially vulnerable when school is not in session. This summer, 22 public libraries are partnering with Hunger Free Vermont to provide free meals to Vermonters 18 and under.

 

Most libraries work with local sponsors or volunteers who supply and serve the meals; libraries provide the space and advertise the program throughout their communities. Libraries that participated in past years have found that combining meals with an activity or story time has been particularly effective in attracting families and children to the library during the summer. All meals are completely free to children and teens 18 and under.

 

The libraries hosting summer meals in 2015 are:

 

Aldrich Public Library (Barre)

Barton Public Library

Bennington Free Library

Bradford Public Library

Brooks Memorial Library (Brattleboro)

Lawrence Memorial Library (Bristol)

Fletcher Free Library (Burlington)

Cabot Public Library

Dailey Memorial Library (Derby)

Greensboro Free Library

Highgate Public Library

Jaquith Public Library (Marshfield)

Milton Public Library

Brown Public Library (Northfield)

Royalton Memorial Library

St. Johnsbury Athenaeum

Platt Memorial Library (Shoreham)

Rand Memorial Library (North Troy)

Tunbridge Public Library

Bixby Memorial Library (Vergennes)

Calef Memorial Library (Washington)

Winooski Memorial Library (alternate site in inclement weather)

 

Flyers listing all summer meal sites by county can be found at https://www.hungerfreevt.org/summer-meals-sites. All Vermont libraries are encouraged to help make families aware of this program by posting information about locally available meals.

 

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ccVPLF Awards 5 Classical Connections Grants

The Vermont Public Library Foundation (VPLF) and the Department of Libraries are pleased to announce that five Classical Connections grants have been awarded for 2015. Classical Connections is a grant program administered through VPLF with the goal of introducing classic literature to middle school students and fostering collaborations between public and school libraries. Funding for the program is provided by Charlotte resident Alex Kroll.

 

The 2015 grant recipients are:

 

Brownell Library (Essex Junction)

Burnham Memorial Library (Colchester)

Fairfax Community Library

Franklin Grand Isle Bookmobile

Jamaica Memorial Library

 

Each library has been awarded up to $500 in support of programs pairing a classic novel with a modern title. Librarians have designed reading groups and activities around each pair of books to encourage tweens to explore and enjoy the classics.

 

Five curriculum guides for pairing classic and modern titles have been developed by the librarians of Charlotte Public Library and Charlotte Central School: Shakespeare and Gary Schmidt's The Wednesday Wars; mythology and Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief; Oliver Twist and Katherine Paterson's Jip: His Story; The Time Machine and Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan; and Treasure Island and M. H. Herlong's The Great Wide Sea. Teachers and librarians are welcome to make use of these materials, which are available on the Classical Connections website.  

 

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DCFGrabenstein Accepts DCF Award

Hundreds of children, parents, teachers, and librarians crowded into the Montpelier High School Auditorium on June 13 for the chance to hear the 2015 Dorothy Canfield Fisher (DCF) Award winning author speak. Chris Grabenstein's book, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, was voted this year's favorite by Vermont students in grades 4-8. Grabenstein was presented with the award, a painting of "Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Vermont artist Diana Dunn, as well as a card signed and illustrated by children attending the ceremony. He enthusiastically answered question after question from the crowd before sitting down to sign books and meet everyone one-on-one.

 

DCF Award painting ORCA Media recorded the presentation and Q & A, and the video may be viewed online at

 

To learn more about the DCF Award and the list of nominated books for 2015-16, visit http://libraries.vermont.gov/services/children_and_teens/book_awards/dcf.

 

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gmbaGreen Mountain Book Award Winner, New Logo

Vermont students in grades 9-12 have chosen Rick Yancey's The 5th Wave as the winner of the 2015 Green Mountain Book Award (GMBA). In this science fiction novel, a 16-year-old survivor tries to find and rescue her younger brother after the human population of Earth is decimated in a series of alien invasions. The first in a planned trilogy, The 5th Wave has garnered a long list of accolades, including being named among the Best Fiction for Young Adults by YALSA and Booklist in 2014. A film adaptation is due to be released early next year. A sequel, The Infinite Sea, came out in 2014 and the conclusion of the trilogy is scheduled for publication in 2016.

 

2015 marks the tenth year of the Green Mountain Book Award. In honor of this anniversary, high school students were invited to enter a contest to design a new logo to represent the award. Emma Stephens of Northfield created the winning graphic, which will be featured on all new GMBA materials. To request spine labels or bookmarks with the new logo, please contact Aidan Sammis at [email protected].

 

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SSUVT-Recorded Audiobooks for the Blind Available Nationally

Under the guidance of former Special Services Librarian Teresa Faust, the Department of Libraries' Special Services Unit (SSU) -- which includes the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped -- launched a local Vermont recording program in late 2013. This program makes available to blind, visually impaired, and physically disabled library patrons books and magazines of Vermont interest that are not available nationally through the National Library Service of the Library of Congress. The new recording program features books by Vermont authors, books set in Vermont, books on topics of importance to Vermonters, and Vermont magazines.

 

Five Vermont-produced books are now in circulation and have just been submitted to the Union Catalog of the National Library Service (NLS) for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, making them available to blind, visually impaired, and physically disabled library patrons nationwide. Patrons using the NLS in other states and U.S. territories will now be able to discover these Vermont items and borrow them through Interlibrary Loan.

 

The Vermont recordings are made in two studios: one at the Midstate Library Service Center/SSU facility in Berlin, and the other in space donated by the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired at its South Burlington office. Recordings are made by teams of trained volunteer narrators and monitors. There are three more titles currently in production, with an additional eight titles chosen for future recording.

 

For further information about SSU's local recording program and other services, please contact Interim Director Jennifer Hart at [email protected].

 

The five Vermont recorded books are:

 

At the Top of the Mountain cover Trouble on the Mountain cover Invasion on the Mountain cover Edwards, Judith. Invasion on the Mountain, Trouble on the Mountain, and At the Top of the Mountain.

This historical fiction trilogy follows the adventures of 12-year-old Will Ryan and the Civilian Conservation Corps on Mount Ascutney in the 1930s. Will, a local farm boy, uses his knowledge of the local landscape to help the young men of CCC Camp 129 as they build a summit road and develop the newly-created Ascutney State Park during the difficult years of the Great Depression. For middle school readers.

 

Dateline Vermont cover Graff, Chris. Dateline Vermont.

Former Associated Press Vermont Bureau Chief Chris Graff tells the inside story of the Green Mountain State's remarkable transformation from the most reliably Republican state in the nation to a bastion of progressivism. Drawing from his more than 25 years of reporting on Vermont politics, Graff discusses key events of 20th century Vermont and shares his memories of meeting some of the state's most colorful political figures.

 

My Name Is Jody Williams cover Williams, Jody. My Name Is Jody Williams.

During her childhood in Vermont, Jody Williams first started standing up to bullies in defense of her deaf brother Stephen. In this autobiography, she describes how her passion for social justice and human rights led her first to Central America in the 1980s and then onward to form the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, for which she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.

 

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hoursNew Hours at State Library Begin July 1

As a result of a FY16 budget reduction, the Department of Libraries will reduce hours of operation and phase out Law Library services at the Vermont State Library, located on the 2nd floor of the Pavilion Building in Montpelier, beginning July 1.

 

"We have worked very hard to maintain as many of our Department's services and programs as possible given the budget challenges facing the state," said State Librarian Martha Reid. "We will continue to work to sustain the high level of service our patrons have come to expect. But the reality is that we must make difficult choices and look for ways to live within our budget and meet as best we can the information needs of Vermonters."

 

The Department of Libraries has developed a plan for moving forward with a reduction of over $400,000 in state general funds. The first major change comes with trimming State Library hours, library staff, library collection purchases, and ending legal reference service.

 

Beginning July 1, the State Library will be open Monday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and closed on Fridays. The Library will retain its current print, state documents, and Vermont newspaper microfilm collections, including some law books and legislative history, but will not purchase any new law materials. The Library will maintain its subscription for public use to an electronic legal database for at least one more year.

 

The Department's FY16 budget includes a new appropriation of $67,000 which will be used as a grant to the Vermont Law School in South Royalton. Librarians at the Law School's Julien and Virginia Cornell Library will provide access to legal resources and reference assistance to the general public and the legal community, beginning this fall. For more information, contact the Vermont State Library at 802-828-3268 during their scheduled business hours, or the Law School's library at 802-831-1441. Until July 1, the State Library will be open Monday-Friday, 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

 

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staffStaff Changes at the Department of Libraries   

As most readers know, the Department of Libraries will lose four positions in July as a result of a FY16 budget reduction passed by the legislature in May. In addition to losing two vacant positions at the Special Services Unit (the Unit's Head Librarian and a Program Services Clerk), the Department will lose two long-time employees who have each made important contributions to the Department's work.

 

Paul Donovan, Law and Documents Librarian at the Vermont State Library, began his career at the Department of Libraries as a file clerk in 1976. His work led him to complete his Masters in Library Science (MLS) from the University at Albany School of Information Science and Policy in 1983. Paul has served as State Law and Documents Librarian for 17 years and has provided legal reference services to the public, the Vermont legal community, the Vermont Judiciary and Attorney General's office, and libraries statewide. He has also taught many classes and workshops for Vermont librarians on law librarianship, legal reference, and intellectual freedom. During his tenure at the State Library he received the Vermont Bar Association Service Award in 2001 and the West Excellence in Government Law Librarianship Award in 1996. This year Paul was chosen by his peers to win the "Staff Appreciation Employee of the Year" award. It's hard to imagine our Department without Paul's wit, intelligence, and vast knowledge of Vermont history, legislative history, law and state documents. We will sorely miss him and wish him all the best.

 

Rita Robinson Brink, Support Services Coordinator and Receptionist in the State Librarian's Office, began state employment in 2002 and later joined the Department of Libraries to work at the State Library. Librarians, state employees, and other Department visitors have grown accustomed to her bright smile and cheerful manner -- and her ability to troubleshoot daily challenges that arise in the Department, from leaks in the sprinkler system to making staff and public events come alive with flowers and food, to tracking down grant agreement forms from local libraries. Rita has performed a wide variety of tasks and for the past several years has managed the Department's main phone and reception desk, ordered department supplies, maintained the online listing of state public meetings, provided administrative support to the State Librarian and coordinated all Department mailings and work orders. Rita also holds the key to the chocolate drawer! Rita received the "Staff Appreciation Employee of the Year" award in 2013. We will miss her mightily and wish her well.

 

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