You are invited to a Holiday Open House hosted by the
Vermont Historical Society
(
www.vermonthistory.org
),
Vermont Archaeology Heritage Center
(
https://accd.vermont.gov/historic-preservation/archaeology-center)
, and the
Vermont Department of Libraries
(VTLIB). Enjoy an all-access pass to the VTLIB ABLE Library, the Archaeology Heritage Center, the
Anything for Speed
and
Icons & Oddities Exhibits
, as well as the Leahy Library! Festive snacks, cookies, desserts, and beverages will be provided. RSVP appreciated to (802) 479-8500,
info@vermonthistory.org
.
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Vermont History Center
60 Washington Street
Barre, Vermont 05641
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
5:00-7:00pm
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60 Years Later, A Card is Found
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It is not uncommon to find things in library books—a note on a piece of paper, a shopping list used as a bookmark, and, occasionally, something more interesting. Recently, someone here at the Department of Libraries found a “get well” card in one of our older Vermont law books. It was unopened and bore a postmark of May 16, 1958 along with three cancelled 1 cent stamps. The address was simply written as the recipient’s name and the town of Worcester and Vermont.
It was delivered to Worcester in mid-May 1958, and the recipient brought it, unopened, to the library and used it as a bookmark while doing legal research at the Vermont State Library. Between reading citations, the card was forgotten in a volume. The volume was shelved and the card rested there for 60 years until we found it.
So, what does a librarian do? Research, of course!
A few minutes of online exploration using the sender’s and the recipient’s names led to a relative in Seattle through LinkedIn. A message and a couple of emails later, we were in touch with the granddaughter/great niece of the two brothers. She put us in touch with her sister, living right here in Central Vermont.
She came by and picked up the card. After opening it, she sent pictures:
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A cheerful sentiment from long ago was realized, some 60 years later. It was a small gesture between brothers, but it is the accumulation of such gestures that lend meaning to our lives. In this case, it is a long forgotten circle, finally closed.
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Total number of interlibrary loan requests made in October 2018: 5536
Books: 4938
Videos/DVDs: 5
Audiobooks: 210
Articles: 3
Music CDs: 11
Music Score: 2
Kits: 1
Some of the most interesting sounding titles I spotted: The Husband Hunters, 150 Ways to Play Solitaire, Traveling with Pomegranates, and no less than six different titles about Batman!
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CLOVER Refresher Webinar Recordings
The CLOVER Refresher Webinars covered the basics of CLOVER starting with logging in, then progressing to processing requests as a borrower and as a lender. Questions from the attendees are also included in the recordings.
November 13:
November 29:
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Top 20 most requested titles in October 2018 (with most requested at the top):
- Wishtree
- The Hate U Give
- I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsberg Makes Her Mark
- Furiously Happy
- Notorious RBG
- The Turtle of Oman
- The Art of Mending
- How to Find Love in a Bookshop
- Educated: A Memoir
- Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
- Before We Were Yours
- The Couple Next Door
- Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
- The Bully Pulpit
- The Emperor of Any Place
- Saint Death
- One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd
- The Palestinian Table
- News of the World
- To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
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Continuing Education/Small & Rural Libraries
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Big Programs for Small Libraries
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A common refrain from VT librarians after they attend almost any conference except VLA or ARSL is, “Yes, but that would never work in
my
library.” There are plenty of valid reasons to feel that way if you work in a small space with a small space and a small budget. But here is a free ALA webinar addressing precisely the challenge of how to modify big ideas and programs into workable scales for smaller libraries:
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We are scheduling training for librarians to help people in their communities make the most of Vermont 2-1-1, a database of social service and health agencies, government and community groups, and other social service providers. Training from 2-1-1 outreach staff is confirmed for Lyndonville, Springfield, and Bennington, with plans in progress for other locations as well. The idea is to have CE hubs around the state that make it possible and practical for librarians within a region to attend short workshops, gaining the advantages of in-person contact with the presenter and networking time with other attendees without spending more time driving than the workshop itself. Hopefully many people will be able to do this with the 2-1-1 workshops. If not, or in the interest of exploring this topic more, WebJunction offers this related webinar: “The Community Connector: Referring Social Services at the Library."
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All Books are Free @ Your Library
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And, in the spirit of borrowing inspiration from big libraries, in case you missed the clever holiday promo from the New York Public Library around Thanksgiving, it is completely joyful, and completely replicable at other times of the year regardless of library size.
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As always, check the Continuing Ed page
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Teen Services Roundtable & Free Breakout EDU Kits
There's still room in Cass' December teen services roundtables! These sessions are meant to be an informal get together where public and school librarians can meet each other and exchange ideas about how to best serve teens in their community. There will also be a short Breakout EDU training and then kits will be distributed for everyone to keep. Everybody is welcome.
December 12 -- Springfield Town Library, 12-2pm
December 14 -- Dorothy Alling Memorial Library (Williston), 12-2pm
For more information and to register, visit:
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Special Populations & ABLE Library
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Memorable Times Cafe Series
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VTLIB is partnering with the Central Vermont Council on Aging (https://www.cvcoa.org/)
to offer a series of memory cafes.
A memory cafe is a relaxed social time for people living with mild to moderate memory loss and their care partners. Conversation and activities will be facilitated, and free refreshments will be served.
Cafes are held on the third Wednesday of the month in the Community Room of the Vermont History Center in Barre (60 Washington St.) from 1:30-3:00pm. No sign-up needed- just show up!
Upcoming Cafes:
December 19, 2018
January 16, 2019
February 20, 2019
March 20, 2019
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Governance and Management
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Budget Presentations -
“
Making Budget Presentations” from the American Library Association (ALA)
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Many of you are likely in the budget process (or about to enter into the budget process) for the new fiscal/calendar year.
ALA offers a great article with tips on how to prepare for, give, and follow up after a budget presentation. Tips include information on:
o
Identifying community priorities
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Ideas for ways to use your Friends group
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Leveraging strategic partners
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Qualities of a successful budget proposal
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Do’s and Don’ts for the presentation itself
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Links to graph tools to help you create visuals with impact
o
And more!
While many of the tips are geared towards larger libraries, several are customizable to smaller libraries in VT. The page also includes things you can do year-round to prepare for budget season and to help solidify your relationships with stakeholders in your community.
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“Turning Outward” from The Harwood Institute and the American Library Association (ALA)
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Lara attended a Harwood Institute Public Innovators Lab this fall, and the tools she learned about (many of which are provided in the link at the bottom) can be used to engage in deep, meaningful conversations/outreach with your community.
These conversations focus on wider community aspirations and needs - and how the library can help the community realize those aspirations and lead the community in moving towards meeting those larger needs.
Libraries are natural places of connection. Libraries bring people together with one another and with resources. Thus libraries can be the perfect partners for helping to gather the community around common goals and needs.
Libraries can use the insights gathered during these meaningful conversations to
guide decisions around visioning, strategic planning, programs offered, and ways the library can meet the educational, cultural, informational, and research needs of the community.
Lara will continue to send out information and ideas about the Harwood Institute Tools over the coming months. Please feel free to reach out to her if you would like to discuss these tools and brainstorm ways you might be able to use them in your community.
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PLA Awards & Grants: Deadline December 10
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"Ten PLA service awards and grants (
http://www.ala.org/pla/awards
)
highlight the best in public library service and honor those bringing innovation, creativity and dedication to public libraries. The deadline to apply for PLA 2019 Awards and Grants is December 10, 2018 at 11:59 PM Central. The 2019 award winners will be recognized at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
Nominate yourself, a colleague, or your library today!"
-From a PLA email
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Small & Rural Library Grants from IMLS
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"The Institute of Museum and Library Services has launched a new special initiative,
Accelerating Promising Practices for Small Libraries (APP)
(
https://bit.ly/2KKo2fe
)
, and is accepting grant applications now through
February 25, 2019
.
This new funding opportunity is designed specifically to strengthen the ability of small and rural libraries, archives, and related organizations to serve their communities, and awards sizes range from $10,000 to $50,000."
-From IMLS press release
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From Our Neighbors at the Vermont Historical Society
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History Adventure Raffle
Donate for a chance to win cash or a dream vacation for TWO to Ireland, Rome, or South Carolina!
Raffle tickets are 1 for $25 or get 5 tickets for $100. All proceeds benefit the Vermont Historical Society’s Annual Fund.
1st Prize: Your choice of one of three magical destinations for TWO (trips valued at $3,000+)
• 6-Night Game of Thrones Journey through Ireland
• 3-Night Historical Tour of Charleston, SC
• 5-Night Museum Experience in Rome
2nd Prize: $500 Cash. 3rd Prize: $150 Cash
Seeds of Renewal Exhibit
Open Through April 2019
Vermont History Museum, Montpelier, VT
Our newest exhibit,
Seeds of Renewal
, is now open! The exhibit explores Abenaki agricultural history, cuisine, and ceremony through text, photographs, and examples of a few of the different crops. Contact Eileen at
eileen.corcoran@vermonthistory.org
for a special seed kit associated with the exhibit (courtesy of High Mowing Seeds).
Third Thursday: The Many Meanings of Maple
Dec. 20, 12:00 pm
UVM, Burlington
What is maple? Is it a flavor? A tree? A crop? A livelihood? A delicious breakfast accompaniment? All of the above? Michael Lange of Champlain College will explore what maple means in Vermont, and how those many meanings are woven tightly into the fabric of Vermont's own identity.
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