June 2020 Newsletter
Important Updates
A Note from the State Librarian
Hello everyone and welcome to the month of June,
 
As we continue to navigate the new landscape that is defined by COVID-19, social distancing, and reopening guidelines across the state of Vermont, I look forward to celebrating a variety of items this month.
 
  • As libraries begin planning services for the immediate future, we appreciate everyone’s patience, perseverance, and perspective during this time. The Department of Libraries remains committed to providing you with resources, up front conversation, and humor for your library and community. Find the newest Guidelines from ACCD for Libraries, Museums, Theaters, Galleries, Arts, and Entertainment in the "Update on New Work Safe Additions to the Be Smart, Stay Safe Order": https://bit.ly/30cld0w

  • June is the month in which public libraries kick off their summer reading programs nationwide. Summer reading programs are one possible solution summer learning loss or summer reading setback, often referred to as the “summer slide.” The summer slide is a devastating loss of academic achievement students experience during the summer months. It is estimated that, on average, students lose two months of grade-level mathematical computation skills over the summer, and low-income students can lose up to two months of reading achievement (McLaughlin & Smink, 2009). A successful reading experience, which may include voluntary, self-selected, and high-interest books, can help develop reading proficiency. Providing high-interest reading material and reading opportunities is an especially important aspect of increasing reading proficiency among lower-income students (McGaha, 2012). Our Summer Reading theme from the Collaborative Summer Library Program for 2020 is “Imagine Your Story” which allows for a variety of exploration into areas of fairy tales / mythology/ and fantasy to name a few. Take a look at the Youth Services section of this newsletter for more Summer Reading information!
 
  • June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate and remind us of the LGBTQ+ community’s rich history and the accomplishments it’s made over the years. June marks the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, which represents tipping point for the Movement. While we are nowhere near systemic equality, recognition of the the LGBTQ+ community has come a long way. View some Library of Congress footage of one of the earliest Gay Pride marches in New York City in 1970 here: https://www.loc.gov/item/mbrs01991430/. Check out the Special Populations section of this newsletter for VTLIB's Pride Month events!

  • June 19 marks a special celebration for communities around the United States. Celebrated as Juneteenth— a combination of “June” and “nineteenth” — the holiday recognizes when the United States ended its historic practice of slavery. In this sense, Juneteenth is a day for commemorating the “freedom” of all people living in the United States. Visit our website for a book list and resources about discussing racial and social justice with youth: https://bit.ly/3cACEud
 
Be well,

State Librarian Jason Broughton

(Photo by Jeb Wallace-Brodeur)
Report from the Vermont Certified Public Manager® Program
Last year, Vermont State Librarian Jason Broughton applied for the services of a Vermont Certified Public Manager ® (VCPM) cohort group to research the value of public libraries within the state. The VCPM class—offered through the Vermont Center for Achievement in Public Service, a division of the Department of Human Resources—requires a capstone research project as a consulting service it makes available to other Vermont state government departments.

The capstone report is now available along with a survey performed by the class. You can find both here: https://libraries.vermont.gov/VCPMresults
Make Music Vermont
Make Music Vermont ( https://bigheavyworld.com/makemusic ) is the Vermont version of a worldwide celebration of music-making that takes place annually on June 21 st , the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. Coordinated by Big Heavy World ( https://bigheavyworld.com/ ), this day features free musical events, open to music- makers of all ages and levels of musical experience. This year’s celebration will be primarily virtual, with participants live-streaming their music, with some socially distanced events as well.

Libraries are invited to host virtual performances via Facebook Live, another online platform, or socially distanced in-person events if they are able to do this safely (outdoors, for example). Again, all levels welcome – this is a chance to highlight local musicians eager to perform after a spring without live performance opportunities, students whose school spring concerts were postponed, people who took up the ukulele during quarantine, or anything that celebrates music making in your community. If your library chooses to participate, please register your event at http://vt.makemusicday.org to be fully a part of this worldwide event.

Banner artwork by Samantha Graham.
Youth Services
2019-2020 Vermont Youth Book Award Winners!
On Wednesday, June 3, VTLIB announced the winners of three Vermont youth book awards!

  • The 2019-2020 Red Clover Book Award winner is Potato Pants! by Laurie Keller! Vermont students in grades K-4 selected this as their favorite title from a list of ten nominees.

  • The 2019-2020 Middle-Grade Book Award (formerly the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award) winner is Small Spaces by Katherine Arden! Vermont students in grades 4-8 selected this as their favorite title from a list of thirty nominees. These same students will vote on the new name for the award in the fall!

  • The 2019-2020 Green Mountain Book Award winner is The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo! Vermont students in grades 9-12 selected this as their favorite title from a list of fifteen nominees.

We are so proud of the reading and listening that Vermont students have done over the past year (especially the last few months) and the continued dedication of their librarians, teachers, and parents/guardians. Congratulations to all of our winners, and to our Vermont student voters! For more information about our youth book awards, visit: https://libraries.vermont.gov/bookawards
CSLP Teen Video Challenge
Looking for an easy program to share with your teens that they can do at home or outside this summer? The CSLP Teen Video Challenge is back for 2020! A summary is below; go to https://bit.ly/2AMPGHB for all the details, including the submission form and contest rules. Please share on your social media (using #ImagineYourStory), website, and with interested teens in your community!
 
The Teen Video Challenge, sponsored by the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP), is an annual national video contest open to all teens (librarian and teacher support is encouraged). The challenge is for teens to create a public service announcement-type video that shows their unique interpretation of the 2020 CSLP slogan “Imagine Your Story.” Videos are to be no longer than 60 seconds and should promote libraries and reading.
 
Videos will be accepted June 1 through August 7, 2020.
Courier Corner
Interlibrary Loan Courier Report
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Statistics for Calendar Year 2019*
(January 1, 2019-December 31, 2019)
 
  • Total items sent in the courier: 104,126
  • Total items received in the courier: 105,572
  • USPS items sent: 7,954
  • USPS items received: 7,002
  • USPS money spent: $22,326.89
  • Total spent on extra bins: $374
 
In 2019 libraries were asked to include items sent to all libraries in Vermont rather than just public libraries as the courier service had expanded to include school and academic libraries. Libraries were asked to count every item that went into the bins or came out of the bins so that an estimate of how much money the service has saved could be estimated.
 
To estimate the amount of money saved, I used the total number of items sent through the courier, and an estimated cost of $3.00 per item to send via USPS.
 
Estimated UPS Cost Without Courier:
104,126 items x $3 per item = $312,378.
 
Cost With Courier:
145 courier stops x 52 weeks x $15 per stop: $113,100.
+ Total spent on extra bins: $374
- 92 courier grants at a value of $390 each = $35,880
= $77,594
 
$312,378
-$77,594
= Total estimated savings to libraries: $234,784
 
*All numbers are accurate as of 2/29/2020. Not all libraries reported numbers, so actual amount of items transported is likely higher than included here.
Governance & Management
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Board Management Issues

Lara Keenan, Governance & Management Consultant, is frequently asked for suggestions to help a board operate more effectively - especially when a board president (or, really, any member of the board) exhibits controlling or disruptive behavior. Bloomerang recently posted an “Ask an Expert” article with excellent advice for resolving behavior or personality issues on a board. The article tackles:
  • Where the true power resides in a board
  • The importance of open and honest conversations to clarify assumptions and misunderstandings
  • Looking with compassion at the potential underlying reasons for the undesirable behaviors
  • Thinking through the desired outcome to help direct the course of action
 
Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/BoardIssue
 
Should We Be Talking to Donors Right Now?

During this challenging time, many people might be thinking, “This is not the time to be fundraising for the library – when people are facing food and housing insecurities.” They fear that it might come across as “tone deaf” to be thinking about fundraising when many people are wondering how to afford groceries.
 
Bloomerang offers a different perspective on the fundraising dilemma. Their article “Crisis is the Time to Show Donors You Care” discusses the importance of connecting with people who care about the library, letting them know that YOU care about THEM, and listening to them.
 
From the article:

“Your donors loved you before and there’s no reason not to love you now, but you are the one who can make them feel loved and cared for by your organization. You must choose to do that. The first step is reaching out to them. Choosing to stay silent through this crisis is a missed opportunity to develop deep, meaningful lasting relationships with donors that can prove to be fulfilling ….”
 
Here’s a link to the article: https://bit.ly/ShowDonors
Special Populations & ABLE Library
Pride Month at VTLIB!
  • Throughout June: Vermont LGBTQ+ Historical Artifacts with the Vermont Historical Society (Facebook & Instagram Video: Ongoing)
 
  • June 16: LGBTQ+ Best Practices Training with Pride Center of Vermont (Webinar: 2:30-4:30pm)
 
 
  • June 30: LGBTQ+ Identities and the Library: A Panel with the Vermont Library Association and Vermont School Library Association (Virtual Panel: 1:00-2:00pm)

ABLE Library: Still Open for Business!
The ABLE Library is still providing services! If you or someone you know may need access to digital talking books, the BARD App, or more, please call the ABLE Library at 1-802-636-0020, or toll free at 1-800-479-1711.

Visit the ABLE Library online here: https://libraries.vermont.gov/able_library
Information & Access
Update from CLIC, the Public Law Library
There is no scheduled reopening date for CLIC at this time, but we will let everyone know as soon as a decision is made. We continue to receive requests via our Ask a Law Librarian line, although not all of our resources are available, as many of our offerings are for walk-in use only. Fortunately there are multiple online resources available and we are suggesting those as often as we can!
 
As you might remember, CLIC Coordinator Kassie Tibbott recorded a webinar for Vermont’s public librarians, which discusses the various legal reference resources and tools available for helping a patron. This webinar is now in a LibGuide format and also provides the framework for how to assist a patron with a legal issue. Access it here: https://bit.ly/2Sl0tyK
Continuing Education & Small/Rural Libraries
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The Vermont Department Libraries is pleased to announce that 27 Vermont librarians completed the Certificate of Public Librarianship this year. They were recognized in a virtual celebration with VTLIB staff and fellow librarians May 29. You can view the graduation video here: https://bit.ly/2AqaRiP

The Certificate of Public Librarianship has been directed for over 25 years by the Vermont Department of Libraries (VTLIB) and the Certification Board. The certificate’s goal is to create and sustain consistent professional standards throughout Vermont public libraries, provide training to those new to the field and those who have not had other professional library training, and amplify the work already being done by library staff throughout the state.

Certification requirements include four core areas, Cataloging, Collection Development, Information Services, and Public Library Administration, plus credits in Library Technology and Electives.

Completing certification while also running a library is always a feat given how busy librarians are and the challenges of finding time to travel to classes or taking classes online in rural areas with unreliable internet.

This year there obviously there were other complications. One way librarians responded was to dig into continuing education with increased intensity. The spirit was not only let’s get this certification finished, but let’s be better trained for what the future of library services might be post-COVID.

A big thank you to the trustees from libraries all over the state who supported their librarians in pursuing certification, and congratulations to all. For more information about the Certificate of Public Librarianship program, visit: https://bit.ly/3eFgtEs
From Our Neighbors at the Vermont Historical Society
VHS News & Events
Summer Genealogy Workshop Series
Our virtual Summer Genealogy Workshop Series will teach you the basics you need to kickstart your family research! Attendees can complete individual workshops or the entire series. Each workshop is 90 minutes on Zoom. Limited online consultations appointments will be offered following each class.

Free for VHS and VT Genealogy Library Members. $10/session or $25/series for non-members.
  • June 13: "Genealogy 101" with Lynn Johnson
  • July 11: "Using DNA for Genealogy" 
  • Aug 8: "Using Newspapers for Genealogy"

These workshops are provided at low rates thanks to the support of a generous donor whose passion for genealogy spans over 35 years.

 
The Rebel and the Tory: A Conversation with the Authors

Join historians and authors Nick Muller and Gary Shattuck for a conversation about their new VHS publication, The Rebel and The Tory: Ethan Allen, Philip Skene, and the Dawn of Vermont on June 18 at 11:30am. Join via Zoom to participate in the conversation on June 18! Register here: https://bit.ly/3gXFc9e

OR watch along via Facebook Live!


Purchase your copy of The Rebel and the Tory here :
 
Leahy Library to Reopen for Appointments
 
The Vermont Historical Society is happy to announce a phased re-opening of the Leahy Library located in Barrefollowing Gov. Phil Scott’s re-opening plan for libraries, museums, and galleries. 
 
The Howard and Alba Leahy Library will be open by appointment-only starting June 15. Appointments can be made by email:  library@vermonthistory.org  or phone: 802-479-8509.  Exhibits at the History Center in Barre will remain closed until September 1 or later. 
 
COVID-19 Digital Archive

VHS is collecting photos, anecdotes, and creative writing documenting the current pandemic. Please "think like a historian" and save those images, journals, poems, and artwork for the benefit of future generations. Upload your content and make it available to the public immediately and researchers in years to come. Explore some of these great digital resources today by clicking here.