After July 1 you will continue to have access to any courses in which you are enrolled, through your My Courses page, up to one year from enrollment date.

We encourage you to take advantage of the remaining allotment of courses available on WJ-VT through the end of June. If you have already enrolled in a number of courses, but have not finished them, we encourage you to hold off on enrolling in more courses at this time, in order to give an opportunity for other VT library staff to enroll in a course.

The VT Dept. of Libraries is looking at options for continuing to provide free/discounted courses to library staff in VT through WebJunction and other sources. More information will be available in the coming weeks. Content, discussions and calendar of events previously located under the VT Continuing Education tab will soon be found on the VT Continuing Education group on WJ Central. The group can be found at http://www.webjunction.org/833.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact mara.siegel@mail.dol.state.vt.us (802) 828-3261.

This week, we’ll be learning more about tagging and looking closely at del.icio.us and technorati, two Web 2.0 applications that take serious advantage of tagging (we’ve already looked at a few; Flickr, LibraryThing, and blogs all use tags). Tagging allows you to associate keywords with online content – webpages, pictures, posts, etc. We’ll also be reading and blogging about a few perspectives on Library 2.0.

And as always, it’s still not too late to participate. Spend some time with the first few things, create a blog to record your Vermont’s 23 Things thoughts and adventures, and send me (mara.siegel@mail.dol.state.vt.us) the link to have it added to the still growing list on the Participant Blog page.

If this is the first time you’ve heard of Vermont’s 23 Things, head over to http://vermontlibrarieslearn.wordpress.com and see what it’s all about.

There is still room for you at this workshop with a great speaker from Dana Medical Library, UVM.  Public librarians may receive two technology credits toward a certificate of public librarianship.

Looking forward to seeing all of you!

Geared mainly toward public librarians, this 2 hour session will cover consumer health information resources available both in print and online. The class will also examine collection development tools for choosing consumer health materials, and the resources, services and programs for librarians offered by the Dana Medical Library, Fletcher Allen Health Care and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, New England Region. The session will combine demonstrations and hands-on activities.  Our speaker is Laura Haines, reference librarian and assistant library professor at Dana Medical Library. Public librarians may receive two technology credits toward a certificate of public librarianship.

Date:                      February 6, 2008, snowdate: February 13
Time:                      10 a.m. to 12 noon

Location:                 Midstate Regional Library, Berlin (directions below)
Registration:            Vance Asselin, dol_ill_mail@mail.dol.state.vt.us, 802-828-3261 

Marj Zunder

Please do think of the possibility of large print and talking book editions of books you are using for book clubs or other recommended readings. We’ll be happy to check a list of titles against our holdings so you can note the availability of large print or talking book on your handouts and allow the visually impaired and other folks with special needs to participate fully in your community reading.

Unfortunately, we do not have “A Restless Spirit: The Story of Robert Frost”, the Vermont Humanities Council’s Choice for its 2008 Vermont Reads program. We do, however, have the talking book for the 2007 book, “Counting on Grace.”

Teresa R. Faust
Special Services Consultant, Vermont Department of Libraries

If you are applying for E-Rate for Fiscal Year 2008, the deadline for filing your Form 471 is Thursday February 7th. If you miss this date for filing your Form 471 you will reduce your chances for funding.For additional information go to: http://www.universalservice.org/sl/

If you have any question please give me a call or your regional librarian.

Michael Roche

Available in both large print and talking book versions from Special
Services:

My Antonia
A Farewell to Arms
To Kill a Mockingbird
Fahrenheit 451
The Great Gatsby
The Maltese Falcon
Their Eyes Were Watching God
The Call of the Wild
The Grapes of Wrath
The Joy Luck Club
The Age of Innocence

Available in talking book only:

A Lesson Before Dying
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
The Death of Ivan Ilyich
The Shawl
Bless Me, Ultima (in Spanish only)
TeresaTeresa R. Faust

Geared mainly toward public librarians, this 2 hour session will cover consumer health information resources available both in print and online. The class will also examine collection development tools for choosing consumer health materials, and the resources, services and programs for librarians offered by the Dana Medical Library, Fletcher Allen Health Care and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, New England Region. The session will combine demonstrations and hands-on activities.  Our speaker is Laura Haines, reference librarian and assistant library professor at Dana Medical Library. Public librarians may receive two technology credits toward a certificate of public librarianship.

Date:                      February 6, 2008, snowdate: February 13
Time:                      10 a.m. to 12 noon
Location:                 Midstate Regional Library, Berlin (directions below)
Registration:            Vance Asselin, dol_ill_mail@mail.dol.state.vt.us, 802-828-3261 

Marj Zunder

Have you ever been curious about blogs, wikis, flickr, RSS, MySpace, and YouTube, but haven’t had gone beyond looking up their definitions? Here’s a chance to explore those tools (and more!)Vermont’s 23 Things is a self-directed online learning program that will introduce you to many Web 2.0 tools. It will encourage you to play with them and see how they can be useful in your library (or personally).To see more, click on this link to Vermont’s 23 Things or cut and paste this address: vermontlibrarieslearn.wordpress.com into your browser window. Then dive right in!

Simple and practical technology tips for public librarians needing advice on a variety of computer issues. In the free “Joy of Computing” you will find information on computer security, technology planning, anti-spyware suggestions, computer upgrading, technology training, policies and more.

TechSoup’s MaintainIT Project is pleased to announce the latest Cookbook, packed with tips, techniques, and stories on supporting public computers from libraries across the country, including libraries in Vermont!

Download the FREE Joy of Computing: Recipes for a 5-Star Library here:

http://maintainitproject.org/cookbooks
Find out what your colleagues had to say about wireless, time and print management, and laptop checkout programs. A hearty thanks goes out to the following Vermont contributor, whose experiences made this Cookbook a practical and handy resource worth adding to your collection:

Jerry Carbone, Brooks Memorial Library

*We’d love to hear from more Vermont libraries!* The MaintainIT Project continues to craft guides focused on supporting public computers. Please get in touch and share your challenges and successes so libraries can learn from *your* experiences. Remember, what may be, “that’s nothing!” to you, may be an “aha” to someone else!

Find out the latest at http://maintainitproject.org/blog

The “Picturing America” grant is an initiative that provides a collection of large-scale laminated reproductions depicting works of American art as well as other educational resources on American art and history. To learn more about the grant or to apply go to:

http://publicprograms.ala.org/picturingamerica/

Apply by April 15th!

This grant program is of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA) and its goal is to enhance the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture by bringing some of America’s greatest works of art into school classrooms and public libraries.

Picturing America will provide K-12 schools and public libraries with 40 images of American art, an illustrated teachers resource book, and a web site containing additional information including lesson plans.
 

Libraries should have received a mailing via US Postal Service from Michael Chernick of the state Legislative Council.  It concerns restrooms and accessibility in public libraries around the state.  It is extremely important that you respond and return the form to Michael Chernick by October 1.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call him at 828-2208 or email mikec@leg.state.vt.us.

This is part of the study the Legislative Council and Joint Fiscal Office were directed to do by the General Assembly in connection with state support of public libraries.  Thank you for your help with this.

Marianne Kotch

Round 2 of 2007 Vermont Public Library Foundation –  Winnie Belle Learned Fund Grants

WINNIE BELLE LEARNED FUND

For Round 2 of the grants the goal is to help the small public libraries of Vermont foster literacy, love of learning, critical analysis and intellectual exploration in their communities, particularly among children of all ages and their families.   The Winnie Belle Learned Fund welcomes applications for grants which will foster these goals in ways that local communities envision for themselves, including but not limited to funding for collections, programming, other related activities and expenses for children and their families.

The Winnie Belle Learned Fund anticipates awarding on a competitive basis up to $20,000 in grants ranging from $500 to $2,500 to help public libraries enrich the intellectual lives of children and families in their communities.

For more information about Winnie Belle Learned, see:
http://www.libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/vplf/wblf.html

Grant guidelines and application forms are available at:
http://www.libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/vplf/vplf.html
 

Mock Caldecott Award Day

Friday, November 16 at Vermont Technical College in Randolph. In the morning Megan Lambert, from the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, MA will talk about the Whole Book Approach and the Caldecott Medal, and in the afternoon we will choose our favorite picture book of the year.  Everyone who registers early will receive a list of picture books to consider well before the program.

Here is the link for the registration form:
http://www.libraries.vermont.gov/LIBRARIES/CBEC/mockcaldecottregistration07.pdf

Registration is limited.

Grace Greene

Highlighting and documenting the experiences of WWII veterans

In conjunction with the newest Ken Burns PBS series, The War, the Vermont Department of Libraries and the Vermont Library Association are partnering with Vermont Public Television (VPT) and a coalition of local organizations to highlight and document the experiences of WWII veterans and their families. At a time when WWII veterans are dying at a rate of approximately 1,000/day nationally, the timing for this campaign couldn’t be better.  Premiering on PBS on September 23 with repeat broadcasts throughout the fall, The War is a seven-part series that examines the myriad ways in which the Second World War touched the lives of every family on every street in every town in America.

Beginning in September and throughout the fall, VPT and the “Vermont WWII Stories” coalition will sponsor:

* Screenings & Discussions
* Teacher Training Workshops
* Classroom Toolkik
* Online Story Collection Tool
* Expanded Programming on VPT  to highlight stories of Vermont veterans
* “In My Own Words,” – A series of spots on VPT (on-air and online http://www.vpt.org) telling the stories of Vermont veterans and their families
* Vermont’s only online, searchable database of WWII enlistees
* And More!      

We encourage you to get involved by preserving Vermont’s culture and heritage. Here’s how libraries can help:

In September, October and November, create special displays of WWII books and relevant materials; display project fliers, referring people to the VPT website for information on how they can become involved. VPT can provide fliers – electronic file or printed copies.

Working with your local historical society and other community organizations, host “Story Collecting Day” (or week) on Saturday, November 10 in conjunction with Veterans Day (November 11.) On this day community members come to the library and enter their stories using the online story collecting tool. Recruit local kids to staff a computer at the library during specific hours and help enter text, scan photos, etc. Look for the link to the project page at www.vpt.org 

Prior to September 23, host a preview screening and discussion with local veterans and their families. VPT can provide a one-hour clip reel in DVD format).

For more information, materials or to get involved, contact Elizabeth Ottinger, Community Outreach Director, Vermont Public Television, 802-654-3688, eottinger@vpt.org.

Marianne Kotch

The Red Clover Award Conference

Registration information is now online!  Deadline to register:  September 19.  This year’s conference features a rare appearance by author/illustrator Steve Jenkins (Actual Size, I See a Kookaburra! and many more award-winning picture books) and Horn Book editor-in-chief Roger Sutton.

A link to the registratio form may be found at:  http://www.mothergooseprograms.org. 
For more information, call or email Nancy, 802-875-2751, ext. 108, nancy@mothergooseprograms.org
Jewish Literature Book Discussion Programs

Several Vermont public libraries have hosted Jewish literature book discussion programs through the American Library Association.  ALA Public Programs Office and Nextbook just announced a new grant initiative for “Let’s Talk About It:  Jewish Literature – Identity and Imagination.”  Participating libraries host a five-part scholar-led discussion series featuring one of six themes.  ALA provides program materials, training, and other resources along with a $2,500 grant to help libraries host the programs. 
For more information, go to http://www.ala.org/publicprograms. 
The deadline for the grant application is Dec. 1, 2007. !

Marianne Kotch

VOL Basics workshop on  8/22/2007

There is still plenty of room in the Vermont Online Library Basics workshop on  8/22/2007 from 1:00 to 3:30  at the Midstate Regional Library in Berlin.

Here’s the link to sign up: http://evanced.info/vtdol/evanced/eventcalendar.asp

Conference November 3, 2007: “Focus on the Customer”

Mark your calendars now for the annual statewide conference for trustees and their librarians sponsored by the VLA’s Vermont Library Trustees Association, with help from the Department of Libraries!  The conference, “Focus on the Customer,” will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2007, at Barre’s Aldrich Public Library, from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm.  Topics to be covered will include customer privacy, customer and staff safety, and branding/marketing.  The cost for the day (including morning coffee, muffins, and lunch) is $16 for members and $20 for nonmembers.  Regional consultants will all have registration forms, and you may register via email, mail, or phone by contacting Marianne Kotch.  Hope to see many of you there to discuss these important issues!

Linda Hall’s message about the success of a program by Adam Hall at her library (Solomon Wright Public – Pownal) apparently generated inquiries about how to contact him and we have come up with this link to a page on his website that is geared specifically to schools and libraries: http://www.folksinging.org/schools-libraries.html  Connie at Cabot Public wrote that he was also performing at their library.  Also, Cyndi Candiloro (Readsboro Community Library) wrote about a presentation by Mina Samuels, the  author of Queen of Cups: “A  wonderful speaker she captivated the audience.  She comes highly recommended.  Her fee was very minimial.  If you have other questions please feel free to call me @ 802-423-5460.    Her website is www.thequeenofcups.com.”

If you want to share any of your programming successes, please feel free to tell us about them in the comments to this post.

Programs to bring men into the library

Amy Howlett sent a message with a long list of ideas for programs for men, both tried and true and untried.  She will be putting together a more formal set of programming ideas and posting the to the VT Continuing Ed. Discussions on WebJunctionVT.  Amy’s posting should also include Teresa Faust’s ideas for senior programming that were shared with attendees of Amy’s recent adult programming workshop.

Important Post Office (USPS) Change

Thanks to an alert from Jeremy Green of the Burnham Memorial Library in Colchester, Sybil McShane wrote about the USPS announced on July 19 effective July 30 concerning pick up by mail carriers of packages weighing more than 13 ounces with stamps on them (as opposed to postage meter strips).  The announcement from the post office reads:

Attention Postal Customer

Due to heightened security, the Postal Service™ is revising standards for depositing mail bearing only postage stamps as postage. Currently, all Priority Mail, International Mail, and APO/FPO mail bearing only postage stamps as postage and weighing 16 ounces or more may be:

• Presented to an employee at a Post Office™. 
• Picked up by a mail carrier during a delivery stop or during a scheduled stop made to collect other mail not subject to a pickup fee.

Effective July 30, 2007:

• All mail bearing only postage stamps as postage and weighing more than 13 ounces must be presented to an employee at a Postal Service retail service counter for acceptance. This mail may not be deposited in collection boxes or lobby drops.
• Carriers will no longer pick up any mail weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only postage stamps as postage from customer mailboxes or at a business’ outgoing mail collection point.
• Mail bearing only postage stamps as postage and weighing more than 13 ounces that is not presented to an employee at a Postal Service retail service counter will be returned to the customer.

If you have any additional questions, please call 800-ASK-USPS or contact your local postmaster.

Sybile writes that “This will obviously have an impact on you if you use stamps.  Packages weighing over 13 ounces it appears from this directive will have to be taken to the post office for mailing.

If you are interested the state does have a contract for postage meters with Pitney Bowes which like our book contracts local libraries can take advantage of.  It is effective until October 31, 2007.  A new contract is currently being negotiated.  The link is:

http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/PCA/contract/8896.pdf and http://www.pb.com/states/vermont

You should contact your local postmaster if you have questions.”

Ideas for Senior programming [Theres Faust]

Did your library have a great program geared toward seniors that worked really well? Have you heard a great idea from another library about serving older patrons? I would love to hear these ideas, to share them at upcoming DOL workshops. Please email me. Thanks!

Teresa

Teresa R. Faust
Special Services Consultant, Vermont Department of Libraries
578 Paine Turnpike North, Berlin, VT 05602
802.828.3273     800.479.1711 (in state)
teresa.faust@mail.dol.state.vt.us

Youth Services Grant [Amy Howlett by way of http://library.med.utah.edu/blogs/BHIC/ ]

Disney Minnie Grants Available to Support Youth Service Projects
Deadline: August 30, 2007
The Walt Disney Company ( http://www.disney.com <http://www.disney.com/>  ) and Youth Service America ( http://www.ysa.org <http://www.ysa.org/>  ) have announced grants of up to $500 each to support youth-led service projects. These grants support youth (ages 5-14) in planning and implementing service projects in their community. Teachers, older youth (15-25), youth-leaders, and youth-serving organizations are also eligible to apply, provided that they that engage younger youth (5-14) in planning and implementing the service. Service projects must take place between October 1 and November 26, 2007. Projects can address themes such as the environment, disaster relief, public health and awareness, community education, hunger, literacy, or any issue that youth identify as a community need. http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/10007919/YSA

Historic Preservation Grants  [Marianne Kotch]
Those of you interested in preserving your facilities may be eligible to apply for the 2008 State Historic Preservation Grant program.  In order to be eligible for matching grant for between $1,000 and $15,000, your building must be owned by a municipality or a nonprofit organization and must be listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in Vermont.  The deadline for grants is September 29, 2007 (postmark date) or October 2, 2007 (delivery date).    Packets went out early this month.  To request a packet, call the state Division for Historic Preservation at 828-3043.   You can also check their website at http://www.HistoricVermont.org

Core Competecies Webinar[Sheila Kearns]

The direct link to this info is
http://vt.webjunction.org/do/Navigation?category=15543)

Hour-long webinar: July 25, 11:00 AM PDT/2:00 PM EDT

Core Competencies for Library Staff
Free via WebJunction’s Live Space

In this one hour webinar, we will explore competencies for library staff-how defining core competencies builds a foundation for identifying skills and knowledge gaps and leads to targeted training that will help keep libraries viable in the 21st century.

Note:  Also an opportunity to experience the WebJunctions LiveClassroom environment on your own.

Outreach Conference [Grace Greene]

The Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF), in cooperation with the Department of Libraries and the NH State Library, is sponsoring a one day conference on outreach for public librarians and bookmobile folks on September 21 in White River Junction:

Taking It on the Road Outreach Conference for Bookmobile or Library Staff & Volunteers
Friday, September 21, 2007
Briggs Opera House – White River Junction, VT

Co-sponsored by the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF),
New Hampshire State Library & Vermont Department of Libraries

This conference will provide support, inspiration and dozens of creative ideas to the staff and volunteers of bookmobiles and libraries across New Hampshire and Vermont.  Do you want to improve your library and bookmobile outreach activities? Then come join us! Our panelists are experts drawn from libraries and bookmobiles across the Twin States. Their ideas will simply be the starting point for a lively day of sharing stories about what works and what doesn’t. Come with stories, suggestions, and questions. The cost is $5 per person. Space is limited to the first 60 people to register.

For further information an registration details contact
Children’s Literacy Foundation • 1536 Loomis Hill Road • Waterbury Center, VT 05677
phone:  802/244-0944 email: childrens.literacy@verizon.net
To find out more about CLiF, visit www.clifonline.org <http://www.clifonline.org/>

Emerging Leaders[Marrianne Kotch]

The Emerging Leaders Initiative enables 120 new librarians to get on the fast track to ALA and professional leadership. Attendance at two conferences, mentoring, training, and leadership development.

For details go to:
http://wikis.ala.org/emergingleaders/index.php/2008_Emerging_Leaders_Program_Information

 My hope is to save ILL staff from having to forward non-ILL messages to appropriate others and to give non-ill staff an alternative to culling the general messages from the ILL-stuff. 

 As I proceed with this plan, do let me know if you think it is helpful, if it just creates a lot of duplication of information that you might do without, or whatever.

 Watch for the first installment later.  And if you want to think about using RSS to stay updated on the Blog, here’s my last pitch for that from an old message to the VALS email list: