The Vermont Book Awards, created in 2015, are annual prizes for outstanding literature by Vermont authors. They are awarded through a partnership between Vermont Humanities and the Vermont Department of Libraries.

2024 Vermont Book Awards Nominations Now Open

Nominations are now open for books of excellent literary merit published by Vermont authors in 2024. To be eligible, the author must live in Vermont more than half the year. Self-published books are not eligible.

Nominated books are read by a team of judges looking for literary excellence as they pick finalists and then choose winners in each of four categories:

• poetry
• fiction
• creative nonfiction
• children’s literature

The winners will be revealed at the Vermont Book Awards celebration in Spring of 2025.

2024 Nomination Form

For more information about the nomination process or the Awards, please visit the Vermont Humanities Vermont Book Award page.

2023 Vermont Book Awards Celebration | 5/4/24

Vermont Book Award winners were revealed at a celebration the evening of Saturday, May 4, 2024, at Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier. Vermont authors, librarians, and friends of literature gathered for this special dessert and cocktail reception featuring the announcement of the 2023 winners in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and children’s literature. The 2023 Awards were supported by a partnership between Vermont Humanities, Vermont Department of Libraries, and Vermont College of Fine Arts with additional support from Phoenix Books and the Vermont Arts Council. 

Vermont Book Awards 2023 Press Release 

2023 Vermont Book Award Winners:

• for Children's Literature: Dan Nott for Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day
• for Creative Non-Fiction: Mary Ruefle for The Book
• for Fiction: Sandra Simonds for Assia
• for Poetry: Vievee Francis for The Shared World

2023 Vermont Book Award Finalists:

Creative Nonfiction

• Brad Kessler for Deep North: Stories of Somali Resettlement in Vermont
• Mary Ruefle for The Book
• Jeff Sharlet for The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War

Fiction

• J. Vanessa Lyon for Lush Lives
• Genevieve Plunkett for In the Lobby of the Dream Hotel
• Sandra Simonds for Assia

Poetry

• Michael Dumanis for Creature
• Vievee Francis for The Shared World
• Leslie Sainz for Have You Been Long Enough at Table
• Ellen Bryant Voigt for Collected Poems

Children’s Literature

• Kekla Magoon for The Minus-One Club (young adult novel)
• M.T. Anderson for Elf Dog and Owl Head (middle grade novel)
• Kenneth M. Cadow for Gather (young adult novel)
• Dan Nott for Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day (graphic literature)

2022 Vermont Book Awards Celebration | 5/6/23

On Saturday, May 6, 2023, the Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA), Vermont Humanities, and Vermont Department of Libraries hosted the 2022 Vermont Book Award celebration. About 120 Vermont authors, book sellers, librarians, and friends of literature attended the dessert reception at VCFA’s Alumnx Hall.

“In a country that suffers from loneliness, books are often life affirming companions,” Leslie Ward, president of Vermont College of Fine Arts, said in her welcoming remarks at the event. “We gather tonight to celebrate the writers of our great state because we owe them our deepest gratitude for the work they do and the gifts they offer to us. And because community is what sustains writers.”

The previous year’s Vermont Book Award winners Alison Bechdel, Melanie Finn, Shanta Lee Gander, and M.T. Anderson announced the winners. A panel of judges composed of writers, readers, editors, librarians and booksellers of Vermont chose the winners from among 14 finalists.

Vermont Book Awards 2022 Press Release

2022 Vermont Book Award Winners:

• for Children's Literature: Zoë Tilley Poster for The Night Wild
• for Creative Non-Fiction: Kathryn Davis for Aurelia Aurelia
• for Fiction: Caren Beilin for Revenge of the Scapegoat
• for Poetry: Bianca Stone for What Is Otherwise Infinite

2022 Vermont Book Award Finalists:

Creative Nonfiction

· Nancy Marie Brown for Looking for the Hidden Folk: How Iceland's Elves Can Save the Earth
· Kathryn Davis for Aurelia, Aurélia
· Peter Orner for Still No Word from You: Notes in the Margin

Fiction

· Caren Beilin for Revenge of the Scapegoat
· Ann Dávila Cardinal for The Storyteller’s Death
· Louise Glück for Marigold and Rose
· Erin Stalcup for Keen

Poetry

· Rage Hezekiah for Yearn
· Carol Potter for What Happens Next Is Anyone's Guess
· Bianca Stone for What Is Otherwise Infinite

Children’s Literature

· Margot Harrison for We Made it All Up (young adult)
· Jo Knowles for Meant to Be (middle grade)
· Zoë Tilley Poster for The Night Wild (picture book)
· Leda Schubert for Firsts and Lasts: The Changing Seasons (picture book)

Vermont Book Awards FAQ

• What are the Vermont Book Awards?

Established in 2015 by Vermont College of Fine Arts, the Vermont Book Awards are literary prizes honoring work of outstanding literary merit by Vermont authors and celebrating the long tradition of literature in the state.

• What books are eligible?

In order to be eligible for the award, a book must be written by a Vermont writer and published between January 1 and December 31 of the year prior to the award (books published in 2024 will be considered for this year's award.) A “Vermont writer” is a writer who lives in Vermont for at least half the year. Self-published books are not eligible for the Book Award, nor are books written by staff of the Vermont Department of Libraries, and Vermont Humanities. Anthologies containing work written by multiple authors are also not eligible.

• Who nominates books?

A committee of librarians and independent booksellers of Vermont nominates books in four categories: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, and Children's Literature. Graphic literature should also be entered into the appropriate category; for example, a graphic memoir should be entered as Creative Nonfiction.

• Who are the judges?

Each year, the Vermont Book Awards leadership team selects a panel of judges made up of Vermont writers, teachers, librarians, and passionate supporters of literature in Vermont. Staff, members, and trustees of leadership team organizations are not included in this independent panel of judges.

• How are the finalists and the winner chosen?

A committee of librarians and independent booksellers of Vermont nominates books in four categories: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, and Children's Literature. 

• What does the award entail?

The Winners of the Vermont Book Award receive a prize of $1,000. The winners are announced at a celebration hosted by Vermont Humanities in the spring.

• Where can a list of previous year's finalists and winners be found?

Explore Vermont Humanities' list of all Vermont Book Award finalists and winners. 

Contacts

• For more information about the nomination process or the Awards, visit the Vermont Humanities Vermont Book Award page.
• For media inquiries, specific questions, etc, please contact Miciah Bay Gault, Vermont Book Awards Director and Development Officer at Vermont Humanities.

Updated 10/9/24

For Immediate Release
7/23/2021

Contact
Janette Shaffer, Assistant State Librarian for Library Advancement
802-249-7889, janette.shaffer@vermont.gov

Vermont Department of Libraries Awarded Over $2M in American Rescue Plan Act Funding by the Institute of Museum and Library Services

Barre, Vt.—The Vermont Department of Libraries was awarded $2,135,819 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to help Vermont communities respond directly and immediately to the pandemic and related economic and community needs.

IMLS continues to prioritize digital inclusion and emergency pandemic response, much as it did when it issued CARES Act 2020 funding. The Vermont Department of Libraries received nearly $60,000 in CARES funding that it used to expand statewide access to resources and for bulk Personal Protective Equipment purchases that were distributed to Vermont public and academic libraries.

This round of IMLS funding gives the country’s libraries an opportunity to improve technology access and connectivity to support the education, health, and workforce development needs in their communities. The funding is also meant to help libraries update spaces and equipment for safe operations and expand programming possibilities, with the overall goal of improving and increasing services.

With an initial grant period opening in early July, the Department of Libraries is leading the way to get federal funds out to Vermont public libraries as quickly as possible. The Department will make nearly $1 million of this ARPA funding available to all 185 public libraries in Vermont as “ARPA Grants to Public Libraries for Equipment and Supply Purchases.” These funds will go directly to public libraries to respond to needs resulting from the pandemic. The Department is granting funds based on a formula that uses poverty rates, access to broadband, and unemployment data to determine allocation amounts. This approach allows limited funds to be leveraged to their best advantage by targeting communities most affected by COVID-19.

"Libraries are vital to community and workforce development. In the past 18 months, our public libraries responded to the pandemic by connecting Vermonters to rent assistance and unemployment, COVID mitigation, and mental and physical health resources. Vermont's libraries remain an important part of this effort," said Secretary of the Agency of Administration Susanne Young. "This grant will strengthen their ability to continue to support the state's pandemic recovery and will keep them at the center of civic life."

“During the pandemic, the state’s public libraries proved, once again, to be an invaluable resource. Library staff met this crisis with ingenuity, recognizing the importance of reliable access, and doing everything possible to provide it,” said State Librarian Jason Broughton. “The level of IMLS ARPA funding the Vermont Department of Libraries is able to pass onto public libraries is unprecedented and will position every one of them, no matter how large or small, to meet new post-pandemic challenges with continued creativity.”

Remaining IMLS ARPA funds will be disbursed as grants to Vermont library consortia or library/museum collaborations, and to support statewide and K-12 resources and programming.

About the Vermont Department of Libraries

The Vermont Department of Libraries—housed within the Vermont Agency of Administration—supports Vermont libraries as they work to ensure access to quality information for their patrons. To learn more, visit libraries.vermont.gov and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. ARPA Grant to Public Libraries for Equipment and Supply Purchases

About IMLS

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's approximately 120,000 libraries and 35,000 museums and related organizations. The agency’s mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Its grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit http://www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

How can I use my license to promote a movie event?

By following these simple guidelines, you can stay in compliance while promoting your event. Please note, the reason for these guidelines is to avoid direct competition with a local movie theater.

1. Advertising Inside Your Library and to Registered Borrowers:

Within the library building, you are free to advertise the movie title, studio name and movie artwork. Artwork cannot be altered and must contain the studio’s copyright, for example: ©Walt Disney Pictures.

You are also free to advertise the movie title, studio name and movie artwork on the library’s website as well as in correspondence such as standard mailings, emails and monthly newsletters to registered borrowers/card holders of the library. The library website is considered a virtual branch of the library, allowing for such advertising.

Movie Licensing USA makes it easy to create publicity with customizable posters, bookmarks and movie tickets that are already properly copyrighted. This feature can be found on our website at library.movlic.com/publicity. Your customer number is located on your license certificate. Copyrighted movie images are also available using the movie search feature on our website. Artwork found on the MLUSA website can be used to advertise your event as long as it is not altered and includes the studio’s copyright, for example: ©Walt Disney Pictures.

2. Advertising in Social Media

If the public library’s social media accounts are set to private, the title may be used. If the library’s social media accounts are not set to private, it is recommended the title not be included. The movie event may be promoted on the social media pages with a link to the title on the library’s website.

3. Advertising in Public Media

If you choose to advertise through public media (such as public radio, television, or newspapers), you may do so as long as your message does not include the movie title and studio name. For example, “Join us at Anytown Library for a Neighborhood Movie Night at 7:00 pm” is permitted.

Announcing the 11th Annual Agricultural Literacy Week 2020: Building Resilient Communities! 

November 16th-19th, 2020, 6-7:30 pm nightly 

Tune in for this week-long (virtual) celebration to inform, educate and create community around the topic of resiliency in all its forms. Each night will feature a webinar bringing together the voices of our community: farmworker rights group Migrant Justice, Abenaki chef Jessee Lawyer, students of gender studies and agriculture at Bennington College and organic farmers building healthy soil and feeding their communities. While we know community events will look a little different this year, we are thrilled to share the details of this year’s offerings. All events are free and open to the public.  

2020’s Featured Events

Monday November 16th, 6-7:30 pm

Workshop: Exploring Abenaki Foodways Cooking Class 

Guest Speaker: Chef Jessee Lawyer 

Description: Roll up your sleeves and gather in the kitchen for this virtual instructional cooking class taught by Abenaki chef Jessee Lawyer of Sweetwaters. Jessee will demonstrate how to create a seasonal dish showcasing Native techniques and pre-colonial, Vermont-grown ingredients. Recipes will be included so you can create the dish for your own family and friends.

Tuesday November 17th, 6-7:30 pm

Workshop: #MilkwithDignity: Advancing the Human Rights of Farmworkers while Fostering a Sustainable Northeast Dairy Industry 

Guest Speakers: Migrant Justice 

Description: The Milk with Dignity Program, created by Migrant Justice, brings together farmworkers, consumers, farmer owners and corporate buyers with the principal goal of fostering a sustainable Northeast dairy industry that advances the human rights of farmworkers, supports the long-term interests of farm owners, and provides an ethical supply chain for retail food companies and consumers. COVID-19 has further proven how essential farmworkers are, as they continue to work day in day out to produce the milk and dairy products to feed our communities. Join us for this workshop to learn more about the Milk with Dignity Program, farmworkers' continued struggle for justice and how you can get involved to help expand this powerful solution to the Hannaford supermarket’s supply chain.  

Wednesday November 18th, 6-7:30 pm

Workshop: Building Soil Health Resilience** 

Farmer Panel: Misse Axelrod (Drift Farmstead), Nic Cook (Cedar Circle Farm & Education Center), Tyler Webb (Stony Pond Farm), Kate Spring (Good Heart Farmstead) 

Description: Farms that build soil, sequester carbon and grow nutritious foods for their communities are webs of life. Mimicking the natural world and the deep ties of how we are all connected, resilience starts with soil, and builds out into whole-systems thinking. Join this panel of Vermont farmers as they share how their farms are an extension of the natural world that steward deeply interwoven systems for plant, animal and human communities to thrive.

**[Optional] Pre-Screen this Film: Rent the film Biggest Little Farm from your local library and watch the film before attending this workshop. This film is also available on Netflix. 

Thursday November 19th, 6-7:30 pm

Workshop: Gender, Agriculture, and Food Access  

Guest Speakers: Ike Leslie, Postdoctoral Researcher in Food Systems at the University of New Hampshire; Tatiana Abatemarco, Visiting Faculty of Food Studies, Bennington College; Bennington College students enrolled in Gender, Subsistence, and Agriculture class 

Description: In this workshop, students will share the results of an oral history project, interviewing farmers, gardeners, consumers, and advocates who work in a variety of local food access programs. Specifically, the research focuses on the intersections between food access projects and gender identity. The students will share their research results in conversation with local expert, Ike Leslie, who has researched and published on the topic of gender and agriculture. The students' research is part of their work in the class, Gender, Subsistence, and Agriculture at Bennington College. 

Are You a Library Interested in Hosting Your Own Agricultural Literacy Week Event?

• Host a “prepare at home” community supper. Details here for a virtual Simple Supper 
• Host a virtual book club or film viewing & discussion - using books and films available through your library or ILL 
• Find a list of themed books and films available here

Please let us know what you’re doing. We’d love to promote your event. 

Help us Spread the Word!

• Join and promote the week’s virtual events
• Share these events with your community through newsletters, event calendars and social media
• Post the events on your local Front Porch Forum 
• Create and host your own special event  

Agricultural Literacy Week is a project of The Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA-VT), Vermont Department of Libraries and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.

Questions? Contact NOFA-VT.

Introduction and Project Background

Books can be wonderful tools to use with children who have experienced trauma or loss. Reading (or being read to) and talking with adults can help them understand and cope with their feelings in a developmentally appropriate way. Reading also offers a great way to spend time with a child, reinforce a sense of normalcy and security, and connect with them, all of which are important to recovery from a traumatic experience.

The Vermont Department of Libraries (VTLIB), The Barre District of the Department for Children and Families, and UVM’s the Vermont Child Welfare Training Partnership (VTCWTP), have worked together to develop initiatives to create a path to healing and stability. The three agencies developed a book collection targeting grief, loss, and trauma for different age groups; 0-5, 6-12, and 12-18.

Other offerings include statewide training for librarians, kinship, foster, and adoptive parents regarding grief, loss, and trauma. The goal is for caregivers and librarians to gain a sense of increased skill as a trauma-informed caregiver/librarian in addition to caregivers and children/youth in care accessing their local libraries on the topics of grief, loss, and trauma.

For or more information about this project, or contact VTLIB: Jonathan Clark (jonathan.l.clark@vermont.gov), VTCWTP: Sharon O’Neill (sharon.oneill@uvm.edu), and the Barre District Resource Coordinators: Jaime Blouin (Jaime.Blouin@vermont.gov) 

Overview and Guide to Using the Free Resources Available from The Vermont Department of Libraries

Dealing with Loss, Grief, and Trauma Booklist – Compiled by The Vermont Department of Libraries (VTLIB), The Barre District of the Department for Children and Families, and UVM’s the Vermont Child Welfare Training Partnership (VTCWTP)

VTLIB has book sets for Dealing with Loss, Grief, and Trauma available for circulation through Clover. These book sets are organized by age range 0-5, 6-12, and 13-18- and intended for those targeted ages along with parents and caregivers. There are 5 sets available for each age range.

For libraries interested in making these books available, we recommend setting up a display with them so that patrons can see everything that is available. 

Ages 0-5 Book-set (Each set contains one copy of each title)

Ages 6-12 Book-set (Each set contains one copy of each title)

Ages 13-18 Book-set (Each set contains one copy of each title)

The image below shows how the book sets appear in Clover:

Other Resources and Booklists

Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event: A Guide for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers (samhsa.gov)

ALSC booklists for Tough Topics - Includes resources for young people and for parents

• Tough Topics - Inspiring Conversations in Difficult Times Grades K-2
• Tough Topics – Inspiring Conversations in Difficult Times Grades 3-5
• Tough Topics – Inspiring Conversations in Difficult Times Grades 6-8

Under construction

Overview - Training Resources - Promotional Materials - Training Registration

Training Sessions for Library Staff:

Recorded sessions:

• 5/03/22: Vermont Beanstack Summer Prep - 1 hour and 2 minutes (Recording)
• 1/20/21: Beanstack Orientation and Overview - 58 minutes (Recording)
• 1/21/21: Beanstack Promotion and Patron Experience - 59 minutes (Recording)
• 5/13/21: Beanstack Summer Reading Challenge Overview - 59 minutes (Recording)

Back to Children and Teens Main Page

*Due to the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, there will be a collection of movies available to be shown outdoors on library property, included with the license for the remainder of 2020. Please see our Outdoor Performance page for more information about hosting an outdoor showing on your library property.

Please always familiarize yourself with the latest Stay Home, Stay Safe Order by the Vermont ACCD before showing a movie to make sure you are in compliance.

• Form to Request an Outdoor Showing
  • The outdoor form goes through all the guidelines that need to be followed. The form must be reviewed and completed to get permission for the outdoor events exception. Once completed, you can email the form to libraries@swankmp.com. As long as the guidelines are followed, you can host those outdoor showings as part of you annual license coverage through the end of 2020.
• Films Eligible for Outdoor Showing
  • Films NOT on the above list, but still covered by the license, can still be shown outdoors for a fee- $100 for 50 people or under, $250 for 50-250 people.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EQUIPMENT, ETC. COMING SOON

COMING SOON