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VTLIB & Girls Who Code

Vermont Department of Libraries is proud to partner with Girls Who Code to bring free computer science opportunities to elementary, middle, and high school girls across Vermont.Girls Who Code is on a mission to close the gender gap in technology and to change the image of what a programmer looks like and does. We would love for your school and public library to host a club!

Girls Who Code Clubs are free programs for 3rd-5th and 6th-12th grade students to join a sisterhood of supportive peers and role models using computer science to change the world. Clubs are completely free and offer fun activities through a flexible curriculum that adapts to your unique needs. Clubs can take place after school, on weekends, or during the summer, and they can be held in-person or entirely online.Clubs are led by Facilitators, who can be teachers, computer scientists, librarians, parents, or volunteers from any background or field. Many Facilitators have NO technical experience and learn to code alongside their Club members.

Girls Who Code Clubs program:

  • Is completely free
  • Now offers swag and $300 for extra supplies during the academic year
  • Provides flexible turnkey programming as a book club model for 3-5th graders or a project-based club model for 6-12th graders that can also be customized to supplement programming you already have planned
  • Includes everything you need to run a Club from start to finish, like student recruitment flyers, training, new coding video tutorials, live help from a dedicated Girls Who Code staff member, and more
  • Does NOT require any prior coding experience for an adult 18+ to lead a Club
  • Creates a girls-supportive environment that welcomes library patrons of any gender

APPLY TO START A CLUB HERE

Recorded Girls Who Code Webinar: Features programming and a coding demo with Valerie Tomici (GWC Community Partnerships & Outreach Manager), and Lisa Dion, (Burlington GWC chapter leader).

*Please Note: It is important that you indicate our partnership affiliation on the Clubs Application in order to receive partnership benefits! Please list Vermont Department of Libraries as your partner affiliation for the following question: Is your Club affiliated with a Girls Who Code Community Partner (school districts, library systems, nonprofit organization, afterschool networks etc.)?

Please contact Jonathan Clark ((802) 249-3920, jonathan.l.clark@vermont.gov if you have any questions about how to get started.

Thanks for supporting our partnership with Girls Who Code!

2018 Public Library Directors' Summit

The 2018 Public Library Directors' Summit was held on November 9. Find hand-outs from this event below.

  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Special Populations/ABLE Library
    • ABLE Library Updates (PDF)
    • Marrakesh Treaty Information (Link)
  • State Library Updates (PDF)
    • Fuel Assistance Program (PDF)
    • Vermont Statutes for Libraries (Link)
    • Green Mountain Passport Program (PDF)
  • Paul Carnahan, Librarian - Leahy Library at Vermont Historical Society (Link)
  • VTLIB Financial Updates & Grant Information (PDF)
  • Decennial Census 2020 & The Complete Count (Michael Moser, Vermont State Data Center at UVM- Link)
    • 50 Ways Census Data  Are Used (PDF)
    • Libraries and the 2020 Census (PDF)
    • Debunking the Myths about Citizenship Questions (PDF)
  • Continuing Education Updates (PDF)
    • Universal Class Flyer (PDF)
    • Creative Economy Panel/Resource Sheet (PDF)
  • Information & Access Updates
    • Services for Public Libraries (PDF)
    • Services for State Employees (PDF)
    • Resources on the Vermont Online Library (PDF)
  • Conversations on Using Volunteers and Library Safety Issues
    • Questionnaire on Code of Patron Conduct, Volunteers, and Security (PDF)
    • A Selection of Resources for Library Security and Volunteers (PDF)
    • Toolkit: Engaging New and Active Library and Friends Volunteers (PDF)
    • Article: Company to Supply Free Narcan to Libraries (PDF) (Link)
  • Evaluation (PDF)

2020 Rooted in Vermont Week

 

“Food In Your Backyard” Week @ Your Library (October 11-17, 2020)

From October 11 - 17, 2020, the Vermont Department of Libraries (VTLIB) will team up with Rooted in Vermont to promote library programming that explores food found in your backyard – and we invite you to join us!

What's Rooted in Vermont?

Rooted in Vermont is a grassroots movement that celebrates how Vermonters enjoy and acquire local food. They’re working to change the “local food” narrative so everyone sees local food as their own – not just some trendy thing. Their goal: to increase consumption of local food, resulting in more jobs and more money staying in our communities while preserving Vermont’s working landscapes. For more information: Rooted in Vermont Brochure (PDF).

What is "Exploring Food in Your Backyard Week?"

We are encouraging libraries across the state to schedule one or more programs/activities for their community that focus on food that patrons can find “in their backyard.” Whether that’s gardening, foraging, or hunting and fishing - there are lots of activities to explore.

Given uncertainties about gatherings later this year, we encourage libraries to schedule online, asynchronous, or other types of programs that allow for distancing. To help with this, we are doing three things:

  1. We’ve brainstormed a list of program ideas to help inspire you (both virtual and non-virtual ideas)
  2. We are planning an online “kick off” event that you can share with your patrons. This Facebook Live event will feature author, former state legislator, VPR commentator, and well-known beekeeper and home brewer Bill Mares; VT State Librarian and award-winning baker Jason Broughton; and farmer and co-creator of the Cooking Through Covid Facebook group, Natalie Guillette. There will be cooking demonstrations, information sharing and more. Tune in and invite a friend!
  3. We created a Beanstack challenge for the Food in Your Backyard week. Library patrons who register for the Food in Your Backyard Week Beanstack Challenge need to participate in ONE (1) event to become eligible to win a "Vermont Maple 100" gift basket to celebrate all things maple this fall. Tell patrons to register for Beanstack and look for the Food in Your Backyard Week challenge.

Rooted in Vermont’s project manager Shane Rogers will actively promote the week via social media, Front Porch Forum postings, and the Rooted in Vermont grassroots email list. VTLIB is looking into additional avenues for statewide promotion, including paid advertisements online and in newspapers.

How to Participate:

  1. Plan an activity for your library with a Rooted in Vermont theme focusing on some aspect of “food in your backyard” – gardening, foraging, and/or hunting and fishing.
  2. Submit the activity details through the Google Form.
  3. Promote the activity using your usual promotion channels and our customizable poster (PDF).
  4. Tell your patrons to register for Beanstack and look for the Food in Your Backyard Week challenge.

For participating, you will receive the following items and assistance from Rooted in Vermont:

  1. A package of FREE Rooted in Vermont bumper stickers, postcards, and brochures
  2. Before the event, Rooted in Vermont will send a press release featuring your event to your local newspaper and provide you a copy to distribute as you see fit
  3. Rooted in Vermont will add your event to their website, www.rootedinvermont.org, and actively promote the ‘Exploring Food in Your Backyard’ events leading up to the week

            

Questions? Contact Shane Rogers, Rooted in Vermont: 802-828-0404; shane@vsjf.org

2018-2019 Vermont Letters about Literature Competition

Letters about Literature 2018-2019

Program

The Vermont Department of Libraries will once again be facilitating Vermont's state competition in the Library of Congress' 26th Annual Letters about Literature contest.

This contest asks students in grades 4-12 to write a letter to an author explaining how something they've written affected the student's worldview and/or self-perception. Students should not be assigned a piece, but rather select something themselves that truly impacted them on a personal level. Letters will be first be judged against other entrants from Vermont in a state competition, and the first-place letters from each level (grades 4-6, 7-8, and 9-12) will be sent on to the national competition.

There are several big changes to the program this year, including:

  • Online submission - entries in any format will not be accepted until November 1, 2018
    • ONLINE SUBMISSION LINK [CLOSED]
      • Entries will still be accepted by mail (although online submissions are preferred) at:

Letters about Literature

Vermont Department of Libraries

60 Washington Street, Suite 2

Barre, VT 05641

  • Minimum/maximum word count for letters and strict judging of formatting (read contest rules thoroughly)
  • Parental permission form for entrants under the age of 13 as of November 1, 2018

Please read the contest rules thoroughly before beginning any writing with your students. The deadline for entries is January 11, 2019.

Important Documents & Links

Prizes and Award Ceremony

The winners of the Vermont state competition will be honored at a ceremony at the State House in Montpelier on May 31, 2019. First-place state winners will have the opportunity to read their letters to the assembled guests.

State winners will receive a certificate and a cash prize:

  • First-place: $150
  • Second-place: $125
  • Third-place: $100

State winners will be asked to submit a W-9 in order to receive their cash prize.

National winners of the competition in each level will receive a $2000 cash prize, and honor winners will receive $500.

2019 Agricultural Literacy Week - "Celebrating Our Culinary Traditions"

Culinary Traditions and Seasonal Foods Highlighted for Agricultural Literacy Week

 

Vermont (Statewide) – The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT), in partnership with the Vermont Department of Libraries and the Vermont Agency of Food and Markets, announces the 10th annual Agricultural Literacy Week: November 18-24, 2019. The events of this week-long celebration occur across the state to inform and educate people about the economic and cultural importance of farms in Vermont communities. Partners at libraries and community organizations are invited to participate by presenting a culinary experience in their communities during Agricultural Literacy Week.

For this year’s Agricultural Literacy Week, NOFA-VT is proud to present “Celebrating Our Culinary Traditions.”  The theme focuses on the seasonal delight brought to the table from our local fields. Four main events at libraries around the state will feature Vermont cookbook authors and offer a taste of prepared foods made from local, seasonal ingredients. You can find the list of these events at the bottom of this article.

The opening event will be held at the Vermont State Library, located at 60 Washington Street in Barre, on Tuesday, November 19th from 5:00-7:00pm.  Free Parking is available on both sides of Washington Street and Route 302. Students from Barre Town Elementary School will prepare a Vermont sampler with help from cookbook author Katie Webster. In Katie’s words, she is a “healthy pragmatic locavore omnivore culi-nerd”. She is the author of “Maple” and curator of the “Healthy Seasonal Recipes” blog. 

Libraries and community centers will be joining in the celebration by hosting their own event, ‘Simple Suppers’, a format to develop community meals, guest farmer talks and more are a great way to celebrate the harvest of Vermont.

NOFA-VT invites partners to present a culinary experience at their local library or community center during Agricultural Literacy Week.

###

About NOFA-VT: The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont promotes organic practices to build an economically viable, ecologically sound and socially just Vermont agricultural system that benefits all living things. We are proud to have nearly 1,100 members throughout the state and to certify over 700 farms and processors to the USDA National Organic Program Standards.

Featured Events

 

Manchester Library: Manchester

Sunday, November 17th - 3:00-4:30pm

Featured Cookbook Author: Tracey Madeiros

Details: Discussion with Maria Reade of Edible Green Mountains and Tracey about “Vermont Non GMO” cooking and tasting

 

Ilsley Public Library: Middlebury

Monday, November 18th - 1:00-2:00pm

Featured Cookbook Author: Andrea Chesman

Details: Discussion about “The Fat Kitchen” and tasting

 

Vermont Department of Libraries: Barre

Tuesday, November 19th - 5:00-7:00pm

Featured Cookbook Author: Katie Webster

Details: Kids Can Cook - Barre Town 4th Graders will showcase their culinary skills and share a tasting. Katie will talk about seasonal eating. 

 

Norwich Public Library: Norwich

Thursday, November 21st - 5:30-7:00pm

Featured Cookbook Author: Jeffery Hammelman

Details: Grains & Breads - Jeffery will talk about and sample a variety of breads.

Drag Queen Storytime Resources

Resources Compiled by the American Library Association:

 

Key Messages

• Libraries provide a welcoming, safe, respectful space for diverse voices and perspectives.

• No longer just a place for books, libraries are expanding beyond their traditional roles and providing more opportunities for delivery of new services that connect closely with patrons’ needs.

• Libraries strive to develop and maintain programs and collections that are as diverse as the populations that they serve.

• There is not a one-size-fits all approach to developing library programs. Each library has its own process to develop and offer programs.

Best Practices

Open to All
http://www.ala.org/rt/glbtrt/tools
Toolkit, Parents and Families of LGBTQ Individuals, Collection Development Policies, and Safe in the Stacks.

Drag Queen Story Hour: Reading Fabulously (PLA 2018 Conference)
http://www.placonference.org/program/drag-queen-story-hour-reading-fabulously/

Library-Initiated Programs as a Resource, an interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/programs

LibGuide on Library Policy Development
http://libguides.ala.org/librarypolicy
“Library policies help define the values of the organization, and they help managers and staff translate those values into service priorities.” – Library Policy LibGuide

Selection Criteria
http://www.ala.org/tools/challengesupport/selectionpolicytoolkit/criteria
While this resource focuses on collections it is appropriate for selection of programming topics

 

Books

Diversity programming for digital youth : promoting cultural competence in the children's library
by Jamie Campbell Naidoo
ISBN: 9781610694872 1610694872
OCLC Number: 862958393

Queer library alliance : global reflections and imaginings
by Rae-Anne Montague, Lucas McKeever
ISBN: 9781634000314 1634000315
OCLC Number: 992225700

Serving LGBTIQ library and archives users : essays on outreach, service, collections and access
by Ellen Greenblatt
ISBN: 9780786448944 0786448946
OCLC Number: 630498096

The First Amendment and LGBT equality : a contentious history
by Carlos A. Ball
ISBN: 9780674972193 0674972198
OCLC Number: 959649250

 

ALSC Blog Posts on Drag Queen Storytime:

http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2017/06/drag-queen-story-hour/

http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2017/07/drag-queen-story-hour-2/

http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2018/03/pla2018-drag-up-your-storytime/

 

Children and Libraries article on Drag Queen Storytime

https://journals.ala.org/index.php/cal/article/view/6589

 

OIF Blog Posts on Drag Queen Storytime

https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=14809

https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=14725

https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=9902

 

American Libraries articles

https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2017/06/01/inclusive-storytimes/

https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/latest-links/phoenix-cancels-drag-queen-storytime/

https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/latest-links/arizona-library-will-not-reinstate-drag-queen-storytime/

https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/latest-links/broome-county-defends-drag-queen-storytime/

2017 COSLINE Conference

The Vermont Department of Libraries is proud to host the 2017 COSLINE Conference in beautiful Burlington, Vermont. The conference will be held October 2-4, 2017 at the Hilton Burlington.

Conference Info & Food Selection:

Logistics:

Conference Presenter & Workshop Links:

 

               COSLA logo

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