For Immediate Release

08/10/2022

Contact

Karen Gravlin, Library Consultant for Inclusive Services

(802) 272-4912, Karen.Gravlin@vermont.gov

The Vermont Department of Libraries, in collaboration with the Department of Corrections, has provided over $42,000 in books to the six state correctional facilities. The books will refresh the facilities’ library collections available to incarcerated individuals. The funding was part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant provided to the Vermont Department of Libraries by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

The IMLS ARPA funding is meant to help libraries update collections, spaces, and equipment for safe operations and expand programming possibilities, with the overall goal of improving and increasing services to end-users. The Department of Libraries is responsible for distributing the funds to libraries across Vermont to meet these goals.

The Department of Libraries believes that “every citizen of the State of Vermont should have access to the educational, cultural, recreational, informational, and research benefits of libraries.” This effort aims to support the libraries in the correctional facilities around the state as they work to provide that access to incarcerated Vermonters.

“Access to reading materials is vitally important to individuals who are incarcerated in Vermont, as books both support academic coursework and provide cultural enrichment. The ARPA funds available to us through IMLS enabled the Department of Libraries to work with colleagues at the Department of Corrections in bolstering collections at all six correctional facilities in our state,” said State Librarian Catherine Delneo. “The books were selected to meet the individuals’ recreational and informational needs, while considering a wide range of reading levels.”

“Reading may be the single greatest skill of humankind. It enables us to know where we’ve been, understand where we are, and dream of where we might go,” said Department of Corrections Commissioner Nicholas Deml. “These new resources from the Department of Libraries will benefit those in our care and custody, whether they are looking to learn new things, to build skills that will support them when they’re released, or to get lost in another world for a while. We are so appreciative of this effort and our partners at the Department of Libraries.”

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About the Vermont Department of Corrections: The Vermont Department of Corrections is charged with overseeing correctional facilities and supervising people on probation and parole. The Department of Corrections is part of the Agency of Human Services. To learn more, visit doc.vermont.gov. Follow Vermont DOC on Facebook and Twitter.

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.

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.

Vermont/New England Contests

• The Vermont Holocaust Memorial Annual Student Contest

Ages 9-18

Cash prizes, 1st place $100, 2nd place $75, and 3rd place $50, will be awarded to the top three submissions in each of the following age groups: ages 16-18, ages 13-15, ages 9-12

Deadline is March 7, 2022

Link: https://www.holocaustmemorial-vt.org/20212022-student-contest

Description and more information: The Vermont Holocaust Memorial asks students to reflect on the following prompt using poetry, prose, art or film to answer the question: How does the story of one Holocaust survivor inspire you or give you hope in the face of today’s challenges? Cash prizes will be awarded.

• Growing Works of Art Contest

Grades 1-8

Entries due March 11, 2022

Link: https://vtcommunityforestry.org/celebrate/arbor-day/growing-works-art-contest-grades-1-8

Description and additional information: Growing Works of Art is an arts and writing contest for students in grades 1-8. This contest is hosted in partnership with UVM Extension and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, & Recreation. This year’s theme Share your TREE-mendous Story! celebrates the connections we share with trees by creating a work of art and written story that showcases a meaningful experience or memory enjoyed because of the trees in our lives. Students will write a short story (one to three paragraphs) and create art illustrating their chosen tree. There is also a supporting activity guide for instructors and parents: https://vtcommunityforestry.org/sites/default/files/pictures/growingworksofartactivityguide2022.pdf  Contest entries can be submitted via mail or email (new this year). All entries must include an entry form.

Entries can by mailed to:

Rebecca Roy
1 National Life Drive, Davis 2
Montpelier, VT 05620-3801

Or email entries (link to a folder or scanned document) to: Rebecca.roy@vermont.gov.

• Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest

Ages 11-18

Deadline: June 13

Description & additional information: Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs 11th Annual Ocean Awareness Contest is open to youth 11-18 nationwide & worldwide. The 2022 Ocean Awareness Contest -THE FUNNY THING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE—challenges students to learn about climate change and its impact on the ocean, and to explore new ways to communicate the urgency of the climate crisis. There are multiple categories and cash prizes up to $1,500. The deadline is June 13th for the contest. 

National Contest

• Northwind Storytelling Contest

Macmillan Children's Publishing Group invites storytellers ages 10–14 to continue the adventure of literary legend Gary Paulsen's final novel, the New York Times bestseller Northwind. Entries for the Northwind Storytelling Contest are open February 4th through April 4th, 2022. Find more information online at: http://click.mail.macmillan.com/?qs=664fe0828488c7b6bcb33382e403636b3c854257993d5430cd131a191d8a5b685f414dd1bbc4623b186ff3c8b48ad3168e839cea31b5ed25

For Immediate Release

02/01/2022

Contact

Tom McMurdo, Interim State Librarian/Commissioner of Libraries

(802) 622-4012, thomas.mcmurdo@vermont.gov

The Vermont Department of Libraries (VTLIB) is pleased to announce agreements with two eBook and eAudiobook content providers, LYRASIS and Baker & Taylor. Both vendors provide a huge range of eContent from a wide variety of publishers. VTLIB contracted with LYRASIS to provide free access to their Palace Project app to all Vermonters through their local public libraries. The Palace Project app aggregates eBook and eAudiobook content from multiple vendors into a single interface, increasing access, ease of use, and appeal.  

The Palace Project will launch with a large collection of eBooks and eAudiobooks already in place. The Palace Project app will access content from Baker & Taylor as well as from Listen Up Vermont! (LUV), the statewide eBook and eAudiobook platform administered by the Green Mountain Library Consortium (GMLC). “We are excited about this effort to simplify eBook and eAudiobook access across multiple collections. It improves the ability of GMLC, the Department of Libraries, and individual public libraries to efficiently share resources in our continued work to meet Vermonters' digital needs” says Wendy Hysko, President of GMLC. “We are pleased to partner on this effort.” 

The contracts with LYRASIS and Baker & Taylor provide public libraries in Vermont more options for purchasing eContent, increasing access to content from different publishers at competitive prices. By providing a more robust marketplace for libraries from which to purchase content, as well as an app allowing patrons to access content across vendors seamlessly, Vermonters will have easy access to not only the latest and greatest bestsellers, but a robust electronic library of children’s, youth, classics, and general interest titles. Current users of eBook and eAudiobooks will find more of what they want and those who have not yet explored this medium should find something that interests them and with instant access. 

Building on the diligent work done by the Green Mountain Library Consortium over the last decade, the Department of Libraries is eager to take the next step in the evolution of access to eBooks and eAudiobooks in Vermont. Expect to see this rollout in Vermont communities over the next several months into summer 2022.  

This project is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Vermont Department of Libraries.

Funded by a $5 million investment from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Palace Project is a division of LYRASIS working in strategic partnership with Digital Public Library of America (DPLA).

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 and Instagram.

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.

Vermont libraries that receive grant monies from VTLIB/IMLS must acknowledge this funding in any communications relating to programs, items, etc. purchased/funded by these monies.

• VTLIB & IMLS Logos (Google Drive)
  • VTLIB Logos
  • IMLS Logos
  • VTLIB/IMLS Attribution Text
    • This text should be used to acknowledge programming/items funded by ARPA/CARES grants, courier grants, and technology grants.
      • "This program is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency, through the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Vermont Department of Libraries."
  • IMLS Standards Guide (in IMLS Logos folder)
• Please tag VTLIB & IMLS when posting about grant-funded programs/projects/items on social media.
  • VTLIB Facebook: @VermontLib
  • VTLIB Instagram: @vermontdeptlib
  • IMLS Facebook: @USIMLS
  • IMLS Twitter: @US_IMLS

For more information, consult the IMLS Grantee Communication Kit or contact LSTA Coordinator Janette Shaffer (janette.shaffer@vermont.gov).

Cathy's Interview with Vermont Public Radio

***

From a press release from the Office of Governor Phil Scott:

Catherine Delneo, state librarian

Delneo brings more than 25 years of experience in library services to the role of state librarian, most recently serving as a chief of branches at the San Francisco Public Library, leading a team of more than 400 staff.

“Cathy will bring a breadth of experience and a lot passion to the role of state librarian,” said Governor Scott. “We look forward to welcoming her back to her home state, where I’m confident she’ll continue to do great work, supporting our communities.”

“Libraries are essential in giving citizens access to knowledge, especially now,” said Administration Secretary Clouser. “I am so excited that Cathy will join us in Vermont and continue to expand access to knowledge and opportunities for all Vermonters in her new role.”

Catherine began her career at the Somerset County Library System in Bridgewater, New Jersey, where she provided library services to children and teens for many years before becoming the training coordinator for the system. In 2006, Delneo moved to San Francisco, California, where she served as branch manager of the Park Branch Library in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood. She served in this role continuously until 2012, when she became the assistant chief of the Main Library. In 2015 Catherine became chief of branches.

“I am so impressed with the services and resources that are being provided by Vermont’s libraries and am deeply honored to have been chosen to serve as Vermont’s next state librarian,” said Delneo. “I was born and raised in Chittenden County and am thrilled by this opportunity to return to my home state to support the continued success of Vermont’s libraries, and I look forward to this opportunity to work with the dedicated individuals who provide library services to Vermonters every day.”

Delneo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Vassar College and a Master of Library and Information Science from Rutgers University.

Delneo will begin her new role on February 13, 2022.

The Winter Reading Challenge: Read for a Better World (All Ages) is available for pre-registration now on the Vermont libraries Beanstack page at https://vermont.beanstack.org/. The challenge starts January 1, 2022 and ends January 31. This challenge is available for free to all Vermonters and could be a simple way for public libraries to engage readers this January!

Readers of all ages are encouraged to read for at least 20 minutes a day and log their minutes using the Beanstack website or the mobile app. Participants can read books of their choosing, log minutes, participate in simple activities, and earn digital badges. Participants are encouraged to explore diversity, empathy, and action through literature by choosing books and stories from an array of diverse authors and topics.

There are many places readers can find lists of diverse books. One good place to start is We Need Diverse Books, which has compiled a list of sites that offer recommendations for diverse titles. There are also many fantastic diverse titles included in the Vermont youth book awards current and past nominee lists.

As a reminder, anyone who has created a Beanstack account in past will not need to create a new account and will just need to register for the challenge. If they do not have an account they will need to create one before they are able to register. There are instructions on the Beanstack landing page for logging-in and creating accounts.

You can find art, promotional/marketing materials for Winter Reading 2022 here: WRC2022 Editable Assets - Libraries.zip.

If you are new to Beanstack or looking for a refresher, check out the Beanstack info sheet for admin and user login instructions, and our Beanstack info page for support links, video tutorials, and recordings of previous trainings.

Feel free to reach out to Jonathan Clark if you have any questions.

Back to VTLIB Beanstack main page.

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.

NEW: Vermont Book Awards Celebration: Saturday, May 3, 2025 | Join Us!

Our thanks to those who nominated great books published by Vermonters in 2024! The winners will be revealed at the Vermont Book Awards celebration on Saturday, May 3rd in Montpelier featuring a keynote from Bill McKibben. Please join us for this community gathering of writers and readers. A dessert reception with cash bar will be followed by a brief program revealing the four winning authors, and announcing Vermont Humanities' next Vermont Reads pick. 

Purchase Your Tickets

Download & display the Awards celebration flyer.

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: children’s literature, creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry.

Congratulations to the 2024 Finalists:

Children's Literature
How It All Ends, Emma Hunsinger
The Secret Library, Kekla Magoon
Remembering Rosalind Franklin, Tanya Lee Stone

Creative Nonfiction
Not Till We Are Lost: Thoreau, Education, and Climate Crisis, William Homestead
An Image of My Name Enters America, Lucy Ives
The Trauma Mantras: A Memoir in Prose Poems, Adrie Kusserow
How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World, Ethan Tapper

Fiction
Nicked, M. T. Anderson
Goldenseal, Maria Hummel
Liquid, Fragile, Perishable, Carolyn Kuebler
Fifty Beasts To Break Your Heart: And Other Stories, GennaRose Nethercott

Poetry
Some Dark Familiar, Julia Alter
In the Cathedral of My Undoing, Kellam Ayres
Nowhere Was a Lake, Margaret Draft
Loss and its Antonym, Alison Prine

Listen or read more about the 2024 Vermont Book Award finalists:

• From Seven Days: Vermont Book Awards Announces Finalists for the State's Most Prestigious Literary Honors
• From Vermont Public: Here are the 2024 Vermont Book Awards finalists

Nominations for books published in 2025 will open in Summer 2025. To be eligible, the author must live in Vermont more than half the year. Self-published books are not eligible. 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 03/18/25