Vermont Newspaper on Microfilm will be Moving to Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA) on July 20
Montpelier – In an effort to improve access, preservation, and service, the Vermont Department of Libraries will transfer the collection of Vermont newspapers on microfilm to the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA) on July 20, 2017. Researchers that use the newspaper collections often travel a circuit between VSARA in Middlesex and the Department of Libraries in Montpelier as they proceed in their research. By moving this collection of newspapers on microfilm to VSARA, the natural synergies between newspapers and historical records will be amplified by having both in the same location. The proximity of the collections should improve access for the public and may lead to new lines of inquiry and a deeper understanding of the historical record of Vermont.
VSARA is located at 1078 Route 2, Middlesex, VT 05602. Reference room hours are 9 AM to 4 PM, Monday through Friday.
NEW HOURS: Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM
Montpelier – The Vermont Department of Libraries is pleased to announce that the State Library will resume walk-in hours of 8 AM to 4 PM five days a week, effective immediately. The State Library, located on the second floor of the Pavilion Building at 109 State Street in Montpelier, offers access to Vermontiana collections, reference, fiction, non-fiction, Vermont legislative history and Vermont law, grants--including the Foundation Directory Online, and current and historical Vermont newspapers in hard copy and on microfilm.
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Vermont State Library Announces Reduced Library Hours and End of Legal Reference Services
Montpelier – As a result of a reduction in their FY16 budget passed by the Legislature in May, the Department of Libraries will reduce hours of operation and phase out Law Library services at the Vermont State Library, located in the Pavilion Building in Montpelier, beginning July 1.
“We have worked very hard to maintain as many of our Department’s services and programs as possible given the budget challenges facing the state," said State Librarian Martha Reid. “We will continue to work to sustain the high level of service our patrons have come to expect. But the reality is that we must make difficult choices and look for ways to live within our budget and meet as best we can the information needs of Vermonters.”
The Department of Libraries has developed a plan for moving forward with a reduction of over $400,000 in state general funds. The first major change comes with trimming State Library hours, library staff, library collection purchases, and ending legal reference service. Beginning July 1, the State Library will be open Monday through Thursday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, and closed on Fridays. The Library will retain its current print, state documents, and Vermont newspaper microfilm collections, but will not maintain the law collection.
The Department’s FY16 budget includes a new appropriation of $67,000 which will be used as a grant to the Vermont Law School in South Royalton. Librarians at the Law School’s Julien and Virginia Cornell Library will provide access to legal resources and reference assistance to the general public and the legal community, beginning this fall. For more information, contact the Vermont State Library at 802-828-3268 during their scheduled business hours, or the Law School’s library at 802-831-1441. Until July 1, the State Library will be open Monday-Friday, 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.