Monthly Archives: April 2008

Vermont House passes library patron confidentiality bill

Tuesday morning, April 29, the House voted to concur with the Senate-passed version of the library patron confidentiality bill (S. 220). Now it goes to the governor for his signature before becoming law. Please call or write your representatives and thank them for their support on this measure. Also, a big thanks to John Shullenberger for all his efforts on our behalf.

Proposals for ACRL 14th National Conference

Contributed papers, panel sessions, preconferences, and workshops are due May 12, 2008. The ACRL 14th National Conference, to be held in Seattle, March 12-15, 2009, will offer a forum for an exciting and energizing exchange of ideas on research, practices, developments, and visions in the field of academic and research librarianship. The conference theme, “Pushing the Edge: Explore, Engage, Extend,” reflects the promise and the challenge of the Northwest. The ACRL National Conference Executive Committee invites submitters to send their edgiest, most “out-there” proposals, to help make ACRL 2009 a truly groundbreaking conference.

Proposals are sought for a variety of formats including contributed papers, panel sessions, preconferences, workshops, poster sessions, and roundtable discussions. Deadlines for proposal submissions are as follows:

May 12, 2008 – Contributed papers, panel sessions, preconferences, and workshops

  • October 20, 2008 – Poster sessions
  • November 23, 2008 – Roundtable discussions

Full text of the Call for Participation is available online at http://www.acrl.org/seattle (Click “Proposals”). Proposals must be submitted via the online proposal form, available at http://www.eshow2000.com/acrl/2009/program_proposal_submission.cfm. Complete details about the conference are online at http://www.acrl.org/seattle. Questions about the call for presentation and the 14th ACRL National Conference should be directed to Margot Conahan at mconahan@ala.org, or by phone at 312-280-2522.

Updated Slate for VLA Election

We have found a candidate to run for Vice-President / President elect.  John Payne of St. Michael’s has agreed to run.  A revised ballot can be found here : official-warning.pdf.  As always, additional nominations for all open offices may be taken from the floor.  – Brenda Ellis, VLA Secretary

Vermont Telecommunications Authority

In early March, several librarians made a presentation to the VT Telecom Authority about the expanding role of libraries in providing public access to technology and high-speed Internet services. The mission of VTA is, in part, to ensure “that all residences and business in all regions of the state have access to affordable broadband services not later than the end of the year 2010.”

The committee was thrilled to hear the presentation, and we hope it is a start of a conversation about our need for additional resources to meet increasing demands for services. A handout prepared for the meeting can be found here, Connecting the Unconnected.

If you would like more information, contact Lisa von Kann, Library Director, St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 802-748-8291, 1vkann[at]stjathenaeum.org.

CAYAL Meeting April 17th

Hello Youth Librarians,

 For those of you not yet initiated into the cozy inner circle of our CAYAL distribution list family  (just ask), Jill Coffrin and I invite you to scenic Colchester for our spring CAYAL MEETING, to be held Thursday, April 17th, from 2-4 PM at the Colchester Meeting House adjacent to the Burnham Memorial Library.Read more→