VLA Board adopts Resolution on 2009 Patriot Act Resolution

On September 15th, the  VLA Board Meeting unanimously and enthusiastically adopted a Resolution on the 2009 Reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act.the following resolution. Unlike a resolution passed by ALA Council in July 2009, VLA’s resolution goes beyond Section 215 and address grave concerns raised by the use and abuse of Section 505, National Security Letters.

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Vermont Library Trustee Association Annual Conference

The VLTA Annual Conference, scheduled for October 17, at Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier, VT.

“Please make sure that each of your trustees gets a copy of this flyer and encourage them to attend this event. This year the conference will challenge trustees to think about the future of libraries, and will introduce them (or re-introduce, in some cases) to current social networking and technology tools. Keynote speaker Stephen Spohn of NELINET will make a presentation on trends in technology, education and libraries and will explore what the future holds for us. ”
Martha Reid, Vermont State Librarian

To register for the conference please go to:
http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/trustees

Looking for a Mentor? Want to Be a Mentor?

ALA has launched MentorConnect in ALA Connect so you can find or become a mentor.

MentorConnect (”MC”) allows ALA members to create mentoring profiles that highlight their expertise and experience. After they’ve joined MC, ALA members can search for a mentor using a variety of criteria (gender, type of library, ethnicity, etc.) and request mentorship. Once created, the mentorship is tracked within MC, with a space for providing and archiving feedback. The system will prompt mentors and mentorees every few months to ensure they are staying in touch.

To learn all about this new service, see Mentoring Starter Questions and Mentoring and MentorConnect FAQ at (http://www.students.ala.org/studentmemberblog/?p=344)

Don Wood
Program Officer
Chapter Relations Office
American Libraries Association
dwood@ala.org
1-800-545-2433, ext. 2429

Free Financial Fraud Workshop for VT Libraries

Fraud occurs in Vermont. And when it happens, it can have a devastating impact. This impact is felt by the person defrauded, their family, as well as by the entire community. The FINRA Investor Education Foundation, a non-profit organization, has launched an antifraud campaign to combat investment fraud in Vermont. The Foundation is working with AARP VT, the State of Vermont, and local Vermont organizations, including Vermont Public Television and the Community of Vermont Elders (“COVE”). As part of this project, the Foundation has developed a research-based curriculum to present to small and large groups. The presentation teaches Vermonters that they can be at risk for financial fraud, how to spot the “tactics” that fraudsters use in defrauding people, and the simple tools they can use to defend themselves against investment fraud. We are especially concerned about Vermonters aged 55+ who are specifically targeted.
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Putney, Burlington and Brattleboro Libraries: The Hearts of Their Communities

The feature article in the Summer issue of the Planning Commissioners Journal, “Libraries at the Heart of Our Communities,” reports on the increasingly important role public libraries are playing in our communities. The article also focuses on how libraries can strengthen downtowns and main street districts. The article features interviews with librarians in Putney, Burlington and Brattleboro.

For a limited time the article is available to download at no charge (as a pdf file). For information about Libraries at the Heart of Our Communities, and to download it, go to:

http://pcj.typepad.com/planning_commissioners_jo/2009/07/libraries.html

ACLU First Amendment Conference – Registration Deadline 6/23/09

MONTPELIER-“ The First Amendment is being asked to do more as technology transforms the way thoughts and beliefs are expressed, and free speech lines are questioned.

“Thought and Expression in a Changing World”  is the topic of a day-long conference Monday, June 29 in South Burlington sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont.

Speakers will include Catherine Crump, an attorney with the National ACLU’s First Amendment Working Group, and Dan Barrett, staff attorney at the ACLU-VT. Other Vermont attorneys will participate on panels discussing specific cases and incidents, including recent controversies involving broadcast of the Al Jazeera-English channel on a local cable TV system and images placed on locally manufactured snowboards.

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100 Ways to Make Your Library a Little Greener

Librarians need to be on the constant cutting edge in terms of technology, researching, web tools and even architecture and design. But libraries are also a great place to educate the public and your students about the environment, from eco-friendly lifestyle choices to organizations that promote green causes. Here are 100 ways to make your library a little greener.

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Urgent Call to Action! Ask your Senators to Support Library Funding!

Please contact your Senators and ask them to sign the “Dear Colleague” letter being circulated by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) in support of funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program.

Take Action

The deadline to sign the letter is Tuesday May 5! LSTA and Improving Literacy Through School Libraries are two of the most important federal programs for libraries today. The letter will not be taken seriously, and it will appear as if Members of Congress do not care about libraries if we don’t have 60 signers on the letter. Programs that don’t have a vocal support network are in danger of being cut.

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