Public Library Report and Standards Application Deadline

Public Librarians:

I want to remind you that the deadline for submitting your annual public library report and standards application is: Friday, November 19.

On behalf of the Department of Libraries I want to thank all of you for your cooperation in submitting this data. As a former library director I know the work involved to get this done!  You’ve been wonderful about submitting the report in the past, and this year your participation is more important than ever. As you know, in difficult times accurate information about library performance takes on greater value. Our Department as well as library directors, library trustees, and municipal officials use this data for advocacy, in preparing budgets and reports, in presentations to library trustees and selectboards and to measure library trends across the state. The data we collect also becomes part of the national public library report for use by national policymakers.

It is important to have every Vermont public library participate in this annual report – because only you will be able to provide the local data that makes this report the valuable resource that it is.  If you haven’t begun or completed the survey yet, please give it your attention now.

The online report form is located at: http://collect.btol.com.  DOL sent letters to libraries earlier this fall that contained your username and password.  If you’ve lost this information, or if you have other questions, contact Rob Geiszler, our State Data Coordinator, at the Department of Libraries: (802) 786-3839 or rob.geiszler@state.vt.us.

The FY08 national public library report is now available online. To see how Vermont compares with other U.S. public libraries, go to: http://harvester.census.gov/imls/publib.asp

Martha Reid
State Librarian
Vermont Department of Libraries
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT
martha.reid@state.vt.us
802-828-3265