Rutland Free Library is hosting a local author book signing on a Saturday afternoon. Director Abby Noland says Facebook and the local newspaper brought authors to her door– easy program and built in audience if every author brings her fanbase.
How DO we promote local authors, who may be poets, memoir writers, short story penners, sometimes unknown beyond the family? Here’s Rutland’s charming brochure, with a photo or illustration for each author and a thumbnail of their work. Bravo!
After the second break-in in a few months, it became pretty clear that we needed to do something. Burglars seeking our petty cash broke into the Library on three separate occasions in the last six months. While the petty cash never amounted to more than $100, the resulting damage to the building started to get expensive. In addition to the break-ins, we have had many instances of vandalism and an employee’s purse was taken from behind the desk. Broken computers, people counters, and a file cabinet have had to be repaired or replaced. We had all of our locks changed since extra keys were easy to access behind the circulation desk. The last burglary resulted in our office door getting kicked-in. A new office door is on order and anxiously anticipated.
The Trustees and library staff sat down with a local security contractor and decided on a plan. We would put motion sensors around the building and add two cameras. Both our children’s area and the side door cannot be seen from the circulation desk. Vandalism had increased in those two areas and we hoped installing cameras would deter the vandals and give us a way to monitor those spaces. We also installed an alarm on our emergency exit, which had been unlocked and used to enter the building several times.
So far we have invested more than $900 into the security system, with another $1050 anticipated for the camera system. This does not include any of the yearly fees that we will have to pay. While not cheap, we are hoping that these measures will slow down the torrent of money to repair and recover from all of these intrusions. Our emotional recovery has come at a cost as well. Every theft has come with a feeling of violation. It has been hard for me to make peace with money being taken from an institution that tries to give every cent back to our community.
Our motion sensors and emergency exit alarm have been installed. The security contractor is hoping to install the cameras soon and we are adding some motion sensor lights around the building. Things have quieted down since the installation and vandalism has stopped. We are hoping that peace and security will soon be returned to our happy little building and our community.
Allison Maynard, director
Manchester Community Library is hosting a participatory event for any and all artists. Prizes include Best Animal, Best Portrait, and Best Representation of a Book. Awesome idea!
Stop by The Loft anytime during the month of March and create your own artwork for the Post-it Note Art Show. All supplies will be provided and your art will be on display all month long. Enter your Post-it art and win awesome gift cards! Judges will choose the top in each category on April 1st, 2015 – Multiple entries allowed.
Take a look at Fletcher Free Library’s FY 2014 statistics— in a great format. Director Rubi Simon appeals for engagement in current planning and financial support.
Advice for creating free infographics is plentiful.
Posted in Advocacy
Tagged Annual Report, burlington, fletcher free library, Inforgraphics, Rubi Simon, Statistics
Norwich Public Library announced its second Peeps diorama contest with literary quotes:
“To peep, or not to Peep: that is the question.”
– Peeplet, by William Shakespeep
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a Peep!”
– Gone with the Peep
Here are Norwich‘s rules for 2015:
Make a diorama featuring these silly, festive, squishy marshmallow treats. Your scene must be based on anything (books, DVDs, magazines, puzzles, museum passes, etc.) in the Norwich Public Library collection.
When
Entries accepted: From 1pm Monday, March 23 – Monday, March 30th at 4:59pm.
Voting is open from 5pm on Monday, March 30th – Saturday, April 4th at 3pm.
Voting will be done by paper ballots, available at the Library.
We will announce the winners on Monday, April 6th.
Entries will remain on display until Thursday, April 9th at 8pm.
How
For contest rules and guidelines, check our website or stop in at the Library.
Inspiration can be found by searching our online catalog or stopping in to the Library to browse the shelves!
Who
Participants may enter in one of three Categories:
Adult/Teen: over 12
Child(ren): 12 and under
Group (families/organizations etc.)
Jaquith Public Library in Marshfield, VT hosts a laptop slideshow during town meeting. They put together a tri-fold display and this year, plan to hand out magnets with the library logo, contact information and hours. The display has “Patron Pics,” photographs of patrons with their favorite authors and books underneath.
Guilford Free Library does the PowerPoint slideshow as well– mostly featuring kids doing things at the library. They sell tickets for a restaurant raffle, and draw the winners after town meeting lunch.
The Ilsley Public Library in Middlebury has dreamed up a Valentine for the community. The Digital Media Lab, a collaboration between the Library and Middlebury Community Television, is holding an open house Tuesday evening, February 10, for patrons and guests to visit the Lab and film brief video Valentines.
According to a story in the Addison Independent, the Lab is designed to support the creating of digital media and the digitization of audio, video and photographic sources. The Digital Media Lab has equipment for video conferences, Skype calls, podcasting and video editing. Patrons can sign up for access to the room and get specific training for their project needs. Imagine taking old photographs or a home movie in and being able to walk out with a digital record. Awesome!
A sci-fi/fantasy book club at the library? Pierson and Geek Mountain State collaborate. There’s a registration form online at Geek Mountain State, where readers indicate interest in science fiction, fantasy and horror. Meetings are the first Thursday of the month at the Pierson Library. Publicity is on websites and Facebook for Geek Mountain State and Pierson Library. Books are available at local libraries and the Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne. Love the pizza featured at club meetings too!
The Wilder Memorial Library board in Weston decided to focus of the first half of the year on restructuring the board. Step two: embark on strategic planning.
Library director Kerri MacLaury bought four copies of Andy Robinson’s book “Great Boards for Small Groups. ” The board plans to read a couple chapters at a time and decide which of his recommendations to put in place.
Keep us posted, Weston!
Posted in Board Development, Training
Tagged Board Development, library board, Weston, Wilder Memorial
Sam Maskell offers a Minecraft Middle School event with printables for swords and hilts, scavenger hunt sheets, and design sheets, here Minecraft IRL
Attendees made swords of poster board (floppy enough to discourage sword fights) and then competed in the scavenger hunt. Sample questions:
Find three books turned into movies
What are the names of all the Weasley children?
What book won last year’s DCF award?
After the hunt, kids worked with beads and perler pegboards on Minecraft projects like the stone pickaxe. Afterschool fun at of the Rockingham Free Public Library!
Good Ideas from VT Public Libraries 