State aid for public libraries

The Vermont house and senate have passed a bill to “study” state funding for public libraries. Vermont is one of eight states that do not provide state aid for libraries, and this year the Vermont Libraries Association made a real legislative push to have Vermont join the ranks of states like Mississippi, Kansas, New Hampshire, and Kentucky in supporting the operations of libraries.

We began the legislative year requesting $1.6 million to support the 178 public libraries in Vermont. This would equal about 10% of each library’s operating expenses. We were well received at the statehouse; every lawmaker has a least one library in their district and who does not want to be a supporter of libraries? But when it came time for the appropriations committees to consider direct aid there was little support.

The study committee bill does give us the opportunity to make our case and we will be at the statehouse on the opening day of the session next year. Whether we are successful will depend in large part on our ability to mobilize library patrons and board members around the state to advocate directly with their representatives.

An excerpt from the bill that passed, H-99:

(a) The joint fiscal office and the legislative council shall identify other states that are comparable to Vermont in terms of population or population density.

(b) After acquiring information regarding libraries in states of comparable population, the JFO and LC shall:

(5) Compare the level of state funding provided to public libraries in Vermont to state funding provided to public libraries in states of similar population.

(6) Identify the additional funding that will be required to meet the growing demand for services from public libraries in Vermont and maintain the quality of their operations.

(c) The JFO and LC shall submit a report detailing the results of their study to the general assembly by January 15, 2008.

The full text of the bill can be found by going the Vermont Legislature’s web site and entering the bill number, H-99.

COLOR GALORE ON OUR BANNER

How do you like our new banner? The photo was taken on Wednesday, May 9, 2007. Our Master Gardener volunteers take great care of our gardens and beautify our building and grounds. These tulips put smiles of our faces.

BOOK DISCUSSION OF NINETEEN MINUTES

BULLIED OR BLAMED?
NINETEEN MINTUES by Jodi Picoult is a terrifying novel, especially so after the recent Virginia Tech shootings. Among other things, this book deals with:
*the life and perspective of troubled youth,
*how our society breeds bullies,
*are schools, parents, peers, lax gun control laws or violent video
*games to blame
and much more.
If you are interested in attending a casual discussion group about this book at the Kellogg Hubbard Library on Wednesday, June 6, 2007 at 7pm, please contact Conrad Boucher at 223-3697 or conradb3@verizon.net.

The Kellogg-Hubbard Library has two copies of this book.

MAY RAFFLE: GARDENING GOODIES GALORE!

This month's perpetual raffle is a special one for gardeners.
All of the following items are ONE GREAT PRIZE for a lucky winner!

*$75 gift certificate from Boulevard Gardens

*Two Hours of Garden Consultation from Layne’s Garden Design

*$25 gift certificate from von Trapp Greenhouse

*Two Tickets to Goddard College Greatwood Gardens Tour and Tea

*Perennials for American Gardens by Ruth Rogers Clausen and Nicolas H. Ekstrom, donated by The Book Garden

*Assorted Items from Gardener’s Supply Company

*Two 20-quart bags of manure compost and one 6-quart bag of Compost Plus from Vermont Compost Company

*$15 gift certificate from Highland Gardens (Vendor at Montpelier Farmers’ Market)

*Assorted seeds and Garden Frogs in Tub

Tickets are $2 each, 6 for $10 and 15 for $20. Drawing is May 31, 2007

All proceeds benefit the Kellogg-Hubbard Library

We appreciate the generosity of all the people and companies that donated services and items for this great raffle!

Library survey

As Hilari notes below, we are surveying our patrons for comments and suggestions on how we can serve you better. The survey can be found here.

This is a small-budget operation with the survey being processed through our internet provider, Sovernet. When you complete the survey online and click send, you are then connected to your e-mail account and your survey is sent to us as an e-mail. This means the survey will not be confidential, as it will contain your e-mail address. If you seek anonymity, come to the library to complete the survey. (We will not share or save e-mail addresses.)

Either way, we want to hear from you!

LAST MINUTE POEM FOR CHERNOBYL

Last week the Kellogg-Hubbard Library we had a program called, Chernobyl Remembered: Voices of Chernobyl. Maia Failco attended this program with her mother and her mother's partner. Maia shared this poem with me. Out of the mouths of babes......wisdom.

Last Minute Poem for Chernobyl

Death,
A battle for nothingness.
Never won and never lost.
So many causes -
disease,
dying nuclear power plants,
big factories, hate, war.
And yet, disease is the only one majorly fought.
Why?

To those fighting other causes,
I say, “Keep going!”
Thumbs up!

- Maia Fialco, age 8
This poem was written for the 20th anniversary of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl.

New Vermont DVD Review by Claire

Bryan Pfeiffer hosts a new Vermont DVD called "Birding in Vermont" a year long bird- watching tour, produced by Vermont Public Television . Pfeiffer's enthusiasm for birding is contagious. From the more common birds, Chickadees and Snow Geese to the unusual Bicknell's Thrushes, Pfeiffer explains where birds can be found, how to identify them and why birders can get competitive. He talks about the equipment a birder needs and field guides to use, but he also takes the viewer to some of the special places in Vermont where birds can be found. The scenery is often just as interesting as the birds Pfeiffer is tracking. From Otter Creek and Dead Creek to Herricks Cove and Moose Bog, Pfeiffer travels through out the state in all of Vermont's seasons. This 54 minute DVD can be watched by the entire family. It will give everyone a new appreciation for some of the 300 species of birds that live in Vermont during a year.

Review by Claire, Kellogg-Hubbard Librarian

We want to hear from you!

The Library's Program and Policy Committee is embarking on a new plan for the future and we want to hear from you. Surveys are now in the library and the response as already been great. We'd particularly like to hear specific comments and suggestions on how we can serve you better.

Watch our website, as we hope to have the on-line survey up and running in the next few days.

Thanks!

What Hilari has been reading

Kockroach by Tyler Knox, was an unusual book for me to choose. Although lured by several glowing reviews, including a starred review from Publishers Weekly, I anticipated that it just might be one of those books that I'd return to the library after the first chapter or two. But I was surprised to find a book so clever, so well-constructed and so funny that I'm now waiting for other family members to read it so just so that I'll have someone to discuss it with!

Here's a quote from the Publisher's Weekly review:

"Kafka's Metamorphosis is turned on its antennae in this roaringly entertaining noir novel. Knox's debut begins with a cockroach waking up to find he has been transformed into a man. Kockroach, however, doesn't lapse into despair, but instead demonstrates the relentless survival instinct of his species by learning how to get by in the human world. Helping him is pint-size Times Square hustler Mickey "Mite" Pimelia, who sees in Kockroach (or, as he's known to humans, Jerry Blatta) his ticket to the top. Sex, organized crime, violence, betrayal and success follow for Kockroach, whose insect's sense of amorality aids his ascent. Knox's inhuman antihero's tale is told in flawless noir style—Kockroach's coldness juxtaposed against Mite's bitter self-recrimination in a seedy, smoky 1950s New York—and Kockroach's insights into that New York are perversely delightful. The book's conceptual cleverness is ultimately eclipsed by the epic story line, making for a compelling story of greed and power that is more Chandler than Kafka. (Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Gift of Flowers

The crocus bulbs that were planted by The Master Gardeners are in full bloom and bringing smiles to our faces. What a delight to look at the many crocuses in the garden near the School Street entrance. Many perennials are pushing through the ground as well. Watch as the garden grows - it's magnificent. We owe this beauty to Jane Lendway and Georgia Valentine who organize Master Gardeners from the Washington-Orange Chapter of the Vermont Master Gardeners to plan, plant and weed our gardens. Thank you to the Master Gardeners for this gift.