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Learn about our new service: BookLists Recommendations & e-Newsletters
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| April, 2009 | |
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Library News is Now
Found in the NEW e-BiblioFile
Now you can find the Library's news, as well as Programs and Events, all together in our new on-line monthly newsletter, e-BiblioFile. You can read it on line, or click here if you'd like to receive e-BiblioFile via email. (The first edition emailed will be April's.) The Fletcher Free Library is going green! By offering our monthly newsletter via email, we are saving paper, printing and postage-- not to mention giving our loyal Friends, who have labeled BiblioFile for years, a break from their monthly job! And take advantage of our new service, BookLists, for choosing books to read from award-winner categories and lists prepared by reviewers, finding out what books are in the news, and learning about authors. Expand your literary horizons!
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| Ongoing Announcements: | |
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English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) Volunteer Instructor Needed The Fletcher Free Library is seeking a volunteer instructor to teach English as a Second Language classes at the Library on Sundays. We would like someone who could commit to two hours a week of volunteer teaching, for at least several months. Instructors should have previous ESL teaching experience or be enrolled in St. Michael's College's MATESL program. They need to be flexible and ready to adapt to a spontaneous classroom (classes are free, ongoing for all levels, do not require registration, and involve a variety of refugees, immigrants and international students). Although this position is unpaid, it provides a great teaching experience for the instructor, and a valuable learning experience for the students. The Library's ESL classes have been very successful for several years now, and our teachers are greatly appreciated by Libray staff and patrons. For more information, please contact the Library's Americorps VISTA Outreach coordinator, Nicole Lavallee at 865.7211. |
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Library Support Information Now on our Website Check out the Support from our Community section on the About the Library page. Read about all the wonderful programs and services the Library provides in our most recent Annual Report, and suggestions for how you can get involved on the Support the Library page. For more information about Library Development activities, please call Amber Collins at 865-7214.
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The Many Ways to Love Your Library! If you are one of those generous people who donate money to support the Fletcher Free Library, we want to say "Thank you!" and make sure you are aware that there are a variety of ways that you can donate to the Library: Donations made to the "Fletcher Free Library" are allocated by the Library Board of Commissioners to help pay for Summer Reading and other programs, special projects such as the trip to Moss Point and fundraising. Alternatively, you can allocate your donation to buy new Adult, Large-Print or Youth Books or Audio-Visual items. Donations made to the "Fletcher Free Library Endowment Fund" are deposited in an account managed by the Vermont Community Foundation, and used solely for supplementing the book budget. Donations to the "Friends of the Fletcher Free Library" are allocated by this non-profit organization to help pay for programs, too, and also to fund special needs such as new carpeting and extra custodial help. Membership in the Friends offers opportunities to participate as a volunteer as well as a donor. Both the Board and the Friends consult with the Co-Directors about Library needs and advocate for the Library. However you choose to donate, it helps the Fletcher Free. Thank you!
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"In Memory Of" Donations Help the Book Fund Donations made In Memory Of or In Honor Of an individual are recognized by placement of bookplates in new books, showing that these items were purchased In Memory Of or In Honor Of that individual, and assuring a lasting remembrance of a special person. The donor may designate a genre of book, and the number of books plated corresponds to the amount of the donation. When donations in memory of someone total $500, that person (or persons) is recognized by the addition of a brass name plate on the red marble Book Fund Memorial affixed to the Main Reading Room wall near the Library's front door. The Book Fund Memorial was started by donations made by Charlotte & Herb Mandel & Family in memory of Nathaniel Lash, in honor of the fact that Nat's wife Millicent (Penny) Lash loves books. If you would like to make a donation to the Library In Memory Of or In Honor Of a loved one, please call Amber Collins for more information at 865.7214, or just send your check to The Fletcher Free Library, 235 College Street, Burlington, Vermont, 05401. Thank you so much. |
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Library's Sustainability Through Estate Planning The Library is always in need of financial support in addition to that provided by the City of Burlington. These contributions help us to make building and equipment improvements, produce programs and maintain our collection’s standard of excellence, all for the purpose of providing better services for our patrons—that’s you! Some of these donations come to us as bequests. Over the years, a few forward-thinking supporters have named the Library as a beneficiary in their wills, trusts, life insurance policies and mutual funds. Some of these generous individuals have given the Library Co-Directors and Board the freedom to decide which needs to meet with their bequests. Others have made contributions directly to the Library’s endowment, which is managed by the Vermont Community Foundation, and whose income is designated annually for either reinvestment or the acquisition of books and materials. Both of these methods of supporting the Library are exemplary of sustaining this valuable community resource. Currently, the Library’s Development Committee is working on choosing a name for a Fletcher Free Library Bequest Society, in order to highlight the generosity of these special people. (Of course, any donor can request to remain anonymous.) The spirit of private giving has nurtured the Library since it’s beginning in 1873, when Mrs. Mary L. Fletcher and her daughter, Miss Mary M. Fletcher gave $10,000 to purchase books, and an additional $10,000 to start the endowment. Your planned gifts will benefit the lives of a new generation of library patrons, supporting your community through your generosity to the Library.
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Artists Wanted! To find out how you can display your art in some of the most highly visible galleries in town (right here!), please contact Barbara Shatara at 865.7211.
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Discover More iBistro ResourcesThe Library's On-Line Catalog, iBistro, contains a wealth of information! For example: if you are looking for a good book but need an idea for a title or author, peruse some of the linked lists under “Recommended Reading” and “Best Sellers” (all light-blue words are links). If you are new to computer use and would like hands-on instruction for using the On-Line Catalog, please call the Reference Desk at 865-2717 and leave your name and phone number. Instruction sessions will be scheduled according to interest. Other sources of help for using the catalog:
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Help for Home On-Line Catalog Users Since the Library moved it's card catalog to a computer-based system, some patrons who are not familiar with computers have had trouble finding the books and other materials they want on their own. iBistro, the on-line catalog software, has it's own Help document, but some have found this not user-friendly enough. Because we want all our patrons to have easy access to information about the Library's holdings, we have created a help document that we hope is more straightforward. To access step-by-step instructions to using the on-line catalog and logging in to your account, go to our web site (www.fletcherfree.org) and click on the link titled "How to Use the On-Line Catalog and Log In", directly beneath the first link on the home page ("On-Line Catalog"). Here you will discover how easy it is to find out if the Library has a title, and create a list of items by the same author or on the same topic. In addition, the help document describes how to log in to see what items you have currently borrowed and when they are due, what items you have on hold, and if you owe any fines. You can renew and place holds on items on-line, too. (You are still welcome to stop by or call (863.3403) the Circulation Desk to renew and place holds.) If you are interested in attending a short workshop to learn and practice hands-on catalog usage, please call the the Reference Desk at 865.2717 and leave your name and phone number. Sessions will be scheduled according to interest. Other sources of help for using the catalog:
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Friends of the Fletcher Free Library If you are interested in getting involved in one of the many projects the Friends have under way, please leave a message at the Library's Circulation Desk: 863.3403. All proceeds from our programs are used to help fund Library programs and improvements. It's always a perfect time to get involved! Their latest project is the Library Store located directly across from the Library's Circulation Desk-- "The Book Stall" offers high-quality hardbacks and paperbacks for sale as well as a "silent auction" shelf that features special or collectible books. This is a project-in-progress...suggestions and ideas for other sale items are gratefully accepted! As ever, the Friends are seeking donations of quality books in good condition for our future book sales. To bring donated books to the Library, or to find out more about book donations, see below, or leave a message at the Library's Circulation Desk: 863.3403.
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Friends Welcome New Members The Friends of the Fletcher Free Library would love new members! For more information about the Friends, check out their page on our web site, and see their new newsletter, available on the "info cubes" near the online public catalog computers. |
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Updated Guidelines For Book Donations The Friends of the Fletcher Free Library are very appreciative of book donations to help provide inventory for future book sales to benefit the Library. Disposal of unsold books, though, costs us hundreds of dollars each year and gobbles up our profits. To minimize unsold books, we will be happy to accept donations of all books except the following:
**Please note that we accept Harlequin Romances for Barbara Shatara’s Outreach needs. She uses ONLY this type of Romance. Thanks! To bring donated books to the Library, or to find out more about book donations, please contact Marlene Wallace at 864.3103 or marlene@vtidea.net. Thank you for your generosity and cooperation!
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"Holds" Are Here! Looking for a book that is checked out? You can put your name on the waiting list in person, online ("Place a Hold"), or over the phone, seven days a week. Call 863.3403 for more information.
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Questions? The Library's Reference Department loves to help you find answers. Please call 865.7217 during Library hours, or email a question via the link on our Reference page.
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Outreach Department Seeking Volunteers The Library's Outreach Department makes regular deliveries of library materials to people in Burlington who cannot get to the Library. We need volunteers who have the following qualifications to assist with these deliveries:
Please call Barbara at 865.7211 for more information. Thank you!
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Outreach Reminder
If you are unable to visit the library, the Outreach Department invites you to contact us at 865.7211, and we will bring books to you!
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