Hours

Directions

Parking

Holiday Closings

Meeting Rooms

Library Cards

Circulation Policies

Services

Staff Directory and Board

History

Mission and Diversity Statements

Long Range Plan

Support

235 College Street
Burlington, Vermont 05401

Main Telephone: 802.863.3403
Reference Desk: 865.7217
Youth Department: 865.7216
Fax: 802.865.7227
TTY Relay 711

From Route 7 south of Burlington, go through the rotary and stay on Shelburne Road (passing South Willard Street on the right).  100 hundred yards after the rotary bear right on to South Union Street.  At the first traffic light take a left onto Main Street.  At the next light take a right on to South Winooski Avenue and go one block to College Street.  The library is on the corner on the right.

From I-89 take Exit 14 West and proceed west on Route 2 toward Burlington.  Drive past the University of Vermont.  Continuing down the hill, you're now on Main Street.  At the next light take a right onto South Winooski Avenue and go one block to College Street.  The library is on the corner on the right.

Map courtesy of Google Maps

A small, metered parking lot is located on the east side of the library on College Street.  Another option is to park in the parking garage located between Bank and Cherry Streets on South Winooski Avenue, one block north of College Street (2013 rates: first 2 hours free!).  Click here for info about other parking lots, rates & time limits for parking meters of different colors, and their locations.  

Top of Page

Calendar Year 2013
New Year's Day - Tuesday, January 1
Martin Luther King Day - Monday, January 21
President's Day -  Monday, February 18
Town Meeting Day - Tuesday, March 5
Memorial Day - Monday, May 27
Independence Day - Thursday, July 4 (closing at 6 pm on Wed., July 3)
Bennington Battle Day - Friday, August 16
Labor Day - Monday, September 2
Columbus Day - Monday, October 14
Veteran's Day - Monday, November 11
Thanksgiving Day - Thursday, November 28
Christmas Day - Wednesday, December 25

Click here to view more information about our rooms, read our meeting room policy, and print the application form.

Top of Page

Welcome!!
We love to get to know our patrons-- Visit our Circulation, Youth Services and Reference Desks with questions, feedback, and just to say Hi!

Residents:
The Fletcher Free Library is the public library of the city of Burlington. Burlington property tax payers and renters can receive a free library card.  To get your library card just come to the Circulation Desk and present BOTH a valid photo identification card AND typewritten proof of your Burlington address.  Examples of proof of address include: current utility bill, personal check, lease, tax bill or recently-mailed document showing printed name & address.  This documentation may be presented via i-phone or similar device.  If you have just moved and do not have proof of address, we will mail your card.  Youth not yet in high school must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian when signing up for a library card.

College students who live off campus and rent in Burlington can receive a free card.  Students who live in on-campus housing at Burlington College and University of Vermont must purchase a library card for $15/year (Burlington College and UVM do not pay Burlington property taxes).  Champlain College students who live in Burlington, either on campus or off, can get a free library card (Champlain College pays Burlington property taxes).

Non-Residents:
People who live outside of Burlington can purchase a one-year library card for $35.00.  The card entitles the holder and immediate family to borrow books and other materials from the Fletcher Free Library.  Senior citizens (62 and older) who live out-of-town can purchase a one-year library card for $15.00.  (Cash or check only, please.)

The following non-residents qualify for free membership:

• Burlington business and property owners
• Burlington City employees
• English-language learners
• Vermont Adult Learning Program students

The Fletcher Free Library is not a member of the Homecard system. Homecard is an affiliation of Chittenden County libraries that have reciprocal borrowing privileges-- if you have a library card from a Homecard member library you can borrow materials from other Homecard member libraries.

Top of Page

Checkout Limits, per member:

• Total items of any kind: 25

• Movies on DVD: 3

Fines, per day, per item:

• DVDs (Adult and Youth): $1.00

• All Other AV, Tools, Adult New Books: $0.25

• Adult Books: $0.10

• Youth Books: $0.05

• Maximum fine per item: $5.00 (no matter how long overdue!)

• NOTE: If $15 or more is owed, account is blocked-- items cannot be borrowed or renewed and Computer Center access is denied.

Renewals and Placing Holds:

• Call (863.3403, ext. 0) or visit the Circulation Desk, or

• Use our on-line catalog (iBistro) via a link on our home page (www.fletcherfree.org).  With your 14-digit Library Card Barcode and 4-digit PIN you can log in, then click "My Account" to renew and place holds on line 24/7.  (PINs are noted on new cards-- if yours is missing, visit the Circulation Desk in person to get your PIN).

Interlibrary Loan is available for items not in our collection, as long as they are not newly-published.

Returns:

• Items must be checked in at the Circulation Desk before closing on the due date.

• The Book Drop located by the front door is open for returns when the Library is closed.  Items returned in the Book Drop are checked in on the following day.

• Another Book Drop is located outside the bank outside the Ethan Allen Shopping Center on North Avenue— this Book Drop is for any library materials except movies.

Please return items on time so others can enjoy them, too!

Resources...
...on-site:

• Loan of books & other circulating materials for adults and children

• Interlibrary Loan of materials not in our collection

• Books for purchase (see Donation Guidelines)

• Outreach programs & deliveries to those unable to come to the Library

• Museum Passes to local parks and museums

• Current and back issues of magazines & newspapers

• Reference research on inquiries made in person, by phone or email

• Meeting Room space available to non-profits, free during open hours

• Free Public Access Computer Center

• Free Public Wi-Fi Internet access for laptop users

...on-line:

• Access to the Library’s catalog and databases

• Book recommendations through BookLists and Reader's Advisory

• Downloadable Audio books and eBooks

• Explore our web site to find links to many other resources!

Programs and Events...
(see Programming & Events and newsletter e-BiblioFile for more details):

...for Adults:

• Art Exhibits

• Book Discussion Group

• Free Computer Workshops

• Classes for English-language learners, including computer usage

• Conversation groups in a variety of languages

•  Programs presented in cooperation with other organizations, such as the Vermont Humanities Council and The Flynn Center

...for Youth:

• Family and Children’s Sing-alongs

• Dance & Theater

• Pre-school Storytime

• Arts & Crafts

• Summer Reading Program

• Kids' resources

• Teen resources

• Many special, one-time programs!

Top of Page

Rubi Simon, Director 865-7214

Susan Bevins (Technical Services) 865-7221

Kathleen Bouton (Circulation) 863-3403

Megan Butterfield (Youth) 865-7216

Craig Carlson (Circulation/Page) 863-3403

Doug Chamberlain (Technical Services) 865-7213

Robert Coleburn (Reference, Systems) 865-7218 

Annie D'Alton (Systems Support Specialist) 865-7228

Christine Demarais (Youth) 865-7216

Claire Demarais (Circulation/Page) 863-3403

Tenzin Dhondup (Circulation) 863-3403

Emer Feeney (Circulation) 863-3403

Susan Fensch (Circulation/Page) 863-3403

Rebecca Goldberg (Youth) 865-7216

Dawa Jinpa (Custodian) 316-9732

Nga Pham (Circulation/ILL) 863-3403 x103

Robert Resnik (Reference, Youth) 865-7222

Barbara Shatara (Outreach, Reference) 865-7211

Toni Taginski (Circulation Chief) 863-3403

Christine Webb (Cataloging) 865-7224

Top of Page

The Library Board of Commissioners meets on the 3rd Thursday
of each month at 5:15 pm.
Click Here to read Agenda & Minutes.

Ed Adrian - Commissioner

Denise Dunbar - Trustee

Emer Feeney - Commissioner (Staff)

Jill Krowinski - Commissioner

Eric Lindstrom - Trustee (President, 862-1598)

Mary Ellen Manock - Commissioner

Anne Nixon - Commissioner

Peg Boyle Single - Commissioner (Vice President)

Rachel Van Vliet - Trustee

Top of Page

On July 14, 1873, Mrs. Mary L. Fletcher, with her daughter, Miss Mary M. Fletcher, gave the city of Burlington $20,000 for the founding of the Fletcher Free Library. Half of this sum was to be spent on books; the other half was used to start an endowment for the library.

By 1901 the library had outgrown its location in the old City Hall building. In the same year, Andrew Carnegie made a gift of $50,000 for the construction of a new library. On August 17th, 1904, the new library was dedicated and opened for business. For almost 70 years the Carnegie building served the community well, but in 1973 the building sustained structural damage due to the settling of the northwest corner of the foundation (where poor quality material used to fill the former railroad ravine was settling). The collection was moved that year to temporary quarters in Contois Auditorium in City Hall, then a few months later to the basement of Memorial Auditorium.

In the early to mid 1970's there was some pressure from the citizenry to demolish the Carnegie building and rebuild on the site. In response, a group of Burlington residents formed The Committee to Save the Fletcher Free Library Building. A petition was circulated, and as a result, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in May of 1974. In 1977, an E.D.A. grant of $234,000 made possible the stabilization and external repair of the building. A Library Task Force was appointed to seek further funding for restoration and an addition to the Carnegie building.

In 1978, Burlington voters approved a 2.4 million-dollar bond issue to build an addition to the Carnegie building. The addition was dedicated on January 4, 1981 and marked a new chapter for Burlington's public library.

Today the Fletcher Free Library is a vibrant member of the Burlington community.  The collection includes over 143,000 items, including books, music CDs, books on CD, movies on DVD, gardening tools, and a vast array of children's materials. Database access and downloadable audiobooks and are available through the Library's web site.  Free internet access is available to laptop users and at public access computers.  The Library continues to seek out programs and services that will fulfill our patrons' pursuit of educational, cultural and life-long learning opportunities.

Top of Page

The FFL defines diversity to include all human characteristics that make us unique as individuals. Diversity includes everyone and excludes no one. Race, ethnicity, gender, geographic origin, culture, lifestyle, age, ability, sexual orientation, economic status, marital status, world view, and religion are just some of the characteristics.

 The FFL Board and staff will:

• Insure that the library is welcoming to all community members and visitors; particularly to those who may have had less access to libraries.

• Be representative of our evolving community through hiring, recruitment and professional development.

• Be vigilant in making sure collections reflect our commitment to inclusion.

• Train staff and volunteers to understand and to meet the needs of a diverse population.

• Provide space where people of all backgrounds may gather together and freely exchange ideas.

• Promote inclusivity in its programs and services.

• Engage all members of the community in the development, operation, and future of the library.

• Deliver library programs and services to underserved populations both physically and electronically.

Top of Page

A new plan for what the Library hopes to accomplish is developed every five years by the co-directors, citizens, and the Board of Trustees.
2007-2011 Long Range Plan.

Although the Fletcher Free Library is a City Department, we rely on volunteers and donations to help us provide our excellent service.

Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2012

Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2011

Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2010
This year's Annual Report outlines Library services and support for the fiscal year July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, focusing on the connections made by the Fletcher Free Library that enrich the Greater Burlington community.

Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2009
This document outlines Library services and support for the fiscal year July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009.  It provides an overview of the how the Library operates, includes usage and donation totals, and focuses on answering many "Did you Know?" questions.

Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2008
This document outlines Library services and support for the fiscal year July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008.  It provides an overview of the how the Library operates, includes usage and donation totals, and focuses on the Library's Youth Services Department.

Visit the Support the Library page to see how you can help!
To fill out a Volunteer Application form: click here to print, or pick one up at the Circulation Desk (863-3403, extension 0).

Top of Page