Awards for Kimball Library
Staff and Trustee Burgee

This has been a year of extraordinary recognition for the staff of Kimball Public Library, and for former library trustee Terry Burgee.

At the annual Vermont Library Conference in May, Burgee was named Library Trustee of the Year by the Vermont Library Association.

"Terry brought the most phenomenal energy to her nine years as a trustee," said Kimball Library Director Amy Grasmick this week. "Whether she was undertaking major renovations or raising money for the annual budget, she knew how to get the best job done."

Also honored at the conference was Kimball’s adult services librarian Lynne Gately, who was awarded her certificate of public librarianship.

The certification program, administered by the state’s Department of Libraries, provides voluntary training to library workers who do not hold a master’s degree in library and information science. The program requires completion of 150 credits, including mandatory classes on reference services, cataloging, library administration, and collection development.

Grasmick this week commended Gately for pursuing this advanced training: "She has broadened her already excellent skills in order to provide the best library service to the community."

Youth services librarian Judith Flint was a panelist at two sessions at the same conference. Flint demonstrated her enthusiasm for and forward thinking about youth services at a session called, "Grab Those Teens! Serving the Needs of Young Adults at Your Library."

She was also part of a presentation on the Green Mountain Book Award, a readers’ choice program similar to the Dorothy Canfield Fisher program for younger readers.

"The GMBA committee selects a list of 12 excellent novels and works of non-fiction for teens and invites them to weigh in on their favorites," Flint explained.

Director Grasmick was herself a panelist at the American Library Association’s annual conference in Washington D.C.

Her topic—Rural and Small Libraries vs. Small Salaries— is of great interest to librarians, particularly those working in one-person public libraries," said Grasmick.

"It’s hard to advocate for yourself when your daily life is packed full with cataloging, storytimes, answering reference questions, and troubleshooting the computer," she explained.

"The Vermont Library Association has devoted a lot of effort to helping public librarians improve salaries and benefits for themselves and their staff. It’s great to see that our work is being noticed on a national level."

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