By Anne McDonald and Emilie Benoit, Co-Chairs, LLNE Government Relations Committee
LLNE Government Relations Committee would like to share this news from the Vermont State Department of Libraries with our membership.
Unfortunately, the state legislature did not allot enough money to keep the state law library open and Vermont Law School will take on legal reference services to the public.
Vermont State Librarian Martha Reid comments: “The only good news came in the final days when the Legislature returned to our budget $67,000 that had been slated to be cut, the result of advocacy from the Board of Libraries and others. This $67,000 will be used as a pass-through grant to the Vermont Law School so that their library can take on legal reference services for the public. I am grateful to leaders in the House and Senate who recognized the essential need for public access to legal information and a trained law librarian — and to the Law School for stepping up to the plate; it will help ease the pain of pending cuts to be made in services now provided at the State Library here in Montpelier.” Here is a link to the full text of the Department of Libraries newsletter.
We thank Emily Feltren, Director of AALL’s Government Relations Office, for her constant vigilance on the Vermont law library situation and for keeping us informed.
Emily has spoken with Vermont Law School’s Library director who has stated that while the law school is rural, she is willing to take on the commitment of serving the public.
State Law Librarian Paul Donovan was honored with the Vermont Department of Libraries Staff appreciation award. Congratulations, Paul!