SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – The Springfield Town Library staff is very appreciative of the support received recently from a variety of groups this year.
First and foremost, we must always thank our Friends of Springfield Town Library. In addition to their usual assistance, this year FOSTL has helped by purchasing some adult fiction books using the May Peavey Fund when we reduced town expenditures due to delayed tax receipts. The purchase helped us supply the most requested titles at a time when spending was limited. FOSTL also funded staff lockers, Adirondack chairs for our side garden, Covid kits, and the library’s welcome packets to incoming Kindergarten students. Most recently, FOSTL funded the cleanup of the library’s front gardens and purchased the solar lights that decorate outside the library for all to enjoy this holiday season. A final FOSTL donation was a Cricut Maker device, an electronic cutting machine that also can emboss, create stencils, and more. Library programming staff will use this item to reduce the time needed to create items for craft programs. In the future, post-Covid, library patrons will be able to make an appointment with library staff to use the machine also.
The library must thank other groups for their assistance this year. River Valley Tech Center’s Horticulture class, under the direction of John Harmer, cleaned out the library’s side garden. This expanded area will allow more people to access the library’s Wi-Fi outside and provide a small program event space on the library grounds. The students did an excellent job and their volunteerism is very much appreciated.
A huge shout out to the Vermont Department of Libraries for two new pieces of equipment for our library. Their guidance and expertise is always appreciated but has been vital during the pandemic. As previously reported the library obtained a firewood moisture meter for patrons to check out. This will help you determine if your firewood is dry enough for safe and air-friendly burning. Thank you to the Agency of Natural Resources for their collaboration with the Vermont libraries.
Another collaboration with the Vermont Department of Libraries was with the University of Vermont Office of Engagement and the UVM Extension Office, who awarded Covid Outreach Rapid Response Research grants to libraries to assist in air quality considerations due to Covid-19. Springfield Town Library received an air purifier for the children’s room that will clean and filter the air every 30 minutes.
Finally, we thank all our patrons for their understanding in these trying times. You have let us know how important it is to have access to library materials and we are doing our utmost to give you all we can in as safe a manner as possible for all.