By Curt Peterson
KILLINGTON— Sherburne Memorial Library Director Jane Ramos will be one of three rural librarians chosen to speak at the Association of Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) annual convention in Reno, Nevada in October.
The conference theme is “The biggest little library.”
ARSL will be hosting the conference at the Nugget Resort Oct. 20-23, Ramos explained. The Select Board agreed to pay her expenses for the trip.
Ramos completed a survey sent by ARSL about six months ago, asking what small libraries have done to serve seniors in their communities during the pandemic.
Like most Vermont towns, Killington’s small year-round population includes many seniors, so she completed the survey. Someone from ARSL contacted her to say Sherburne Memorial’s story (one of hundreds submitted) was so “interesting,” they wanted Ramos to speak at their conference in Nevada.
“The seniors were tickled to death,” Ramos told the Mountain Times. “They thought it was the coolest thing — ‘You should go!’ they said.”
“Seniors think it’s cool when Killington is recognized for something besides the fabulous skiing,” she added.
The ARSL invitation isn’t the first time Sherburne Memorial has earned national recognition. Its Fairy Tale Festival, focusing on kids and families since 2017, got countrywide attention for its innovative theme and execution.
“We host it every year on the third week of September. Libraries from all over Vermont set up booths featuring themes inspired by fairytales they have chosen,” Ramos said. “We have Viking enactments, vendors, free admission and free giveaways.”
Ramos laughed about Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth’s “slightly overblown” description of ARSL’s honoring Killington’s library at last Tuesday evening’s Select Board meeting.
She was glad she could clarify. “I’m just happy we were a part of getting seniors through Covid,” she said.
Sherburne Memorial Library has been fully open, without restrictions, since June 14.
