Next month the state library in Montpelier will reduce hours and lay off Paul Donovan, the librarian who has maintained the state’s extensive collection of legal reference materials.
Marty Reid, the state librarian, says Donovan’s departure is the “greatest loss.” “He’s a fabulous librarian, and he has institutional knowledge,” Reid said.
The Vermont Department of Libraries made the announcement on Friday in anticipation of a $400,000 fiscal year 2016 budget cut.
The reduction goes into effect on July 1. The Vermont State Library will trim hours of operation from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The library will be closed on Fridays.
“We hope people will use us, even with these reduced hours,” Reid said.
Donovan’s last day is July 10. After his departure, the state will no longer collect new legal materials, and, for a time, there will be no one available to help Vermonters with legal research.
Reid says the state library will try to ensure that “no one falls through cracks as far as access to legal information.”
In the fall, Vermonters seeking assistance with legal reference materials will be referred to the Vermont Law School, located in South Royalton. The legal database will stay at the Montpelier library for a year and will then be moved to the law school.
The state library is giving the law school a $67,000 grant to hire a half-time librarian for legal assistance to the general public, including members of the Vermont Bar Association.
The library will retain print materials, state documents and Vermont newspaper microfilm collections. Vermont Supreme Court decisions will be uploaded on the Vermont State Library website.
Reid said the state library will retain the legal collection and continue to build the collection of legislative history. The library will work with the judiciary and the attorney general’s office to determine what should be retained in the legal collection, but the library will not make new purchases.
“We’re lucky for this partnership because the law school has better hours and parking,” Reid said. “In the long run it’s a good thing for Vermonters, although it’s a rough transition period.”
For more information, contact the Vermont State Library at 802-828-3268 during their scheduled business hours, or the Law School’s library at 802-831-1441.
