State librarian briefs Senate on library services, statewide ebook programs and $26.4 million in administered grants

Catherine Villeneuve, state librarian and commissioner of the Vermont Department of Libraries, told the Senate Committee on Government Operations on Feb. 12 that the department operates statewide library services — including a statewide ebook/audiobook platform, a learning portal, an interlibrary loan courier and special services for readers with print disabilities — and is administering federal grants to support library building repairs and upgrades.

Villeneuve described several statewide services: the Palace Project (Vermont's statewide ebook and eaudiobook platform), a Vermont Online Library database with magazines and reference resources, an online learning portal (Udemy) and an interlibrary loan network that moved roughly 67,000 books to Vermonters last year. "Every library in the state can use this service," she said of the learning portal, and she noted that the department authenticates access for Vermonters.

Why it matters: Vermont's public libraries serve as local community hubs and provide remote access to research, workforce training and accessible reading materials. Villeneuve emphasized that many library services rely on federal funding streams — including grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) — and that capital needs outstrip available resources in many communities.

Villeneuve told senators there are about 187 libraries in Vermont, 141 of which participate in the statewide courier contract. She said the department processed and coordinated interlibrary deliveries and subsidized courier costs for participating libraries. The department also supports access for Vermonters with print disabilities through the National Library Service network (referred to in testimony as the department's "Able" library service).

On infrastructure and grants, Villeneuve said the department is administering $16,400,000 in ARPA funds for library projects and a separate $10,000,000 congressional-directed spending (CDS) package the department is managing for small rural libraries — a combined $26.4 million in administered federal funds. She said 14 libraries have received awards from the ARPA program and that the CDS funds were routed through HUD for community projects. Villeneuve described the state's public library building stock as old: survey respondents reported building ages ranging from 1781 to 2021, and a data analyst cited a mean construction year around 1912 for libraries that responded to a department survey.

Villeneuve also summarized facility needs reported by libraries in the department's survey: ramps (24%), door upgrades (18%), restrooms (15%), elevators (14%), parking improvements (10%), new heating systems (13%) and HVAC/air-exchange upgrades (21% noted HVAC specifically). She said most libraries are open a median of 31 hours per week, that 15–18% of library staff hold a master's degree in library science, and that the state provides continuing education and a certificate program to upskill staff.

Villeneuve addressed digital access and equity. She said the Palace Project focuses on perpetual-license ebooks and eaudiobooks to maximize long-term access while preserving local libraries' ability to buy short-term or one-off digital titles. She emphasized the accessibility advantages of digital formats for readers with low vision or print disabilities but noted that physical materials still matter for children and for those without reliable internet access.

Committee members asked about adult literacy, library staffing, social-service roles in libraries and the state’s legal framework for collection-development challenges. Villeneuve said the department does not track adult literacy statewide but supports early-childhood literacy initiatives and has published a report on resources to bolster such efforts. She described recent statutory work (Act 150) that provided model collection-development and reconsideration procedures for libraries.

Ending: Villeneuve urged continued investment in library facilities and staff training, and she offered the department's expertise for communities planning renovations or new library projects.

"The department is administering a grant of $16,400,000 and, we have awarded those funds to 14 libraries in Vermont," she said, adding that the ARPA and CDS funds can help address pressing building needs but will not meet the full statewide capital backlog.