Charlotte Library
115 Ferry Road
P.O. Box 120
Charlotte, Vermont 05445
802-425-3864
The Library and Its
Community
The town of Charlotte, Vermont (pop. 3,569), located
12 miles south of Burlington, has a long history of privately funded library
service, dating from books circulated out of a law office in 1826. In
1988, after a hiatus in the library services of about 38 years, volunteers
organized and opened a library in the Charlotte Central School.
In 1989 the library received its first Town budget allocation and elected its
first Board of Trustees. After a town-wide fundraising campaign begun in
1994, the current Charlotte Library was built on the Town Green and opened
its doors in February 1998.
The library's operating expenses are supported by the Town under a budget
approved annually at Town Meeting. Additional funds are raised each year
by the Friends of the Charlotte Library, mostly through an annual membership
drive and used book sale. A board of five elected Trustees, each serving
a five-year term, governs the library.
Along with a director and six
part-time assistants, dedicated volunteers contribute their services to enable
the library to be open 40 hours each week.
Joining the Library
Library cards and privileges are free
to all those with a Charlotte address. (A parent or guardian must sign for
any child 14 and under to receive his/her own card.)
Library Offerings
Children's fiction and nonfiction (board books, easy readers, chapter books, and young adult literature)
Children's reference
Books for young adults
Adult fiction, nonfiction, biography, reference, travel, how-to, and more
Adult and children's books on tapes and CDs
Large print books
Videos
Newspapers
Magazines
Our collection is constantly growing. Come see for yourself.
Library Services
Children's story hours and programs
Children's summer reading programs
Adult and children's book discussion groups
Internet and e-mail access
Library outreach service for seniors, shut-ins, and new mothers (provided by volunteers; call Sherrie Simmons to arrange)
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
If the Charlotte Library does not
have the book you want, Interlibrary Loan resources allow us to search for the
book statewide. Simply ask the library staff for help.
*On April 27, 2009 Martha Reid, State Librarian announced that, as a result of mandated budget and position cuts, the Vermont Department of Libraries’ regional libraries will be permanently closed. In addition, four positions within the Department of Libraries have been eliminated.
Because space is a challenge and a determinate in the size of collection we offer, we have relied heavily on the regional libraries to fill our interlibrary loan requests. They have provided the materials and paid half of the shipping costs. The minimum amount of postage required for a round trip interlibrary loan is $4.24; many exceed this amount.
We will continue to try and fill interlibrary loans but please know that we will be making requests from libraries that have limited staff and hours, and may not have the postage budget necessary to participate fully in the interlibrary loan process.
If you are a resident of Charlotte you may want to take advantage of your Homecard privileges by using your library card at any library in Chittenden County with the exception of the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington. Click here to find out more about the Homecard system and search participating libraries' catalogs. We will be happy to do an availability search for you if you have difficulty accessing the catalogs.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND LIBRARY FRIENDS
115 Ferry Road, P.O. Box 120,
Charlotte, VT 05445 • 802.425.3864
Hours: Mon & Wed 10am - 7pm, Tue, Thu, Fri 10am - 4pm, Sat 10am - 2pm, Sat
in Summer 9am -1pm, Closed Sunday