Going Global: Vermont
Librarians’ International
Experiences and
Reflections
Laurie Kutner (UVM) (Costa Rica)
Mara Saule (UVM) (Latvia)
Paul Philbin (UVM) (Tanzania)
What makes Monteverde unique?
• Density of biological
diversity: 6 different life
zones; largest private
reserve system in C.A.
• International eco-tourist
destination/ small rural
community
• History, social/cultural
context
Coming to Monteverde, April 19, 1951
Quaker Settlement
So, what can a librarian
do in a beautiful place
like this???
Monteverde …
• Sizeable research
community in small area
• Cloud forest ecosystem,
tropical biology,
sustainability issues,
social issues
• International and local
researchers
• Multitude of study abroad
programs/ infrastructure
Equals lots of information
generation
Cutting-edge research on the
information fringe …
• Information technology
infrastructure issues
• Paradox of access
• Knowledge of resources
available/ accessible
• Researchers from US
institutions can compensate –
local researchers can’t
• Local researchers’
inaccessibility of access to
local research information
** Social capital/ social networks
play major role in successful
information access **
So – what did you DO??
Information access at MVI library
• Library web site
(digital presence)
• Monteverde Research
Digital Collection
• Monteverde Digital
Library projects
(Water Resources,
Sustainable Futures,
Community Health)
Syracuse University Interns 2008 –
Sustainable Futures DL
• Project direction
(UVM)
• 2 SU MLIS grad
students in CASDL
program
• Involved in all aspects
of creating SFDL
• 260 digital objects in
library
• Bilingual access
MVI Digital Library Project 2009
• Same structure as
2008
• Ongoing support from
MVI, UVM, SU, USF
• One returning SU
intern, one new one
• Subject for this year’s
digital library project:
Community Health
Reflections …
• Into the future
• Int’l work = highly
rewarding
• Service-oriented
profession with
valuable skills
• Numerous formal/
informal ways to
identify int’l opps.
Thanks for listening!