12/19/24 UPDATE:

We are very happy to report that the Green Mountain Library Consortium (GMLC) Board has agreed to help us bridge to LibCal for our VT Kit Club platform.  Their generosity gives us funding to finish out the fiscal year.  Thank you GMLC!!

LibCal will increase our yearly costs, however, we believe this is higher quality platform and that you will find it easier to use.  Our fees for VT Kit Club for FY26 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026) will be $60.00. We understand that this is a large increase, but we are hoping you recognize the great value to your community and still participate in this wonderful resource sharing program.  Because of our large group of members, our costs are still reasonable. Additionally, we are hoping to have libraries add other items that can be reserved, like puzzles!!  Being able to reserve puzzles for programming planning should be very useful.  This may bring on more member libraries, too.

Volunteers will be working to migrate our shared book kit collection over to LibCal.  We will also be working with them to get to you the training videos.

 In the meantime, we would ask that you do this one action item:  Please look ahead to any future VT KIT CLUB reservations that your library is committed to and figure out an internal process to meet that obligation.  We are hoping to migrate over the reservations, but want to have a back-up just in case.  Your help in this regard is crucial.

Plymouth Rocket will no longer be available on January 1st and our goal is to be up & running on LibCal on January 2nd.

We will continue to keep you updated.

Welcome!

Thank you for your patience as we move through this time of transition.

This is an informational website for Vermont Kit Keeper Libraries and interested parties.
Here, you can find information about joining the collective, adding, reserving, and sharing Kits.

Kit Keeper is currently a pilot project started by the Fletcher Free Library with initial funding provided by GMLC. It costs $500 per year, including running this web site. Shared between libraries, it costs less than $30 per year. The more libraries involved, the lower the shared price!

Kit Keeper is a platform that allows libraries to list book discussion kits (generally 10 copies of a title), reserve them in a calendar, and track sharing between participating libraries. Find more information and answers to questions about the platform from their parent company, Plymouth Rocket.

You can also participate in a Google Group to share emails, ask questions, and attend occasional meetings with VT book club kits. (More information available under FAQs– communication)

What are the benefits of joining Kit Keeper?

  • You can reserve titles up to a year in advance, which helps with planning and avoiding the uncertainty of holds.
  • Instead of trying to ILL ten copies of a book, you can just request one item in one system, saving costs and labor time.
  • Your kits can have better circulation, and you will have access to over 300 other titles within the state.
  • Being able to pick a specific time to reserve it means it is independent of Clover. However, you also have the flexibility to process it in whatever way works best for you and your ILS.

As of August 2023 there are 500 kits listed and 40 libraries participating!

  • Bixby Memorial Free Library – Vergennes
  • Burnham Memorial Library – Colchester
  • Carpenter-Carse Library – Hinenberg
  • Castleton Library – Castleton
  • Charlotte Library – Charlotte
  • Chittenden Public Library – Chittenden
  • Deborah Rawson Library – Jericho
  • Dorothy Alling Memorial Library – Williston
  • Enosburgh Public Library – Enosburgh
  • Essex Free Library – Essex Town
  • Fairfax Community Library – Fairfax
  • Fairlee Public Library – Fairlee
  • Fletcher Free Library – Burlington
  • Goodrich Memorial Library – Newport
  • Greensboro Free Library – Greensboro
  • Hartland Public Library – Hartland
  • Haskell Free Library – Derby Line
  • Huntington Public Library – Huntington
  • Isley Public Library – Middlebury
  • Jericho Town Library – Jericho
  • Jeudevine Memorial Library – Hardwick
  • Lanpher Memorial Library – Hyde Park
  • Lawrence Memorial Library – Bristol
  • Lydia Taft Pratt Library – Dummerston
  • Morristown Centennial Library – Morristown
  • Norwich Public Library – Norwich
  • Orwell Free Library – Orwell
  • Pettee Memorial Library – Wilmington
  • Pierson Library – Shelburne
  • Poultney Public Library – Poultney
  • Richmond Free Library – Richmond
  • Roger Clark Memorial Library – Pittsfield
  • Royalton Memorial Library – South Royalton
  • South Burlington Public Library – South Burlington
  • St. Albans Free Library – St. Albans
  • Stowe Free Library – Stowe
  • Townshend Public Library – Townshend
  • Whiting Library – Chester
  • Windsor Public Library – Windsor
  • Winooski Memorial Library – Winooski