Vermont Humanities became the Vermont Center for the Book in 2021, merging longstanding early childhood programs at the previously independent center with our own programs. The Vermont Center for the Book had been established as the Vermont Reading Project in 1985 and became the Vermont Center for the Book in 1994.
As an affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, we work within a network of 50 state-center affiliates to promote books, reading, literacy and libraries locally, regionally and nationally.
In addition to new and improved versions of traditional Vermont Humanities programs, we have adapted and modified the Center for the Book’s high-quality literacy trainings for local libraries under the banner of the Vermont Early Literacy Initiative (VELI).
The Vermont Department of Libraries has provided funding to place the Vermont Center for the Book under the oversight of Vermont Humanities, and will continue to offer support and materials for the new VELI collaboration to ensure diversity, access, inclusion, equity, and justice in all in-house programs and practices.
