Castleton student-filmmakers chronicle VSCS library debate
CASTLETON, Vt. (WCAX) - A class at Vermont State University’s Castleton campus is digging into a sensitive topic -- efforts by school administrators last year to close libraries across Vermont State Colleges campuses.
“Everybody was really charged up and frustrated with what was going on, because it was affecting everybody in the classroom, students, faculty and staff,” said Sam Davis-Boyd, a communications professor at Castleton.
“The implications of these financial decisions being made without any student input, making this documentary really helped us understand what was going on behind the scenes that we weren’t privy to,” said Lily Doton, a student in Davis-Boyd’s class who worked on a new documentary on the topic as part of a class project.
“They wanted to roll with it, which I was really excited to hear. I was, you know, there to help advise and give feedback along the way but it was really their project and I wanted them to be able to tell the story the way they wanted,” Davis-Boyd said.
“That gave us a lot of free range and a lot of independence, but she was still there to really make sure we were doing what we were supposed to be doing,” said Maddie Lindgren, a student-producer on the project.
The documentary, “Error 404: Books not Found” started in the spring of 2023, and work on it continued once classes finished for the summer. “Because we were so close to this issue, because we were seeing it all unfold, it felt really close and personal to us. And I think that’s part of the reason why we felt so driven to continue with this project, even after the semester ended,” Doton said.
Since work on the film began, the idea to digitize libraries has been shelved in favor other cost-saving measures. The film has taken on a heightened importance to the producers, because they say the topic had a direct impact on their educational lives at the university. “I wanted to show the world, I guess, that these changes matter,” said William Smith, a co-director:
“I’ve said this a lot -- and my crewmates have said this -- this is bigger than all of us, and to be a part of something that truly had an impact on not only the university, but the community as well,” said Jacob “Gonzo” Gonzalez, the lead editor on the film.
The first free screening of the documentary will be on campus Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Herrick Auditorium.
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