My first taste of archival work

The shifting finally done, I began today on an actual archival project of sorts. Apparently the photos from the NC Collection's online exhibit of Civil Rights in Durham was not treated in perhaps the most professional manner and, as such, each photo has upwards of three identifying numbers. The staff are trying to make it such that each photo has only a single identifier, so I have been compiling a spreadsheet of the images and their possible numbers. It's not the most exciting of work, but it's ultimately going to make the collection more streamlined. Plus it's fascinating to look at the images of protesters and demonstrations from the early sixties. Stuff like that keeps me coming back to archives, even when I'm not sure that it's something I want to do professionally.

As archives go, this one seems to be used on a fairly regular basis. While processing photos, a gentleman came in who was performing some genealogical research for an upcoming family reunion. He had done some extensive work already, and was laden down with folders, photographs, etc. containing family information. He wound up striking up a conversation with a woman at the same table who was browsing old yearbooks, and they spent a good hour discussing his research and family history. I eavesdropped as I worked and was captivated both by his stories and by the way archives can bring people together in this way. I look forward to more experiences such as this one in my last few days here.

Fun in the NC Room

On Tuesday I finally got the opportunity to spend some time in the NC Collection. Granted, that time was spent shifting books around to make more room in the collection, but I suspect that they will have some more interesting tasks once that project is completed.

The NC Collection is an interesting one. From what I gather, the NC Collection at UNC consists mostly of books written by North Carolina authors, so I had expected more of the same in this collection. This turned out not to be the case. Actually, the majority of books that I saw were fairly dull: budget reports from years past, census materials, and so on. Mixed in with these rather stodgy, official reports are some items that come as something of a surprise, such as the entire shelf full of material related to paranormal activity. (I suspected, and my guess turned out to be correct, that these items are here courtesy of their association with the Rhine Research Center.)

This was a fairly short post. I expect that I'll have more to report once I'm done moving books around.

In which I have a great idea

Last week I attended a department meeting for the first time since I started here. I picked a good day to do so, because one staff member brought in a feast of produce from her garden: tomatoes, basil, olives. Combined with fresh mozzarella from Chapel Hill Creamery and a fruit salad, it made for a delicious lunch.

It's not really required that interns attend these meetings, but I was glad I did so. More than anything I've done at this field experience, the weekly meetings provide the best insight into the marketing department's goals and what the department really does for the library. Today we discussed, among other things, the open house celebration at the East Regional branch, how to acknowledge donors to the library, and a promotion for a volunteer drive that the library is doing in conjunction with the American Cancer Society.

One issue we addressed was how best to acknowledge donors to the library. Those who donated over a certain amount will have their names engraved on a plaque that will hang at one of the branches, while those who donate under a certain amount will have their names put on a bookplate. The issue was how to show gratitude to the middle-of-the-road donors, and I hit upon a solution which I think is actually going to be put into effect: patron picks. Essentially, these donors would have the opportunity to select five or so books that would go on a recommendation shelf along with their name. It's a simple idea, requires almost no extra resources, and seems as though it would appeal to numerous people.

Fun and Games

Today I was introduced to adult services library John Davis, who is starting up a monthly session of popular tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons for library patrons of all ages. I was interested in speaking to John (and I like to think that he was interested in speaking with me) because I volunteer running a D&D session for the Chatham library's teen game night. Not to mention that we share a fondness for graphic novels and all things geeky.

We had a very enlightening talk today about how we run our respective D&D sessions at our respective libraries. It's interesting to see how much variation exists for a single game: different ages of players, different rule sets, etc. His first session is in about a week and while I can't make that one, I hope to maybe attend the second session so we can bounce more ideas off of one another. We also discussed an upcoming adult programming event centered around game design. I know an inordinate number of friends who are interested in board game design, and I have passed the list of panel members along to them in an attempt to pique their interest. I find myself doing this a good deal these days. DCL's adult and humanities programs touch on such a wide variety of topics that I an always think of at least one person who would find any given discussion of interest. A simple yet effective way to boost library patronage.

Donde esta la biblioteca? The importance of Spanish in a library setting

My buddy Josh, a Spanish instructor at Wake Tech, once told me, in response to my fears about finding a job post-graduation, that as long as I knew basic computer skills and was able to speak Spanish I would have no trouble finding employment. That's of course an over-simplified list of qualifications, but I had never really before considered the importance (the necessity?) of knowing how to speak Spanish in a public library setting. It turns out that it's a skill that might well be essential.

I graduated from Carolina in 2010 with a minor in Spanish. Since graduation, I've not have much occasion to use the language and have consequently forgotten a good deal of it. Should I go into public librarianship, I think it's a skill that I will definitely want to brush up on once again.

DCL has a staff member who serves as the system's Hispanic services librarian. (I can't find her name on the website, so I can't be sure if that's her official title.) The fact that such a position exists demonstrates that there is a real need for this sort of language provider within the library community. You can see the Hispanic influence in some of the events that the library hosts. There are bilingual storytimes for children and, at a workshop on cancer prevention a couple of weeks ago, an interpreter was on hand to provide simultaneous translation while the talk was being held. It's a trend that I have no doubt will continue to develop over the next several years.

The All-Important Book of Clips

On my desk at the library is a binder of considerable size. Within this binder live scanned copies of (just about) every single clip related to the library published in the local papers. Nothing is overlooked, not even the very tiny one-sentence briefs announcing the meeting times of the North Regional chess club. It's my understanding that the binder is brought out at board meetings so that Gina can show to the BoD that marketing is doing a good job of keeping the library in the public eye.

On one hand, I don't know why she bothers. It's not as if newspaper readership is exactly faring well, so why does it matter if articles--much less those tiny little event blurbs--even make it in there in the first place? On the other hand, this makes perfect sense. A rundown of the spreadsheet of Humanities Society members shows that a good many of them (three hundred out of around thirteen hundred) do not have an e-mail address, whether because they do not want one or because they do not have home internet. For these people, many of whom are senior citizens, the newspaper is still a main source for local events. It would then make sense that it's important to keep track of what is being reported upon in the print media so that marketing can then keep tabs on which events are receiving the most coverage and can then compare that amount of coverage to attendance rates at events to see if the two are connected.

The Resident Archivist

Lynn Richardson is the DCL's archivist, or at least the closest thing to an archivist that the library has. She is the head of the North Carolina Collection, and Joanne tells me that she is the only archivist in the world to exclusively collect materials related to Durham. (I have to wonder why the collection is called the "North Carolina Collection" in that case, but some things will remain a mystery, I suppose.)

It seems unusual to me that a public library would have an archivist on staff. I tend to associate the profession with special collections and major universities, but not the local library. Many public libraries will offer rudimentary genealogy instruction, but again it hardly seems worth their while to keep a full-time archivist on staff. Most archival material is kept in university collections or, at a local level, in the city hall or the town records department. Were I trying to consult local primary sources, I would go to these places first, certainly not the library.

Lynn seems to be the exception to the above. A fiercely capable archivist, she fought for her collection when library administration seemed content to cut resources willy-nilly (see previous post). The collection seems to be well-used. Whenever I walk by en route to the copy machine or the break room, there is usually a handful of people, none of whom look particularly "scholarly," studying documents. I wonder if they are conducting family history or if they are searching for something different altogether. I'd be interested to learn how such a unique collection of historical records is used.

I hope to speak with Lynn more about her job later this summer. As I start to lean more toward public librarianship than archives, an archives position that works closely with the public library is probably the sort that I would find the most appealing.

The Grand Tour, Part II

On the way back to the main branch, Joanne and I stopped for lunch at a deli, where we talked libraries some more. (Thanks Joanne for treating, and especially for splurging on a slice of the gooey butter cake. You were right: it was delicious.)

Among the interesting tidbits I learned was that e-books aren't quite as economical as I had previously thought. Apparently the library can only let out an e-book twenty-seven times before they have to purchase a new one. This is the number that the manufacturers settled upon for how many times a hardcover book can be lent out before it has deteriorated to the point where the library needs to purchase a new copy. (Although Joanne and I both agree that, if well-tended, a hardcover can last for significantly longer than that.) On one hand, this makes sense. The e-book manufacturers need to make money somehow, and that's not going to happen if they sell one copy to a library and it lasts indefinitely. On the other hand, this is not logical at all. Why spend money from an already tight budget to replace a perfectly good product? Joanne asked if I had studied the popularity of e-books in relation to their comparatively more expensive cost. I have not, but it would be an interesting trend to chart.

Speaking of the budget, I was treated to the saga of Skip Auld, the former DPL director and a SILS alumnus. Skip was apparently one of those people that you either loved or didn't care for at all, and I suspect that Joanne falls into the latter category. I get the impression that Skip was a bit of a pushover when it came to protecting the library's resources. When the county mentioned budget cuts to him, he agreed straight away and volunteered to cut other resources and services without consulting the appropriate staff members. One of those staff members was Lynn in the NC Collection, although she managed to preserve a fair amount of her material. More about Lynn in the next post though.

In the end, Skip was "let go" by the county. The new director, Tammy, seems to be more well-liked overall by the staff. She's working to get the library's budget back to where it was before the reign of Skip and seems to be doing a good job of it. DPL's current budget is actually quite stable, helped in no small part by the community's support.

The Grand Tour

Today was an enlightening one. As part of my education, Joanne took me with her while she ran some errands at a couple of the other branches of DPL. Outings with her are enjoyable; I get the impression that she knows all there is to know about the history of Durham, down to every last building. It's also an opportunity to pick her brain about whatever library-related questions I might have. More on that later.

The first branch we stopped by was the Stanford L. Warren branch, which is a compact, handsome building not too far away from the main library. Joanne explained that this branch used to be the historical black library of Durham, and that heritage is very evident. Photos from when the library was still segregated line the walls and plaques and portraits near the entrance pay homage to the gentlemen that founded and supported the branch. It's a tiny library--there are only fifteen or so parking spaces--but there's a great sense of pride in the building.

From there, we went to the Southwest branch, about which Joanne was quite enthusiastic. It's easy to see why. While not quite as classically handsome as the Warren branch, this library is obviously an essential part of the community, rivaling even the impressive main branch in terms of circulation. Southwest has a large circulation, a bright, airy children's room, ample office space, and little niceties such as a community garden outdoors and little book recommendation cards of the sort that you might find in a bookstore. (If you like so-and-so, then we recommend checking out so-and-so.) These touches make the library a more welcoming place, and I received the impression that Joanne hopes that the main library will include some of these features when the building is renovated in a few years' time. It's interesting to see the very different cultures and atmosphere present at branches which are only a few miles from one another.

The Library as a Space

Today one of my tasks was to take down and box up a small exhibit of Civil War photographs and items. This entailed venturing down to the second floor, an area of the library that I've not yet had occasion to visit. My jaunt down to the the exhibition nook prompted thoughts on the physical space within and around the library and how that space is used.

Naturally, the vast majority of a library is, not too surprisingly, devoted to library stuff: books, shelves, desks. The main branch of DPL is quite extraordinary in that it has a number of other little areas throughout the building that are used for so many different purposes. There is a sizable auditorium, an archive, and the aforementioned "exhibition room," which is really just a nook in which pictures and art can be hung. There is even what you might call a garden. While on the second floor, I stumbled across an alcove filled with real dirt and containing a riot of green plants and ferns. It's literally right next to one of the shelving units and, so far as I can tell, serves no real purpose except that it looks nice and is a welcome shot of color and life.

With so many facilities contained under one roof, each representing a different way in which the building is used, is it really appropriate to refer to the Durham library as simply a library? Because it's also a theater, or maybe a town hall. And a museum. And a records office. And even a community garden.

As Bones would say "I'm a librarian Jim, not an architect," but it seems to me that many public libraries are utilizing their space for purposes other than simply checking out books. The Chapel Hill Public Library had lovely walking trails surrounding it, and while I've not been on them since the building re-opened, I can imagine that they look all the better for having undergone renovation. The Chatham Community Library, where I volunteer every other Friday, has a nice picnic area. The main branch of DPL is a little imposing, but for the most part, each of these buildings is warm and inviting. I can't recall having seen a truly ugly public library. Perhaps it is because people tend to associate libraries with such warm, positive feelings that the buildings, both within and without, almost instinctively reflect this sense of welcome.

Today I'm going to stray from the topic of libraries to discuss the city of Durham. We make much of the fact that UNC is located only eight miles down the road from Durham/Duke, but how often do Chapel Hill-ians really take the opportunity to explore their sister city? I only have one Facebook contact who is a Duke alum, and that's only because we went to the same high school in Georgia. I can probably count the number of times I have visited Duke on both hands, and the majority of those times were to visit the gardens.

So what keeps us away from Durham? Is it something to do with the fact that the city has always had a perhaps unfair reputation for high crime levels? There was a controversial article in the DTH this past spring that essentially stated that Durhamites were responsible for various crimes committed in and around Chapel Hill. And it is true that parts of downtown Durham can be less than savory. As part of staff development day at the main library branch, staff members took part in a shooter simulation drill. I can't be positive, but I am fairly certain that this is not something that occurs at other public libraries. My roommate, who works circulation at the Southwest branch, confirmed that yes, this would not have happened elsewhere.

I didn't know much about Durham prior to starting the internship. However, a stint at the Herald-Sun following my junior year had opened my eyes to some of the interesting places and people that the city had to offer, and my work at the library has confirmed my opinion that Durham is, in fact, a pretty neat place. The library is running a series of events called "Bullish on Durham," and each one explores a different point of interest: DPAC, Central Park, etc. It's a great way to see what Durham has to offer as an up-and-coming Southern city. Many of the library's summer humanities events reveal Durham's rich cultural history as well. One series will detail Durham's history during the Civil Rights era, and an event later this month on Jews and Durham explores an aspect of the city's history that perhaps is not explored quite as often. Plus, it's difficult to not love a city that hosts an annual Beaver Queen Pageant.

It's not all fun and books

I had intended to write about event planning today, but Joanne has been out for much of the day over at the Hayti Heritage Center working to hammer out some technical difficulties for a humanities event taking place there next week. So I will come back to that topic later this week and instead talk about how the department functions, based on what I've seen so far.

I think that a lot of people (including, for awhile, myself) have this notion that public librarians sit around all day and read books. I also think that SILS tries hard to dispel this notion. One the very first day of INLS 501 last semester, Dr. Pomerantz told us "If you are here because you love books, run." (This was, in retrospect, quite funny because we had just finished going around the room and saying why we had decided to attend SILS. A good two-thirds of the replies were iterations of "Because I love books."

Having spent a little time in a public library setting, it's a little easier to see where he was coming from. The library, at least the marketing division, is more of a business than an idyllic place where everyone sits around reading books all day long. It's more akin to working at an office: we sit at desks and do plenty of dry, business-y tasks like grant writing, recordkeeping, and spreadsheet maintenance. Department meetings are not about books we've read but rather about how we can save some money on printing costs or meeting quotas. It's very apparent that visibility is essential to the library's survival, and the staff seems grateful for any publicity they receive, even if it's as small as a blurb cut from the local newspaper. (Gina carefully saves these for BoT meetings and they are subsequently archived.)

Reeling 'em in: who attends library events?

In my last post, I mentioned the wildly eclectic mix of events that DPL offers as part of its humanities series, ranging from the typical book signings to the really quite bizarre. Who attends these events?

My guess-which is entirely unfounded-is that many of the attendees would be older individuals. My paternal grandmother constantly attends events and lectures at her local library, and I rather imagine that many of her peers do the same. It's a great opportunity for them to socialize and to learn something new. I also suspect that it's the older demographic that would be the most interested in the local history events which the library offers up in droves, as they are the ones who probably remember those events actually occurring.

But what about the young demographic? I can't remember the last time I attended a library-sponsored event, which, given my program, is a little sad. If I, the sort of young adult who would be most likely to attend these events, am not going to them, then who, exactly, is? It's a bit of an awkward age group. The library has plenty of events for children and teenagers, and an equal number that might appeal to senior citizens, but not as much for the twenty-, thirty-somethings. We ran into this problem with my 23-year-old brother Michael, who is autistic. I contacted his local library to see if they offered events for someone of his age and capabilities, and the response was discouraging. It's definitely an overlooked demographic.

Of course, I could be entirely wrong. While working on the blurbs for the upcoming humanities brochure, I often find myself thinking of my peers and saying "Oh, I should tell so-and-so about this event; they'd think it was really interesting." Actually, I intend to ask Joanne or Gina if they can run me off some extra fliers for an August discussion panel on game design. I have an unusual number of friends who are interested in board game design and, having mentioned this event to them in passing, they all seemed quite excited and said that they would certainly attend. Perhaps my generation has a vested interest in library events as well. It's an encouraging thought, and it may have something to do with the area.

I'm not sure about other regions of the country, but I'd imagine that libraries in the Triangle have just about the best turn-out rate for their events. The area's major universities mean that the DPL has not only a host of potential speakers, but also a community of educated folks both young and old, eager to learn something new. I think that the marketing division is well aware of this and therefore tailors the list of events to appeal to the widest number of people. Where else could you find zombies, civil rights, and Islamic mystic poetry living side by side?

Next time: how does the library go about selecting their events?

Week One

I have a new mantra: No matter how smart you are or how educated you may be, the copy machine will always foil you in the end.

That's certainly been the case during my first week on the job. I copied a batch of library-related newspaper clippings only to have to do the whole thing over on account of the fact that the background was too inky. However, I finally achieved success and I think that the copier and I now have a mutual respect for one another. At least, I hope so. I have the feeling that it's plotting new ways to turn on me.

But waging war against the copier constitutes only a small part of what I've been up to. Over the course of my first couple of days in the marketing department I have:

• written numerous press releases for upcoming library events
• copy edited a list of blurbs that will be printed in the upcoming summer humanities brochure
• printed and stuffed envelopes to be mailed to Humanities Society members
• attended a department meeting
• visited the garage where the Bookmobile lives

I've spent most of these first couple days working under the supervision of Joanne Abel and Gina Rozier. Both are excellent to work with; Gina is perhaps a little intimidating, but I suppose that comes from serving as the department head. I will be spending most of the summer working alongside them, but they are open to me gaining some experience in parts of the library that are not necessarily directly related to marketing. After hearing that I am an ARM student, Joanne said that she will have to introduce me to Lynn over at the NC Collection, and I'm very much looking forward to that. Assuming that I do end up working in archives, I could more easily see myself working at a smaller, public library archive rather than at a massive university special collection, so I'm naturally interested to see what her job entails.

Meanwhile, the press releases take up a majority of my time. I must say, I am amazed at the sheer number/variety of events that the Durham Co. library offers. Most are understandably related to local history or feature local authors, but there are some that are so unusual, so out there. For instance, one of the branches is having a "zombie preparedness" event in early July. I think that is absolutely brilliant. Go to your local library, pick up a good book, and, while you're at it, learn to protect yourself during the impending zombie apocalypse! Awesome.

Next time: reflections on library-sponsored events. Who attends them, and why?