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March 30, 2006

Giving Someone a Lift

Why is Alan Gray laughing? Because someone else is doing most of the work!

The first week of April is National Library Week, and we've got some things planned in the Library -- but more about that later. First, we did something in the spirit of National Library Week that made us feel good.

Some time ago we decided to make the back issues of the New York Times available as an on-line resource, and end our reliance on the old, tried and true microfilm reels we've had for years. 87 of them, to be exact -- that would be years of New York Times; you don't want to know how many reels of microfilm that is. Part of our thinking is that on-line access is more accessible, and it has better image quality. And part of our thinking is that we're just not planning to take those old microfilm readers into the new building, when we move sometime in 2008.

So what to do with the old microfilm, and the bound indexes? Well, it turns out there are many Louisiana libraries that are in desperate need of this kind of resource, and when the Louisiana State Library put out word that we had the microfilm to donate, we got a number of requests for it right away. Fastest off the mark was the Rapides Parish Library, which serves a community of 127,000.

So that's why we found ourselves loading 47 boxes of microfilm and bound indexes on a New England Motor Freight truck, with the kind assistance of driver Stuart Andrade. And thanks to NEMF, who discounted the shipping cost when they learned what we were doing. And thanks to Darien Library staff, who are donating some of the shipping fees.

Now about National Library Week. We've got library facts posted around the building, we have quizzes with prizes, we have secret words, that will get you coupons to discount your fines, we've got specially-priced bags. Hey, we're librarians -- to us this is a happening thing! Come on down and party like it's 1950. Just joking. More like 1957 -- (hint, what year did the Darien Library move into the current building?)

Posted by Alan Kirk Gray at 04:18 PM