Volunteer work update
I was just replying to a comment on another entry, and saw that I hadn't posted anything about my volunteer gig in Ipswich since I started it. My first day was two weeks ago! Bad blogger, no cookie.
Anyway, I arrived a few minutes early, and discovered the library is in the midst of a major road project. It took some circling and some fortuitous timing to snag a legal parking space, but I did get to the library on time. *phew*
The librarian who will supervise me took me on a tour while we waited for the director to arrive. It's a lovely mid-1800s building, well maintained and comfortable. Santa was there, and the line to talk with him was long, but we worked around it and got to see everything by the time the director got there. He had me fill out some paperwork for a CORI background check, which was a novelty for me. I thought they were concerned about theft of their archival materials, but after asking about it, I think that their primary concern was that I wasn't a pedophile. (!!) I was surprised - I don't expect to work with or near children in this volunteer job!
The director and the librarian both have library degrees, but neither had an archival management concentration. They had an archivist come in before to help process materials, so I'll have a model to follow. And the director was eager to hear what other sort of work I'd like to do - evidently he'd like to have me continue to do work with them after these two projects are done. I'm certainly open to the idea!
The librarian showed me the two collections they want me to process, and then left me alone to do my work. One collection was quite a bit smaller than the other, so I started on that one. It was a donation from the Ipswich chapter of the DAR, starting in 1921 and continuing to the 21st century. The materials fit in two boxes about the size of a microwave oven, I'd say. I sat for about three hours sorting through it, making a list of what was there, and putting aside a few things that I thought were weedable. Then I called in the librarian to show her what I did, and made a case for the things that I thought could be discarded or moved to general circulation (genealogical books, history books, an empty guest book, duplicate membership cards, etc). She said she'd show the pile to the director and let me know the next time what the decision was.
Much to my surprise, she told me that I was done for the day. It was only 1:30, and I had been prepared to stay until 4pm when the library closed, but she was quite firm that I should have some of my Saturday off. I guess they don't believe in working their volunteers too hard! I was pleased with the work I got to accomplish, and everyone was very supportive and happy to have me there, so I left in a cheerful mood. My next shift will be this Saturday. I hope I can get everything boxed and foldered in this collection, and get a start on the finding aid.
Anyway, I arrived a few minutes early, and discovered the library is in the midst of a major road project. It took some circling and some fortuitous timing to snag a legal parking space, but I did get to the library on time. *phew*
The librarian who will supervise me took me on a tour while we waited for the director to arrive. It's a lovely mid-1800s building, well maintained and comfortable. Santa was there, and the line to talk with him was long, but we worked around it and got to see everything by the time the director got there. He had me fill out some paperwork for a CORI background check, which was a novelty for me. I thought they were concerned about theft of their archival materials, but after asking about it, I think that their primary concern was that I wasn't a pedophile. (!!) I was surprised - I don't expect to work with or near children in this volunteer job!
The director and the librarian both have library degrees, but neither had an archival management concentration. They had an archivist come in before to help process materials, so I'll have a model to follow. And the director was eager to hear what other sort of work I'd like to do - evidently he'd like to have me continue to do work with them after these two projects are done. I'm certainly open to the idea!
The librarian showed me the two collections they want me to process, and then left me alone to do my work. One collection was quite a bit smaller than the other, so I started on that one. It was a donation from the Ipswich chapter of the DAR, starting in 1921 and continuing to the 21st century. The materials fit in two boxes about the size of a microwave oven, I'd say. I sat for about three hours sorting through it, making a list of what was there, and putting aside a few things that I thought were weedable. Then I called in the librarian to show her what I did, and made a case for the things that I thought could be discarded or moved to general circulation (genealogical books, history books, an empty guest book, duplicate membership cards, etc). She said she'd show the pile to the director and let me know the next time what the decision was.
Much to my surprise, she told me that I was done for the day. It was only 1:30, and I had been prepared to stay until 4pm when the library closed, but she was quite firm that I should have some of my Saturday off. I guess they don't believe in working their volunteers too hard! I was pleased with the work I got to accomplish, and everyone was very supportive and happy to have me there, so I left in a cheerful mood. My next shift will be this Saturday. I hope I can get everything boxed and foldered in this collection, and get a start on the finding aid.