After a very restful spring break, I’m back at the library. We finally decided to retire the cloud drop and go back to transcribing things by hand. But now I’m starting a new project which is a bit more interesting.
Now I’m working on a Library Guide for the Race and Segregation collection. This is essentially a catalogue of the items in the collection, with a section at the beginning to help historicize and contextualize the collection.
I enjoy getting to actually do a bit of research for the first section. I’ve always liked looking for things and trying to piece together bits of information. I like the challenge and the satisfaction of actually learning something of value, making arguments, and finding the evidence. It’s too bad my biographical notes section can only be a couple of paragraphs.
The rest of the library guide isn’t all that exciting. Cataloging is slow work; important, but very slow. I’m now going back through the excel sheets I made earlier in the semester to get the information I need for the catalogue.
I’ve been listening to podcasts to help keep the mind fog at bay, which creeps up easier than you think. I’ve come across some very humorous ones that have left me giggling at my desk. I’m sure the others think I’m crazy, just sitting at my desk going over a collection about race and segregation giggling. Little do they know that actually I’m listening to a story about a woman’s pet bird that is hated by the rest of her family, which features a recording of it screeching. Who knew that Macaws could sound like the velociraptors from Jurassic Park? The idea of this little bird creating such a chilling sound is extremely amusing to me.
