Month: November 2024

I have always wondered what to do about old tech files. In high school I used to save my files on floppy disks before CDs and saving to a cloud were a thing. I also remember seeing my parents wedding on VHS. Memory labs are a game changer. Library users can digitize files they once thought were lost. Through equipment that can convert these older files into an updated format, people can recover and preserve memories. I am amazed how many libraries have memory labs and I am just now learning about it. To locate a memory lab nearby: https://memorylabnetwork.github.io/

Memory labs have even made it into the news:

The Frederick County Public Library has a step-by-step tutorial on how to use the memory lab to convert files.

The Los Angeles Public Library has a memory lab and they have provided instructional guides with screenshots to guide library users in the file conversion process. https://www.lapl.org/memorylab/diy 

California Revealed is an organization that aids institutions in hosting memory labs in California on a mission to help people preserve their personal history. They have a vast catalog of preserved material. My favorite so far are viewing the home videos.

A peak at what Disneyland was like in the 1960s:

https://californiarevealed.org/do/37f2e09a-5059-4f7e-997c-1b9681817e39 

“You can’t hate someone whose story you know.” – Margaret Wheatley

I was inspired by the animation created by StoryCorps about Storm Reyes journey and how a library bookmobile changed her life (Popova, 2016). The librarian encouraged her to explore reading, which led to her ability to venture beyond the environment she had been conditioned to. Libraries do indeed change lives.

From a staff perspective, people inspire librarians.

Here are a couple of my library patron encounters:

A man walked in searching for a specific patent from the early 1900s. I helped him locate the patent and showed him how to use the copy machine. I mentioned the option to take photos of pages on his phone if the copier became too cumbersome. He thanked me and told me why he was looking for the patent. His  daughter was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and he needed the patent to send to one of his daughter’s doctors for a potential treatment option. He and his wife had created a foundation dedicated to advancing research and raising awareness about Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

When I was working as a Library Assistant on the weekends, I would encounter a woman who brought in her shopping cart into the library.  She was experiencing homelessness. She would use the computer to read the news and sleep in the stacks. Once I brought in an orphaned kitten into the library with permission because I was working and they needed to eat every 2-4 hours. The woman heard the kitten crying and she screamed out, “Where’s the crying baby?” I showed the kitten to her and apologized for the noise. She held the kitten in her arms and her face lit up with joy. She said she did not mind the noise. Through this encounter, I was able to establish some rapport and realized how libraries are not just about resources, they are about connecting with people.

These two encounters reinforced the mission and value of library work, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that “the underserved and invisible … feel welcomed and encouraged in our spaces, both physical, virtual, and across the community itself” (Paxaman, 2019).  Tasks that may appear minor like locating a book or showing someone how to use the printer can make all the difference.

Sharing my personal library story: https://287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu/catladylilia/2024/08/31/my-library-story/

Please feel free to share any stories! 🙂

References:

Paxman, M. (2019). Challenged but not dying, the public libraries are more relevant than ever. Jutland Station. https://web.archive.org/web/20201125214023/http://www.jutlandstation.dk/challenged-but-not-dying-the-public-libraries-are-more-relevant-than-ever/

Popova, M. (2016, October 6). How Libraries Save Lives . The Marginalian. https://www.themarginalian.org/2016/10/06/libraries-storycorps-bookmobile/

@catladylilia

Sometimes you read things right when you are meant to.

After taking some time to reflect on the election results, I struggled with inertia. Several thoughts of Are family and friends, okay? What can I do? Not this, again. Everything was at a standstill and there was no gas in my personal tank.

What’s helped so far:

• Taking stock of how I feel and allowing myself to sit uncomfortably with it for a minute and let it pass.
• Limiting the intake of news and social media
• Extra animal time- I have two cats and two dogs. I have increased my time with them as a reminder to be in the present.
• Remembering I am not alone

I found comfort in reading Mike Gaetani’s Q&A with Eric Klinenberg about the book Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life. The book discusses social infrastructure and helps readers identify and evaluate local institutions that help shape a community. The institutions are comprised of public spaces such as public libraries and parks. Klinenberg mentions that during his book tour he discovers how each community possesses a unique social infrastructure.  He highlights how some cities understand “a modest increase in local taxes produces a massive public benefit” because “libraries have become a critical part of the safety net, the educational system, and the local democracy” (Gaetani, 2018). Investing in libraries benefits everyone by providing a space that promotes social inclusion and equitable access to information. What I found interesting was Klinenberg’s response to why some cities fail to invest in libraries, “I think it’s because too many cities are led by people who don’t recognize the enduring value of libraries. Too many American elites – in policy, business, and philanthropy- see them as luxuries, rather than critical social infrastructures” (Gaetani, 2018).  Libraries are often seen as a place that houses books. Libraries are much more than that. They help bridge the social gap by providing communities with equitable access to technology, information, social events, and local resources.

Klinenberg’s book was written during the first Trump presidency. I very much relate to Klienenberg’s statement “today it feels like the house is on fire and there’s not much point in doing anything other than trying to put it out” (Gaetani, 2018).

via GIPHY

In skimming some of the pages in Klinenberg’s book, I stumbled upon this quote:

“What we need, now more than ever, is an inclusive conversation about the kinds of infrastructure—physical as well as social—that would best serve, sustain, and protect us (Klinenberg, 2018).”

After we take a moment for self care and check in on people, it’s time we start talking.

References:

Klinenberg, E. (2018). Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life (First Edition). Crown.

Hi Everyone!

I struggled with coming up with an idea for a new library service that UC Davis does not already have.

In my  quest, I wanted to see in what ways can libraries help first generation college students. I was struck by the phrase “Seeing fellow students studying or doing academic work in the library spaces matters for first-generation students who … may not have personal family models about how to become a student” (Arch & Gilman, 2019).

I have participated in a few virtual study sessions with peers and the experience has helped with reducing the feeling of isolation and has provided a support network.

I was happy to discover virtual study sessions have been implemented in a library setting.  The University of Strathclyde has implemented virtual study sessions and created a toolkit for libraries to use.  My hope is this trend will catch on as the world is embracing the Hybrid school/work model.

Here is the link to my presentation

@catladylilia