2 posts tagged “library”

Every repository has at least one collection that just isn't worth the space it is occupying. In my library, the collection that wins the award contains approximately 21 linear feet (in brown Paige boxes) of research on privies. Yes, privies. The official title is "Seat of Easement: A Research Collection on Privies from Ancient Times through the Twentieth Century". No one feels like wasting their time with the crap. Apparently Mr. Humphries and the former head of our department drove up to the researcher's home to pick up the load 12 or 13 years ago. I can't imagine this stuff gets better with age. At least it isn't attracting flies.

We are deaccessioning a few books at work. I have been looking at them for a while, but hadn't found anything that really seemed worth paying for. The other day, however, I found a copy of Make Way for Ducklings, a family favorite. It is from Dec. 1945, the seventh printing. There was also a copy from the sixth printing (Feb. '45), but this one is in better shape. The really neat thing about both copies is that on the page with the copyright there is a note:

"This edition is produced in full compliance with all War Production Board conservation orders." I have no idea what that means, but I am definitely going to do some research. 

In completely unrelated news, I bought myself a new Christmas tree today. I bought one a few years ago, but decided to leave it behind in Ann Arbor. This one is pretty much the same - 3 ft. with little white lights.

I also opened my box of Christmas decorations for the first time since I left CT. Amazingly, nothing broke! This stuff moved from CT to MI, MI to VA, and from one VA apartment to the next. I lost a ton of dishes during the move to VA, so I am amazed that all the ornaments are still in one piece.

It is kind of strange getting ready for Christmas when it is just starting to feel like Halloween. The south is a strange place, that's for sure.