Academic cybrarian, bibliophile & culturista. Mentor to library school (LIS) students and graduates. Advocate for all libraries and their users. [Fmr. Organizer, NY Librarians Meetup]
Librarian
Naomi Niles described the Nolen library as a “jewel box”. The library
is certainly small and beautiful. The rooms are wonderfully open with
large glass windows on two sides. The bannisters and shelving gleam with
light gold wood. It even smells new.
The
open form of the library space reflects the openness of the library’s
policies. The Nolen Library is the only one of the Met’s many department libraries which has open stacks. Anyone can come in and use the wi-fi,
books, scanners and study space, even without paying admission to the
Metropolitan Museum. The Thomas J. Watson library is open to any adult
patron, but the books have to be paged, and children are discouraged.
Nolen has a children’s space with picture books and storytime events.
Computer terminals at a child’s height, give access to whitelisted sites
such as National Geographic.
The
subjects collected by the library are equally wide, stretching from
gardening to history. Naomi Niles says the library collects anything
that would help a patron understanding of art, which, of course,
includes many topics. A large collection of art documentary tapes and
DVDs cover the walls of a meeting space at the back of the library, and
Nolen even has a small, but beautiful graphic novels section.
The
library is staffed by a group of fifteen librarians who rotate between
Watson and Nolen with occasional stops at the department libraries. Ms.
Niles herself, started as an intern 20 years ago. She said at first she
could not imagine living in New York City for more than a few years, but
here she still is and she loves the Met.
Ms.
Niles encouraged librarians to use the Metropolitan Museum’s online
research materials, including teachers resources, and images. Metmedia is
a great collection of interactive, audio and video resources about the
collections. The Met is also scanning all of its publications from
around 1900 to the present.
If
you feel like dropping by, the Nolen library is located in the Ruth and
Harold D. Uris Education Center on the ground floor of the Metropolitan
Museum. The ground floor is one floor down from the lobby. You can
enter the Education Center from an entrance at 81st street, or you can
take an elevator down from the Greek and Roman wing. Nolen library is
open 9:30-5pm Tuesday through Friday and 10-5pm on the weekends.
The group recently visited the Foundation Center
to learn about prospect research. Mrs. Susan Shiroma, senior librarian
at the organization, explained the services provided by their library,
explored the resources available on the website and gave some career
advice ("Never give up tenure!").
First, what is prospect
research? Prospect research is the assessment of an individual or
organization in order to determine the likelihood (and amount) of that
particular entity giving a donation to a charitable organization. The
website has a helpful worksheet to help researchers keep track of their data. Another useful feature of the website is a portal with many different options to help researchers find potential funders. Also of interest is the 990 finder
which allows one to search IRS tax returns from charitable
organizations. Organizations are required to list the previous years
donations (the amounts and those who received them) on these returns.The Foundation Center also has an article on finding and maintaining prospects.
Mrs.
Shiroma explained that becoming a prospect researcher is a natural
choice for a librarian since it involves research and attention to
detail. She encouraged us to visit the ARPA webpage (Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement) and to consider becoming a freelancer in the field.
Another interesting feature on the Foundation Center's website is the Trend Tracker which allows users to compare data from different charitable groups. Also helpful are the free webinars
to help aspiring prospect researchers work on their fundraising
projects. There are also blogs which highlight specific issues including
the economic crisis, food security
and many more. In addition to the many free resources available
through the Foundation Center's website, the organization also has intensive courses available for a fee.
The
presentation was informative and there is much potential for overlap
between the library science and prospect research fields.
About the Author: Allison is NYC based librarian who graduated with an MLS from Queens College.
The setting sun arced across the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House sitting imposingly at the tip of Bowling Green, highlighting the dormer windows set in the pink tinged upper façade as I wended my way down Broadway on Thursday, August 18 to tour the National Museum of the American Indian located within the Customs House. Despite the large banners hanging from the massive portico of the Customs House heralding the presence of this information jewel of Western hemisphere native Indian life and lore, many New Yorkers, myself included, have never visited it. Indeed, as I bounced toward the tip of the land parcel the Lenape tribe called “Manahatta,” Island of Hills, I maneuvered around gaggles of tourists stampeding toward the Wall Street bull also decorating Bowling Green. The 1907 Customs House, with its splendid Beaux Arts architecture, designed by the renowned Cass Gilbert and unusually sited with its façade facing away from the harbor is, however, the more exciting structure. I was therefore excited that the New York Librarian’s Meetup Group arranged a two hour guided tour of the National Museum of the American Indian.
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN – NEW YORK BRANCH
The National Museum of the American Indian in New York, at the George Gustav Heye Center, according to one of its brochures, “presents the diversity of the Native peoples of the Americas and the strength of Native cultures, past, present and future.” It operates under the auspices of the Smithsonian http://www.americanindian.si.edu/. Although the Smithsonian runs both the New York museum and the similarly named National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., the educational resource collection, educational programs, and the exhibits at the New York branch seemingly generate from different corn husks. The Heye Center, named after the engineer and investment banker whose stupendous collection of nearly one million Native American artifacts amassed from decades of travel and the archaeological expeditions he financed, opened in 1994, ten years before its counterpart opened on the National Mall. For a brief article describing Mr. Heye’s collecting pursuits, please see http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/small_nov00.html
Mr. Heye’s collection, previously located at The New York Heye Foundation’s Museum of the American Indian at The Audubon Terrace at Broadway and 155th Street, forms the basis for the National Museum of the American Indian’s current collection.
RESOURCE CENTER Photo Courtesy of the National Museum of the American Indian (photo on the reader’s right depicts the New York Resource Center)
We first stopped at the Heye Center’s Resource Center whose mission is to provide any museum visitor with knowledge relating to both the historical and contemporary indigenous life of native Americans of the Western hemisphere The Resource Center/library is located on the second floor of the Custom House in the former cashier’s office. Although the remnants of the cashier’s cages adorn the space along with life sized Indian dolls the currency of entry is a desire to learn and study the lore and culture of the indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere. We were lucky to have, Ellen, an experienced and enthusiastic guide who had worked at the Museum in its various incarnations, including the upper Broadway location, since 1967, show us the Resource Center/library with its plethora of materials focused on Native Americans. The library collection is impressive for a specialized library; it contains more than 5,000 books. According to the Resource Center’s website description it also possesses videotapes, audio cassettes, CDs, magazines, newspapers, information files, interactive computer stations, native-produced handling objects placed on tables and shelves, a bibliography and resource lists and provides access to online databases. Our guide’s admiration for Indian life and the collection’s resources sparked my interest in learning more about Native American life as she handed out some of those resource guides, detailed curriculum guides for educators and pointed to copies of the Smithsonian’s specialized magazine publication: National Museum of the American Indian.
INFINITY OF NATIONS
Although the group expressed avid interest in exploring the books, crafts and dolls located throughout the Resource Center while conversing with our Center guide time constraints prompted us toward the second wonderment of the evening: the Infinity of Nations: Art and History in the Collections of the National Museum of the American Indian exhibit (Infinity of Nations). Our wonderful Resource Center guide passed us on to Manola, the Museum’s lead ambassador, who escorted us through an awe inspiring three story oval rotunda to the portal of this exhibit’s hall. As we entered the gallery she explained that the Infinity of Nations exhibit is the first permanent exhibit displayed at the Heye Center, encompassing about 700 objects of the Museum’s 800,000 objects – and quickly quipped that “permanent” designated ten years. The space, organized into 10 geographic areas of the Americas extending from the southern depths of Patagonia to the northern climes of the Pacific Northwest, with carefully chosen artifacts representing objects fashioned into Indian artwork and tools based upon what indigenous people discovered at hand in their geographic habitat depicts what made those civilizations vibrant and capable of imparting life lessons to our sometimes technologically obsessed society.
Manola ushered us through several of these geographic stations with her breathtaking breadth of knowledge of Native American culture and her enthusiasm in imparting her knowledge to us. Our time with this student of languages, who studied ancient Mayan texts, was too short. Not only was this ambassador capable of explaining the historical significance of the artifacts highlighted on our tour, but she actively invoked group participation at stop along our tour route by asking us questions. At our first station in Patagonia, Manola highlighted a canoe and asked us what we thought the purpose was of the little vessels positioned next to the boat. We soon learned that the Yahgan Indians who rowed across cold waterways positioned fuel pots in their canoes for warmth and to heat food. As she spoke, I felt myself erasing the glass barrier between me and the canoe and being transported back centuries to the Yahgan community in much the same way that the jazz age car in Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris transports the movie’s twenty-first century protagonist back to the roaring 20s. She explained that these Indians only used the bark of trees to construct canoes, thus preserving the scarce trees. I thereby gained a greater appreciation of the survival skills of Native Americans, earth’s consummate ecologists. As Manola described the tribes indigenous to the Patagonian area I pictured the once glowing fires dotting the frigid landscape which prompted Europeans sailing around the tip of South America, to call this region “Tierra del Fuego.” Further into the hall, we encountered the Andes Indians and their gold accoutrements. As we peered into the glass panel to look more closely at a group of gigantic circular discs, Manola asked us what the Andean natives used these shiny orbs for. Despite staring intently at the photos of these sun shaped orbs she showed us few of us guessed that they were earrings. The photo below portrays an example of this gold craftwork with the figure itself wearing a smaller version of these golden orbs.
Photo courtesy of the National Museum of the American Indian
Lambayeque gold discs, AD 750–1375, Chan Chan, Peru , Gold alloy
5 cm, Major Otto Holstein Collection, 15/7233
Another highlight of the Infinity of Nations exhibit is the full length Crow exploit robe encased in a horizontal glass case. We were thus able to peer from above at the fine stitching which tells the story of the feats of courage or “exploits” which elevated the wearer to chief upon completion. Manola explained that one of the exploits included having the aspiring warrior humiliate the enemy by stealing a horse or some other important object rather than killing the enemy.
CONTEMPORARY ART
Preston Singletary, Wolf Hat (detail). 1989. Blown and sandcarved glass. Collection of James Sherman. Photo Russell Johnson. Photo Courtesy of the National Museum of the American Indian
As we exited the Infinity of Nations exhibit we stepped into a gallery presenting: Preston Singletary: Echoes, Fires, and Shadows, another awe inspiring look at Native American art. The exhibit, displayed only until September 5, however, highlighted a contemporary artist: 54 glassworks of the internationally lauded, Preston Singletary (Tlingit). Mr. Singletary uniquely blends glass working with Northwest coast Native American motifs. He writes on his website of the connection between Native American traditional art forms and the more contemporary Western glassblowing: “Glass has a defining historic connection with Native Americans in the form of trade beads, which were quickly adopted as a form of ornamentation for clothes and other ceremonial objects” http://www.prestonsingletary.com/artist-statement/. Although the group rushed through this exhibit as the Museum was about to close, I remember a vivid red and black swirling glasswork reminiscent of the vivid sun discs of the Andean Indians in its intensity.
If you miss this exhibit, there will be many more opportunities to view Native American art as the Museum is committed to displaying contemporary as well traditional artwork. Since it has a large cobblestone courtyard some of the art displays are live performances. The Bowling Green Cobblestone, for instance, hosted Red Power Squad, a Cree hip-hop group from Alberta as well as Hopi Indian Nation Dancers in August.
I am grateful the New York Librarians Meetup Group organized this tour, as it expanded my awareness of the breadth of the Indian culture of the Americas. As a student who attended New York schools until college, shamefully my knowledge of Native American indigenous cultures primarily extended to the Iroquois. I strongly recommend a visit to the National Museum of the American Indian, an unparalleled cultural resource, sitting majestically at Manhattan’s southern tip and proudly displaying the magnificent heritage of the indigenous peoples of the Americas (And it’s free.). This Museum is the true location of the “Avenue of the Americas.”
On March 24th, 2010, I was able to attend the monthly NY Librarians Meetup presentation on Twitter and Social Media at the Mulberry Street branch of the New York Public Library. The lecture was given by Nancy Picchi (whose Twitter handle is @islandlibrarian in case you want to follow her), a self-described “Librarian at Large.” “Nancy began the presentation on a humorous note by telling the audience that one of the reasons she loves technology is because “it saves me from housework.” Her talk specifically focused on Twitter, attempting to answer the question, “What is it all about?” and dispel the notion that it’s some stupid fad that will go away sooner rather than later. In this presentation, Nancy attempted to show us how Twitter has changed the way people, and specifically librarians, communicate with each other. She also provided us some of the potential applications we can use the website for our work as information professionals.
When I first arrived at the Horticultural Society of New York not only was I taken over by the smells of deep chocolate, I was taken aback by the large quantity of books that it held. It stands as a small, but very well functioning space and even a few minutes before the presentation it was bustling full of people waiting in anticipation for the event to start, no doubt waiting to taste the delectable chocolates laid out in front of us. In the front of the room sat a table full of an array of chocolates and cacao inspired items from around the world. This gathering of diverse people, including many of the members of the New York Librarians Meetup Group was waiting to hear all about the world of chocolates from Cuban chef and inspired author, Maricel Presilla. To start off the informational discussion, she talked about her growth as a chef throughout her life experiences and what brought her into the chocolate and cacao business. She currently works for the LA Food Research Company of premium cacao and owns her own store and restaurant featuring cacao inspired foods; she has also won the Best Chef Award for her cuisine. Throughout the entire presentation she bore a successful presence with a passion for her work and her presentation was fascinating; it was as if you could almost taste the pictures of the cacao plant and chocolate. Her book, “A New Taste of Chocolate”, which was first created in December 2001, was being revisited and revised for her new edition. She attributed these changes and the new edition to the evolution of chocolate around the world; it is constantly thriving and changing everyday. Presilla first started her “research” at her family’s own cacao plantation in Cuba, where she was able to first-handedly see how the process worked. Through various pictures and on-hand interaction we were able to see the beginning stages of chocolate and surprisingly enough, it starts out as a fruit (cacao pods). Her favorite feeling when strolling through the plantations was her view that, “where there is cacao, there is life”. There are many different factors and people involved in the process of creating chocolate and it is a prime example of sustainability. After her discussion, we were all able to taste some of these delicious chocolates. My taste buds were bussing as I popped each little piece into my mouth. Not only were you able to try different types of chocolate, it was very interesting to actually taste the different aspects of each chocolate. Some were creamier, or darker, or nuttier than others; though all being exquisite. Presilla’s favorite chocolate was from Venezuela, which she said was a “very exciting” example of chocolate and that they had a good roasting process. This was just a small instance of her thoroughness in her knowledge of the process of cacao. Overall, it was an intriguing event and a great way to play with all your senses delving into the world of chocolate with Maricell Presilla to lead guide you on the journey.
I attended the SLA-LIS Career Fair on January 12, 2009. Some of it was helpful but most of it reiterated what I already knew from prior workshops, especially the section on writing an impressive resume. The biggest problem was the poor technology interface as Ellen described in her post. Even though I was disappointed by some of the programs, it was a good networking opportunity.
The section on life after librarianship by Barbara McFadden Allen was the most helpful to me. Her advice on career transition and taking responsibility for your own career path was excellent. Employers are looking for certain attributes and skills : flexibility, intelligence, analytical thinking, resourcefulness, problem solving, leadership, teamwork, project management and clear communication. I found her advice better for updating my resume than information imparted in the resume writing workshop. She also spoke about career options. You can pursue "librarianish careers" with vendors or professional associations. There is also consulting. You can also expand on the portions of your position that interest you the most, e.g. IT, nonprofit management, teaching and communications. If you are expanding on your previous positions, you have to build a new network by going to meetings and trade shows about your new interest. Volunteer in an organization that pursues your chosen career path. Contribute articles to publications outside the library community. Self-assessment is vital. Ms. Allen recommended a website: www.grad.illinois.edu/careerservices/exploration. Remember, if you are starting a new path, you will be a beginner. Transition is difficult, so look for a mentor.
Elisa Topper listed the most important mistakes by jobseekers. Much of her advice can be found in other sources but it was useful to see the information as a list. If you are interested, I can send you the detailed list. Just email me personally at carenrabinowitz@hotmail.com.
A Visit to The Morgan–Renzo Piano Building Workshop Project Exhibition on Sunday January 10, 2010
Introduction The Morgan expansion project is a special exhibition that presents a historical survey of the site from the 1850s through today. The exhibition is organized by The Morgan Library & Museum and the Renzo Piano Building Workshop. It features materials such as drawings, models, and photographs from the conceptual design phase to the finished scheme.
The history of the building is not a static one, structures were put up, added to, altered, demolished—whatever their owners deemed necessary or desirable. Part one of the exhibition traces the development of the Morgan's current property from its beginning in the 1850s. Part two examines how Renzo Piano realized the Morgan's institutional goals then rationalized and developed a plan for the complex he first encountered in 2000. The final section examines aspects of design development and provides images of finished work that link architectural drawings to completed construction.
Brief History Near the turn of the 19th century, Pierpont Morgan
(1837-1913), one of the great American financiers began to amass a collection of art objects, which rivaled the holdings of Europe’s most celebrated libraries. Within the next ten years, Morgan’s collections grew quite large and needed a building of their own where they could be housed and put on display. Completed in 1906 by the architect Charles McKim, Morgan’s original library was done as a “Renaissance-style palazzo of formal elegance and understated grandeur.” McKim even directed the builders in an ancient construction method using Tennessee pink marble that was laid with virtually no mortar— a technique which contributed to the library’s extraordinary refinement.
In late 1906 Pierpont Morgan began using his new library, which contemporaries described as a “bookman’s paradise” and “icily exquisite”. Two decades later the New York Herald Tribune called it “…perfect, inside and out, a Renaissance gem set in the heart of prosaic New York.” In 1924 J.P. Morgan Jr., also known as Jack, transformed the library into a public institution as a memorial to his father. As the collections grew, he also added an annex (which opened in 1928) adjacent to the original building to serve the as both a library and museum. In 1988 the original Morgan house erected on the east side of Madison Avenue between 36th and 37th streets in the mid-nineteenth century was renovated by the firm Voorsanger and Associates. The firm designed a modern glass and steel atrium or Garden Court to the site of the former Morgan family garden.
Following the 1988 construction, offices were created on the house’s upper floors and the first floor period rooms were used as conference rooms and a shop. The fourth floor was later connected to the Thaw Conservation Center, designed by architect Samuel Anderson.
The Morgan–Renzo Piano Project
In 2000, the Morgan asked the Renzo Piano Building Workshop to develop an expansive enhancement scheme that would permit the institution to better fulfill its dual role as library and museum. Renzo Piano’s diverse achievements in architecture and successful integrations of modern design into a number of old European buildings led the Morgan to select him for their task of expansion. The Morgan–Renzo Piano Project’s principal elements included:
• a state of the art collection storage facility • new and renovated galleries • a modern performance hall • a new reading room • a new entrance • a spacious central court (the heart of the public spaces) • and more rational internal circulation
Work began on the Morgan–Renzo Piano Project in 2003 and was completed in 2006. The project was the largest expansion in the Morgan’s history and added 75,000 square feet to the campus. The project increased exhibition spaces by more than fifty percent and added important amenities, including a 280-seat performance hall, a welcoming entrance on Madison Avenue, a new café and restaurant, and a shop. It is important to note that the majority of the construction took place underground—including the large areas of the vault and the Gilder Lehrman Hall.
My favorite architectural elements from Piano’s renovation of the Morgan are the roof structure and other “urban gestures”. Piano’s roof structure is a complex system of metal screens, shades, blinds and other light filtering devices that allow natural light in. Additionally, other “urban gestures” such as the glass interstices help set the various buildings off from one another and offer a friendly view from both inside and outside of the Morgan.
Conclusion
The Renzo Piano Building Workshop's project for the Morgan follows an exceptional architectural legacy. The original library which was designed by Charles McKim and opened for Pierpont Morgan's personal use a hundred years ago, is an American Renaissance icon. Of the numerous structures that once stood on the site now occupied by the Morgan, three remain: the Morgan house, the 1928 Annex, and McKim's masterpiece. Renzo Piano reckoned with these three landmarks as he brought practical and pleasing coherence to the present complex.
Works Cited:
About the Morgan | History of the Morgan. (2006). 2006: The Renzo Piano expansion and renovation. Retrieved January 18, 2010, from http://www.themorgan.org/about/historyMore.asp?id=27
The Morgan Library & Museum. (2006). The Morgan–Renzo Piano building workshop project with a brief history. In Exhibitions | current. Retrieved January 18, 2010, from http://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/architecture.asp
The Morgan Library & Museum. (n.d.). Welcome. [Pamphlet].
The New York Librarians Meetup Group at the Morgan Library
Visit to A Woman's Wit: Jane Austen's Life and Legacy Exhibition on
Sunday January 10, 2010
Photo Courtesy of The Morgan Library and Museum – view of J.P. Morgan’s private library looking out toward the foyer
Photo of Morgan Café courtesy of The Morgan Library and Museum
Dollops of whipped cream infused hot chocolate and scoops of colorful gelato laced with mint sprigs provoked exclamations of ohs and ahs among the twenty plus Library Meetup group members who gathered Sunday, January 10 to see the Jane Austen exhibit at the Morgan Library http://www.themorgan.org/. I can't tell you how welcome the sunlight cascading in the floor-to-ceiling glass windows felt as I sat in the Morgan Cafe sipping my pot of tea on a crystal clear but frosty winter day. Conversation quickly ensued as Stephanie introduced the group and told us about upcoming Library Meetup events, networking and volunteer opportunities such as helping compile the job and career resource list and co-hosting future events. Even though it’s hard to leave pleasant conversation, particularly while indulging in sweets, we finally sauntered off to see the Jane Austen (1775-1817) exhibit: A Woman’s Wit: Jane Austen’s Life and Legacy.
Silhouette of woman reputed to be Jane Austen - courtesy of the Jane Austen Society of Australia (JASA)
By happenstance, I wended my way down the winding staircase adjacent to the café area which led to the newly created performance hall. For those of you who aren’t challenged by vertigo and wish to navigate around the Morgan, I recommend stepping into the glass elevators in the center of the atrium which provide an eye-popping view of the soaring glass windows and lead invitingly to the exhibition space. Several members of the group waited and chatted in the red cushy auditorium seats for the next showing of the two alternating short videos, one about J.P. Morgan and his collection and the other, the delightful The Divine Jane: Reflections on Austen. Both films dazzled and had the same theme: passion. It’s easy to see why this financier had an eye for exquisite objects; his piercing eyes are his most prominent feature and implore us to gasp in awe at the illuminated manuscripts portrayed in brilliant color in the video. The narrator describes Morgan as a “sultan of a secret seraglio who wanted all the beautiful things in the world and assiduously acquired them. The Divine Jane video showcases the passion of several actors, authors and scholars for Austen’s work. Cornel West’s visage excitedly extols the virtues of Jane Austen’s literature. In no uncertain terms, West lets us know that her canon of works achieved Shakespearean status. I’m still haunted by West’s elegiac reminder that Austen departed this world at the age of 41. Perhaps, Colm Tóibín’s deadpan statement that he’d much rather take a Jane Austen novel to bed than a companion is the most memorable portion of the video. I embarrassingly laughed raucously at Tóibín’s exposition, but I wasn’t the only one to laugh. The visuals were likewise stunning; the creator of the film showed several of the interviewees either lovingly poring over Austen manuscripts or reading at a shadowed desk in front of a window invoking literary life circa early 1800s, Austen’s time period. For those of you who can’t make it to the Morgan before the Austen exhibit closes March 14, you can see it online: http://www.themorgan.org/video/austen.asp.
The curators also wisely set aside a portion of the Austen exhibit area to show the film for those who bypass the performance hall viewing.
Once the movie ended, I conquered my fear of the glass elevator and glided up to the second floor Austen exhibit (with my eyes closed). The exhibit can best be described as “cozy” as it only occupies a medium sized gallery. However, the curators managed to cover Austen’s home life which included her father’s library of 500 volumes, her societal milieu, the works of her best-selling literary contemporaries and her short career within the tight gallery space. Since the Morgan holds the largest collection (51) of Austen’s correspondence out of her 161 extant letters the centerpiece of the exhibit was those letters along with her surviving manuscripts. Luckily, for tired eyes the curators only displayed a few of her letters to her sister Cassandra and relatives as the cursive writing of the day is difficult to read. The curators highlighted the contents of the letters in metal plates affixed to the glass cases protecting the precious correspondence. I particularly enjoyed one letter to her niece which summarizes the sentiment Austen expressed in many of her novels: “Anything is to be preferred or endured rather than marrying without affection.” An ironic statement in that Austen’s novels aptly portrayed the impossibility for many women of marrying for affection in an era when most women depended on men for financial support. Indeed, my favorite part of the exhibition and unfortunately hidden against the back wall was the description of Austen’s lesser known short novel, Lady Susan. Lady Susan, an epistolary novel, paints a scathing portrait of a “gold-digger” without a heart of gold. Marilyn Butler, a scholar depicted Lady Susan as a “cruising shark in her social goldfish pond.”
Therein lies the source of Austen’s enduring popularity; those who relentlessly search for a pairing of affection are still surrounded by cruising sharks in social goldfish ponds some two hundred years after Austen graced us with Sense and Sensibility, her first published novel.
The New York County Lawyers Association, one of the largest bar associations in the country with 10,000 members, was founded in 1908 as a response to the restrictive membership rules of other state and local bar associations. Interested in legal and public policy questions, it is open to all members of the New York Bar. For a more detailed description of the Association, see its website: http://www.nycla.org/.
The NYCLA library, with about 230,000 volumes, expects to serve 12,750 patrons in 2009 both in the physical library and fee based services such as copying and legal research. About 45% of NYCLA’s budget is appropriated to the library. The library has 6 professional librarians on staff.
Dan Jordan, the Director of Library Services, provided a tour of the library which encompassed an introduction to legal bibliography and research. As he explained the development of legal bibliography and the basics of legal research, he showed us the physical books, not just the shelves, but what the books looked like inside. We also visited the basement where the superseded volumes required for research are stored. As in most libraries, legal materials are moving online and people (depending on when they graduated from law school) are using books less. So NYCLA deals with the question of what to keep in physical form and what to discard.
I had briefly worked at the NYCLA library when I worked for Cassidy Cataloguing in the early 1990’s. As a law librarian for more than 25 years, I was familiar with legal bibliography and research. Still, I enjoyed the tour very much. This meetup was an excellent introduction to legal bibliography, legal research and the workings of a subscription library.
Yesterday evening several of us met at the legendary Strand Book Store for in-depth tour. Understandably librarian associations are drawn to this independent store. It’s an alluring magnet for book lovers.
Our group visited many areas, among them Receiving, Art Books, and Rare Books. We spoke with staff, including Fred Bass, the president and son of the original owner (see photo above). He readily admits the selling of books is hard work. The acquisition of the Espresso Book Machine by a downtown bookstore underscores challenges that consumers, bookstores, libraries, and publishers face today.
Christina Foxley, our cohost, outlined the store’s history and recent changes in its interior and operations. These include the closing of the annex, elimination of a check-in area, and advent of a successful events program. We learned about the Strand’s creation of libraries for movie sets and individuals, once frowned-upon practice of selling review copies, “dollar” bins, and ability to keep prices low. Because of their unusual affordability, photo books from the store are truly coveted items. The store retains staff with specialized knowledge; in Art Books, for instance, salespeople have a background in art.
Many of us were unaware the Strand works extensively with libraries. John Banister, our other cohost, is Libraries Manager, and distributed material on services. The store's review copies are especially popular among librarians. Graduate students enrolled in library and information science programs should note the Strand offers academic internships with stipends.
Since the Strand needs to restrict the size of visiting groups, New York Librarians Meetup Group hopes to schedule another tour to accommodate members’ enthusiastic interest in this iconic, vital institution. We thank everyone there for their generosity in hosting this event.
- LT
Photograph is used with permission of the Strand Book Store.
It seems like only yesterday that the NY Librarians Meetup met on a cold Sunday to tour the Buttenwieser Library. Unfortunately, without a soul knowing it, the board of directors have scheduled the library as it is currently known to close this Friday, July 31st. Please do everything you can to make your feelings known about this venerable outreach facility. As you recall, the collection is open to the public, available evenings and weekends, and is free-of-charge.
On Saturday, I put a deposit down on my first NYC apartment, and two days later I attended my first NY Librarians Meet-Up Group! It’s been a whirlwind of activity since I arrived less than five days ago from my beloved hometown of Fresno, California. While I have contended with the usual culture and sticker shocks of most new residents, I felt quite at home at this meet-up. This is no surprise since I love meeting new people, and new librarians especially. The meet-up was in a hidden gem of SOHO, the NYPL Mulberry Street Branch, which I later learned was once the Hawley & Hoops chocolate factory. The Jersey Street entrance was a little obscured by scaffolding—and I think a few of us got lost—but the branch quickly surmounted the difficulties. Patrons are treated to an almost Alice-in-Wonderland effect as the branch drops two stories underground. Restored brick walls are showcased throughout, and it even smells nice due to the parfumerie next door. Kate Dietrick, a staffing specialist at InfoCurrent, presented various uses and benefits of the social networking site LinkedIn, which she described as a “Professional Facebook.” Fifteen librarians and students attended. Most of us had LinkedIn accounts, but did not deploy it strategically. While Dietrick had many useful topics, a few stood out in particular:
1) Recruiters use of LinkedIn
Most interesting to me was Dietrick’s perspective as a recruiter. As a recruiter, Dietrick said that she often “lightly stalks” potential hires, especially if she is trying to fill unusual or in-demand positions such as metadata librarians. She runs a keyword search for that title or other skills, and often people in her network will come up as possibilities. Even more surprising to me was that if Dietrick knows of someone who might be a good fit for a job opening, but that person is not looking for a job, she will SEARCH THIS PERSON’S CONTACTS. This is under the assumption that this person is likely to have other contacts with similar skills or interests. Often as librarians or professionals, we know people through associations or committees. This makes perfect sense, but I had never considered it before. TIP: Dietrick suggested that users include specialized skills in their “Summary” section or other parts of their account to ensure that they come up in recruiters’ search results. For instance if you know a certain database or standard, but it is not in your job descriptions, put this somewhere in your account so that you will be retrieved for those queries. (As information professionals, I'm sure we are all aware of the power of search retrieval.)
2) Use LinkedIn to research companies or people
I also enjoyed Dietrick’s tip to research future employers through LinkedIn. If you are interviewing at a company or library, LinkedIn can provide useful information on company hierarchy, size and job descriptions. You can also discover information about the person that is interviewing you for the job. This might make it easier to connect or make an impression with that person. As a career tactic, Dietrick also suggested that we research the backgrounds of other information professionals that we respect or admire. This will give us an idea of how to recreate that path to success.
3) Using LinkedIn to promote yourself professionally
She also recommended that librarians view LinkedIn as a way to “promote your brand as a librarian.” Implicit in this suggestion was that this could be a way to market services to your users— especially since many information positions are vulnerable, misunderstood and/or underutilized. She suggested, for instance, that if you provide a service to a new lawyer and then later connect to this lawyer on Linked-In, that lawyer will then be able to see your many other services and accomplishments. He or she might then contact you for other information needs.
4) Nuts and Bolts of Linked-In as a tool
The Meet-Up also included a discussion of the nuts and bolts of LinkedIn, such as requesting recommendations from former co-workers or employers, posting pictures, and how to connect with others. It also including general guidelines for what to post. Unlike a paper resume, LinkedIn does not have to be limited to one or two pages, nor does it have contain library-only experience. Many of us come to librarianship after other careers, and Dietrick recommended that this other experience could be included on LinkedIn to form a full picture of your career. In fact, Dietrick suggested that many degrees and types of professional development should be listed on our LinkedIn accounts—such as chairing a project, attending a conference, or learning a new database. On the flip side, she cautioned that LinkedIn should be treated similarly to a resume. It should be easy to read, with bullet points, and it should not include too much personal information that would be inappropriate for a resume. While moving to a new city, and finding my first post-MLIS job during the Great Recession are not ideal, I am happy to have found an active, welcoming (and free) library group so quickly upon arrival. I look forward to joining and sharing in this local library community.
Saturday was a beautiful day. The sun shone, the ticket lines stretched down the block. Unfortunately, our Meetup event was scheduled for Sunday, a cold rainy day that kept half our invites away. I regret Murphy's Law, but have learned to be accepting and flexible when it comes to outdoors events. After all, the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens was prepared with a rain plan filled with indoor activities for both days. To be exact, there were some members who decided to go on Saturday. I met two of them on their way at closing time. They were thrilled to know of this venue and even became members. That was encouraging news as the BBG truly needs every dollar that it gets. I'm certain that the Gardens lost money on Sunday, but that's life with outdoor events.
Our Meetup had approximately 25 Yes RSVP's. About 5 people including myself showed up. We headed first for the Gardner's Resource Center (aka Library) in the Visitor's Center. The Library was built in 1917 and has that early 20th-Century academic charm to it. Luckily there was ample room for the handful of us to enter the facility and take a good look around. It's a small room with a mezzanine, the bulk of the stacks having been relocated several years ago when the building was overtaken by various administrative offices. The current GRC is primarily a Help Desk of sorts for gardeners and their questions. I asked whether or not victory gardens are back in fashion and whether or not inquiries regarding green living were popular. (Of course, they were.) Our guide, Allan Kramer (Pratt '78) entertained our impromptu Q&A with info tidbits as well as anecdotes from his days in library school. Moreover, he was delighted to learn of our Meetup, and was readily encouraged by all members present to join NYLM. We expressed our to hope to revisit the GRC during the summer, but that will depend, of course, on its hours.
We proceeded to the exhibits in the Steinhardt Conservatory. There were Bonsai exhibits and talks, as well as open entry to the various climate collections (e.g. Desert and Tropical). Each member went their own way for an hour. At the end, we met under the Sakura Matsuri great tent to enjoy refreshment and music by the Japanese performers. I would have liked to have been able to hear the flute concert that was available Saturday, but it was way too rainy for that. Instead, after a quick lunch taken while sitting on our jackets on the cold, wet lawn, we opted to head on to the nearby Brooklyn Museum of Arts on Eastern Parkway.
The Brooklyn Museum of Art is a resource of which all New Yorkers should be aware. I renewed my membership after a few years hiatus because I couldn't stand the thought of such an important educational institution floundering in today's financial downturn. The first stop at the Museum was Hernan Bas exhibit with his mesmerizing "Mermaid" video installation. We sat and watched the movement under water and just "mellowed". Most of the group are currently looking for employment, and therefore enjoyed the opportunity to simply sit and meditate in front of the restful aquarium-like artwork. Since most Meetup members wanted to view the Caillebot Impressionist exhibit as well, we proceeded to the 5th floor. It was my second time viewing the exhibit, but many others had never heard of this artist. The style is typically Impressionist, with vibrant scenes from French turn-of-the-century vie quotidienne. There were French landscapes, Paris scenes and the inimitable manner in which Caillebotte captured human character and activity. As an aside, we did attempt to visit the museum library, but discovered that it is only open to the public Wednesdays through Fridays.
This concludes the posting for the Cherry Festival NYLM event. For photos, please check our group folder on Flickr: NY Librarians Meetup. For the general Hanami and Sakura Matsuri photos taken by visitors, please see Flickr. I've also posted some photos on FB and of course on our Meetup website under Photos. If any of you visited the Gardens and have photos you'd like to share, pleasure consider sharing them with others. I've already been contacted by a few NYLM members with Flickr accounts and see that we've got many fotogs amongst us!
Oh, I forgot to mention that Meetup Support sent me promotionals, such as T-shirts, buttons, pens and name-tags. I thanked them in the name of the group and hope to distribute more at future events. Wearing the Meetup badges at such a well-attended event helped promote Meetup to the general public. I was personally asked on several occasions what Meetup was. Many had never heard of this effective offline Google group and its potential to draw individuals with similar interests together from afar. Personally, I think it is a premier venue for social networking. For librarians and library students proficient in online skills, their offline experience can be maximized. As mentioned in recent postings, NYLM currently has groups in Flickr, YouTube, Facebook, mySpace, Twitter and counting. Time will tell, but I believe that when the benefits of social networking become acknowledged in academia, it will transform the professional landscape of librarianship and information science.
The
subjects collected by the library are equally wide, stretching from
gardening to history. Naomi Niles says the library collects anything
that would help a patron understanding of art, which, of course,
includes many topics. A large collection of art documentary tapes and
DVDs cover the walls of a meeting space at the back of the library, and
Nolen even has a small, but beautiful graphic novels section.
Ms.
Niles encouraged librarians to use the Metropolitan Museum’s online
research materials, including teachers resources, and images. Metmedia is
a great collection of interactive, audio and video resources about the
collections. The Met is also scanning all of its publications from
around 1900 to the present. 
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