[PADG:1242] a shot of good news

["Fox, Lisa" <Foxl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Remember all those times PLMS/PARS (with its mostly-academic membership)
worked to reach out to the world of public libraries?  Several good programs
were offered, and lots of PLMS/PARS folks worked very hard to get the
"preservation gospel" out to public librarians.  Well, here's a tidbit of
interest.

Last week I was leading a training session for some of our new staff members
and interns.  I came to the part about how to remove bound volumes from the
shelves and asked the group if they knew the proper way.  One fellow -- a
college student working here on an internship -- piped up: "Yes, you press
in the adjacent volumes, and pull yours out around the middle -- not by the
headcap, because that's the weakest part of a book."  I was astonished!! and
asked how he knew all this.  He said, "When I was real little [that would
have been about 10 years ago, by my guess], our public librarian taught me
how to handle books right." 

WOW!  I was so happy.  Maybe others of you have had equally validating
moments like that, but I had to share this one with you all.

Onward!
Lisa

Lisa L. Fox, Senior Conservator 
Local Records Preservation Program 
Missouri State Archives 
Office of the Secretary of State 
P. O. Box 1747 
Jefferson City, MO  65102 
   FOXL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
   (573) 526-3866 
   Fax:  573-526-3867