Book Review: The World's Strongest Librarian

In his recently published autobiography, The World's Strongest Librarian, Josh Hanagarne shares his experience navigating life with Tourette Syndrome, how libraries and librarians changed his life, and his understanding of (and some struggles with) the Mormon culture and faith. Josh's great love and admiration for his parents weaves its way throughout the book, especially during times that could try any parent's patience. The book, like Josh's long-standing blog of the same name, is a well-written work that honestly tackles thorough self-examination with a great deal of humor.

It cannot be understated how inspiring and moving this work is. Many books share extraordinary stories of ordinary individuals beating the odds, surviving terrible disasters, and so on. One aspect of this book's appeal is the accessible way Josh explains what seem like monumental challenges with Tourette's. He has a definite voice, and while I would like to say his humor is self-deprecating, it really isn't. It just doesn't come at his expense, and I am glad of it. He pokes fun at funny situations, and I laugh right along with him. Out loud at times.

Another fun (well, fun for those of us who work in public libraries) example of Josh's humor is the use of Dewey Decimal subject headings at the start of each chapter. They provide a concise description of where he would catalog the chapter in his library and a bit of a visual joke. Speaking of the library, I especially enjoy the descriptions of his interactions with patrons at the main branch of the Salt Lake City Library. (If you haven't been, I suggest a visit the next time you're in town as it is an architectural marvel worth exploring.)

From Salt Lake City July 2009

I have been a quiet fan of Josh's writing since 2009, when I first read his unique blog. He provided this blog with an excellent guest post, A World Without Calendars. He's been guest posting in loads of places these days and has been touring the U.S. speaking and signing his book for appreciative audiences. If you have the chance, go see him, especially if he is reading from his book. There's nothing like hearing an author read his or her own work. And, don't forget to pick up a copy of The World's Strongest Librarian.

Work Update -- Plainfield Public Library, The Vail Family Papers

Introduction

I've said it before, but it bears repeating -- one of the top attractions of being an archivist at Plainfield Public Library is the ability to work on a wide variety of interesting projects. Another favorite facet is shepherding a project from beginning to end. Taking the time to know a small collection (or even a sizable one, such as the Detwiller Blueprints) intimately has been key to writing detailed and informative finding aids for researchers interested in these collections.

Recently, I've had the pleasure of inventorying, preserving, and processing a special collection that spans the categories of archives and museum collections. The Marjorie and Roger Vail Family Papers (1772-2001) comprises much more than what we typically describe as "papers." Some examples include hand towels embroidered in 1772; a family bible dated 1791; early daguerreotypes, tintypes, cabinet cards, and cartes des vistes; Civil War correspondence; 19th century wedding dresses; an 1876 harmonica; White Plains Regents Exams results from 1917; World War I postcards and photographs; books; sketches; maps; and genealogical research. My favorite materials are the hundreds of postcards and the Civil War correspondence, which describes in detail David Vail's experience of the war.

About the Vails

Marjorie and Roger (sister and brother) were the last descendants in the Roy G. Vail line. They very generously gave their family's large (approximately 39 boxes) and diverse collection of records to the Plainfield Public Library in several installments during the 1990s and early 2000s. You might recognize the Vail name because a few of the family members left their mark on New Jersey and America as a whole. They include Stephen Vail, owner of the Speedwell Ironworks; Alfred Vail, arguably the inventor of Morse Code and co-inventor of the telegraph; and Theodore Vail, creator of the ATT monopoly (and cousin to Alfred Vail). The Plainfield Vails are distantly related to their Morris County cousins via their common ancestor, Thomas Vail (1620-1687). Below are samples of the many family trees in the genealogy series.

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

Vail Family Tree; undated; "Marjorie and Roger Vail Family Papers" collection; Local History Department, Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey. Photograph © Debra Schiff.

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

Vail Family Tree; 1938; "Marjorie and Roger Vail Family Papers" collection; Local History Department, Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey. Photograph © Debra Schiff.

Processing, Preservation, and Arrangement

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

Collection in Process; 2012; "Marjorie and Roger Vail Family Papers" collection; Local History Department, Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey. Photograph © Debra Schiff.

The first two bays from the right in the photo above show the range of size and shape of the materials in the collection. The red binders in the second bay hold photographs that had previously been sleeved and numbered for use in exhibits (both online and in-library). Since I took that photo, I have rearranged and re-housed some materials, including the addition of another binder of nearly 400 postcards. We also have ordered some custom boxes to help better preserve the wedding dresses and other items of unusual size (such as the sewing box that held costume jewelry in a hidden compartment).

In addition to processing the wedding dresses, I preserved an incredibly detailed black lace dress. Fashioned from black taffeta and net with ornate glass beading and embroidery throughout, the evening dress is said to have belonged to "Grandma Stiehl," (on Marjorie and Roger Vail's mother's side). The original package also included a head/neckband of the same material. The woman who wore the dress was petite, to be sure, and strong -- the dress is quite heavy due to all the glass beads. The five photos below show some of the great detail of the dress.

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

Here, I gently placed some acid-free tissue in the sleeve to show some of the detail.

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

For the five photos above:  
Evening Dress; Undated; "Marjorie and Roger Vail Family Papers" collection; Local History Department, Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey. Photograph © Debra Schiff.

I processed and preserved the large textiles in the Plainfield Room, which is open to the public and serves as a reading room for researchers. The room is located downstairs on the south west side of the fountain (which resembles a shallow swimming pool due to its aqua blue-painted interior; it is usually empty, but filled during certain events). When I worked on the dresses, I had my share of company from co-wokers to patrons interested in these beautiful bits of Plainfield's history.

The Vails donated numerous photographs of family members, houses, and travel destinations. Because I had taken Gary Saretsky’s Dating 19th Century Portrait Photographs workshop back in April, I was able to identify and date within a few years many of the early images in the collection. Below is an example of an ambrotype in a hinged case. I've dated it c. 1860-1870s due to the highly ornate and patriotic design of the copper mat and preserver. It is interesting to note that the 30-star flag in the design only existed between 1848 and 1851. I suspect that it was for the sake of design and space that the artist used that flag, especially when the bottom section is magnified and the date "July 4, 1776" appears. The subjects are Elise Ditzel Leis and Baby Charles.

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

The case is ornate down to its latches, as well.

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

For the three photos above:
Photograph, Elise Ditzel Leis and Baby Charles; c. 1860s; "Marjorie and Roger Vail Family Papers" collection; Local History Department, Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey. Photograph © Debra Schiff.

When preserving the photos in their cases, I wrapped them individually in acid-free, unbuffered tissue and placed them in a smaller box to accommodate the odd sized items. I also ran into round frames such as the one below. I made an acid-free, unbuffered tissue cradle in a small box to fit the round frame.

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

Photograph, Robert Leis; undated; "Marjorie and Roger Vail Family Papers" collection; Local History Department, Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey. Photograph © Debra Schiff.

After all the preservation and processing, it was necessary to address the arrangement (organization) of the collection. While most of the collection had a nice order to it, a portion didn't. It was time to impose some order upon it. I also consulted with the Senior Archivist and Dept. Head Sarah Hull to determine exactly the series we would include. Below is a photo of my notes on the topic.

From PPL, Vail Collection 2012

Vail Series Arrangement; 2012; "Marjorie and Roger Vail Family Papers" collection; Local History Department, Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey. Photograph © Debra Schiff.

Sarah quickly divided my list of item types into six main series, which helped me to re-sort the Excel spreadsheet I had used for the inventory. After I put all the "like" items together by series, I began to do some re-housing and rearrangement accordingly. By re-organizing the collection in this way, it will greatly help researchers to find materials by category when the finding aid is published (likely later in 2013).

I hope that when the collection is opened for research, we can put together a traveling exhibit, perhaps displayed at the Morris Museum (they have such lovely costume exhibits, and the Vail cousin-ship would be a nice tie-in).  Until then, I'll be continuing to arrange, and later describe the Marjorie and Roger Vail Family Papers at the Plainfield Public Library.

Travelogue: Longwood Gardens and Bruce Munro's Light Exhibit

From Longwood Gardens

Waterlillies. 100 6-ft. foam lilies, 100 8-ft. foam lilies, 65,000 recycled CDs. Longwood Gardens. Artwork © Bruce Munro. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

Introduction
Earlier in the summer, my friend Jen and I drove down to Kennett Square, PA to visit the lovely (and quite large) Longwood Gardens. Aside from visiting the legendary gardens, we specifically went to see the Bruce Munro exhibit, Light. The works (on display until September 29) use light and color to express the artist's exhilaration felt while visiting the gardens.

The history of the gardens can be traced to the end of the 18th century, when Joshua and Samuel Peirce established an arboretum on their nearly 100 year-old family farm. By 1906, economic concerns put the arboretum in danger of being sold for lumber. Enter our hero, Pierre S. du Pont, a wealthy industrialist and renaissance man who purchased the land just to save the trees.

As you might have surmised, Pierre was a descendant of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont, founder of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (gunpowders). Pierre used his wealth, knowledge, and energy to create the marvelous fountains, conservatories, and gardens found at Longwood today. It's an impressive place, but even more impressive is the fact that Pierre spent more than 30 years designing the garden's elements and overseeing the work, all while reorganizing, and later serving as President of DuPont. He also served as Director of General Motors from 1920-1928.

Jen and I toured nearly all of Longwood Gardens, staying from mid-morning until nightfall to see the changes in the Light installations as well as the water shows. Below are just a sample of the many photos I snapped of our visit. I hope you'll enjoy them and visit Longwood Gardens before the end of September to enjoy Bruce Munro's Light.

From Longwood Gardens

The Italian Water Gardens. Longwood Gardens. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Main Fountain Theater. Longwood Gardens. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Main Fountain Control Panel, Resting Room, Peirce-du Pont House. Longwood Gardens. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Main Fountain Garden. Longwood Gardens. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Outdoor Waterlily Display, West Conservatory Complex. Longwood Gardens. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Outdoor Waterlily Display, West Conservatory Complex. Longwood Gardens. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Outdoor Waterlily Display, West Conservatory Complex. Longwood Gardens. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Water Towers in the Meadow. 17,388 1-liter recyclable bottles, 552 laser-cut wood layers, 42.9 mi (69,000m) bare optic fiber, 69 LED light sources with hand painted color wheels, 23 speakers, 1 audio control box, 1 solid-state music player. Longwood Gardens. Artwork © Bruce Munro. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Forest of Light. 20,000 clear glass spheres, 20,000 acrylic rods mounted on stakes,
89.9 mi (140,000 m) bare optic fiber, 80 halogen light sources with hand painted colour wheels. Longwood Gardens. Artwork © Bruce Munro. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Forest of Light. 20,000 clear glass spheres, 20,000 acrylic rods mounted on stakes,
89.9 mi (140,000 m) bare optic fiber, 80 halogen light sources with hand painted colour wheels. Longwood Gardens. Artwork © Bruce Munro. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Field of Light. 7,000 frosted glass spheres, 7,000 acrylic rods mounted on stakes, 34.8 mi (56,000 m) bare optic fiber, 15 metal halide light sources with hand-painted colour wheels. Longwood Gardens. Artwork © Bruce Munro. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Field of Light. 7,000 frosted glass spheres, 7,000 acrylic rods mounted on stakes, 34.8 mi (56,000 m) bare optic fiber, 15 metal halide light sources with hand-painted colour wheels. Longwood Gardens. Artwork © Bruce Munro. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Arrow Spring. 16 stainless steel spheres, 16 LED flashlights, over 58 mi (94,000 m) bare optic fiber, 328 ground stakes, four varieties of sage. Longwood Gardens. Artwork © Bruce Munro. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

From Longwood Gardens

Arrow Spring. 16 stainless steel spheres, 16 LED flashlights, over 58 mi (94,000 m) bare optic fiber, 328 ground stakes, four varieties of sage. Longwood Gardens. Artwork © Bruce Munro. Photograph © Debra Schiff. All rights reserved.

Interview with the Artist, Karen Guancione -- "In Stitches"

From Karen Guancione Art

Bolsas de Mandado © Karen Guancione, Mixed media installation, machine sewn plastic bags, grommets, size: 900 square feet, photo © Bruce Riccitelli. All rights reserved.

Introduction
It's difficult to be objective when I'm such a big fan of Karen Guancione and her art works. However, I made an effort during our second interview when we visited her "In Stitches" exhibition at the Long Beach Island Foundation for the Arts and Sciences, that ran from May 10 through June 18, 2012.

The large-scale installation is a different format than that of "A Portable Constant Obsession." The interview is different as well. Karen not only speaks about her work, but also of her relationship with her mother, a woman who has had a profound influence on her life and art.

Prior to the interview, I photographed the exhibit from a variety of different angles and heights. It's difficult to convey the size of her Bolsas de Mandado (the hanging panels of sewn plastic bags), but this opening video shows the exhibit from the vestibule of the building. As Karen walks diagonally through the installation, she helps to show the scale of the work.



The Nature of the Bolsas de Mandado

In the next video, Karen talks with me about how she fashions the panels and works within a space to mount an installation. Following the video is a close-up of a panel's grommets.

From Karen Guancione Art

Bolsas de Mandado © Karen Guancione, Mixed media installation, machine sewn plastic bags, grommets, size: 900 square feet, photo © Debra Schiff.

The name Bolsas de Mandado originates from the Mexican shopping bags used to carry groceries, small items, laundry, and so forth. Below, Karen tells me about the bags and what it was like to sew them into the panels. The video is followed by a photograph of the panel she uses to explain the name.

From Karen Guancione Art

Bolsas de Mandado © Karen Guancione, Mixed media installation, machine sewn plastic bags, grommets, size: 900 square feet, photo © Debra Schiff.

Karen's Favorite Panels and Bags
In the next series of videos, Karen and I talk about the panels that have special meaning for her. I'm especially interested in her stories of the people who have donated bags from all over the world, even under extreme circumstances. Because the videos fit together so nicely, I won't interrupt them with text.











A Mother's Role in Creating Art
In this final video, Karen talks about her very first Bolsas de Mandado panel. She also talks about her mother's bag folding, and enduring influence on her art and life. If you're like me, you'll need a tissue when you watch this piece.



Conclusion
As ever, I am privileged to be able to help document Karen's work. She makes it very easy by articulating her techniques and purposes in a lively and educational way. I look forward to the next opportunity to experience her art and ask the questions I don't normally get to ask an artist when spending time with her/his work. But that will have to wait until she returns from her rejuvenating trip to Nice.

From Karen Guancione Art

Summer Hiatus and Upcoming Posts

I didn't expect to take a month off from posting here, but sometimes life events take precedence over creative endeavors. However, while on a recent trip to the West, I had the opportunity to tour the wonderful Book Arts Program at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Earlier in the season, a good friend from the MLIS program at Rutgers, Jen Fitzgerald and I visited Longwood Gardens for the Bruce Munro Light exhibit. I'll be posting about both those trips in the coming weeks.

Until then, I'll be editing my photo backlog, working on another home renovation project (updating all the bathrooms at once), and preparing for some big events at my Chester Library job. One event centers around The Map. It will be returning from a summer at the Center for Conservation of Art and Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia, and it will receive its share of fanfare when it arrives.

Speaking of Chester, I made the local papers. There were a couple of articles on the World War II newsletters I processed and later digitized with the help of the Morris County Library pros. One of the articles is here. If you scroll down a little, there's an image of the newspaper. The story begins on page 2.

Stay tuned for more tours and travelogues.