A Celebration of National Library Week...

Today is the final day of National Library Week and public, private, and specialty libraries across America have held various events to celebrate. At our law firm's library I had hoped to do something special each day but was so busy being a librarian that there was very little time left to do anything else! I did manage to put together a "Come and Go" affair yesterday to wind up the week. A firm-wide email invitation went out in the morning and in the early afternoon I readied refreshments, a tablescape, and handouts. In addition to providing a time from 2PM until 5PM for patrons to drop by the library to enjoy an assortment of cookies and Italian soda, the main focus of the event would be a demonstration of our firm's OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog.) We've had the OPAC for a few years now, but with so many new attorneys and staff members as well as long-time personnel who forget to use it, I felt it was time for another "hands on" demonstration at one of the library computer stations as a way to teach and/or refresh memories.

An over-sized vase of bright yellow and white daisies made a wonderful centerpiece on one of the library tables. On the side was placed a beautiful oval sterling silver tray filled with dozens of assorted cookies - handmade that morning at the bakery/snack shop downstairs - yum! My earlier plan had been to make cookies at home in the shape of cats (after all this was a CATalog demonstration) but that didn't happen, so the Tower Cafe' came to the rescue! On the other side of the table I placed another large oval tray and inside it a clear oval lucite "bucket" filled with ice to chill bottles of sparkling Italian soda in luscious fruit flavors. Pretty blue and white paper plates, cups, a napkins were then arranged. The OPAC tutorials I'd printed out on a special deckled paper held a place at the end of the table by the computer monitor, as did copies of a fun little written piece called ASK A LIBRARIAN - FIND AN ANSWER! As a final touch the entire table was scattered with small strips of paper on which were printed quotes about libraries, research, and knowledge. The result really was a very impressive setting. Did I remember to bring a camera? - of course not!! The event was a success as the majority of attorneys and staff dropped by at various points during the 2-to-5 time period.

Because everyone in our office is able to access the OPAC from their own desks it can be used to retrieve information about our law library holdings (print and other media formats) but it can also be used to search our non-legal holdings. That is primarily a collection of popular fiction and non-fiction audio books maintained in my office. It was started by one of our attorneys who is admittedly addicted to buying them and this special collection continues to grow through titles donated by attorneys and support staff alike. It is a very popular area of the library!

The National Library Week celebration was a fun way to end the work week. After hostessing, teaching and being on my feet throughout, this librarian dragged home pretty exhausted but it was well worth the effort. Hopefully it gave the folks at our firm a renewed appreciation of the important place all libraries hold in our lives - even in this techno-dependant world.

He is wise who knows the sources of knowledge -- where it is written and where it is to be found. - A.A. Hodge