BDC Research Room Tours

To celebrate Archives Month in great style, we offered a number of tours to our new Research Room in the waning days of September to October 23rd.

The goals for offering so many tours, at different times, on different days of the week, for different constituencies were: 1) to reach as wide an audience as possible; 2) to demonstrate the depth and scope of the materials held in trust by the BDC; 3) showcase some of the unique historical documents we hold; 4) introduce the basic principles of good cultural heritage stewardship; and,
5) (hopefully) generate some good word-of-mouth publicity about what the Beaufort County Library does for the community.

Because of the loyalty and steadfastness of my Beloved BDC Docents, they got the very first tour on September 15th. (In other words, I tested my spiel and format on the choir first.) Although we weren't quite move-in ready, I wanted to show them the new workroom set-up. (It's such a sea change from the customer/docent/staff shuffle we had to endure downstairs.) Because we have moved to national standards for special collections security which had impact on how customers access BDC materials, we've had to adjust some of docent tasks. I wanted to explain the adjustments and answer any questions they had well in advance of the re-opening. Also, I needed to see if any of them could help out on the 29th. It's harder for someone to say "No" in person than by phone or e-mail. I needed to hear "Yes."

My colleagues in the Beaufort County Library system had two opportunities to tour the new Research Room in advance of the Grand Re-Opening and a third chance to see the extra and ultimate version of the Behind-the-Scenes tour on Oct. 13th.

At the Grand Re-Opening on the evening of September 29th, BDC Preservation Associate, Charmaine Seabrook Concepcion, and Beloved BDC Docents, Hugh Folk, Harriet Rahm, and Laura Lewis, and I delivered a quick behind-the-scenes orientation for Library Board of Trustees, County dignitaries, donors, and the Board of the Friends of Beaufort County Library who helped us "cut the ribbon."

Leadership Beaufort has been coming for at least 6 years on their "History Day" for a tour of the BDC and overview of the Library system. A group of 26 got the behind-the-scenes tour on October 1st.

For my colleagues in the Historical Resources Consortium of Beaufort County, there was a nuts-and-bolts for cultural heritage professionals Behind-the-Scenes on Oct. 13th.

Any member of the general public over age 12 who signed up for the Behind-the-Scenes tour was welcomed on one of three separate occasions, Oct. 6th in the morning; Oct. 12th in the evening; and again on a weekend during the afternoon.

All in all, almost 100 people came to the new BDC to learn more about how we bring the past to the present! Therefore, on the basis of docent, dignitary, donor, community, and media feedback, I think that Archives Month 2010 was a resounding success. And Charmaine and I are two tired puppies from all the smiling and explaining we've been doing for the past 30 days.

Please note: Today, Oct. 29th, the Research Room is closed from Noon until 1 pm in order to comply with Federal Labor laws.