Re-Thinking the BDC's Facebook Re-posting to Connections

The more I think about my monthly reprise of BDC Facebook posts to this blog, the more I think that I should revise the posting schedule - particularly for the month of April when the BDC celebrates so many important National Week(s) of ... As many of you may know, April contains National Library Week, National Volunteer Week, and Preservation Week - all of which I acknowledge in social media and sometimes with programs each year. (though none in 2022).  We also have the once in a decade release of historic Census data and the Easter holidays falling in April 2022. Therefore for this month at least not only am I going to release all the March 2022 BDCBCL Facebook page posts in a separate article here on Connections in a few days, I am going to do a weekly - 10 days drop of FB posts for April here on Connections at least 4 times rather than saving them up for posting in early May. 

Why? you might ask. I usually have at least 2 weeks worth of FB posts scheduled before the month even begins anyway since I also have to switch out the Lobby board downstairs, the Visio show upstairs, and often the BDC display cabinet as well on the first of the month. I just sort of recycle and adapt the same content for various uses. Preparing this re-post has shown me some grammatical and typographical errors in the FB posts that I have now corrected. In other words, this might indeed turn out to be a worthwhile change of plans going forward.

Please note: The graphics used here as illustrations may be a bit different than those appearing on the BDC's Facebook page. Not all of the graphics shown on the BDC's Facebook page are included below, mostly because this platform doesn't let me enter multiple images in a row. It's annoying but it is what it is. - Grace Cordial 

April 1 12:26 AM The raw personal data contained in the 1950 US Federal census is now available! By federal law, the 1950 US Federal Census got released at 12:01 AM. But here's the rub: There is no obligation that the Census Bureau provides indexing to it. And it won't. Instead it relies on others to do the indexing.

For example, Ancestry.com is using Artificial Intelligence to read the manuscripts while FamilySearch.org has opted for crowd-sourcing volunteers to do the indexing. Patience is required. It took about 6 months for the major players in the genealogy field to get the 1940 US Census indexed. The general feeling is that family historians should expect a similar turn-around time for the 1950 US Federal Census. 

April 1 12:05 PM An overview of April 2022:

One week a year is simply not enough to celebrate all that libraries do for our town, county, state, country and world! Thus, I am going to extend applauding libraries throughout all of April.

Here on Facebook, expect to see some items from the Beaufort County Library's own archives and information about materials preservation - since Preservation Week runs April 24 - 30 this year. The BDC is responsible for preserving the materials here in the BDC and I have learned a thing or two over the years to share about some simple actions that we can all take to extend the lives of our treasured materials.

I have changed the BDC's display case in the Research Room to honor National Poetry Month. The 2022 theme is "There is a poem in this place" and there certainly are poems about Beaufort District people, places and events in the BDC. I'll take some photos of it and write about the choices I made for the case in Connections later this month should you like to see it but cannot come to our facility. Don't be surprised if a post or two on FB this month waxes poetic.

The BDC Research Room will be closed on Wednesday, April 6th for intermittent FMLA reasons and Thursday, April 7th on account of I will be representing the Library and the BDC at the Women's Association of Hilton Head Island luncheon. I cannot accept any research appointments on those dates. Running a unit with only 1 staff person does have its challenge.

Heads up: It's been quite some time since I took time off just because I wanted to do so. So I am thinking seriously - super seriously thinking - about doing so a few days later this month. Whether or not I do take some personal leave, all units of the Beaufort County Library system will be closed on Good Friday, April 15th and for Staff Development on Wednesday, April 20th.

JSKY: There are no local history programs planned for April. Registration will be required but will open in early May for the two programs planned for that month.

April 2 10:00 AM To get you primed for National Library Week 2022, here's a clipping from the Beaufort Gazette issue dated April 22, 1977 that covers some of the libraries in Beaufort County that year.

Side note: I worked at the Air Station Library with Janet Ellis for a few months shortly after I graduated from USC's Library school; and of course, Beaufort County Library's Bookmobile Librarian, Rosa Cummings, was running the system's Technical Services department when I joined the staff in 1999.

April 3 9:15 AM "National Library Week" 2022 officially starts today. I encourage you - wherever you are - to visit a library of your choice sometime this week. (Just be sure to check the schedule before you head out). You just might be surprised by the range of services and materials available to you through a library card.

April 4 9:20 AM "50 Shades of Beige" in National Library Week: As you can see from the image about half of the Beaufort County Library's own organizational archive is housed in beige archival containers. Expect to see some beige and not so beige items from the beige colored archival boxes over the rest of the month. As I mentioned in the Monthly overview, a week is simply not enough to celebrate libraries.

April 5 12:01 AM Today we celebrate all the past and present people who have made America's libraries the envy of the world - the professional librarians, the paraprofessional workers, the volunteers, the library foundation workers, and the Friends who keep providing materials, services, and programs for our communities day-in and day-out and even through worldwide pandemics. Hip! Hip!! Hooray for us!!!

[Had to put up the Inclement Weather Closure posting beginning at 1 PM 5 April 2022- gmc]

April 6 9:33 AM "Black History Note" in National Library Week: Though the image and text is grainy, how "'Book Outposts' became Bookmobile" from the Leisure insert of the Beaufort Gazette issue of April 19, 1985 explains how the African American community stepped up to provide library services for children on St. Helena Island during the 1950s. The article was written by Hillary S. Barnwell, the Beaufort Branch Manager and Public Services Coordinator and Interim Library Director for 2007. She also happened to be the daughter-in-law of Mrs. Wilhelmina Barnwell shown in the image.

April 6 3:00 PM "There's a poem in this place": Incorporated into Staff Development Day 2008 was a document of "Librarian Limericks: Information Ser-Verses" by Dennis Adams. The BDC got two stanzas in his 16 stanza creation. Bear in mind that this was written several years before the BDC got our current quarters on the 2nd floor.

"In the BDC, there could be found

Only one single staffer around.

That was then, this is now --

You should really see how Amber got right to work with a bound."

"'Be aware of the value of space,'

Said the BDC librarian, Grace.

'I have run out of room

This is like King Tut's tomb:

Treasures scattered all over the place!'"

Update to 2022: The BDC staffing situation in 2008 ironically is also the case now. I am back being responsible for all facets of the BDC's operation. The Library system eliminated the BDC's Preservation Associate IV fulltime position during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been difficult keeping the part-time BDC circulation position filled since May 2020 when Kristi resigned mostly due to her relocation.

However, the BDC is okay on shelf space. Moving to the 2nd floor in September 2010 increased storage capacity 2.5 X 3 times over our downstairs quarters. My successor, whomever that might be should be okay on shelf space for at least 5 years beyond my retirement.

... and speaking of Staff Development Day, all units of the Library will be closed on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 for professional development.

April 7 9:14 AM We're perhaps a day late for Library Outreach day but that's what I am doing today. I'm over at the Women's Association of Hilton Head Island luncheon "Celebrating Hilton Head's Heritage and Culture" with Jo Gaillard (HHI staff). Jo is on hand to tell folks about Library resources in general, and I will be there to share information about the BDC's local history resources in particular. Rest assured that photos will be forthcoming!

April 7 3:00 PM One never knows truly what is in an archives that connects the past to the present. For example, when I was working with the "BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY- BOOKMOBILE SERVICES" vertical file, I discovered the clipping from the April 22, 1980 Beaufort Gazette about two girls winning the contest for painting the BCL's bookmobile. Little did I expect to learn that one of my colleagues went from bookmobile design winner in 1980 to Reference Librarian today, Drop by Beaufort Branch to say hello and a belated "congratulations" to Tina Mellen.

April 8 12:17 AM Today is another "Red Letter Local History Day" - but one that no one ever wanted to have.

When a forced march led to the death of six Marine Recruits on Parris Island on the night of April 8, 1956, Beaufort mourned. A Beaufort Gazette editorial proclaimed the Ribbon Creek Incident “Our Tragedy” because “For it to have happened to Parris Island is the same as if it had happened to Beaufort – so closely interwoven are the lives and fortunes of the military and civilian populations of this section.”

The fullest study of the tragedy of Ribbon Creek, 1956 is Court-martial at Parris Island: The Ribbon Creek Incident by John C. Stevens III, University of South Carolina Press (2007) who incidentally donated his research for the book to the BDC in 2021. The John C. Stevens III Papers includes a complete transcript of the original court-martial of Staff Sergeant Matthew McKeon. This book was also one of ""These are a Few of My Favorite Things" by Cassandra Knoppel" BDC items she discovered during her short tenure. I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates going beyond the headlines and soundbites relating to a tragedy. There are copies in the BDC Research Room and in the Local History sections at the branch libraries.

To make an appointment to see the Stevens Papers, contact: bdc@bcgov.net or call 843-255-6468 at least several days in advance for the best chance of securing your preferred date and research slot.

April 9 10:00 AM Please note these upcoming Library closures in your calendars: Friday, April 15, 2022 - Good Friday holiday and Wednesday, April 20, 2022 for Staff Development Day.