BDC's Overview for June 2023

Here's what the BDC has planned for June 2023: The BDC is doing its bit for the BCL's 2023 Summer Reading Program "All Together Now" that runs from June 1 - July 31 this year. The BDC has one local history program in June at Bluffton Branch and one in July at Beaufort Branch under the SRP masthead.

On Saturday, June 24, 2023 we gather at Bluffton Branch to explore the African Presence in Colonial Lowcountry with retired Professor Meldon Hollis, Jr. If you'd like to confirm a seat, call Debra at 843-255-6503 between now and June 23rd to secure a reservation. Because the Bluffton Branch's main meeting area can seat up to 120 people, odds are there will be seats available the day of the program in case you find yourself free that morning. We always seat up to room capacity if folks are waiting.

Saturday, June 24, 2023 - "African Presence in the Lowcountry" with Meldon Hollis, Professor of African American History | 10 AM - Noon | BDC@ Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Way. | Debra is already taking registration at 843-255-6503 if you'd like to pre-register. 

Looking ahead into July, please mark your calendars to attend: 

Based on years worth of experience with local history program turnout during the summer months, our "All Together Now" related program about Reconstruction Era politics in Beaufort and the state around the monumental Election of 1876 is a first come, first seated event at the Beaufort Branch Meeting Room.  It's a very important but little explored through public history programs topic.  I have no doubts that National Park Service Historian Nathan Betcher will provide us with an informative and entertaining presentation. 

I will be out of the office a few days this month for some R-and-R while Olivia is still here to cover the Research Room for me. And because I will be out of the office on some Fridays and Wednesdays, there will be fewer Black History Note and Finding Aid Fridays posts on the BDC's Facebook page during June.

Olivia and I will try to get as many behind-the-scenes tasks completed as possible before she leaves the area. When I return to the status of a one person shop, I will likely have to spend the majority of my time on direct customer service. Once I got Olivia trained, she's been handling most of that inside the Research Room - leaving me to do the supervision of docent projects, the vertical file projects, coordinating and planning the local history series, library and archival management "stuff." I am going to definitely miss her.

I've been trying to cope with a perfect storm of labor challenges since October 2019 and what became a permanent loss of staff with the elimination of the former Preservation Associate Library 4 position during the County's elimination of open staff positions in 2021. Library Administration has requested a return of the position Olivia currently occupies to its pre-Covid status but that is dependent on the County Council's approved budget. It is justified because what my assistants have to do up here in the special local history collections and archives unit is far different and requires a lot more training and a broader skill set than what a regular Circulation 1 person stationed at a Branch Library's circulation desk has to do. I'm taking a wait-and-see attitude on this.

The SCLENDS SIRSI/DYNEX software that supports the library's cataloging and circulation systems is scheduled to go live on June 22nd. Geez, Louise, I do so hope that that goes live without any hiccups or disasters for the BCL system and/or the BDC. Library staff have been doing training since April to try to be ready. Once that happens I have only about 125 online bibliographies to revise to edit links from the bibliography to the former SCLENDS Evergreen based catalog.

I am grateful that the BDC inventory that began way back in 9 March 2022 in almost done - just in case something does go awry. I am fairly confident that the BDC can go manual for internal operations relating to customer service for a week or two or perhaps even more if necessary. I don't think that the other units of the Library system will be able to stay manual as long as the BDC can which is more a function of the BDC's collection size, my years of experience knowing and building this collection, and the far, far fewer number of daily customers with whom we deal. In other words, everyone will be relieved if the switch from Evergreen to SIRSI/DYNIX goes as smoothly as we have been told by the company that it will. Keep your fingers - and toes - crossed for all of SCLENDS.

As you may be aware, the BDC "goes on the road" in a variety of ways. There are the local history programs we host but there are also other tasks that relate to the Branch Libraries: selection of materials for their local history sections, creating pamphlets and flyers about local history services and resources, some community engagements and an occasional display of BDC "stuff" at other locations.

The key for whether I agree or not to a request is directly dependent on if I have help in the Research Room, how many other tasks and projects are requiring my attention, and on how far in advance I am asked to do so. For example, Lobeco Branch Manager Chantal Gunn asked me months ago to see if I had enough "BDC stuff" to fill her lobby 6' X 6' display case for the branch's 20th anniversary coming up this month - and I do - and I had Olivia here to help me so I knew that I wouldn't have to be doing as much direct customer service as I have to do when I don't have a competent assistant to handle the front room, the docents were working the digital projects at a steady pace, the inventory was proceeding, etc., and Chantal gave me sufficient notice to "git 'er done." You'll see those results on the BDC's Facebook page on or after their party on June 3rd or in person if you attend the event.

Please remember that access to the BDC Research Room remains by advance appointment only. It's always a good idea to contact us at least a few days before you would like to use our facility to get the best chance of getting your preferred date and research slot. Contact us: 843-255-6468 or bdc@bcgov.net.