Tag: data

Like many people, I had bigger plans this year than I managed to realize. However, I did get to two new libraries which was decent for a year that saw only twenty-seven library visits total, with nineteen of them at the same library. The full list is short but memorable. I really hope to get back to the Goodrich Library in Newport again, it’s got a great collection and incredibly nice staff.

Previous years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 and some reviews from 2003.

• Kimball – my local, weekly drop-in time and occasionally pinch hitting for shifts
• Rochester – did some irregular drop-in time here
• Hartness – did not get to VTC as much as I’d like
• Pittsfield – had an empty drop-in time but it was cool to see this tiny library with an actual paid staff member now
• Goodrich/Newport – I did a First Wednesdays talk here and it was really enjoyable
• Montpelier – Don’t remember why I stopped by, but I always like visiting here
• VT Law – Hadn’t been here in a while and I stopped by before meeting a pal in SoRo
• Concord NH – Stopped in here while spending some time bumming around Concord with Jim

 

Visiting libraries is great. Neat things to learn about communities, comfy places to sit, clean bathrooms. I went to fewer libraries this year, but made more visits overall. Not chipping away at my VT 183 Project that quickly. This year I went to 27 libraries in six states. One hundred and eleven visits total.

Previous years: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 and some reviews from 2003.

Libraries I went to a lot

• Kimball (VT) – my local
• Rochester (VT) – another almost-local where I did drop-in time
• Hartness/VTC (VT) – my local academic
• Westport (MA) – summer local, wasn’t there as much this year
• Tiverton (RI) – summer better local
• Windsor (VT) – did some library shifts here

The rest

• Howe/Hanover (NH) – always a fave wen I’m in Hanover
• Peacham (VT) – cool taxidermy and nice people
• Dorchester County PL (MD) – functional and a lovely building
• Grafton (VT) – big book sale upstairs, lots of comfy chairs
• Howe/UVM (VT) – renamed and still great, better possibly
• Carney/Dartmouth (MA)- summer fave
• Wicomico PL (MD) – simple and sturdy, a lot of great exhibits
• Norwich U (VT) – aggravating meeting, lovely library
• Shelburne (VT) – checking on the new reno, it’s great!
• Lamont/Harvard (MA) – rainy day, cozy library
• Montpelier (VT) – good place to met people
• Dartmouth/Baker-Berry (NH) – good place to hide from the rain, hoppin
• Dartmouth/Rauner (NH) – great art and wifi
• Houghton/Harvard (MA) – space exhibit and good friends
• Fall River (MA) – always impressed with what they can do in this space
• Norwich (VT)
• Hancock (VT) – so tiny, so cute
• UVM Spec Coll (VT) – great tour of the new place
• Seminole Heights (FL) – good place to chill out after a long walk
• Saunders PL (FL) – gave a talk here
• Widener/Harvard (MA) – hiding in the stacks here is one of my happy places

I continue to visit libraries every chance I get. This year I worked in my local library so my visit count is way up, I also gave my privacy talk at six Vermont libraries which was more visits. The rest were working on my VT 183 project or just curiosity. The pie chart isn’t that interesting, but you can see it here. I decided to just include a photo of one of the great libraries I visited in Warren Vermont.

This year I went to 45 libraries in six states and one Canadian province. One hundred and three visits total. Previous years: 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 and some reviews from 2003. Continue reading “2018 in Libraries”

I’m a firm believer of eating your own dog food. Meaning if you say stuff about libraries (and I do), then make sure you go to them as if going to them was your JOB (and I do). Don’t just go to the one library where your job is, though that helps.

Every year I make a list. Every year I reflect on that list. This year I went to forty-five libraries in nine states and one non-US country. Eighty-six library visits total. Many more different libraries than last year, but just a few more visits overall. With all this, I only added two new libraries to my Vermont 183 project even as I hand out awards to people who have been to over 190 libraries in Vermont!

Seven years in a row I’ve been keeping this up. Previous years: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 and some reviews from 2003

Libraries I went to more than once include.

• Kimball (VT) – my local and one of the best libraries in my opinion.
• Hartness (VT) – my local academic, bigger collection and longer hours but further away
• Westport (MA) – my summer local, don’t love it but do use it
• Tiverton (RI) – the library in the summer that I go to more often even if I can’t check out books
• Carney/Dartmouth (MA) – local academic, another great library, well-loved, well-used
• Harvard Law Library (MA) – where my fellowship is and where I can go work
• New Bedford (MA) – used to be a museum, I take guests here
• Hookset (NH) – here for work, twice, always enjoy it

Libraries I only went to once

• Gutman (Harvard) – part of an attempt to go to all Harvard’s libraries
• Winooski (VT) – doing some Passport work here
• Oak Lawn IL – stopped & checked email on our #WestOn20 trip
• Library of Congress (DC) – always a favorite
• Stowe Free (VT) – participated in a panel for their anniversary
• Newton (MA) – stopped to chill after a long ALA week
• URI/Carrothers (RI) – gave a talk, visited friends
• Claremont/Berkeley (CA) – hid out avoiding a kid birthday party
• Southworth/Dartmouth (MA) – great place to work, lovely art
• British Library (UK) – got to take my sister to this great place
• VT Law Library – MontP (VT) – a farewell to a colleague
• Lamont (Harvard) – so stoked to finally get in here!
• Aldrich/Barre (VT) – visiting a friend doing some visioning
• Belchertown (MA) – what a gem! stopped by on the way home from friends’
• MIT/Hayden (MA) – what a treat after Harvard’s closed system
• Ames/Easton (MA) – stopped in before a wedding next door
• Former War Library (DC) – this is basically IN THE WHITE HOUSE, omg
• Harold Johnson Library, Hampshire (MA) – my alma mater
• Montpelier (VT) – stopping in before seeing a friend
• Goddard (VT) – was on the radio!
• Brown/Northfield (VT) – passport wrap-up
• Cambridge/Central Branch (MA) – can’t even remember this visit but I am sure I liked it
• Boston Public (MA) – saw my friend Tom, got a cool tour
• Schlesinger/Harvard – saw my friend Jen, got a cool tour
• Lewisham (UK) – a great neighborhood library
• Watson Retreat Center (NY) – a funky special library
• Internet Archive (CA) – they say they are a library, so they are
• Girard (PA) – a round library, part of #WestOn20
• Caird Library (UK) – at the Naitonal Maritime Museum, not as friendly as I’d hoped
• Howe/Hanover (NH) – always a favorite
• MLK Branch (DC) – saw movies about black history and drank it in
• Weissman/Harvard – a rare open house, I was not allowed to take photos
• Cazenovia (NY) – a mummy!
• Manor House (UK) – a library having hard times but doing ok
• Fairfield/Millicent (MA) – another great library to take friends to
• BU (MA) – gave a talk, stuck around to see the basement
• Pollard/Lowell – a great old classic library

I’ve had an average of 80-ish visits per year for a few years now so I think that is my new normal. So a library every five days. A new library every eight days. Maybe when I hit ten years I’ll do a decade long wrap up. I wish this data was all in standard form….

I am very thankful my work takes me to all of these lovely places. Thanks to the librarians who graciously showed me around.