Week#6 (10/20/2024): Making real progress in the Research Library as we get ready for the arrival of two more library volunteers.

This week has been a good one.  Feeling back at 100% and giving it my all.  We made great progress in the Research Library as we cleared the table and prepared for the arrival of volunteers Elizabeth and Laura this coming week. Take a close look at the before and after pictures.  We really worked hard this week and managed to get it done.  I’m very proud of us and our accomplishment!  There are a lot of projects to complete but with newly cleared space we will be able to accomplish so much more than planned.  

Thanks to Virginia’s (Research Librarian) patience and Madeline’s drive, we made great strides.  We moved things to the Attic that we did not need ready access to and organized many of the piles into work shelves that could be attended to as projects.  We are working to get a “tech cart” set up for all the tech items such as laminators, scanners, etc. and their supplies.  Organization is our key word here. 

This is the table as it was. You will notice in the “After” picture that not only did we clear the table, we also cleared a lot of the items in front of the fireplace.
There is now 4 stations at the table where we can work!
The fireplace is actually lovely! We managed to uncover a large part of it by eliminating boxes and are hopeful that this week we can remove the filing cabinets as well. Exciting!

We are planning to get the empty file cabinets and other furniture we are not using moved out this week which will afford us even more space to utilize for the things we really need to access.  Since many of our building and maintenance crews have gone to help out in North Carolina and Florida, we are short staffed.  However, I’ve seen some muscles floating around which we hope to round up to help us get these moved out.  

I’m excited and looking forward to this week’s progress!  We have our projects better defined and our work cut out for us as we move forward to catalog all the items that will be added to the library and eliminate any duplicates or items that can now be found electronically.

In addition to cataloguing, our #1 priority this week will be to help Virginia get the stacks removed from and around her desk.  We plan to categorize these into projects that can be added to our work load.  I know she wants this done but it will not be easy and we appreciate the difficulty for her.  Can’t wait to see the after picture and I’ll bet you can’t either! 

Virginia, Research Librarian, and her assistant, Maraca!
Virginia’s Desk

A little history I learned this week (thanks to the wealth of information Virginia provides us!) about the park as a whole.  Virginia gave this to me just last week as she knows how much I worry about giving the visitors good information at the Welcome Center where I work 1-2 days each week.

Carl William Sharsmith (March 14, 1903 – October 14, 1994) was an American naturalist and Yosemite park ranger, notable for his knowledge and interpretation of the natural history of the Sierra Nevada. He taught botany at various universities and was the first botanist to comprehensively document the alpine flora of the high Sierra Nevada. He worked as a seasonal ranger in Yosemite and one of his greatest quotes goes as follows:  A woman visitor approached him, rather breathlessly, and exclaimed, “I only have one hour to spend in Yosemite.  What do you recommend that I do and see in this hour?”  Carl looked at her with his long craggy face and opined, “Ah, lady.  Only one hour.”  Which he then repeated slowly and said, “I suppose that if I had only one hour to spend in Yosemite I’d just walk over there by the river and sit down and cry.”  Truer words were never spoken!  Remember this as you plan to visit Yosemite in the near future!

Carl Sharsmith

Did I mention I’m continuing to love on Maraca as the emotional support dog who works in the library.  For those of you who know me personally you know how much I love that part of my job!

Mara and Maraca

Library testing:  Good news!  I passed Circulation 1 training and will continue with Circulation 2 training this coming week.  What does that mean?  Well, it means that I can now add a book to our circulation and place it on the shelf in the stacks!  And even more importantly, it means that I can personally help reduce the backlog!  What does that NOT mean?  It means I am NOT and will NEVER be a librarian!!  Their jobs are too hard.

Our new volunteers start work on Tuesday.  Elizabeth Schwarz is coming to us from Austin, Texas and Laura Poulette from Berea, Kentucky.  Can’t wait to meet them.  I feel certain they will bring us a wealth of new insights and between the four of us we will make great progress.  They are moving into the Motor Inn (the collective term for all 20ish cabins) so we will be car-pooling to work together.

You’ll remember my friend Mary who works in the museum.  She did her Masters program in Scotland and her best friend Grace (from Scotland) arrived this week.  They have planned a road trip across the US and left today.  They have a crazy route that will take them from California to Vegas to Mt. Rushmore to Aberdeen, So. Dakota, and on and on to Salem, Massachusetts and then back to Mary’s home in Michigan.  I wish them safe travels and wonderful memories.  This will be the trip of a lifetime for both and  Grace who will see the United States in a very special way.  Can’t wait to hear all about it when Mary returns the end of November!

Sal’s Taco Night on Thursday! That’s Pancake’s (2 year old Golden Retriever) Mom, Mary, followed by another Mary on the right and next to me is Grace!

Mary, Grace, and I had plans to go to the Ahwahnee this past week for drinks after work on Wednesday.  Of course on that day the afternoon brought us buckets of rain (the first since I’ve been here) and so I backed out of the trip as I did not bring a rain jacket with me.  As it turned out though,  the Ahwahnee was closed for a private event and they did not get to see it either.  Mary and I will have to try to go again when she returns in late November.

On the way home from Sal’s Taco event I captured a beautiful full moon.  Oh the night’s here – they are beyond lovely!  This one is for my dear friend Nancy!

A stunning full moon.
Same moon, different picture lighting.

The best experience of all this week was the Valley View Tour, courtesy of Madeline who purchased the tickets for both of us!  It is a 2 hour Valley Floor tour of all the great viewing spots in the valley and led by park rangers and Yosemite Hospitality naturalists.  We saw all of the highlights at Yosemite, as we learned about the history, flora, and fauna throughout the park. Park Ranger Karla was our guide.  A seasonal ranger, this was her final tour as the floor tours close for the season.  Karla was terrific,  telling us all about the views and their history.  Not one bit of information was taken from notes . . . she spoke straight from the heart for two hours!  She was absolutely amazing.  Our driver Danny drove us on the open air tram to all the right places too.  Kudos to both of them for a lovely trip.  Madeline made a short video and I have a few pictures.  What a fun afternoon this was!  

Open for a short video:  Valley View Tour – Oct 19, 2024

The Valley View Tram
Driver Danny; Ranger Karla, and Volunteer Madeline!
Madeline and Mara
Ranger Karla giving us so much information! Great Job.
Tunnel View – a famous viewing point.
Madeline at Tunnel View
Madeline at the Merced River
Bridalveil Falls

Just a few family notes as I take advantage of some bragging time!  (1) Grandson Reid loves his new apartment in a sweet little area of Dallas, above the Oak Cliff Social Club and his job at Flowserve is going well.

Reid on the left with his mom Jennifer and Ceasar!

(2) Grandson Thomas is also loving his time studying at Denmark University.  This past week he spent at Legoland Billund Resort, the original Legoland park, which opened June 7, 1968 in Billund, Denmark. The park is located next to the original Lego factory.  I can just imagine how much fun that must have been.

Thomas with his mom Melissa in Denmark

(3) Granddaughter Michaela just finished the Nationals with her Water Skiing Team at UT Austin.  She finished 15th in Slalom skiing.  That ended this year’s Water Skiing.  She made the Climbing Team though and that begins right away.  Classes are going well for her and she seems to have adjusted well to becoming a longhorn!  Hook ’em horns.

Michaela with her mom Melissa

(4) Twin Grandsons Jack & Luke are enjoying school this year and spending their free time learning new things.  Most recent was a camping trip where they zip-lined.  Unfortunately no one told Luke to hold on to the Zip Line and he spun like a helicopter rotor blade all the way down! 

Luke forgot to hold on – he flipped over and over all the way down!
These boys love their Papa! Look at those faces!

(5) Finally my puppies.  I miss Lou (age 4) and Gus (age 13) but am grateful Melissa and Robert take such good care of them.  They are spoiled, just as they should be!   

Life here continues to be FUN and BUSY!  What memories I am making!  Upcoming events include (1) Art Class at Local Community Center in El Portal on Thursday 10/24 (2) Halloween celebration in the El Portal community complete with two food trusts, Sal’s Tacos and Madera BBQ on October 31.  (3) Ansel Adams iPhone Camera Photography Class on 11/9 (4) Friends Cathy Scott and Joan Head coming to visit on November 11-12! (5) Government Credential Updating in Mariposa the afternoon of 11/12.

One last fun picture.  This is Dog Rock.  You’ll see it on your left just a short distance after you enter the park from El Portal.  All the bus drivers point it out as it looks just like its name.  Say hello to Dog Rock!

Dog Rock. Amazing! (Photo courtesy of Madeline Miller.) 

 

Please forgive all errors, take care of yourselves, stay safe and blessings to all.

Hugs, Mara

 

 

 

 

2 thoughts on “Week#6 (10/20/2024): Making real progress in the Research Library as we get ready for the arrival of two more library volunteers.”

  1. What a fun time you are having even though you are working. The views are spectacular! Sounds like you have made a lot of new friends. Thanks for the updates and pictures of the grand-kids. I know you will continue to have a wonderful time while you are there. Take care my friend.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *