DAY 10: Letters and Scanners

After a wonderful time at the bindery, spending the whole day going through the process of giving a book a newer and better look, I wondered if the other sections of the archives would be just as fun as the bindery. I figured I would just let things roll out as they would and experience working at all the sections before deciding for myself, also, I still have half a day at the bindery. I could enjoy my time working there. Another day at the archives is just about to begin.

JUNE 29, 2017 -THURSDAY

I went straight ahead to the bindery where I found the books I was working on to be at the exact same spot where I left them. I organized all of the books and Sir Lem guided me to what I believe is the best part of the bindery and perhaps even the entire internship. He provided me instructions on how to use the machinery that creates the lettering of the book covers. It was a beautiful machine that operates similar to a press where you can adjust letters to create the sentences you wanted. Sir Lem first told me to arrange the letter blocks in accordance to the title of the books.

Working On That Machine

After that has been done, he then instructed me how to operate the machine, each turn, each knob and each press, I was told how they worked. Learning all of these was an experience that would go to the books. Although the metal pieces would be hot right after using, that didn’t stop me in arranging them right after because I wanted to try it once again. This part, I believe, is the most enjoyable out of all of the steps. Once I have embossed the titles, authors and years, I was instructed to glue the cover directly to the book and to do that, I once again used the awful-smelling yet oddly satisfying animal glue. In order to do this, speed is the key and I tried very hard to do it exactly the same way Sir Lem did. Just before lunch, I was able to finish all of the three books! 

Let’s just say, I have felt great at that moment because I was able to accomplish something that would be a part of the library. Just thinking about someone using those books that I have worked on brings a smile to my face. I showed them to Ma’am Eimee and she gave her approval. I can now move on to another section!

Me and My Babies

Working at the bindery really does take your energy, thankfully we had lunch right after. I was wondering what section of the archives I would be placed to next and then I found out that I would begin my scanning duty that afternoon! Once we were back from our lunchbreak, I headed down again to the basement in order to be oriented on how to use the scanners. I learned how to operate the machine and use the necessary software and after a few minutes, I returned upstairs to start my work.

Scanning documents wasn’t a struggle for me and everything was going swimmingly until I was given a document that had used bare visible ink. Using our eyesight, it was comprehensible but the scanner couldn’t pick up the writing and whatever changes I made in the setting, nothing was really working. It wasn’t until someone very knowledgeable with scanners helped me that I was able to continue my work. At the end of the afternoon, I was only able to scan half of the contents because I had to start over. Overall, this day was amazing. The best part of it, obviously was using the press.

Let’s just hope I get to use it once more!

-          Sam, That New Librarian