As readers of my other blog “True Archives” know, I am not the most enthusiastic booster of academic libraries and librarians. I have long recognized the threat of university librarians and their fanatical embrace of everything digital to destroy the printed legacy of mankind, and in my retirement from serving on the margins of their profession I have seen little to change my mind. During my morning walk today I recalled a criticism leveled at me during my final years of employment that I “had not kept up with the latest trends in the profession.” The specific example cited of this perceived personal failure was my inability to understand exactly what is meant by “digital humanities.” I still don’t understand what that term means, but I find it amusing the accusation of my ignorance came from those who had NEVER published in the humanities (digitally or otherwise) while my own modest contribution to history totals nearly fifty journal articles and three books. I guess my humanities understanding is limited to the actual practice of scholarship rather than the application of zeros and ones to the discipline of history. Guilty as charged.
I only bring this up today because I have had occasion to interact regularly with the professional, courteous, and friendly staff of Bisbee’s Copper Queen Library and I am overjoyed to discover their own dedication to print. Unlike their academic colleagues, the public librarians of Bisbee recognize and value books, and their collection, while small, is bolstered by an efficient interlibrary loan system that insures a steady flow of volumes I am interested in reading. Their public programming is outstanding as well, sponsoring a weekly lecture series, regular showing of interesting films at our local theater, and operating an annex in the San Jose neighborhood that is entirely staffed by volunteers. I am certainly not the only one who recognizes the Copper Queen Library as the gem of our town; Library Journal has honored the place with its annual award as the best small library in America for 2019. Imagine, a library that honors and promotes book reading! This is quite heartening in this age of darkness wrought by computers and their tireless boosters.
