G. R. Little Library - Elizabeth City State University

Obsolete but Still Treasured: Library Vertical FilesWhat did we do before the internet? How did we find outmore about that movie that our colleagues were talking about?Or, let’s say we had just heard that our oldest son has diabetes,and we wanted to know some basic facts tonight? Or, wewere going to Seattle the next week and wanted some travelinfo., maybe to book a hotel?Imagine you were a public librarian and a patron requestedthe contact information for a newly elected Senator, or theyneeded to know how to get from their hotel to their meeting inPhiladelphia. Or let’s say you were an academic librarian,and a student wanted to see the catalogue for a graduateschool they were contemplating. Then another student with awriting assignment had no idea who an obscure historic localperson was, and so didn’t how to look her up.Well, just as folks at home might have been more inclinedin the days before the internet to collect travel brochures orkeep clippings of articles of interest in a file cabinet, so librarianscollected information from all kinds ofsources and kept it in the VERTICAL FILES tohelp them answer certain kinds of questions.Depending on the size of the library this couldmean one file cabinet or it could mean ten ormore six foot tall cabinets. It could mean onelibrarian browsing the newspapers and clippingarticles, and requesting all kinds of informationbe mailed to the library, or it couldhave been a whole team of library workersbusy 9am to 5pm clipping, collecting, weeding,and updating the vertical files.According to my research many libraries are either notusing their vertical files to access information nearly as muchas they did, or not at all. One public library in the U.S. claimsthat it just emptied the “last library vertical file” in existence.Not true! While some are still being used as originally intended,many libraries are continuing to maintain them solelyas a way to retain materials of interest relating to their town,county, or state. Some universities even have their verticalfile materials catalogued and available on the web because oftheir cultural and historical significance.Here at ECSU our now mostly dormant Vertical Files consistof eight tall old dark oak file cabinets that are chock fullof everything : current events articles and brochures on socialissues, items covering events in black history -local and national,government pamphlets and publications, commemorativeprograms, maps, catalogues, poems by local citizens orfaculty, photographs of famous and not so famous people, andmany other types of ephemera; in short these eight file cabinetsare full of what was handy condensed information on awide range of topics. Unfortunately the information is allwoefully out of date-hardly anything has been added for about15 years.As the Reference Librarian one of my assignments is to carefullyclean out the files and condense the materials they contain,to save what is historically or cultural significant and recycle therest. It’s kind of a sad project-knowing how much time and effortwent in over the years to searching, collecting, snipping andsaving, gathering catalogues or pamphlets, and thinking abouthow many questions the files used to answer. The files just sitthere now, mellowing with age, with some items becoming moreinteresting and significant, while most have become just plainobsolete. Library patrons have for a long time and for the mostpart bypassed their contents in favor of the more current, morecomprehensive, and more easily accessible results of a “Google”search.Mostly it’s a tedious job going through the files, folder afterfolder of information that is no longer able to fill our needs. Butevery little while I come across something surprising, unique,and irreplaceable. Brochures produced in the 30’s or 40’s withtheir vintage designs and colors, or from the 50’s and 60’s intheir “modern” style. Sometimes I find a newspaperclipping about someone from Elizabeth City orNorth Carolina from long ago. These items are beingsaved, along with many articles, publicationsand a few vintage “comic books” all pertaining tothe history of Black Americans. There are flyersannouncing African American dancers or musicians,commemorative programs for black artists,and kitschy business or travel advertisements,along with much more. When I find informationpertaining to ECSU these items go to the UniversityArchives where they are carefully preserved.I still have five more file cabinets to methodically sortthrough, and the collection of “jewels” from the vertical file isslowly growing. What shall we do with these fascinating itemswhen the files cabinets are empty? First they will be sorted intocategories and preserved in appropriate archival protective coverings.Then maybe the library will have an exhibit to allow librarypatrons an opportunity to be introduced to them. The itemswill then be re-filed into one of the remaining original file cabinets.Items will continue to be added that “fit” in with the renovatedcollection and donations from the public will be welcome.The collection will continue to be available to the public atthe library, and will continue to inform those who are interestedin these relics of the past that still impact our present, and ourfuture. Students, faculty, staff, and other patrons may find ideasfor topics for papers, inspirations for projects, or even recognizea long gone family member as they “surf” the contents of thevertical files.Submitted by: Susan M. Geiger, Reference LibrarianG. R. Little Library Spring 2009 5