[Mi-local-history] Locked Local History Room

[Ryan Gage]

Rae,
Our Local History Room is currently very 'open floor', meaning we don't have very specific borders or walls to delineate it from the rest of the second floor, but we do have the advantage of having a large desk to regularly staff, which allows us to monitor patron activity. The collection is open all day long. Most patrons who congregate at tables are not there to use our collection, but rather to charge their phone, watch videos or read the newspapers. Having the desk regularly staff allows us to approach patrons if they appear 'lost' or who may inadvertently take our materials away from the area (which they are not allowed to do). Our situation would not work without that staff presence. Years ago, the local history room was much more walled off, a clearly delineated space to be used by researchers. So, we gained space for the collection, but lost privacy and quiet in the change.

If you don't have sightlines or the capacity to staff the area with regularity, and the room is open to the public, challenges like sleeping, eating, and theft are an inevitable outcome. Even with our regular staffing approach, we on occasion have someone walk off with a book (luckily, not as regular as with our DVD/Book collection). Certain materials like photographs are in locked cabinets, and most of our very fragile/significant resources are in closed storage.

Ryan Gage | Local History Specialist
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Kalamazoo Public Library | CEN
315 S. Rose St. | Kalamazoo, MI 49007
(269) 553-7844
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From: Mi-local-history <mi-local-history-bounces at mcls.org> On Behalf Of Rae Manela via Mi-local-history
Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2024 10:42 AM
To: mi-local-history at mcls.org
Subject: [Mi-local-history] Locked Local History Room

Hello,

I'm seeking perspectives on having a locked local history room.

My library has always had the local history room locked, and then open for office hours and/or appointments. However recently we had a patron ask why it can't be left unlocked and I was asked to investigate what other libraries do.

I will note, the local history room is not in the sightline of a reference desk. We also have lots of original documents. We also have a very demanding patron population who have been caught in the room when the door was accidentally unlocked and despite the door being closed and the lights off, people have gone in with food and drinks with no permission.

Please let me know what your library's policy is, how many office hours you might have for the room and what access to the room looks like at your library.

Thank you,

[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wp2GdChJTU1A-4bOXi9N-5Y3D0tMhcLZ0h7TdyVFocOCBgQOffhU0IrwnWaKivnI-SgK8mejWTL-Qd]
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