When I started working at the APRL, the staff warned me about APS Summer Seminar. They told me the library would be busy, that table space would be scarce, and that we would need an extra photocopier. The 2011 group of students did not disappoint! They filled the library from the time we opened until we closed – which was often later than our usual 4:30 closing time – except, of course, when they were in their classes.
Ten years ago, in the 3rd quarter 2001 issue of the Philatelic Literature Review, Kim Kowalczyk wrote an article called “Summer Seminar Storms APRL Stacks” about how busy the library was during seminar week. Accompanying the article are photos of students in the library – including one of Harold Sollenberger lying down in the stacks.
Some things don’t change. During this year’s Summer Seminar, we snapped a photo of Robert Dalton Harris (instructor for “Geography and Postal History: A Writer’s Institute”) stretched out on the floor of the library, browsing the duplicate books for sale.
Some things do change, however. We did make two photocopiers available in the library, and they did get used. The piece of equipment that seemed to get people excited, though, was the new book scanner courtesy of the Mighty Buck Club donors.
Everyone who used the scanner loved the easy touchscreen interface, the beveled edge for scanning books, and the ability to take home color images. Best of all, the scanner was free to use. During the week of Summer Seminar, it scanned more than 1,300 pages!