After the Storm! Friday, February 3rd (12:30-5:30pm)

The Austin History Center re-opened today after a three-day weather closure. My shift at the reading room reference desk was so busy that I had to call for Jennifer to come back me up! I helped a researcher find materials related to the Economy Furniture strike; I pulled a vertical file for her on Latinx strikes and also one on Economy Furniture. I also helped her find negatives from the Austin American Statesman photo morgue. I assisted another researcher find books in our general collection related to the painter Porfirio Salinas; she said she was preparing to give a talk at the LBJ Presidential Library. A group of 4 researchers came in to do research on Huston Tillotson College and requested boxes from two archival collections. And another two researchers came in to research property tax records. I also filled out my timesheets, and re-shelved items once my reference desk shift was over.

While Jennifer and I were at the desk, we had a mini-meeting and I learned a few new things--how to navigate our payment system for when patrons buy books or make copies, and how to determine whether a particular archival collection is onsite or whether it is at a temporary storage facility that the AHS is using temporarily. We also discussed my schedule for next week because I am required to attend the Austin Public Library's all-day Staff Development Day on Friday. Since I can't work more than 15 hours, this requires me to alter my schedule; we decided that I will not work next Thursday.

Maria-Elena Cigarroa

Supervisor: Jennifer Hecker

General Schedule: Sundays (11-6); Thursdays (2:00-6:00); Fridays (12:30-5:30)