RMRT (Retired Members Round Table)

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The Retired Members Round Table (RMRT) shall exist to develop programs of particular interest to retired persons from all types of libraries and all forms of library services, including formal opportunities for continued involvement and learning; a variety of leadership training and opportunities for mentoring; lifelong professional involvement and networking; and active engagement in the American Library Association and the profession of librarianship.

Visit the Retired Members Round Table (RMRT) on the ALA website.

  • 1.  Throwback Thursday

    Posted Nov 20, 2020 09:12 AM
    (But not posting until Friday.)  The Library Think Tank FB group had a photo of this vintage library card. The poster asked if anyone remembered that style.  That elicited many comments, of course.  I recalled an ALA conference when Gaylord had an exhibit of its charging machines. Larry Nix reported that in his blog post.  I'm sure many RMRTers recall Gaylord library cards -- either because they had them or because their libraries used them. Or both!  [For the record:  my card number was C2353. :))


    Gaylord's Charging Machine
    Libraryhistorybuff remove preview
    Gaylord's Charging Machine
    At the American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago last week I went through the hundreds of library vendor exhibits in the area that ALA is calling "The Stacks". I stopped by the Gaylord Bros. booth to look at their display cases and was very pleasantly surprised to find that one of their display cases contained early examples of their well know library charging machines.
    View this on Libraryhistorybuff >








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    Nann Hilyard
    Librarian*Quiltmaker*Volunteer
    Winthrop Harbor, Illinois
    https://withstringsattached.blogspot.com
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  • 2.  RE: Throwback Thursday

    Posted Nov 21, 2020 10:07 AM
    I remember having  Gaylord cards when I was in intermediate school (grades 6-8 at that time).  We did not have school libraries in elementary schools in Santa Clara in the 1950s; so I was thrilled to have a library at Curtis Intermediate.  I volunteered to work after school right away, but the librarian wanted 6th graders to get used to the intermediate school and I had to wait.  I volunteered after school in grades 7 & 8.  I remember clearly the unique ka-chunk of the Gaylord machine as I checked out books.   Unlike Nan Hilyard, I've forgotten my card number.

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    Holly Willett
    Associate Professor
    Rowan University College of Education
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Throwback Thursday

    Posted Nov 21, 2020 08:26 PM
    We had these at Albion College in the late 1960s, I certainly don't remember my number! ��--



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Throwback Thursday

    Posted Nov 21, 2020 08:44 PM
    This machine was used in our town library when I was a kid and was still in use when I graduated from college (BA). I know because I started working at the library in the circulation department. I thought it was fun to put the book cards in order at the end of the day and file them in the trays. Some thought it was tedious work but I actually enjoyed going through the cards and putting a plastic slip on the ones patrons had reserved. 

    We did like using the chunks cut out of the book cards as confetti but we didn't like accidentally spilling the chunks and having to clean them up. Circulation was so much more labor intensive at that time, but we had lots of fun.
    --
    Diedre Conkling
    diedre08@gmail.com
     
    "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude."―Maya Angelou



    Original Message