When most of us think of Yosemite National Park we think of soaring peaks, Half Dome, waterfalls, and perhaps crowds enjoying the sights and wonders of one of America’s most famous national parks. Did you know that Yosemite hosted over 5 million visitors in 2016? That’s a lot of people, especially considering most visit from April to October. In fact, you have to look pretty closely to discover the Yosemite Research Library. But it’s there. Past the visitor center, into the 1925 stone Herbert Maier designed Museum building, just past a Native American shopping kiosk, there is a small sign in a stairwell that announces to those who happen to get this far that the Yosemite Research Library is up those stairs.
And if you happen to venture up the stairs and into the dusty back rooms of the second floor, at the end of the hall you’ll see a bookcase for the library visitors to leave their things (particularly their edibles, given the possible critter problems that crumbs might create) and just beyond the bookcase you’ll encounter a closed door. Through that door is over 100 years of Yosemite related research treasures crammed into a small room filled with books, papers, and maps. Collection development started in 1923, and the library now holds over 10,000 items. Despite its rather hidden location and the lack of signage or directions, the library is open to visitors (10-4:30 Mon-Thurs, with a 12-12:30 break for lunch). And, as some of us were able to experience first-hand, also open to volunteers. San Jose’s SLA group was lucky enough to spend a day and a half volunteering at this special place.
In this post, a couple of our members share their experiences:
Amy: My experience with working in the Yosemite Research Library was enjoyable and far too short. We were only at work for several hours on Saturday and a few on Sunday, and during some of that time we were not actually at the library–instead, we traveled to another part of Yosemite and learned another aspect of being librarians: to spread goodwill to others.
We were tasked with completely reorganizing the Park Services uniforms, which looked like a tornado had hit them! Being MLIS students, we first decided how best to sort them (shirts vs. pants, men’s vs. women’s) before we could spend time hanging (shirts) and folding (pants) according to size. Then we labeled the different sections for clarity. There were nine of us and it took about three hours to complete, but we now have the undying gratitude of one of the rangers.
This will help the librarian’s standing in the community and show how important it is to have libraries and librarians. We learned that marketing ourselves to the public is just as important as becoming a librarian. We are so much more than the stereotypical woman who stands behind the reference desk shushing the patrons!
Alyse: The task I chose was shelving and shelf-reading. It is not the most glorious task, but it is one of the most effective ways to familiarize yourself with a library’s collection! Another bonus for me is that this trip gave me the chance to better acquaint myself with LOC, the system of choice for most academic and research libraries. An interesting challenge in such a small space was coordinating with Amy. We both were in the stacks at the same time for our chosen tasks, and because the shelves are moveable units (as in many archives), you must close off one aisle to access another. It was very different from the large public libraries I am used to. The bulk of the collection I worked with included safety information, procedure manuals, and Yosemite history. I was particularly intrigued by the romance novels set in Yosemite! The library also hosts a rare book collection, kept separate from the main research room. Networking with Yosemite’s librarian, Virginia Sanchez, was another valuable outcome of this trip. I am interested in virtual opportunities, and Virginia offers virtual internships and encourages virtual volunteers for those who would like to earn a free America the Beautiful Pass.
If you make it to Yosemite and want to extend your library visiting past the research library, Yosemite also has an archive.
Research is by appointment; research hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To make an appointment, or if you have questions, call the archives at 209-379-1282 or email.
Yosemite Research Library contact information: Yosemite Research Library • Yosemite Museum • ph: 209-372-0280 • fax: 209-372-0255 • YOSE_library@nps.gov
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