My job for the morning was to open every cabinet and drawer in the former Westside location and throw out all of the food I found. Such a task served not only to get all the crackers, Capri Suns, and puddings out of classroom and office shelves (three big trash bags worth!), but also to unearth historical documents in unexpected locations. In the staff break room, inhabiting a crate with the chai tea and napkins, I discovered a large set of previously unaccounted for board regulations from the 1970s and 1980s. Upstairs tucked away in a file cabinet, beneath a bag of peppermints no less, I found more reports and histories, and even a Franklinton calendar featuring the Westside location as its June photo. I also uncovered a box of miscellaneous stationery from all three centers over the years – so cool! Sometimes, there’s no Finding Aid to serve as treasure map. And I might have exclaimed jackpot when I realized what I had found.

I was at Westside working with volunteer groups that are sorting all of the toys and furniture, preparing them for sale or donation. CELC has a lot of stuff – lots of toys, furniture, buildings, and paperwork. Importantly, we have to go through it all to unearth those key documents, photos, and ephemera worth saving. And that can be the most challenging aspect of my work. How does one prioritize areas in which one is most likely to find relevant materials? And how ought one to curate those findings? Do we really need 5 copies of the 1959 Annual Report? Probably not. But we do need one, preferably in good condition, so having five to choose from is quite the luxury. And who knows, perhaps I’ll find a few more tucked away in an unmarked drawer.