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Okay, well, hello, my name is Israel Favela. I'm a branch manager, uh Harris County Public Library and I'm interviewing Elaine Plotkin, my former supervisor, I've been with Harris County Public Library for almost eight years And I'm recording this interview on January 19, 2021 from the Casino

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City Branch Library. Hello, my name is Elaine Plotkin And I was formerly employed by the Harris County Public Library from 1976 to 2016. And I'm recording this uh interview from my home in Houston texas. All right, well, thank you Elaine for joining me today, where you're

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going to talk about kind of your experience working with libraries and Harris County Public Library in particular as part of our centennial project um for the centennial stories. Um so let's get right in there. So tell me, did you grow up in Houston? And if not

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what brought you here? Well people will be able to tell from listening to me that no, I did not grow up in Houston, although I've lived here now much longer than I lived in Massachusetts. I'm originally from Massachusetts, a small town called Sharon. Massachusetts, which is

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about 25 miles south of boston. And uh I didn't come directly to use them from massachusetts. We came to Fort Worth. My family came to Fort Worth. My father was working for radio shack uh and was transferred to Fort Worth for my senior year of high

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school. So I moved to Fort Worth, graduated high school from Fort Worth, went to college and Denton and then came here to Houston for the job with Harris County Public Library. So it was really Harris County Public Library that drew me to use them quite literally.

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Um So what did you think you were going to be when you grew up? Well, I have talked with a lot of my friends about my same age, about this kind of question. It's something you ponder in life, you know, did I end up like I

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thought I would be? And I have to say I'm probably one of the few that did. I knew from a relatively young age that I wanted to go into some sort of helping profession, but I didn't quite know which direction at the time. Um a lot

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of young girls back in the 1950s, early 60's when you think of a helping profession, you would think of going into education. I just didn't have the patience to be a teacher. I have a lot of respect for them, but it's not something for me. I

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also thought about perhaps nursing something in the medical field, but as I'm afraid of blood, you know, that wasn't gonna work. So uh right before high school my mother said to me, you have to do something with your time. You can't just sit around the house.

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I don't care if you volunteer, it doesn't have to be a job. So that was really my first introduction into library work. I volunteered at the sharing public library um with the summer reading program. So that was when I decided one day I was going to

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be the manager of the Sharon public library. But that's changed because my family, I didn't know at the time was going to move to texas. Um, so do you have any memories of visiting a library as a child? Yes. My again, I have to go back

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to my mother. My mother was an avid beater. She didn't sleep well at night and I would get up at night. Might see she's reading. She was always had a book in hand and um in massachusetts at the time, elementary schools didn't have school libraries. The

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public library and the Children's librarian would come once a month with a carload of books and we check out books should come in and we do that. But my mother and some of the neighbors would get together and take us up to the library at least

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twice a month to get a boat load of books and bring them home. So I did have an early introduction to the library. Always very positive. And again, my mother told me, go do something with your time. And so when we lived near the center of

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town, which is where the library was, I could walk to the library, my folks didn't have to drive me. So it's the perfect volunteer job. I had such a great time. I told the librarian. I said if if the volunteers don't come, just call me, just

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call me a few minutes away. I'll come. Well, you know how sometimes that happens volunteers for whatever reason don't come. So I worked pretty regularly uncalled for the Sharon public library. Um, and so until I moved to texas, I was working there and I did get

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finally a paid job at, I think it was 89 cents an hour shelving books for the library. But I was going to run that library one day. Um, so did you have a favorite book as a child or how about a favorite book? As a teenager?

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Both. I had my favorite book as a child was a picture book. Make way for Ducklings by scott McCleskey? It's called the cot Award winner. It's set in boston. So it has always been a real favorite for me. And then as I got older and I

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can remember before I moved here to texas. I have read Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell and I think that really began my love of historical fiction. I still enjoy if I'm going to read something, I read historical fiction. I mean I really enjoy that.

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It was him. Um, so I know you mentioned that you came to Houston to work for Harris County Public Library. So how did you become involved with Harris County Public Library. Okay, well I mentioned that I had gone to library school at the time. I was

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going to college, the credentials to become a librarian was the bachelors degree. But while I was in college, the credential of the american library association to become a library and became the masters degree. So my plans changed. I knew I couldn't major in library science, so

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I went to school at the University of north texas, that's what it's called. Now when I went, it was north texas State University. So I may say that in the course of this, they, but it's not the university of texas. I went there um for my

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undergrad where I had a B. A. In history and I was allowed to take four graduate classes in library science. I just wanted to be sure that I was going into the field that I had. So, you know, I thought I was going to do and

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I enjoyed those classes. The teachers would not give me a however in any of those classes because I was an undergraduate. When I was a graduate student, I made a anyway um I got my B. A. In history as I said, and then I went on

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and earned my mls. Now in the library science library at the graduate school, there was not really a whole lot of technology at that time. There were O. C. L. C cataloging terminals, but that was pretty much it. So to learn about jobs, there were notebooks,

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we had a public library, notebook school library, academic and special library. And if there were any jobs the libraries across the country would send their openings to the L. Accredited library schools. So anytime the library school got a job opening they would file it in the

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notebook alphabetically by the school or the city or whatever. So I was in graduate library school, it was probably around the spring semester and I was going to be graduating that summer and I thought well I better start looking for a job. I knew I couldn't

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stay in the Dallas Fort Worth area because there were two accredited library schools and then north texas and T. W. So if you wanted to be in a public library in texas you had to leave the Dallas Fort Worth area for an entry level position. I

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knew that. And so when I pulled out the public library notebook and saw there was a Children's librarian position at the all the main branch library. I thought perfect you know this is entry level, I can apply for it and I think what got me the

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job actually was that I went to that interview. I had made myself a little portfolio if you will. I had one of those old photograph albums that you know had plastic, you can pull it up and then put your pictures and push it down. And I

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had made um basically a pectoral resume if you will of all my accomplishments in college, my public library experience which was just really volunteer and then the page shelving position. But I had also been on, which then this is what got me the job really. I

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was a girl scout leader during graduate school at north Texas to a number of 4th grade little girls. Uh and it showed that I was sincerely interested in becoming a Children's librarian. That wasn't that I just wanted a position at the time. There were a lot

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of people coming out of library school looking for jobs and they didn't care how they got their foot in the door. But as far as I was concerned, I wanted to show that yes, I wanted to become a Children's librarian. I was ready to become a

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Children's librarian. My career began as a volunteer working with the summer reading program and Children. So um anyway, I got the job and I was really, really happy to become involved in Harris County public library system need. Um So how long did you work for Harris

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County Public Library? I worked a long time. I worked 40 years, 40 years for Harris County Library. And although I held to, to, to kind of positions and public services, actually three positions to in public services and then one administratively. Um the positions because of technology,

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the positions just changed so much particular the position That I that I held for many years at our administrative offices. So I worked 40 years. I can talk a little bit about my work. And uh when the library first began, when I first began with the

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library, excuse me when I first began with the library at the Alden branch if you'd like. Sure. Yeah please. Okay. When I first began with Harris County Library, I started on a day that I'd always remember my birthday On September 7, 1976 is when I began

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working, because I always wanted to remember the day I began my professional career. And just as an aside as I got older and my staff would have birthday cakes for me on my birthday, I said no more celebrating the birthday, we celebrate the anniversary. I like

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those numbers better. Anyway. Um when I began at the library, I was very excited because I walked in and my supervisor told me at the time you have $12,000 to spend. Evolving Library was one of 18 branches of the Harris County Library system. There were 18

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branches and there were two book mobiles, the largest branches in terms of circulation at the time, with a very new Harris County library branches. Alden, which had opened about six months prior to when I began working there and the Barbara Bush are actually, as we called

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it, the Cyprus Creek branch library, which is now called the Barbara Bush french Library. Uh Alden library is about 5500 square feet. Barbara Bush Library was double the size yet these two libraries would compete each month in terms of circulation. And it's really hard to believe

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when you think of the library system now. Uh, Alden is definitely not one of the larger branches, but it certainly pulls its weight in terms of circulation. But at the time I was, I came to Harris County Library. Alden was one of the highest circulating branches

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in the library system and we were quite proud of that. I would tell the staff we are a victim of our own success, but there really wasn't technology at that time. Um We had the card catalog and I have something here. This is uh not from

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Alden or from Harris County Library. I want to make that clear This was a gift to me from a friend who got it from a church library. And I so I have my own 12 draw card catalog. I do not file cards in it anymore. Which

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is something that I did quite a bit when I first began with Harris County Library because in those days the books would come with catalog cards, three by five cards, author, title subject. We would absolutely hate getting the nonfiction books because you could have 20 cards

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to file. Um just for that one book. But it was the only way at the time that our customers and our staff would know what books we had in the library. So we would get the cards in. We would file them. And if you saw here

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there is a little rod, I can't get it out as a pair and we pull this rod to follow them in there but we keep it in at first when we file the cards because we have to double check ourselves to be sure alphabetically. We did

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the cards right, this took a lot of timing to do. So I usually did it in the morning after my coffee but we filed a lot of cards back in the day and anyway um I do remember uh those days very fondly, I think if you're

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going to work in public libraries, it's very important to do branch work because um the branches, the branch work, you're working with the customers, you're seeing the day to day and if you go into administrative work or promoted, it's a very good foundation from which to

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grow professionally in my opinion. So um I'm very happy for those days. I was at Alden as a Children's librarian only a year and a week as a Children's librarian. I was, it just so turned out that my manager moved on to one of the larger

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branches and I interviewed and was able to become surprisingly The branch manager and I remember then director Catherine Skinner Brown saying to me after I became the branch manager that they were basically really taking a chance with me, I was the youngest branch manager at the

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time, I was 23 years old and in charge of one of the largest branches of the Harris County library system. So I think I did her proud. I hope that I did. Um I hope they did, but I was there four more years as a branch

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manager and uh it was a big change for me to go from doing Children's work, Children's librarian work too, going into adult services. I mean the library wasn't big, you have to really do everything. Uh but with being a branch manager as we call them branch

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librarian, um you had more meetings to attend, you were dealing with financial issues, much more uh patron resolution of problems, uh adult reference work. Um We didn't have online databases, it was all reference collection and selecting your reference materials and every reference book you selected was

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usually a lot of money, particularly those gale research volumes. Contemporary authors, all those author literature volumes are very expensive. Um But um I acclimated, I I redirected reinvented and uh worked with um the schools in the area worked a lot with the Alden Independent School district

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uh to get the word out, I knew that we needed to reach people who we were unable to reach. And so one of the, the efforts that I'm most proud of, I guess I would say um is I wrote up a public service announcement that said

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the Alden branch library just a punt pass and kick away from Alden football stadium which was read during a critical moment of a Alden football game and everyone was waiting to know what the result was of that particular incident that was going on on the field,

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waiting with bated breath or what, what is it? And they hear all the branch library, just a punt pass and kick away from all the football stadium. And I heard people talking about that, they'd come into the library, they heard it, they were very impressed. And

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uh, I don't know how many New Year's was a gut, but it certainly got a lot of attention. So, so that was a lot of fun. That was, that was just one of the things like that. I like to think outside the box. Yeah. All right.

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So let me tell me what is your favorite thing about the library? My favorite thing, my favorite thing, just to name one is really difficult. Um, I think it really depends on, Yeah, we're talking younger library in the world. I know my favorite thing is um

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what the public library is that every day is different. I'm one of these people, I can't do the same thing. Diane and day out. I just can't, I need to have variety and that kind of makes it fun for me. It makes me want to get

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up in the morning and go to work. Um, so I think that for me, the, the average changing landscape of the library, the evolving of the library so that I can use skills that I find, um, that I'm strong at, I'm a very creative person. Um,

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so I've been able to use those skills in different ways as the library has evolved. So have I? So to me, that's what I like the most about public library work is, is that particular aspect really attracts me? Yeah, definitely. Um, can you tell me about

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a library patron that you'll always remember? Well, I'm gonna answer this, uh, there to probably two different ways. Um, as I said, I worked the first five years of my career in the public library branch services and one of the patrons I'll always remember is a

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little boy named Christopher Robin and he came in with his mother one day. He must have been about five years old, came in with his mom and the mom was going to donate a Winnie the pooh book and on her for son's birthday to the library.

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And she and I was Children's librarian at the time and she asked if if she could take my picture with her son, handing me the book. Fine, fine. That's wonderful. Yeah. Okay. So we took the picture and I was happy to do it the next week.

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The picture appeared in the North Freeway Leader, which was the local newspaper in the Alden area at the time and it had the caption Christopher Robin and pooh. And although in the caption that went with the picture my name was given, I believe I didn't live

00:21:23.050 - 00:21:48.490

that down for quite a while I did not necessarily enjoy or like that. I the inference there but it definitely it can bring a laugh. So it is a memory, it's a memory half the second. Uh Part of that is I was for most of my

00:21:48.490 - 00:22:14.030

career at the administrative offices um in collection development. And so I would say uh answer that question my patrons were look stab of the library system. So I would have to say that my most favorite and I'm not going to pick the most favorite. It's not

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fair. I worked with so many but I will say that those people like yourself is you know who I was able to mentor and to grow librarians from within our library system are the most memorable to me. You are one of a number of staff that

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a very special to me because of that reason I saw in you certainly potential and it makes my heart swell with pride that you are doing so well. I have a number of people who are library directors who I mentored. I'm just so thrilled and reference

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librarians, Children's librarians uh um support staff who got their degrees and went on and earned their master's degrees through um the U. N. T. Satellite program here in Houston which is a wonderful thing to happen a number of years ago that north texas brought their program

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here so that people who work in libraries could go on and get their degrees, it was a boom for both Houston public library and Harris County Library that that happened. Um I will say, I remember when I came to your office to tell you that I

00:23:30.300 - 00:23:45.370

was going to apply to library school and that I wanted to ask you for a little recommendation and I think whenever I came in asking to speak to you, I think you were expecting me to say I'm going somewhere house. Remember how proud and relieved you

00:23:45.370 - 00:24:02.320

were when I told you it was for library school and it was sincere, it was very sincere. Um So what was the library like when you first started working there? Uh huh. Well as I said, um But we we had 18 branches and to book mobiles

00:24:02.330 - 00:24:20.230

and the bookmobile would go out to areas of our Harris County where there were no libraries. And uh one of the things I remember when I first came to central five years after I was, you know, working at the branches, was that um you know, on

00:24:20.230 - 00:24:37.920

the job descriptions that says other duties as required. So when we did a lot of that um at the Harris County library in those early years we did a little bit of everything. And when I first moved to the administrative offices, I remember we were between

00:24:37.920 - 00:24:56.140

delivery drivers and I had to go out and do delivery to the branches and I was very nervous about that because I had never driven such a large vehicle before. And you couldn't always see, you know if the lanes were clear because it was such a

00:24:56.140 - 00:25:16.270

large vehicle. So I took another staff member with me, Diane ponte who was the administrative assistant to director at the time. And um I think that she was driving actually and I took my seat belt off and walked back in the vehicle on I-45. We're driving

00:25:16.280 - 00:25:30.430

to say, Okay, Diane, you can change lanes now. I was the navigator, but I don't know how, but I seem to luck out of not having to do delivery. I don't know if I was out of the branches during consultation work or what I was doing.

00:25:30.430 - 00:25:49.420

But when, when we were short staffed, whether it would be in delivery, but particularly at the branches, our administrative staff would be called to fill in because we were not going to close those libraries for staff being ill or whatever. And at the time, uh, what

00:25:49.430 - 00:26:09.590

libraries particularly on the east end, I can remember Stratford had only one employee. And so if that employee had needed a day off was ill. Um, somebody had to go fill in. And so it would be people from central like myself who are librarians, we would

00:26:09.590 - 00:26:26.160

go fill in and I'll never forget. I had to fill its training, which was, yeah, Stratford is way out on the east side. Mm And um, it was and I called it the little house on the prairie. But the, the, one of the first stretch for

00:26:26.160 - 00:26:41.470

it, although I think it was the second location was out in kind of where I am. There was like a baseball field I think. Um, it was and I don't know if it was a house at one point or or a scout house or something but

00:26:41.480 - 00:26:59.220

to use the restrooms, the restrooms, you had to get to, you have to walk outside the library and around the library because that those restrooms were used by the baseball field when the, the kids would play baseball. So I remember being in the library and needing

00:26:59.220 - 00:27:18.520

to use the facility and I didn't want to leave the library or lock it up. Um, so I wait for a patient to come in who looked like they were honest. And I would say the times have changed. I don't think we do that today. But

00:27:18.520 - 00:27:32.840

way out in the country in those years is a little different. Um, so I wait for someone to come and usually someone who had some Children with them, you know, who it may be, have been to a program or something. And I said, could you please

00:27:32.850 - 00:27:46.420

just stay here until I can come back. I'll just be gone a minute, A few minutes and they were very nice to do that. But even remember Katie when they used to be at the KT branch library used to be in an old fire station. Uh

00:27:46.430 - 00:28:05.500

I had to fill in. I was five months pregnant with my older son, Jason and I was the only staff member there and they were busy and although the restrooms were inside, um if I was inside the restroom, that's nobody manning the library. So it was

00:28:05.500 - 00:28:29.660

always a struggle. Uh Those days didn't last long. We were we were able to get additional staff assigned to those libraries. But the early years were rough. I mean in many ways and I'm happy that sample staff now believe happy. Um So uh we talked about

00:28:29.660 - 00:28:48.520

this briefly before, but remember when libraries changed? And as an example of that, when was the last time your library had a card catalog? Okay. I would say the card can take the 1st, 2nd question first, that the card catalog Probably ended in the very late

00:28:48.520 - 00:29:05.940

70s, although we still had it and we used it to hold our cd rom's on top of our catalogue wasn't that high off the ground. So we put the cd rom's, which was what the card catalogue became. Our catalogue was on cd rom's. And we had

00:29:05.940 - 00:29:25.230

no place to put the cd rom printers are not printers, but units. Um And uh so we had those on top of the catalog. And then I think we probably had the microfiche readers also that we're an incarnation of the catalogs, I think actually was microfiche

00:29:25.230 - 00:29:44.110

first, then cd rom before we then went to some sort of computerized system. But uh You know, so I would say late 70s, early 80s. And what was the first part again? How libraries have changed? Okay, there isn't a date for that because libraries are constantly

00:29:44.110 - 00:30:05.810

changing. So um you know, it may not be technology, but it's it's I think the vision, I've been very fortunate To have worked with four library directors siding with Catherine, Skinner, Brown Kathy Park wrote a Goldberg and Edward melton. And each one of those directors had

00:30:05.810 - 00:30:25.860

a vision for the library and the division because as the changes or precipitated the changes they had brought in people to do studies of our library during the course of my working at the library, we had a number of studies of our library system so that

00:30:25.860 - 00:30:47.590

we could improve the service. We give improve our efficiency and functionality. Um and um a lot of us would be kicking and screaming, you know, with some of those changes that change that certainly affected the collection development department was when we went from a branch based

00:30:47.590 - 00:31:06.380

selection, I mean we still, we prepared a selection list that we sent to the branches and they would purchase based on budgets we gave them but we moved into a centralized selection and basically took the selection away from the branches. We Phase it in over a

00:31:06.380 - 00:31:24.570

year or two. But I think that was one of the most difficult changes for many of our staff members for us to take over that. But as a result of that, the material selection department when I first started with the material selection department, um narrow collection

00:31:24.570 - 00:31:43.590

development, there was a Children's specialists and adult specialist that was me and we each had an assistant and one of those assistants did inter library loan. Uh Now the selection department has five selection librarians I believe still at least when I left to assistance. Um and

00:31:43.590 - 00:32:04.650

but there's a separate inter library loan department. But as the system has grown and changed because the system in the 80s and the 90s there is a lot of change because we are in a tremendous growth. We went from 18 libraries 226 and I'm very happy

00:32:04.660 - 00:32:24.900

and fortunate to have been in the position of developing the core collection for the adult side of all of those libraries, all those new libraries. And I, even though I didn't develop the collection of the other libraries Before 1981, I worked with so many federal grant

00:32:24.900 - 00:32:46.150

programs. Um local grants, um all kinds of money is coming in. Friends groups monies that I have had some role in developing the core collections. They're not core collections, just the collections in general of many libraries. Um I would like to say, well one big change

00:32:46.150 - 00:33:07.800

for Harris County library in terms of collections is when I started there was hardly any foreign language material. There was no literacy very I think we had records LPS you know that was a V. Um and we certainly as the media has changed we have changed

00:33:07.800 - 00:33:29.070

tremendously getting into now downloadable content but there were a lot of steps in between that. But foreign language was always very difficult area because our vendors that we used at the time did not really carry any foreign language materials. Maybe you could get some juvenile materials

00:33:29.070 - 00:33:49.490

but you couldn't get adult materials and you know pleasure reading, forget about it, nonfiction, forget about. So we had to really think outside the box and I knew that there were bookstores in Houston. I mean we had a very uh diverse community here. So um we

00:33:49.500 - 00:34:07.350

talked with a few of the bookstores uh we had to jump a few hurdles as far as purchase orders and things to get the bills paid through the county. So we had to get that all set up and we worked with a bookstore called Amigos and

00:34:07.360 - 00:34:28.040

we're able to, for the first time I have some sort of foreign language collection. We later did a similar thing and we worked with a bookstore, a vendor to get Vietnamese materials and we did a lot of inter library loan of chinese materials. We have such

00:34:28.040 - 00:34:46.080

a diverse community here in Houston. Public libraries have to reflect that and so we try very hard um we tried very hard to collection development and I'm sure they still do to um to get those materials many of the vendors now we'll carry those materials. But

00:34:46.090 - 00:35:05.480

in the early years it was very, very difficult. And in terms of, you know, skipping back to core collections when you're trying to develop a fiction collection from scratch. It was remarkable. Or maybe not how many fiction titles that you feel would be a public library

00:35:05.480 - 00:35:31.270

should have classics were out of print. It was just incredible. Um So developing a fiction collection cause us to go to out of print vendors um to buy different ways. And I was always going to David jones who was over acquisitions and technical services and saying

00:35:31.270 - 00:35:46.040

I have an idea, I would like to try to go to this particular vendor. Is it going to be possible? And he would always find a way working with the county uh find a way so that we could do that because if we couldn't do that,

00:35:46.040 - 00:36:06.460

then our collections when we opened would not be um divers would not be complete and would really be a disappointment And we weren't going to have that Harris County public library system. No. Um So libraries are always changing. Tell me what do you think libraries will

00:36:06.460 - 00:36:26.040

be like in 10-20 years. Okay. I think that we have a glimpse of them now with what the pandemic has done, forcing libraries to do so much online. So I would have to say that I feel that libraries um are going to that's going to stick.

00:36:26.530 - 00:36:45.380

I think the online programming um I think that you'll be able to call your library and just like you can your doctor have an appointment for a virtual reference conversation. Um I think people are gonna expect that. So I think in the near term uh we're

00:36:45.380 - 00:37:06.180

going to see that sort of thing. Um I think that the technology is going to continue to involve to evolve. But I want to put one little caution and that would be I hope that we won't get away from that one on one that interpersonal connectiveness

00:37:06.190 - 00:37:30.560

with our customers because I think that that one on one really does make a difference. It may be for the time being virtual. Um but I hope that we continue to make a difference that way those relationships because that helps our libraries to grow. Yeah. I

00:37:30.560 - 00:37:51.510

think our virtual services and our curbside services have done a lot for accessibility for people who before couldn't come to the library for health reasons. For brother personal reasons and I think it kind of has helped us reach a wider audience. Right? I totally agree, totally

00:37:51.510 - 00:38:13.140

agree. Um So if you could give any advice to future library staff and or library french group, what would that advice be? Oh I I have advice. Um I would say uh as far as library staff and I think I kind of mentioned this is um

00:38:13.820 - 00:38:34.490

you know, get that experience that you need, if you if you want to move ahead in libraries, it's very important to be involved in all aspects of the library. Um As many as you can, being involved in committees in the library uh and being involved outside

00:38:34.490 - 00:38:54.230

the library, I feel very strongly that if you're only a Harris county library person employee, you do your job and even if you do your job well, if you don't network with others, if you don't join organizations such as the texas Library association where you have

00:38:54.230 - 00:39:18.410

so many more opportunities for professional growth, um then you stagnate as a librarian and it really is something that librarians need to do. It do not stagnate. You need to grow professionally. Not only will it help you not get burned out, Uh but it will help

00:39:18.410 - 00:39:39.930

you grow professionally grow personally. I I speak from my own experience because during the 1980s I think that I I got a little burned out, but my supervisor took me kicking and screaming into a committee with the texas Library association And that changed everything for me.

00:39:39.940 - 00:39:58.640

So um learn from somebody who worked 40 years and uh don't take my advice, but just do it just belong to the Texas Library Association. Um and that's where the French groups, I want to give them advice and that would be support you're Harris county public

00:39:58.640 - 00:40:15.480

librarians and uh staff if they want to attend a texas library association conference, particularly if it's in Houston. Um but all over the state, because I know from my own experience I would go to a conference, I would learn about a new program, a new skill

00:40:15.480 - 00:40:36.910

something and I would come back and apply it at my branch or in my job and it would only make Harris County Public Library better, so it's really, really important technology or not. You need to uh This is something you need to do for yourself, get

00:40:36.910 - 00:40:54.670

involved in your state association. You don't, if you can't go to the annual meetings, at least go to the district meetings that are in the Houston area uh network with other librarians to know you're not alone uh join whether it's a list of groups uh on

00:40:54.670 - 00:41:11.500

social media that deal with whatever it is you're doing, there's so much help out there, there's so much wisdom out there, it can only help you to succeed and in the long run health Harris County Public library to succeed, so I can't emphasize that enough, but

00:41:11.510 - 00:41:30.720

I agree with that definitely tell has helped uh me propel my career forward and just like you were the youngest manager, I'm also currently the youngest manager and all of our system. Um So yeah, I definitely see the value in professional organizations. Um So no sir,

00:41:30.720 - 00:41:47.180

all the questions that I have for you today. I want to thank you again for your time for uh virtually meeting with me. Uh So you kind of talk about how libraries have changed and kind of just the importance of libraries and community so I want

00:41:47.180 - 00:42:08.930

to thank you again for that. Um Any parting words before we leave? Yeah, if I could have I would have stayed longer but I want my former colleagues to know that uh that I'm very happy in my retirement. Very happy. But I still am involved with

00:42:08.930 - 00:42:33.700

libraries. I'm still accord caring member of the texas Library Association. I belong to the retired librarians roundtable and I established a closed facebook group for Harris County Library Retired employees. So if anyone is interested in that you can connect with me at T X. Library at

00:42:33.710 - 00:42:48.230

A O L dot com and I will be happy to hook you up. You do need to be on facebook to be a member, but if you're not on facebook and would like to be kept informed of our gatherings or community service projects, you can certainly

00:42:48.230 - 00:43:06.520

email me with your email address and I will be happy to uh keep you in the loop. All right, well thank you Elaine, thank you Israel you take care and everybody in Harris County please stay well stay, say bye. Right