Offer accepted!
The aviation museum that was remodeling agreed to sell their shelves to provide a home for the combined collections of their museum and our restoration shop.
The volunteer that rehomed the books met the restorers, Uncle Paul and I at the museum to move the shelves as well.
The museum was closed for renovations but clearly making progress towards their reopening. Their curator thanked us for coming for the shelves and making a home for their former collection.
The shelves were huge in comparison to what we had at the shop – we might have room for everything!
Before long, the heavy-duty shelves were loaded onto the trailer.
Seeing the shelves and helping to bring them back gave me a better idea of how they might fit into the space.
Bringing Shelves Home
The hangar immediately north of the restoration shop is home to the T-28 which Rosie and the caretaker from the Flying Lab were working through the condition inspection on. The warm spring day begged for open hangar doors to appreciate it not being winter.
The bookshelves arrived at the restoration shop as Rosie and the flying lab caretaker were ready to take a break.
Rosie has been splitting her time between the Flying Lab and the restoration shop while gaining experience towards her maintenance credentials.
Hearing snippets of her latest project over lunch has been eye-opening. What she has learned and realizing how far her determination has brought her is remarkable.
After lunch was finished, Rosie and the Flying Lab caretaker popped their heads into the reading room and library while I was measuring out where to place the shelves.
The restorers brought the large bookshelves in on dollies, a couple of kids from the aviation class down the taxiway followed behind to help level after being placed in their new home.
As one was finished, the next arrived until all four were in place and finally screwed together.
By the end of the day, shelves had been reinstalled and how the books would be laid out became apparent.
Finding Order Amongst Books
The numbering system used for the books at their old home was from the Library of Congress.
It took some time to figure out what the system was as I grew up using the Dewey decimal system, but makes sense with the scope of the collection.
Finding a website to help with adding the remaining books into the numbering system has been a game-changer.
We have been able to add in most of the remaining books with the help of book lover Peppermint Pam.
There is a small number of books that will require more research to add into the collection properly, that challenge will be addressed after cataloging is complete.
While cataloging the entire collection will take time, the books have been shelved into a reasonable sense of order and the reading room next to the library is ready for volunteers to curl up with a good book.
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