Library Move Demonstrated Community Spirit

"One of my favorite memories of Moss Landing Marine Labs as a graduate student was when we moved the library, bucket brigade style, from the second story of the original lab building to its new location, just behind the seawall on the west side. Many organizations would have hired a moving company, but MLML made it a community event. The process was efficient and effective, and somehow seemed like one big party. Wanting to gather some facts on the move, I looked up an old article in the student newspaper, MLML News. Rather than retell the story, a note from the January 1985 edition of the newspaper is reprinted below."

Book Shuffle A Big Success by Andrew DeVogelaere  (1985)           

By Andrew DeVogelaere (23 December 2015)

 

The Library move on 29 and 30 November, 1984 was a big success. About 20 people on Thursday and 60 people on Friday formed a human chain to transfer 14,000 volumes. The distance from the old to the new library is close to 70 yards. There were representatives from all the labs, the administration, the R/V Cayuse, the shop, spouses, and Alan Baldridge, the librarian at Hopkins Marine Station. The books were tossed down the hallway to rockin’ sounds exuding from strategically placed portable tape decks. Because of the enthusiasm of all the volunteers and the organization of Sheila Baldridge and Sandi O’Neil, the library was back in business by the following Monday. The event also provided an occasion for a group photo and a barbecue party.