Karl Lagerfeld and the Magical World of Libraries

Just about a month ago, I finally landed myself a work-study gig at FIT. Like everyone else in my program I had applied right away for the two most coveted open jobs: collections assistant and conservation assistant in the museum. Besides getting to work with FIT’s magnificent, jaw-dropping collection of garments, such work would be great resume building experience. Unfortunately those jobs, along with several other back-ups, all went to other people. I was feeling sort of rejected and hopeless when I unexpectedly got an e-mail from someone at the library circulation desk. When I applied I thought it was checking books in and out (front desk! Like MOHAI!), but instead it turned out to be book re-shelving (oh…like Barnes & Noble). As dull as it sounded, I figured I might as well go in for the interview.

When the two supervisors looked at my resume and realized I wasn’t an undergrad, they took pity on me. They wondered if, instead of book shelving, I would have any interest in Special Collections. Special Collections is where all of the rare archives are kept. In terms of gaining good experience and working with amazing items, it is on par with the museum. I salivated accordingly. They weren’t sure if the department was looking for anyone, but they offered to make inquires. We agreed on the following arrangement: I would start with book shelving and they would work on getting me in to Special Collections.

Shelving books turned out to be grimmer than I expected. Besides the fact that numerically sorting books isn’t high on the list of invigorating activities, there were too many people hired for too little work. Often there were three or four of us working to re-shelve a few short piles. I would end up circling the aisles and study carousels waiting for someone to leave a book unattended so I could snap it up and return it to its proper place. [Side note: in order to learn the Library of Congress system I had to sit through a computer tutorial hosted by a wizard who told me he was going to take me on a magical journey through the world of libraries.]

One thing I did like about shelving though was that it gave me a deeper appreciation of the library and the people who use it. It is sometimes hard not to be cynical about the undergrad population, and while there are certainly those that are a few needles short of a full sewing kit, there are clearly some great creative minds here as well. They use the library as a space to get inspiration, work on sketches, finish paintings, and build 3-D diagrams on the computer. It is fascinating to walk through and sneak glances at all the work in progress. Earlier this week I saw two women painting what appeared to be a large metal doughnut. Appropriately, the library collection reflects the needs of the students. The European history section is a bit thin, but the shelves for photography, graphic design, art, architecture, textile history, and fashion stretch on and on. Printed text is all well and good, but sometimes it is wonderful just to get lost in a smorgasbord of gorgeous coffee table books.

Visual delights aside, I was thrilled to be mercifully plucked from shelving duties. The director of Special Collections was desperate for help, but had no budget approval for a work-study student. But, since the circulation desk didn’t actually need me, they were happy to keep paying me and lend me out to another department. So, late in the game and partially by chance, I ended up with one of the best work-study jobs on campus.

I felt at home in Special Collections right away. Like your average underfunded museum or library the department has a small staff with an overwhelming to-do list. That sounds like a bad thing, but it means that I was warmly embraced as much needed help and promptly trusted with an interesting assignment. I’m working on an inventory of personal papers from a woman who worked as a fashion journalist in the 1970s and 80s. The collection is organized by designer, and features mostly articles, photographs, and PR materials. That stuff is interesting on its own, but every so often I come across the archives holy grail: an original designer sketch. Of particular interest are those by Karl Lagerfeld, who if you don’t know, is a design legend who is the head designer for Chanel. He apparently destroys most of his sketches, so seeing originals of his is doubly rare. So maybe the tutorial wizard was right after all. Libraries are magical places.