Re: Yosemite Research Library

About a year ago, as I was looking for information related to the 1905-1906 Yosemite Boundary Survey, I spent a day in the Yosemite Research Library, upstairs above the museum in Yosemite Valley. The place is a veritable treasure trove, and well worth the visit, if for no other reason than to peruse the files and files of old photographs, maps, and books that they have there. While there, it became evident to me that the library staff (one person, part time as I recall) had a whole bunch of work to do just to keep up with normal paperwork and research requests, to say nothing of any updating of their systems, specifically digitalization, so that the Library's resources could be shared online.

Per the NPS Website: The Yosemite Research Library, maintained by the museum, is a research resource with some 10,000 books relevant to Yosemite, as well as photographs and articles. The library is normally open to the public Monday through Thursday from 10 am to noon and 12:30 pm to 4 pm. Appointments are highly recommended to ensure library availability. Contact the park's librarian for details and appointments.

I recently came across a crowd funding request to help the library purchase a digital scanner, and I felt it was worth while to send a few dollars to the cause. The Sponsor (not me) describes it as follows:
I'm gathering contributions for the Yosemite Research Library, one of the largest, most important and most valuable collections of books, photographs and ephemera relating to Yosemite and its history in the world. The majority of the collection has not been digitized and is therefore unpreserved and unprotected should a disaster strike! Also, because it has not been digitized, it is largely unavailable except to those visiting the Library in person.
Let’s do something about it! Let’s help purchase modern, professional grade equipment to scan and digitize the Library’s catalogue to preserve, protect and make it available to all! Your contribution, large or small, will go a long way in assuring that the Yosemite Research Library’s collection will be there for all of us and future generations. DISCLAIMER: This is a private endeavor to get public support and contributions for said equipment. This fundraiser is not administered by the Yosemite Research Library, the Yosemite Museum, Yosemite National Park, the National Park Service, the Department of the Interior or any U.S. Government agency or any of its employees. Tis fundraising campaign was launched at the suggestion of a representative of the Yosemite Conservancy, the not-for-profit organization that administers grant based funding for Yosemite National Park initiatives

The website for donations, if you are interested, is here.

If you have an interest in Yosemite history, I would urge you to donate whatever you can to help this cause. Anything is appreciated, I am sure.

Thanks for the info, Bearproof. Seems like $3280 (the fund-raising goal) would be pocket change for the Yose Conservancy (based on the vast funds they've spent on things like the Wawona Fountain refurbishment and the extra parking at Tenaya Lake) but it's nice to know that this relatively small amount (as in, easily achievable through a collection of small individual contributions) can do this much good.

Speaking to another point in your post, the last time I tried to contact the Yose librarian, I couldn't find who the librarian was or how to contact him/her. Am I just overlooking an obvious link on the nps.gov site or elsewhere? Similarly, I've always wondered what connection (if any), the Yose library has to the Yose online library (http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/). I know the online library is a fascinating resource but I've never known if it's maintained directly by the Yose Research Library.

I'm puzzled by this crowdfunding request since this is something that the Yosemite Conservancy surely should help fund. Not sure why the Yosemite Conservancy hasn't launched its own fundraising campaign to help the Yosemite Research Library since the Yosemite Museum Association (the forerunner of the Yosemite Association which is now the Yosemite Conservancy) help fund the building of the actual Museum and research library back in 1923.

At the very least, the Yosemite Conservancy should pledge to match this crowdfunding campaign, dollar for dollar, to help modernize the research library it helped create.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/historyculture/yosemite-museum.htm

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plawrence

At the very least, the Yosemite Conservancy should pledge to match this crowdfunding campaign, dollar for dollar, to help modernize the research library it helped create.

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Yeah, I would agree. I would like to think that there is some matching of funds going on. Or maybe its just a timing issue with all of the current year's budget allocated already.

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Bearproof

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plawrence

At the very least, the Yosemite Conservancy should pledge to match this crowdfunding campaign, dollar for dollar, to help modernize the research library it helped create.

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Yeah, I would agree. I would like to think that there is some matching of funds going on. Or maybe its just a timing issue with all of the current year's budget allocated already.

I guess would could also make a restricted donation to the Yosemite Conservancy that the money donated needs to go to the renovation of the research library. I've heard this is how some Yosemite trails get more maintenance over some others.

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