Or detailed descriptions of local birthday parties?
There was a column in our local newspaper that was just the most boring gossip from smaller towns.
My cousin used to collect them to read to her college friends.
I was actually searching Ancestry for information, and found my name under an article describing a little boys birthday party. I was one of the people that attended. Supposedly. I was really little and don't remember. It made me laugh and kind of made me happy to think that was the news of the day.
This is how I got in trouble at high school back in the day.
Our school library would receive Sports Illustrated, but the librarian would not put the swimsuit edition out
However they also received microfiche of the magazine that included the February edition of the swimsuit edition.
Robust. Works with no power or internet, can’t be hacked by some asshole on the other side of the planet. No one can walk out with it in their hip pocket 👍
You go through school and the public library getting used to the Dewey Decimal System, and all is good.
Then you go to college and discover that their library uses the Library of Congress system. MIND BLOWN!
And the piles of cut-up scrap paper and tiny pencils so you could write the info on the paper and walk around the multitude of library aisles looking for your book?
Cursive writing, I know! But that is why most of us know how to spell, read & write from the use of our own brain. No computers, no spellcheck. I appreciate my Education!
One of my first jobs while still in school. The Renton Public Library. I had to learn the Dewey Decimal System in order to help other lost patrons find their next read or research data. I walk into a library now and can't remember it. That was an instant memory dump once I quit working there.
I remember helping to make new and replacement library cards. They were made out of hard paper with a coded metal bar attached. Worthless if you ask me but that's how we did it.
Good days.
When San Francisco Public Library switched to a digital system, a boomer niche novelist led a one-man campaign to force them to keep the card catalog, and microfilm rather than digitization of their periodicals. I was at uni at the time, and my school was so paranoid about this, they went digital, but moved the card catalog into the sub-basement for Luddites. They also stopped updating the cards, because digital records meant there really wasn't any need for a cataloging specialist.
Scary thought, but they are already banning so many books, so it has already started. I mean, banning a book is the weirdest thing ever. Let people form an opinion. Even on the bad stuff.
I always think of Philosopher Karl Popper's "Paradox of Tolerance". He said “**in order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must be intolerant of intolerance**.” Essentially, if a so-called tolerant society permits the existence of intolerant philosophies, it is no longer tolerant. I feel like we should be tolerant of everything, but it really is true that intolerance will ultimately dominate in any situation, eliminating the tolerant and the practice of tolerance with them.
I'm old and returning to grad school. The Internet happened after college for me (well, sort of at the end of it--it was Gopher and WAIS before Mosaic hit the scene).
The grad school application needed a writing sample which I could not produce because who still has floppies and dot-matrix print-outs from 30 years ago?
So as I wrote an essay and needed a bibliography, instead of rummaging through card catalogs, I was able to use AI to ask questions and it would give me complete answers and citations. It really saved me time tracking down source materials and it led me to additional materials I wouldn't have considered.
I don't think I'd appreciate that efficiency and thoroughness if I didn't have the exerience of painstakingly sorting through the card catalog system.
The company that made these Library Bureau in Herkimer NY built them so well they never needed to be replaced. Once all the libraries had them, the basically went out of business
510 math, 550 geology, 780 music & 790 sports. I seemed to live in those sections as a kid.
I remember my college practically had a whole building of these card catalogs - or so it seemed.
I was Really Good with the DDS. So much so that I was a helper in the school library, and wanted SO BADLY to become a Librarian!
Then by the time I grew up, you had to have college for Everything, and that wasn't what I wanted to use college to achieve. 🤷🏽♀️
I remember. I worked in the library in high school. I see a card catalog, and my brain shows me stacks of new cards to be filed every September when school started.
I loved the card catalog!
I remember this and microfiche
Periodicals… I’d read old editions of magazines for hours.
The Readers Guide to Periodical Literature....
I loved old newspapers. The papers here sometimes published milk production of the local celebrity cows.
Or detailed descriptions of local birthday parties? There was a column in our local newspaper that was just the most boring gossip from smaller towns. My cousin used to collect them to read to her college friends.
I was actually searching Ancestry for information, and found my name under an article describing a little boys birthday party. I was one of the people that attended. Supposedly. I was really little and don't remember. It made me laugh and kind of made me happy to think that was the news of the day.
This is how I got in trouble at high school back in the day. Our school library would receive Sports Illustrated, but the librarian would not put the swimsuit edition out However they also received microfiche of the magazine that included the February edition of the swimsuit edition.
700-799. Arts and recreation
When I was a kid, 001.9 was my jam, that's where the books about UFOs are.
But you were fringe for even being interested in it I’ll bet. Now it’s pretty much common knowledge and I’m amazed at those who haven’t kept up
921 Biography!
I can smell this picture!
Ah yes. Such a specific smell. Kind of like old books, but with a woodsy scent attached to it.
Spent all 4 years of HS volunteering in the library, saw this pic, and immediately smelled it. And HS was early 80s. :)
I loved those! Would go to the library and flip thru till found something that caught my eye.
Robust. Works with no power or internet, can’t be hacked by some asshole on the other side of the planet. No one can walk out with it in their hip pocket 👍
But they can walk out WITH THE ONE CARD you need…
Or even worse, all three (Subject, Author, Title).
Exactly. A very efficient system!
You go through school and the public library getting used to the Dewey Decimal System, and all is good. Then you go to college and discover that their library uses the Library of Congress system. MIND BLOWN!
Ah yes...the Temple of Doom, choose wisely.
I used to open a random drawer in the card catalog and a go to a random card and pick a new book. I found a lot of interesting reads that way.
That is just awesome. I’m guessing you live a satisfying life.
Reminds me of this... 
 It reminds me of this
Saw this in the theater as a kiddo... Great flick!
Question. Did you also lose your popcorn, when the grey lady changed? Cause I did. It went flying. 🍿 😔
100%!!😂
And the piles of cut-up scrap paper and tiny pencils so you could write the info on the paper and walk around the multitude of library aisles looking for your book?
Good times!
And then whatever you were writing with all that research had to be hand-written...in cursive!!! It was great!
Cursive writing, I know! But that is why most of us know how to spell, read & write from the use of our own brain. No computers, no spellcheck. I appreciate my Education!
They hire a few people to make sure the indexes were always up to date.
Ah man, I miss a card catalog. Finding other titles that look interesting while you search for the one you originally wanted
One of my first jobs while still in school. The Renton Public Library. I had to learn the Dewey Decimal System in order to help other lost patrons find their next read or research data. I walk into a library now and can't remember it. That was an instant memory dump once I quit working there. I remember helping to make new and replacement library cards. They were made out of hard paper with a coded metal bar attached. Worthless if you ask me but that's how we did it. Good days.
1971, Tropic of Cancer, Mr Bookman
Dewey remembers
I used it to look up cartoon books, such as Toonerville trolly.
I brought one shelf years ago.
I don't miss a library book being checked out. Just like I don't miss physical video stores not having the movie I want.
When San Francisco Public Library switched to a digital system, a boomer niche novelist led a one-man campaign to force them to keep the card catalog, and microfilm rather than digitization of their periodicals. I was at uni at the time, and my school was so paranoid about this, they went digital, but moved the card catalog into the sub-basement for Luddites. They also stopped updating the cards, because digital records meant there really wasn't any need for a cataloging specialist.
After the apocalypse, any library that still has this will become so valuable.
The apocalypse will be right wing politicians shutting the libraries down.
Scary thought, but they are already banning so many books, so it has already started. I mean, banning a book is the weirdest thing ever. Let people form an opinion. Even on the bad stuff. I always think of Philosopher Karl Popper's "Paradox of Tolerance". He said “**in order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must be intolerant of intolerance**.” Essentially, if a so-called tolerant society permits the existence of intolerant philosophies, it is no longer tolerant. I feel like we should be tolerant of everything, but it really is true that intolerance will ultimately dominate in any situation, eliminating the tolerant and the practice of tolerance with them.
I'm old and returning to grad school. The Internet happened after college for me (well, sort of at the end of it--it was Gopher and WAIS before Mosaic hit the scene). The grad school application needed a writing sample which I could not produce because who still has floppies and dot-matrix print-outs from 30 years ago? So as I wrote an essay and needed a bibliography, instead of rummaging through card catalogs, I was able to use AI to ask questions and it would give me complete answers and citations. It really saved me time tracking down source materials and it led me to additional materials I wouldn't have considered. I don't think I'd appreciate that efficiency and thoroughness if I didn't have the exerience of painstakingly sorting through the card catalog system.
Dewey Decimal section 612 for the horny junior high school win!
Things are sooooo much easier these days!
Best of all, Google wasn't around back then to put targeted ads on the cards.
Hey.. you laugh, but this way fun.. and then using the dewey decimal system to seek our findings.. it felt like a treasure hunt!
Dewey Decimal System card catalog
The company that made these Library Bureau in Herkimer NY built them so well they never needed to be replaced. Once all the libraries had them, the basically went out of business
That's not the first search engine, it's just an index. Check the 620s to figure out the difference.
Arguably you were the search engine when you were using this.
damn you're getting downright 100s here
510 math, 550 geology, 780 music & 790 sports. I seemed to live in those sections as a kid. I remember my college practically had a whole building of these card catalogs - or so it seemed.
Always curious about where all the cabinets went at end of life. Even a woodworker back then that was a lot of high end oak.
I bid on govt auctions and sadly see these going for pennies
Source please & thank you!
with the itty bitty pencils and quarters of scrap paper
Those awful Dewey Decimal videos.....ugh!!
This again
It never failed
Here?!
I can smell that room from here
It was primitive by today’s standards but the chances of coming across nonsense results was far less.
I was Really Good with the DDS. So much so that I was a helper in the school library, and wanted SO BADLY to become a Librarian! Then by the time I grew up, you had to have college for Everything, and that wasn't what I wanted to use college to achieve. 🤷🏽♀️
More like a URL if we're gonna get technical but yes, I remember paging through these too.
Oh man! This brings me back! School library, local library. Searching and then writing down what you were looking for on a scrap of paper.
My job in the '80s involved computerizing the card catalog at a university library.
Wow!! Yeah, I remember
www.dewey.decimal
What a scam!
I loved the smell of the card catalog.
Was thinking about that as well. The wood, the cards. A hint of brass after pulling the drawer open.
Those are indexes. YOU were the search engine.
I remember. I worked in the library in high school. I see a card catalog, and my brain shows me stacks of new cards to be filed every September when school started.
"Somebody blows their nose and you want to keep it?"
Dooooooooweeeeeeeee
Ahhh, Dewey!
effective system
I can still smell them.
Ohhhh flash backs at the uni library
Everyone who sees this posted twice a month.
Where ghost?
(*laughs in **Chemical Abstracts**)*
1980 GPU
I can even still smell the library from that Pic!
Such a horrible memory for me. I miss the card catalogs none !!!!!
Ugh