I just found out that the Special Collections Library WILL close at the end of May. All of us are sad. The library will move some of the New Mexico collection of special books to the Main library, but not all.
My group works within the New Mexican collection of over 300 books (not all death records). They cover almost all the counties in New Mexico (33 counties), but particularly Bernalillo County. Years ago I spent time making a list of all the records and books that needed to be transcribed that pertained to cemeteries, deaths, funerals, mortuaries, etc. The list was originally about 90books. Over the years the library has added to my list with "could your group please extract this book too?" So my list at times was over 100 books or records. We had whittled that list down to about 40 books left to work in.
With the library closing, our work will come to a snails pace based on what books are available when and where. Special Collections is expected to be closed for over one year for complete renovations.
And unfortunately it is happening at this time of year. Typically we walk cemeteries doing updates from April through mid-June. After that it is too warm (unless we start working at 7 a.m. and no one is willing to do that!). We then go to the library and enjoy the cool inside and visiting with each other, catching up with each other, all the while writing furiously and extracting data from our assigned books. So with mid-June rapidly approaching, what shall we do? Continue outside and sweat? Stop for the summer? Don't know yet. So far everyone is willing to do whatever is necessary.
