Documenting the Detritus Project is a new guest blog series written by a dear friend of the Library as Incubator Project, Melissa Kolstad. Melissa is a collagist/ephemeralist who works in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She is a member of the Fond du Lac Visual Arts collective, which has a close partnership with the Fond du Lac Public Library. The Detritus Project is a new project that Mel is working on, which seeks to document and examine what people leave – parts of their everyday lives and activities – when they return library books. Mel will document her progress on the Detritus Project twice a month until June.
by Melissa Kolstad
In the six weeks that I have been following the Library as Incubator Project, I have been inspired countless times by the many ways that our libraries enrich our lives. When one is inspired, creativity usually follows.
And so began an idea that came to me when I was perusing my own checked-out library books and noticed the due date slip: I wonder what other things people leave behind when the books are returned?
Instead of just musing on the subject, I sprang to action and e-mailed Terri Fleming, the Community Information Coordinator for our Fond du Lac Public Library(s). I got to know Terri through Fond du Lac Visual Arts’ involvement with the Langdon Divers gallery inside the library’s main branch (which we curate). I asked her if the librarians would be willing to participate in a little “experiment”, whereby they would collect everything that was found in returned and donated books. Within a day I had my answer – Circulation Coordinator Lori Burgess and the librarians were all for it! And with that, the Detritus Project was born!
And hoo boy, were the librarians ever thorough! Look at what was collected in books in only one week’s time:
And while the wonderful support staff at the FDLPL may find this idea more than a bit odd, I reaped the rewards of their diligence. :) PAYDIRT!! Here are some of the varied and cool items that were found:
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- Gift cards – hopefully they’re used up!
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- A to-do list (I wonder if her room stayed clean?)
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- A very friendly homemade bookmark!
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- Helpful hints!
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- A Florida Turnpike “Sun Pass.”
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- A proclamation of love (so sweet!).
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- Actual bookmarks (and LOTS of ‘em!).
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- A HUGE mound of library slips (this one was a given).
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- A car number for Gilles, a Fond du Lac landmark drive-in. Love the poem on the back!
I’ve got more than enough stuff – now, what do I DO with it? That’s for the next post. Stay tuned!
You can also read Melissa Kolstad’s previous contributions to the Library as Incubator Project:
- Featuring: Mel Kolstad
- Books about collage curated by Mel Kolstad
- Library Kit: Perfectly Repurposed Periodicals
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10 comments
Terri Fleming says:
Mar 13, 2012
canNOT wait to see what wonderful creative and cool stuff you come up with!! LOVE this project.
Mary Shortino says:
Mar 13, 2012
We MUST talk! Recently, at the Cedar Roe branch of the Johnson County Kansas Public Library, I “curated” a show in our gallery space called “Lost and Found – Stuff Found in Books” – I’ll send you photos and we should compare notes. I will be in touch.
Megan Stecyk says:
Mar 13, 2012
I did the SAME thing when I was working at McGill University libraries. I wrote about my plundering the stacks on my blog at the time (http://megansnook.blogspot.com/2011/01/for-love-of-pockets.html)
Now I am thinking of saving all those date due slip detritus left in books and do something with them. Organize them chronologically in an old card catalogue? Can’t wait to see what you do with your box of gems!
libraryasincubatorproject says:
Mar 13, 2012
Wow! Such great ideas / projects. We’d love to document a detritus collaboration here
Let us know who we can put in touch!
Mel Kolstad says:
Mar 14, 2012
WOWIE! I love all of this exchanging of ideas – I’m so glad that my little project has got us talking! Thanks for all the comments!
The Detritus Project, Part 2: Sorting it Out | Library as Incubator Project says:
Mar 27, 2012
[...] Author’s note: This is the second in a series of posts concerning The Detritus Project, an interactive library art work that I’m creating in conjunction with the Fond du Lac Public Library in Fond du Lac, WI. For Part 1, click here. [...]
The Detritus Project, Part 3: What a Tangled Web(bing) | Library as Incubator Project says:
Apr 10, 2012
[...] I’m creating in conjunction with the Fond du Lac Public Library in Fond du Lac, WI. For Part 1, click here. For Part 2, click here. Photo by Brian [...]
The Detritus Project, Part 5: Transference and Stitching | Library as Incubator Project says:
May 8, 2012
[...] I’m creating in conjunction with the Fond du Lac Public Library in Fond du Lac, WI. For Part 1, click here. For Part 2, click here. For part 3, click here. For part 4, click [...]
The Detritus Project, Part 6: Onto the Mat! | Library as Incubator Project says:
May 22, 2012
[...] I’m creating in conjunction with the Fond du Lac Public Library in Fond du Lac, WI. For Part 1, click here. For Part 2, click here. For part 3, click here. For part 4, click here. And for part 5, [...]
The Detritus Project, Part 7: The Road Ends Here | Library as Incubator Project says:
Jun 5, 2012
[...] with and we love her final project. For Part 1 of “Documenting the Detritus Project” click here. For Part 2, click here. For part 3, click here. For part 4, click here. For part 5, click [...]