There was a box on the office windowsill – it was full to the brim of jazz CDs only a few weeks ago. On the one hand it was ‘not a priority’ – on the other hand, nothing would happen to the rest of the jazz CD project until this box was shifted. I retire from librarianship tomorrow, and I am cataloguing the last CD out of that box.
Result!
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
I now know so very, very many jazz artistes’ names. (I’ve catalogued over 2000 jazz CDs in recent years.) However, I can truthfully say I hadn’t heard of Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers until yesterday, when I picked up the CD. Wikipedia informs me she’s ‘an American singer specializing in swing and blues’, and she’s a year older than my youngest sibling. At least I’m cataloguing a contemporary female artiste, which feels a bit more relevant than some of the older guys who have been digitally remastered multiple times on multiple labels!
And the Handover Document(s)
I’ve been compiling this masterpiece for twelve months. It looks pretty comprehensive, but I’m sure there will be things I consider so run-of-the-mill that I haven’t mentioned them. I’ve done my best. There’s also a document about cataloguing music items, and a final document with examples of things catalogued. Sheet music, CDs, Sammelbander – oh, it’s all there. I can’t download my entire career’s knowledge and experience, but these documents might help.
I hope my successors find these at least slightly useful!
To be truthful, I don’t know what I’ll do at work tomorrow morning. I’ve never retired before. My son suggests it’s probably a bit like the last week at school before the holidays. I’m only semi-retiring, but maybe he’s right. (I should take a Scrabble board with me, then??)
I spent this morning indexing my book, as a scholar. Now to finish off cataloguing Lavay Smith’s CD, as a librarian!
Karen McAulay, Musicologist 