 The Faulkner Gallery at the Santa Barbara Central Library was the location of a very
successful and rewarding Thematic Learning Initiative special event titled Exploring Treasures of Our Local Libraries and Archives featuring renowned writer, Brain Pickings blogger, and curator of interestingness, Maria Popova on April 5, 2018. UCSB Arts & Lectures partnered with the SB Central Library to highlight various public and private collections and archives across Santa Barbara. Facilitated by the Community Relations Librarian Jace Turner, the 140 community members in attendance learned about the histories, missions and accessibility of local archives. The program included selected slides from collections and a series of historic photographs by Edson Smith taken in Santa Barbara between 1870-1940. The event featured an engaging dialogue between Popova and Turner; 10-minute illustrated presentations by four curators; followed by an opportunity for audience members to ask questions of Maria Popova and the panelists. The presenters were: David Seubert, the curator of the Performing Arts Collection at the UCSB Library, who focused on digitization of early sound recordings and played an early cylinder; Rachel Hatcher Day, associate archivist at SB Mission Archives-Library which contains historical documents, photographs and artifacts from all of the California missions; and Norman Cohen, Executive Director of the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, highlighted the extraordinary and eclectic collection of priceless historic letters, scripts, and ephemera displayed and housed in this unique Santa Barbara museum. The audience was extremely receptive to learn that these libraries and collections were accessible to them, and appreciated receiving a printed list of library and archive resources available in our community. Afterwards each of the panelists staffed an information table in the lobby with additional materials about their archive. In addition to the 3 local presenters there were additional resource tables with representatives and from the following libraries: the Braille Institute Library; Ridley-Tree Cancer Resource Library; Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society Sahyn Library; Santa Barbara Historical Museum Gledhill Library; Santa Barbara Natural History Museum Collections; the Santa Barbara Public Library; Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation Presidio Research Center and the Joseph Campbell and Marija Gimbutas Library and the OPUS Archives and Research Center at the Pacifica Graduate Institute. One of the highlights of the TLI event took place at the beginning when current and past curators, archivists and librarians in the gallery were asked to stand and be recognized. The appreciative applause from the attendees was extraordinary. All of the librarians wore specially made ribbons declaring them “community treasures.” The event was such a success that the Santa Barbara Central Library is considering offering a similar program annually. In addition, outreach for both the Thematic Learning Initiative event and the public event with Maria Popova in conversation with Pico Iyer was promoted to all of the libraries in Santa Barbara.
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