The Good Archives

As a sometimes wannabe reference librarian, I’ve always kept stories, lists, articles, or informational material on hand just in case. After reading a paper version of something interesting, I compulsively tear, cut, copy, and staple. Then I'll send it to live with other interesting papers in fading green hanging files stored in various Hanaway file cabinets and bins. Occasionally I'll pluck a few out for a reread, but mainly they've been waiting in the dark for an unknown future purpose.

Do you know that old, semi-bold phrase, "The Future is Now"? Well, in this case, the moment for my lifelong categorized collecting at last has arrived.

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Like most tendencies, I come by my reference-collection habit honestly. My mom's mother — her name was Betty, but we all called her Mommer — was a prolific letter-writer. I will save some of her best handwritten lines for a future post because — what with details of the day's soup and bridge game, many pieces of cautious advice, unfiltered product and personal conduct reviews, and very detailed weather reports — they are a time-capsule treasure of her very particular, very opinionated 1980s-early 1990s Mommer-ness.

Within many letters I'd find a carefully folded article or essay — often cut from the pages of Reader's Digest or the local paper; over time, Ann Landers seemed like a distant aunt, so vaguely familiar was her newsprint face to me. I imagine Mommer had an ongoing stack of clippings for each of us four grandkids according to our different personalities and life stages. She must have been ever on alert for potential letter-enclosure material.

It never occurred to me to toss Mommer's letters or bits of printed wisdom, because — I don't know? — maybe that high school graduation advice would one day come in handy? Or maybe I was just overly-sentimental? Or simply a pack rat? All of the above, probably. Regardless, sitting down today with a boxful of Mommer's letters and their enfolded articles underscored the direct line from her cutting + saving/sending to my own cutting + saving/sending. I'm still a loyal paper person, but I've also adapted with technology; my digital parallel involves long columns of multi-foldered bookmarked tabs. After combing through the various categories, I love nothing more than sending a perfect article link to its perfect recipient. The times have changed, but the Mommer in me just cannot stop.

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This is my long way of saying that I'm ready to free my old paper and digital files from their closeted obscurity and finally bring them out into the light of day. Occasionally I'll come across something Extra Good from my vintage collection that I think you might like. I'll tag it as coming from The Good Archives so you'll know to thank Mommer in memoriam when you see it 📬.

BACK TO EXTRA GOOD

Creased brown kraft paper serves as a background frame for the photo of the hanging files.

A close-up partial view of well-used green hanging files with labeled manila file folders visible in many of the hanging files. The file tabs are white with black felt-tip handwriting. From front to back, the files include BOOKS, MUSIC, FUNNY, FEEL GOOD, GOOD PEOPLE, GENERAL INTEREST, INTERESTING!, MISC ARTICLES, GOOD IDEAS, and QUOTABLES. The ragged edges of various sheets of paper are visible within many files.

My grandmother, Mommer, is sitting outside on a wooden bench. She has her knees drawn up with her feet on the bench, hands clasping upper legs. She is turned to face the camera, which is behind the bench and slightly uphill. She has an amused soft smile and very engaged eyes (behind her trademark eyeglasses). She was in her eighties at the time of this photo, with short puffy white hair and wearing white shorts, a bright pink short-sleeve top, a chunky white necklace at her neckline. She was never without a necklace! Seven images of old newspaper clippings surround the image of Mommer.

An old, yellowed newspaper clipping Mommer sent to me. The headline is "Dog Hero Award Honors Lifesavers." The image of the clipping is designed with tape at the top and bottom, appearing to stick onto the webpage at an angle at the bottom left of Mommer's photo..

An old graying creased newspaper clipping Mommer sent to me. The clipping is on The Charlotte Observer's Editorial page and the headline is "For Graduates, A Speech to Read Later." The image of the clipping is designed with tape at the top and bottom, appearing to stick onto the webpage at an angle and overlapping Mommer's photograph on the right side.

An old, creased, yellowing newspaper clipping Mommer sent to me. The headline is "Reading That Blizzard Away" and the name of the column is "Cider from the Press." The image of the clipping is designed with tape at the top and bottom, appearing to stick onto the webpage at an angle to the right of Mommer's photograph.

A partial view of an old creased Better Homes & Gardens magazine clipping Mommer sent to me. The headline is "stationery objects", although the word "objects' is cut off after the letter "b." Below is a still-life-style photograph that includes white roses, writing accessories, an old sterling silver photo frame and serving utensil, and the corner of a sheet of white paper. Above the still life photo, Mommer wrote in black ink cursive "Libby I know you must have seen this but I couldn't help but think of you." The image of the clipping is designed with tape at the top, appearing to stick onto the webpage to the right of Mommer's photograph.

A partial view of an old, yellowed Reader's Digest clipping Mommer sent to me. The red-ink headline is "My Most Unforgettable Character." The subheadline in black ink is: "She Challenged Us to Succeed — and Then Showed Us the Way." The essay was written by Joseph N. Michelotti MD. In blue pen, Mommer inscribed the following above the headline: "Libby -- I thought you would enjoy this, made me think of your mom, Readers Digest." The image of the clipping is designed with tape at the top and bottom, appearing to stick onto the webpage to the right of Mommer's photograph.

An old creased graying newspaper clipping Mommer sent to me. The headline is "Learning from the Great Ones" published in a column call "The Writer's Art" by James J. Kilpatrick." The image of the clipping is designed with tape at the top and bottom, appearing to stick onto the webpage to the right of Mommer's photograph..

THE GOOD ARCHIVES

THANK YOU FOR VISITING

SEE YOU BACK NEXT WEEK!