The Electronic Literature Lab has been able to expand into a new space where we can hold our computers, software, and manuals. Named the “Restoration Space,” it is located just a short step away from the MOVE, our Sound and Video Studio where we had been stowing all of this equipment for the last decade. James Lesperance, whom we hired last year to take over some of the programming and to provide support for Greg Philbrook, is now also our designated “Tech Librarian.”
Last week James and I finished moving everything to it and getting things somewhat organized so that we could see what we actually had. Today I went back and laid out the manuals so that the order makes some sense. For example, I put all of the Adobe manuals together, all of the Apple software manuals, etc. That way, if we need to consult a manual about Flash MX 2004 (yes, it still happens), we know exactly where it is located–and more importantly, we can reach it without tripping over boxes and chairs and a hundred other items stuffed behind the curtains as it was in the MOVE.
I started on the software today, but that will take a bit more time. I did get all of the Macromedia and Adobe software on the same shelf. It looks like I will also be able to do the same for the Apple software. I never knew I had so many versions of PageMill, but yes I was a fan when I was teaching future high school teachers how to make websites back in the late 1990s.
What will take most of my time, though, are the CD-ROMs and floppy disks. My god, I have what seems to be millions of them.
Next up: inventorying everything so that they are online for people to access. I do get calls occasionally for a legacy version of Norton anti-virus software. Last year we found that someone had put a copy of Cold Fusion 4.5 among the loose CD-ROMs in a box they donated to me. We had been desperately looking for a copy so that we could preserve the trAce Online Writing Centre–and there it was in a pile in a box. They did not know what a treasure they had given me.
I am grateful for the support of my university. The lab is weeks away from its 15th years of operation at WSU Vancouver. There is much to celebrate.