Library Behind the Scenes

Do you have a list of every book on your shelves? What if your shelves were full of books collected over 170 years that had not always been well documented? Would you know how to find the books you wanted, or would you even know what you were looking for?

In this hybrid lunch and learn program, Collection Accessibility Project Specialist Téa Belog will discuss her work on the inventory of the CLA’s print collection, which is part of a two-year initiative launched in January 2025 under the guidance of Librarian Meaghan Wright to complete an inventory for the entire print collection.

As the CLA looks to reconcile its catalog records with what is actually on the shelf, Téa will discuss her work reviewing every print item to identify gaps, determine the number of uncatalogued books, and assess longstanding issues and organizational inconsistencies. She will also share how her work on this project will offer a more complete and thorough understanding of the CLA’s collections and facilitate easier access for future researchers..

SPEAKER BIO

Téa Belog is an MLIS student at Simmons University. Her love of history, books, and organization coalesces into her current project at the Congregational Library & Archives as she tackles years of uncatalogued books.