Jacky Lai, Archives and Circulation Assistant, was thrilled by an opportunity to work on the outstanding Uno Langmann Family Collection of B.C. Photographs. Lai, who has worked at multiple Library branches as a student worker and then staff member, is responsible for developing and maintaining an inventory of the collection. He is also heavily involved in processing albums in the collection – stabilizing and cleaning pages, and ensuring that the collection meets the Library’s preservation standards.
Several weeks ago, Lai was explaining his role to Langmann family members. “They were surprised to find out my ‘special’ cleaning tool is a simple eraser. They saw a before-and-after shot of one album page and were blown away by the power of an eraser!”
After meeting Uno Langmann in person for the first time, Lai was captivated to hear the famed art collector speak passionately about what the collection means to him. “I think it’s very important to understand the meaning behind our work,” says Lai.
As he continues his processing and preservation efforts, Lai looks forward to enhancing the accessibility of this special collection for the public. Select items in the Langmann Collection will be available digitally this summer – Library users can also visit Rare Books & Special Collections to see the photos in person.
“We have regular visits from researchers around the globe who use our collections for their research. The Langmann collection is a very good example of how the Library continues to strengthen its community engagement efforts – we already have classes scheduled for students in the upcoming fall/winter terms to use the collection!”