The Portable Library
Storage Tubs Keep Everything Organized ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY DAN SAYERS “
A place for e v e r y - thing and e v e r y - thing in its place,” was one of my father’s man- tras. Dad didn’t espe- cially like it when he discovered his favor- ite screwdriver wasn’t where he’d left it. Like him, I too get driven to distraction whenever my wallet or car keys go missing. I also get a bit miffed when I’m unable to locate a ref- erence photo or news-
was to create a portable library that organized articles in a way that allowed them to be quickly and easily referenced. By 1996, after more than a decade in dogs, I’d amassed a pile of magazines that only attracted attention from a dust rag. Although I’d read each one cover-to-cover when they’d arrived in the mail, I could never locate an article I’d seen when I wanted to reread it. What good was all that informa- tion if I couldn’t find it again? To solve the problem, I chose a rather radical solution for a bibliophile. I decided that the best use of all that information was to tear the periodicals apart and keep only the most authoritative papers in breed- specific files stored in portable tubs. In this way, I’d avoid spending hours poring through dozens of magazines in search of a quote or the name of a dog’s breeder or owner. Of course, the use of storage boxes and paper folders may seem primitive when compared to the speed with which informa- tion can be retrieved from the Web, but this system continues to work well despite the miracle of Wi-Fi. My paper files are organized alphabetically by breed. Each breed has its own letter-sized hanging file folder and a clear plastic tab with a white insert that identifies the breed by its familiar name. Articles, papers and photographs are stored in separate manila folders that fit neatly into the hanging files. These files are suspended in plastic tubs designed for this
paper clipping when I need it. So, to avoid the stresses of the disorganized life, I followed my father’s example and got organized. My wallet belongs on top of the dresser and my car keys reside on the hook by the door. And when my dog pub- lications outgrew the available shelf space, I needed to find an annex. My solution to the growing mountain of magazines
left: Each recognized breed, designer dog and wild canid is identified alphabetically.
“MY SOLUTION TO THE GROWING MOUNTAIN OF MAGAZINES WAS TO CREATE A PORTABLE LIBRARY THAT ORGANIZED ARTICLES IN A WAY THAT ALLOWED THEM TO BE QUICKLY AND EASILY REFERENCED.”
above: A plastic storage container makes the perfect portable library.
106 • S how S ight M agazine , J uly 2018
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