Showsight - July 2018

The Portable Library: Storage Tubs Keep...

BY DAN SAYERS continued

purpose. My cropped and clipped col- lection of newsprint and glossy paper initially required four tubs. Today, I have 12 storage containers that stack neatly wherever I choose to keep them. Each tub has a tight-fitting lid that keeps its contents dry and dust-free. The only drawback to their use is their consider- able weight when filled to near capac- ity. Then again, who needs a gym mem- bership when you’re a dog writer? When I initially organized magazine articles in this way, I hadn’t anticipated the speed with which the American Kennel Club would begin to recognize breeds. Thankfully, the storage tub sys- tem allows the collection to expand to include any breed recognized by the

AKC, KC of England or the FCI. There’s even space for unrecognized breeds, designer dogs and wild canids thanks to the hanging folders’ design. Each is fit- ted with a series of slots where the plas- tic tabs can be inserted in nine differ- ent positions. This allows the name tag for every breed to be arranged in rows by Group—Sporting through Herd- ing—from left to right. The eighth row accommodates all Miscellaneous and FSS breeds, and the ninth is reserved for every other domestic and wild dog. Whenever a breed is accepted into one of the regular Groups, I simply move its plastic tab into the correct row, thus making it easy to find reference mate- rial for a breed when needed.

Although my files contain articles gleaned largely from dog magazines both old and new, some consist of material gathered from publications unrelated to the dog sport. National Geographic frequently features articles of interest to dog breeders and exhibi- tors. For example, a widely read article in the February 2012 issue titled, “ Mix Match Morph: How to Build a Dog ,” introduced readers to a project called CanMap that gathered DNA from more than 900 dogs representing 80 differ- ent breeds, as well as gray wolves and coyotes. Smithsonian Magazine and Sports Illustrated have also published features about dogs and dog shows. Even the fashion rags have printed

Articles and information can be centrally stored and easily retrieved.

108 • S how S ight M agazine , J uly 2018

Powered by