Laura Ingalls Wilder Building Part 2

So what is my Laura Ingalls Wilder Building going to do? Primarily it’s going to hold my Laura Ingalls Wilder, historic foodways, and one-room school collections, plus  a few general things that will be moving out of the house. I’ve already started collecting old aquariums to serve as display cases and I have my eye on a Multiplex poster display. I also have library bookshelves and several display units and an entire wall of filling cabinets. A special “display unit” will be a Christmas tree with a revolving base. I already bought that on CyberMonday and I can’t wait to get it up and all my Laura ornaments on it. Near the door I’m putting some metal doored cupboards that will house all my speaking materials in one easy to grab from place. (That will be such a dream instead of dragging everything out of the attic in boxes, I’ll be able to pull up to the door and load the car from a few feet away.)

The other two out walls are going to be my work/media production areas. I intend to get scanners of  various kinds, a microfilm reader, etc hooked up here. I also want areas set up with proper lighting to take photos of objects either flat or against a backdrop without having to take it all down and put it up again the next time. Near the far side from the door I’m going to have an area where I can have multiple backdrops that I can use for photographing people (or their costumes or large objects) against a solid background and a webcam set up so I can do video podcasting. I’m planning on doing my podcast radio shows from there and have already decided to add a red ON AIR light outside the door. – No more interruptions during shows!

I can hardly wait to have everything in one place where it can stay put and speed up my work. For the time being there isn’t a lot to see, although people who got my Christmas card got a good look at the door (the image I used in part 1) and hopefully next year I’ll be able to show the inside of the building. Right now the framing is complete. Wiring and insulation are both partially finished. I’ll be sure to make progress reports. I have a basic plan in mind, but I’m always open for suggestions!

Last Updated February 13, 2016: I added my signature block and two photos. I hope you enjoy visiting my building. 🙂

Sarah S. Uthoff is the main force behind Trundlebed Tales striving to bring the History, Mystery, Magic and Imagination of Laura Ingalls Wilder and other greats of children’s literature and history to life for a new generation. Uthoff is a nationally known Laura Ingalls Wilder authority and has presented at five of the Wilder homesites, many conferences and numerous libraries, museums, and events around the Midwest. Attend one of her programs, schedule one yourself, watch her videos, listen to her podcast, and find her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+,  LinkedIn, and Academia.edu. Professionally she is a reference librarian at Kirkwood Community College and director of the Oxford (Iowa) Public Library.