Dreams of a City Librarian

Elizabeth Van Tuyl has been an archivist and librarian at the Bridgeport Public Library for the last 20 years.

The empty lobby to the Bridgeport History Center in Downtown

Elizabeth Van Tuyl is one of the few hard workers keeping the collections of the Bridgeport History Center preserved. She has a masters in history and started archival training at Suny Albany, and has been working at the Bridgeport Public Library for the last 20 years. I asked about her experience as an archivist in an urban library and her hopes for the future.

Why did you become a librarian?

I’m both a librarian and an archivist. I studied history at Suny Albany, now called University at Albany. I became interested in research and repositories, then I found out there are library science degrees. That’s what I did, I wanted to become an archivist. I came here to work at the history center, to be an archivist.

What’s it like working at a history center in a public, urban library?

It’s not uncommon, but it's unusual to have one in a public library. There’s usually limited staff, limited time, and limited resources. It is hard to find the time in the day to do everything. To work here, you have to be a jack of all trades. A generalist, but also be able to handle all the specifics. Not to complain! Don’t put me down as whiny! I’m just saying, in these types of organizations, you have to wear different hats. The nature of the city is to change, the nature of the library is to keep up.

How have things changed in your time working here?

Things wax and wane, but because of the pandemic, things have changed a lot. This department went on an appointment-only schedule. It’s worked out pretty well so far, people send requests through our website. There are some online events, but that can’t reach everybody, especially in Bridgeport. Not everyone has a computer. There’s been this greater expectation that everything will be digital. Except, that’s not really the nature of our work. There’s something special about hands-on research. In the old days, it was more like the public library, people would just walk in. Throughout this building, not as many people visit like 5 or 10 years ago. But we’ll see what happens.

If it were up to you, what changes would you make to this library, or even, this community?

That’s a loaded question! One thing I’d like to see is a whole new building for the central library. A modern, green building with parking in a downtown location, a specially controlled area for the history center and all its materials, and a gallery. A lot of people love this building because it's old, but it has outlived its usefulness for modern public librarianship. It would be a dream of mine as a resident of Bridgeport, a user of the library, and an employee of the library to have a new building. It’s about serving the needs and the wants of the public, and we are hampered sometimes.

How would I change Bridgeport? Let’s just say what I want to see from Bridgeport is what I’d want to see in any city in the United States, and that’s a more open and inclusive local government that responds to the community’s needs, and is willing to make long term investments. Some things take a long time. Affordable and healthier housing, investments in the arts, education, and cultural institutions like the library!

Okay, last question. What’s something you want more people to know about the history center?

Oh that’s tough. Okay, I’ve only got one shot here. We are the research repository for Bridgeport history and we are here to serve the public. We collect, preserve, and maintain Bridgeport history. I’d like people to remember we’re here.