My name is Eileen Fischlschweiger, and I’ve been the Fort Lauderdale PTRC Representative for eighteen years, having worked at the PTRC in the capacity of Patent and Trademark Librarian for twenty years. I have been a librarian with the Broward County Library System for over 26 years. My undergraduate degree is a Bachelor of Science in both Chemistry and Physics (double major). I also have a Master’s degree in Communications, a considerable amount of graduate level coursework in Education, and a second Master’s degree in Library Science.
The Broward County Main Library in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has housed the Fort Lauderdale PTRC since its designation on November 1st, 1984. Formerly a part of the Government Documents Department 1984 – 1996, it became a part of the Business, Law, and Government (BLG) Section November, 1996 – January 2010, and it is currently a part of the Reference Section.
2014-2015 Highlights
• In May 2014, we had our annual National Inventors’ Month book display using various attractive posters to enhance the display’s appearance. This year we used images of inventors for the graphical portion of the display.
• In June 2014, just a few months after Main Library’s Creation Station’s initial soft opening on January 21, 2014, Broward County Library was honored to be included in a White House Fact sheet titled “FACT SHEET: President Obama to Host First-Ever White House Maker Faire” (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/18/fact-sheet-president-obama-host-first-ever-white-house-maker-faire). The Fact Sheet States: “More than 125 libraries and library systems across the country are committing to support Making. Libraries ranging from small rural public libraries, schools and academic libraries to some of the largest public library systems in the United States are committing to support Making, from creating or adapting current spaces, to investing in tools and technology, to participating in regional efforts that build a tight-knit and vibrant Maker ecosystem. A few examples of such efforts include: […] Broward County Library in Fort Lauderdale, Florida runs the Creation Station, which hosts STEM-oriented activities for students. The Library will designate September as Maker Month and will feature a series of DIY events and activities throughout the month.” This is a great honor indeed, as only three other public libraries were selected for listing in the Fact Sheet. The link to all of the 125 libraries and library systems is also provided (http://www.urbanlibraries.org/-makerspaces-in-libraries-pages-338.php). For more information, click on the following links: http://www.urbanlibraries.org/the-creation-station–pages-344.php and http://www.broward.org/library/creationstation/Pages/Default.aspx.
• The materials collection (books and artifacts) of the former Historical Commission of Broward County were officially transferred to the Broward County Libraries Division in early November 2014. Main Library was selected to house the materials in the Historical Library and Historical Archives on the fifth and sixth floor respectively, and I along with several other people on the reference staff and from other areas were selected to work with the collection. Our team has collaborated with research projects to answer customer queries for historical information, and we have worked with the collection in various ways, such as in creating displays that highlight selected materials from the collection.
• The Broward County Main Library’s Wind Mitigation Project has been completed, and the Main Library had a Reopening Celebration on December 13, 2014. This celebration included a variety of entertaining programs and was well attended. Saturday service was reinstituted during August 2014, and the 3rd Floor was repurposed. It now holds the international languages, fiction, and large print collections formerly on other floors during the duration of the Wind Mitigation Project.