The Andy Griffith archives housed at the Louis Wilson Round Library are not extensive when it comes to photos, correspondence, and news clippings—though certainly some of each of these are available—but what they do have are all of Andy Griffith’s personal copies of his scripts from The Andy Griffith Show. Andy had them bound with a “library-quality” binding each season.
The library itself is beautiful and stately. In addition to the archive reading room, they have an extensive collection of items about the history of North Carolina, from displays of all the different types of money that was used before there was a standardized national currency to now-defunct soda pop to an exhibit on Chang and Eng Bunker, the Siamese twins who settled in Mount Airy.
I was at the door of the archive reading room before they opened. Once allowed in, the security measures became apparent. I keep my laptop in a protective, padded case. That was not allowed to be brought in. They provide lockers outside the entrance for such items. I had known that they did not allow pens but was surprised that if you wanted to bring in paper, they had to stamp each sheet. The simpler route is to use the pencils and pre-marked paper they provide in the archive room.
Once I showed identification and was photographed for their records, I was assigned a designated spot to sit and allowed to request material. Naturally, I started from the beginning with “The New Housekeeper,” The library system said the box included the pilot for The Andy Griffith Show but that is incorrect, They had misidentified the premiere as the pilot.
The bound scripts are contained in boxes. The scripts are bound in the order filmed, not the order aired, just like many syndicated airings of the show used to be.
After requesting a box, there was often a bit of a delay as the box was retrieved from storage. They are not just sitting out like books in a regular library. As each item is removed from a box, a large placeholder has to be inserted into the folder so items will be returned to the correct spot.
Photography was obviously allowed, but the books had to be viewed on foam rubber wedges.
One last security measure to note. Whenever I left the room with my laptop, the computer had to be flipped open so they would know a piece of paper was not being smuggled out of the library.
WOW! What an honor to be able to see the scripts that Andy actually handled. They are obviously taking proper precautions with them. LOVE IT.
Love seeing these photos! So it was just the laptop case that you had to check before entering? They allowed the laptop itself, but that was all, correct? And what is the deal about the paper being stamped? What is the point of that?
Janet, they just didn’t allow any containers. I carried in my phone, an extension cord, chargers, and laptop.
As to the paper, I am not completely sure, but I think it may be that if something in the archived materials was on a piece of paper (like a letter from or to Andy), they want to prevent someone from walking out with it. In theory, if they didn’t allow you to bring in any paper unless they marked it, it would prevent someone from trying to steal a document by arguing that they brought Andy’s letter with them which they had purchased on eBay or whatever. There are definitely documents there just written on plain paper or legal pad paper.
Excellent Randy, thanks for sharing. Had to be eye candy !
Very interesting, Randy! Are you going to write a book concerning the scripts?
Um, time will tell! But if so, it won’t be right away.
I believe these same procedures were used by Goober who wanted to read his comics at the filling station.
In addition, potential readers had to wear “HipppoAllergic” gloves from Walker’s Drug Store.