Levels of access
I forgot to add that he is not technologically saavy and is not comfortable with scanners or digital cameras. That would make things too easy!
 

Christine A. Schmid
Associate Archivist
The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of American Jewish Archives
3101 Clifton Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45220
513-221-7444 x3319
513-221-7812 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
http://www.americanjewisharchives.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Schmid, Christine
Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2006 10:46 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Levels of access

I am in need of the wisdom of my colleagues regarding access.

We have a researcher who has been working for several weeks on a large collection. It was processed only on a box level and is about 200 record sized boxes. This researcher will be leaving town soon and wants to be able to photocopy documents in it on his own. He is willing to bring in his own copier, do it himself and still pay for the copies. We are actually considering his request because the collection is not in good order and the copying, if done by our part time worker, would take quite a while to get done because of the volume and disarray of the collection. Basically it would be easier on some of the staff.

We have some reservations of course. The only open space for him to set up and work would be where he would be unsupervised. Call me pessimistic and skeptical but I don't tend to trust anyone with historic records that I have been employed to care for.

Also, this researcher has a history of continuously asking for more leeway on the rules and we always give an inch, give another inch and then another inch all in the pursuit of open access for our users.

Has anyone been in this or a similar situation before? Advice? I am afraid of setting a precedent for such open access to our collections and building.

Thank you all.

Christine A. Schmid
Associate Archivist
The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of American Jewish Archives
3101 Clifton Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45220
513-221-7444 x3319
513-221-7812 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
http://www.americanjewisharchives.org

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A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org. For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp.

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Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>