DE:  Alain Vaillancourt         [log in to unmask]
 
 
I agree completely with Dean De Bolt.  I have too often encountered this
kind of attitude from archivists who in theory should be serving the public.
 
I first met this absurd attitude 12 years ago when the university archivist
who was also teaching (to me and others) the archives course in library
school  told me that of course all the university plans were all secret.
He seemed to think I was an idiot for asking.
 
I found out a few months later tha i could get the same information by
going around him, looking for the plans at the office which took care of
posting local plans indicating emergency exits and alternates.
 
Paranoia, an emotion, is counterproductive in all management situations.
 
The "need-to-know" principle is essential for any office engaged in
intelligence and counter-intelligence activities.
 
The  reverse of this principle is essential for an office whose goal is
to preserve and disseminate information to the public.  In other words
anybody has the right to information unless there are severe reasons for
keeping it secret.
 
Au revoir!