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!