3-X-96 Dear Ms. Baroff, I would like to thank you for sharing your experiences as an archivist. I found it very inspiring. I am a instructor in history and was just recently appointed as archivist (first) of the university. There are so many challenges ahead since I will be literally starting from scratch. What I am doing now is that i enrolled in a course in archival science in my old university. I'm learning a lot. Again thank you and I hope to hear more from you. Cheers, Francis M. Navarro College of Arts and Sciences University of Asia and the Pacific Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center Pasig City 1605, PHILIPPINES E-MAIL: [log in to unmask] >---------- >From: Deborah Baroff[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] >Sent: Thursday, October 03, 1996 7:33 AM >To: Multiple recipients of list ARCHIVES >Subject: Re: one-person archives > >---------------------- Information from the mail header >----------------------- >Sender: Archives & Archivists <[log in to unmask]> >Poster: Deborah Baroff <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: one-person archives >----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >-- > >Joanne Sawyer, Hiram College Archives, Ohio, stated: > >We have a great amount of research going here by > >outside patrons, and I've become quite firm about > >the need for an appointment. First of all, it allows > >me to serve these patrons better if I can be prepared > >for their visits. It .also means they will not be dis- > >appointed if they show up when I'm not here. > >I've always had a problem with patrons making appointments. >Within our museum, I'm the one-person special collections branch >(I guess you would say.) I have the honor of overseeing the >research library, archives AND photo archives. Because I was >getting interrupted just trying to finish one task, we decided to >set up "Research on Tuesdays and Thursdays only" >But I feel so bad for people visiting from out-of-state, I'm always >breaking my rule. I DO ask, when I'm called "up front" to greet >people, if the researchers live in town or are visiting our fair state. >(What a nice person, eh?) > >Joanne makes an excellent point when she says: >>Perhaps some archivists would not agree with me, but I also >>feel that requiring appointments raises the respect which patrons >>have for the archives. We have no problem making appointments >>with other professionals for their services; why should we feel that >>archivists can do their best work spontaneously? > >I know I have to make appointments 6 months in advance to see >some doctors. Many people who come to the museum find out >about us from someone else in the community (no, we're not >on-line - yet) I think the problem is a lot of our patrons are not >professional researchers. Personally, I like mail requests ! {:-Deb > >+++++Deborah Anna Baroff, Curator of Special Collections+++++ >+++++++++Museum of the Great Plains Lawton, OK++++++++ >-- >Registered ICC User >check out http://www.usefulware.com/icc.html >