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Re: Request Forms



I would be interested in knowing if archivists are taking the reference
request form one step further and tracking them electronically.  This would
allow archivists to alert past patrons to new materials that have become
available since their last visit, as well allowing other researchers to
contact each other on similar topics.

By chance is anyone already doing this?



>===== Original Message From Archives & Archivists
<ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU> =====
>Dick King asked if the information on the request form is ever used. When I
was managing a research room I used it extensively. Not only would it provide
me with the statistics I needed for my quarterly and annual reports but I
routinely found myself referencing the request forms to find
>the materials used by patrons who inevitability got citations incorrect when
asking for permission to publish. Once we had a donor accuse a patron of
damaging a photograph album. We were able to use the use statistics to prove
the patron had not seen the album. I've had researchers also request
>copies of their own user request forms so that they could keep track of what
they had seen, a double check on their own citations. I've  used the user
request forms to quickly identify sources for researchers in a similar topic.
I also used request form to track records staff looked at
>or used for an exhibit. I can't count the number of times they would come
back wanting to see something they had seen but hadn't taken note of. Their
use statistics also proved useful in arguing to administration for the value
of the library/archives to the host institution.
>
>Prudence Backman
>New York State Archives
>
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Geoffrey D. Reynolds
Collections Archivist
Joint Archives of Holland
Hope College
P.O. Box 9000
Holland, MI  49422-9000
USA

616-395-7798 (voice)
616-395-7197 (fax)
http://www.hope.edu/jointarchives

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>