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Re: To College & University Archivists



Robert:  My registrars and I have always gotten along reasonably well.  We
have had two since I've been here. The first one simply ignored the
archives and the second one has been cooperative if passive about sending
records.  The only experience that stands out in memory was the day the
Admissions campus tour guides brought a group of prospective parents and
students down to the Archives.
        The Archives are located in the basement of the building that houses the
Admissions Office.  We outgrew the space several years ago, so there are
records in cartons stacked in the hallway.  The storage room across the
hall is like a teenager's closet.  Everyone in the building comes down at
one time or another, opens the door, tosses something in and runs.  From
time to time they would clean the place out and leave the trash piled in
the hallway in front of the elevator, in front of the door to archives,
everywhere.  The janitorial service usually forgets about the basement so
the floor is rarely swept, the trash is rarely picked up, the walls haven't
been painted in twenty years, and there are roach carcasses five inches
long in a few corners. (I have complained but to no avail)
        To make matters worse, my office had been moved across campus to make room
for additional personnel in the Development Office, also housed in that
building.  We were in the midst of preparing for a sesquicentennial
celebration and I was carrying stuff back and forth all the time so the
archives workroom was in a state of perpetual chaos.
        Early on in our sesquicentennial observance in 1998-99, the Admissions
Office, in a burst of pride in the college's past, I guess, brings this
group of visiting parents and students down to the basement unannounced,
stops at the open door to my workroom in the midst of the trash and filth,
and states with a flourish "And THIS is our Archives!" The tour guide
proceeded to make a few more comments about the school's history just as if
I wasn't there and then waded on through the trash to the elevator.  At
least they didn't introduce me!  The incident, thankfully, was never
repeated.  I suggested to the receptionist that showing the basement was
not putting our best foot forward, and maybe she passed the word along.
        Aside from that I have very little contact with Admissions.  They do not
send their records to Archives (only their trash).  Happily, I'm moving
into a new space in the library sometime next fall. LMc

At 09:17 AM 3/29/00 -0600, you wrote:
>  I am preparing a talk for college & university registrars and admissions
>officers. Would any college or university archivist who has had memorable
>dealings with their registrar or admissions office please share with me
>any success, problem, humor, or horror stories?
>  I will summarize for the list or present a summary of my findings & talk
>at a future session of the C & U Section of the SAA.
>  Please reply directly to me, off-list, at   robert.sherer@tulane.edu
>  Thanks,
>  Rob Sherer
> --
>Robert Sherer, University Archivist, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library,
>Tulane University, New Orleans, LA. 70118  504/865-5691 FAX 504/865-6773
>robsher@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu or robert.sherer@tulane.edu
>
>A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!
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>
>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>
>
>
"He who destroyes a good Booke, kills reason it selfe"

Dr. Laura McLemore, CA
College Archivist
Austin College
Suite 6L
Sherman, Texas 75090
fax 903-813-2297
lmclemore@austinc.edu

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>