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Re: Dear Mr. Baker



Daniel wrote:
        >I do think his tone was a) unnecessarily haughty, suggesting that we don't know what the hell we're
        >doing, and b) refused to recognize the realities facing most of us in our day-by-day professional lives.
        >. . . I don't argue that the physical is valuable, it certainly is, but I can't afford what it takes to save
        >everything, much less in the original.  The archivist remains, like it or not, gatekeeper and selector of what
        >becomes part of the historical record.  It's not fair, and it gives us more power over history than what
        >perhaps we deserve, but Baker & co. need to realize the role we play in saving by format is no different than
        >saving by information.  Stuff gets lost, and that may suck, but it's the only way to do our jobs properly.

Instead of keeping the argument "in-house," why not get this out in the open?  Let's invite Mr. Baker to the SAA and ALA conferences.  Extend to him a day's free registration so he can visit the vendors' exhibits and sit in on a variety of sessions.  Let him see firsthand what our professional lives are all about.  Put him on a panel to discuss these issues, followed by a lengthy discussion.  Surely we could all benefit from this sort of "tete-a-tete," (mano a mano battle?) and perhaps Mr. Baker would become more interested in representing the other side of the story.

Margie


_____________________________________
Margaret A. Compton
Assistant Photo Curator
Special Collections - Margaret Herrick Library
Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences
333 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Beverly Hills, California 90211
Phone:  310-247-3036, Ext. 266
Fax:  310-657-5193
Email:  mcompton@oscars.org
http://www.oscars.org/cmps/index.html

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