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Re: photo collections



Dear Ms. Mahalov:

Welcome to the real world of photo collections management.  First question:
how much time have you got?  Second:  How important is it to identify each
image?  Combing the publications is likely to yield some ID, but probably
not a high percentage.  It is also likely to turn up images you haven't got
in your collection of prints and negatives.  Those are worth recording, too,
if you have the time.

Yes, by all means send out a call to the campus and alumni!  You can make
this a great PR tool for your archives.  If you have access to newsletters,
try to get one interesting and unidentified image published in every issue,
with a teaser caption.  (Do you recognize this float?  Please call the
Archives at 555-1212!)

But don't count on this as the answer to your dilemma.  Bear in mind that
even the most positive of respondents may be wrong in what they tell you.
Keep track of the sources of your information (ex:  "Identified by John Doe,
Class of 1939".)  In any case, only a few will volunteer, and they will want
to spend most of their time talking.  Get a tape recorder going and let them
reminisce until the cows come home.

Meanwhile, you have a thousand photos to deal with. Is this new influx a
collection in its own right, or will it be interfiled with your other
photos?  Is it organized in a way that should be maintained?  If you have
nothing but chaos on your hands, then I recommend the time-tested "bushel
basket system" for sorting it out:  People, Places, Things and Events.

Sincerely,

Judy Robins,
Collections Supervisor,
Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology
520 N. Northwest Highway
Park Ridge, IL  60068-2573

Tel:  847-825-5586

Fax:  847-825-1692

e-mail:  j.robins@ASAHQ.org

Opinions expressed in this message may not represent the policy of my
agency.



-----Original Message-----
From: Jean L. Root Mahalov [mailto:mahalovj@MAIL.STROSE.EDU]
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2000 10:32 AM
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: advice needed


Fellow listserv members~

I am seeking advice on the following situation. When I started my job, I
inherited hundreds and hundreds of photographs, slides and negatives. I also
just received a sizable shipment of more photographs/slides/negatives from
two offices on campus. Most have little or no identification. I have a work
study student ready to input records into our database (ProCite) and have
been identifying what I can. Should I spend time or have a worker spend time
going through yearbooks, newspapers, etc. etc. looking for these images or
trying to identify the people/events/etc. in them? Should I send out a plea
for help to campus/alumni? Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Jean

Jean L. Root Mahalov, MA, MLS
Assistant Library Director/College Archivist
The Neil Hellman Library
The College of Saint Rose
432 Western Avenue
Albany, New York  12203

Tel (518) 454-5190
Fax (518) 454-2897

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