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Re: Archival statistics - not the usual reference kind



This is a little like the question an overzealous reporter asked a geologist
after one of the big earthquakes in southern California a few years ago: "How
many more unknown earthquake faults are there?" But, seriously, in our field I
constantly hear of business records being destroyed, usually because space is
needed or because new management or owners see no need to keep them around. I
have no idea at all of how much has been destroyed, as there never has been a
measurement of a destroyed collection; but in some cases the destruction has
encompassed multiple dumpster loads of records.

Best wishes,

Thomas Berry, Archivist
Historical Construction Equipment Association
16623 Liberty Hi Road
Bowling Green, Ohio 43402
Phone 419-352-5616
Fax 419-352-6086
tberry@wcnet.org
http://www.hcea.net

Melissa Mannon wrote:

> Dear colleagues,
>
> I am looking for statistics related to accessing and caring for historical
> records.  Specifically, I would like to know how much of our country's
> archival material is estimated to be sitting in attics and basements in need
> of a persistent archivist's help - How much personal material, corporate
> records, government records?  How much valuable archival material is
> estimated to have been destroyed over our country's history?  How much time
> do researchers or caretakers of historical records spend looking for
> materials in a disorganized storage setting as opposed to an organized
> archives?  I'm not sure anyone has gathered these kinds of statistics and
> realize some are pretty obscure.  I didn't find any info. in the Archives
> List archives.  I've also searched Library Lit. and the Web.
>
> As a consultant, I am working toward convincing the powers that be of the
> need to devote more monetary resources and attention to archives.  I'd like
> to get some hard and fast statistics to assist with an article that I'm
> writing on the subject.
>
> Thanks as always for your assistance!
> Melissa
>
> Melissa Mannon
> Archivist
> Archives and Information Consulting Services
> www.mannon.org/archives
>
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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>