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Creature comforts, creature collecting & collection policy--a drama in real life



At the last place I worked the carpet had been taken up for replacement and a
"fresh" snakeskin was discovered.  Supposedly the snake was later found and
destroyed but I don't know about that.  At any rate my boss was determined
that the snakeskin should be kept in the archives and I was equally
determined that it would not be kept in the archives.  I threw it out and she
retrieved it and put it in her office.  She was also quite upset that it had
been "damaged" when I threw it out and the head had to be taped back on.
Since my manual dexterity was quite good (maybe I should have been a
conservator...), I agreed to tape it so it wouldn't show, on the condition
that it would not be kept in the archives.

Now for the real archival punch.

She later came to me with arrangements--defacto--for an archives of snake
handling video research archives.  She had already committed us to accepting
it without consulting me.  I explained to her the problems associated with
accepting such a collection when another institution in the same end of the
same state already had a collection policy in place for such collections.  I
also realized why she never got around to approving the collection policy I'd
written, which, of course, didn't mention snakes or serpent research.
Fortunately I left before the deed of gift was signed.  Though I do feel
badly about the individual who is now stuck with a collection that doesn't
fit and belongs elsewhere.

I used to wonder about her and snakes...

Holly Hodges

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