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courting



OK, today as every day I am feeling overwhelmed and it has finally made me
cranky.  Though I appreciate the idea that Dr. Gotlieb can court the celebs
and that he can court the press, etc. how many of us can do either?

I work in a one person shop -- I mean one person, me.  I have no student
help, no assistants, no one (I have asked for five years for help to no
avail).  Yet I am constantly bombarded by the professional expectations that
Archivists are supposed to do everything in the world and be an expert on
everything technological.  Where, I ask all of you, am I supposed to find
the time and training to be a computer expert, web design expert, court
every donor possible, help every researcher in the world over the internet,
make the entire world aware of the importance of archives, digitize every
item in the archives.  I could go on, but I won't.

If I am doing all these things, who is back at the shop actually processing
the collections?  No one.  Please, when can we have a sense of reality about
the work one human being can perform?

My God, what a rant!  I love my work, and love my collection -- ecumenical
and inter-religious work by groups and individuals in the west and pacific
rim.  This is hardly the stuff that gets the attention of the press.  My
rant is an expression of the frustration of seeing what should be done and
not being able to do it.

Lucinda (Frustrated in Berkeley) Glenn Rand

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