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Archival humour



Let me share this bit of Canadian archival humour with the list.

Sally Gibson in Toronto

*****************************************************************************

You know you are an archivist if:

1. The terms 'watermark', 'sever', 'NAC' and 'laid' mean something
entirely different to you than to any of your friends.

2. You think that The Pelican Brief is about an authority control
problem.

3. You are an encyclopaedia of irrelevant historical miscellany, and
your family refuse to watch Jeopardy with you any more.

4. The sight of an elderly person with a large binder gives you nervous
tremours.

5. Your in-laws proudly show you a photograph of great-grandfather and
the first thing that you do is turn it over.

6. When the local radio station needs to ferret out some irrelevant
historical fact (such as the year that the canine population peaked in
Guelph, or the maiden name of Sir John Sparrow Thompson's mother), the
station always calls you.  (See item 3.)  Ironically, the fact needed is
always the one thing you can't recall at that precise moment.

7. You are the only member of staff to whom the Head of the History
Department speaks with respect.   All of your friends make it clear that
this surprizes them.

8. The appearance on your desk of an old, cardboard grocery carton full
of soiled papers, with a cabinet just visible at the top sends your
heart racing.

9.  You see the obituary of a prominent Canadian, and the first question
in your mind is "who gets the papers?"

10. You have a graduate degree and are paid about the same as the
22-year old who repairs your computer.


Jennifer Bunting
originally posted to ARCAN-L

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