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Re: Your Valued Opinions Requested



You didn't say whether the "local organization" is a collecting repository
or not.  If they are, appeal to their sense of professionalism citing
"standards of practice in the archival/museum field."

Truth be told, the images are probably faded about as much as they are going
to.  No, that's not a rationale for continuing to exhibit them, but may mean
that there is little risk of loosing what is left of the image.  I could be
wrong about this and would be happy to hear what other have to say in
opposition.

Catherine Bruck
University Archivist
Illinois Institute of Technology
Paul V. Galvin Library
35 W. 33rd St.
Chicago, IL  60616
312/567-6840
312/567-5318 (FAX)
bruck@iit.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU]On
Behalf Of Jerry A. McCoy
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 9:41 AM
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: Your Valued Opinions Requested


Dear Colleagues,

Your valued opinions requested...

I have been contacted by a local organization which is
embroiled in an interesting (yet sad) internal debate.

This organization has a collection of 48 vintage
photographs taken during the years 1869 to 1940 which
documents their organization's history.  The majority
of these images have been on display in a non-climate
controlled environment (for over 100 years!) and some,
understandably, are not in the greatest of shape.

The photographs have since been taken down, removed
from their original frames, and are in the process of
having copy negatives produced.

The situation is that the board members of this
organization, since they will have copy negatives of
all of the photos, want to put the originals BACK UP
on the walls!  They feel that since the originals have
been up all of this time, they should remain up since
they have negatives now.  They feel that when the
originals completely fade, as they are well on their
way to doing, they can TRASH them and then have copies
made from the negs. and put THOSE on display.

Could you share with me any succinct, pithy reasons
which I can give to this board as to why they should
not allow their original photographs to be allowed to
further deteriorate just because they have back-up
negatives to make future copies?  Why they should
display the COPIES instead and archivally store the
originals?

I know the reasons are obvious to us but these are
obviously very dense, confused individuals and need to
hear, loud and clear, some very good explanations.

Thank you!

Jerry A. McCoy

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