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Re: Private archives



Laura,

Maybe you should start working with his son - get a sense of his intentions
for the collections, introduce the idea that UConn could better fulfull his
dad's goals for the collection than he may be able to (especially if the son
isn't retired himself), etc. It'd be interesting to learn how the father
developed his low opinion of archives; if the son feels the same way,
perhaps you could demonstrate to him how UConn's New Haven collections are
being protected and  used.

It also sounds like the father is the kind of man who takes a lot of pride
in doing something he considers valuable for others. If so, you might get
through to the son (and maybe even to the father) by playing up to that, by
taking pains to recognize and honor the father's work in preserving and
organizing the collection and making it available for research and then
making sure he sees how UConn would further his work. I deal with that
mentality here, and taking this approach has worked wonders in changing the
thinking of the parties involved.

My problem in the context of private collections is a bit stickier. Many of
our board members actively collect records that clearly fall within the
collecting scope of the HCEA Archives. It seems to me that this is a pretty
blatant conflict of interest. I've tried to express my concerns about this,
but all appeals to reason and ethics fall on deaf ears. The usual response
is along the lines of  "I'm going to will it all to the HCEA anyway, so
don't worry about it." Any suggestions about how to respond?

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

----- Original Message -----
From: "Laura Smith" <Laura.Katz.Smith@UCONN.EDU>
To: <ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2001 8:42 AM
Subject: Private archives


> As long as we're on the subject of private archives...there is a fantastic
collection of railroad records related to the New Haven Railroad (the
railroad for which we have the corporate records and other related
collections here at UConn) in private hands.  The man who owns the
collection is a retired New Haven Railroad employee.  When the railroad went
under in 1968 the management discarded many of their records or let the
workers take what they want, so many of the records scattered to the four
winds or were lost.
>
> The private collection is housed in the basement of the man's house.  It
consists of dozens of linear feet of photographs, maps, historical
documents, memorabilia, you name it.  The man allows researchers access to
the collection, or provides reference service to those searching for
specific information.  He has allowed me to refer my researchers to him, if
we do not have the materials to answer certain questions.
>
> I've visited the man's home (located about one hour from the UConn campus
at Storrs) and talked with him about his collection, but he has made it very
clear that he has no intention of donating his collection to UConn or any
other institution.  He has a profound distrust of archives and historical
> societies, believing they all collect material to simply sell it in time
or squirrel it away, letting it sit unattended in their storage rooms.
>
> The collection will go to his son upon the man's death.  It is my fear
that the son will not be as devoted to the collection as his father is, and
will
> either sell it piece by piece or let it lanquish.
>
> Laura Smith
>
> Laura Katz Smith, CA
> Curator for Business, Railroad, Labor and Ethnic Heritage and Immigration
> Collections
> Archives & Special Collections
> Thomas J. Dodd Research Center
> 405 Babbidge Road, Unit 1205
> University of Connecticut
> Storrs, CT  06269-1205
>
> Phone: (860)486-2516
> Fax: (860)486-4521
> Email: Laura.Katz.Smith@UConn.edu
>

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