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Re: Real world of way behind archives...



Let me echo what Dean said - take the materials and at least you can group
the materials by dept or subject, and you'll be able to narrow down the
search when someone comes calling.

You have several other issues to deal with, though.

There's a clear need for some PR/outreach.  Obviously many of those out
there already know who you are, they just seem a bit unclear as to what your
role is.  They also (how many of us have seen this?) will get very
proprietary about their records, and may not want to give up their stuff.
They will say to you repeatedly "oh, you wouldn't want this" and try and
throw it out.

What you need to do is explain to people that you are the one responsible
for maintaining these records, and that it's your job to take the records.
Do it politely, obviously - there's negotiation, politics, etc. to be
concerned with.  There's a renovation going on?  The Institution is asking
for trouble if someone (i.e. you) doesn't see to it that the records are
gathered today before they disappear.

One of the big problems, of course, is getting support from management -
it's all well & good to make this kind of pitch, but you need somebody with
the muscle to see that this happens.  And feel free to be gently pushy about
it - they _will_ forget it if you let them, so you just have to keep at it
to make sure the records are saved.  All the usual arguments can be made -
the dangers of loss, disaster, etc.; the value of a centralized location for
access; your eventual success in organizing the materials; unifying the
materials into one organized system.

If you can get this into their heads now, you won't have to repeat yourself
_quite_ so often, though there's always the new VP who comes in & wants to
dump "all the old stuff..."

Good luck,

DS

______________________________________
Daniel Sokolow, Archives Coordinator
David Taylor Archives
North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
155 Community Drive
Great Neck, NY 11021
mailto:dsokolow@nshs.edu

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