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constituent expectation survey



Esteemed colleagues,

My supervisor has asked me to formulate a survey which we will use to "do a
needs assessment with various constituencies to see what is needed or
expected from Archives."  Have any of you ever done something quite like
that and would you share questions or elegant phrasings I could use?

So far I have formulated questions about the type of material they seek at
archives (photographs, documents, etc.), uses to which they put archival
material (brochure, talking points for donor, etc.) and how they get the
material (personal visit to archives or call the archivist to do the
research).  I also know they want material that no office was willing to
put in the archives as opposed to the recycle bin and photographs which
were never taken (of the spittoons in the halls of Old Main or all the
former presidents in a group at an important moment).

We are at a promising point in the development of archives here.  I am now
at 50% and will have a full time civil service person and two students this
fall.  (For me that is an veritable empire. I used to be a 30%
appointment.)  In other words, if I do this right I may be able to garner
more resoures both in archival material and in money.  Hope does spring
eternal.

I would be very grateful for your kind assistance.

(If I may be allowed a personal note.  I have long lurked out here,
reluctant to admit that I do this for peanuts, because I love it (although
I would prefer cashew nuts) and because I believe I have made a difference
in campus culture and appreciation for the institution's past.
I have also appreciated the humor and personal stories on the listserv.  A
while back when I was just learning to deal with cancer and chemotherapy,
you people and all your postings of all sorts  -especially the rolling roll
call of people who had not gone to SAA helped me keep my sanity.  Thanks
folks.)

Jo Rayfield
who has the best job on campus

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