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Re: A modest proposal



Good evening,

As someone who has been on the archives list since the early 1990's I am
amused to see the same sorts of comments recycled over and over again.
Many, many times there have been calls for a moderator for this list.
Almost as many times I have seen comments that we should avoid a moderator
since that would distroy the free flow of comments that make this listserv
unique.

I know that the events of 9/11 have struck a cord for many of us. We are
feeling frustration, anger and the desire to strike back. That's why we
are seeing the increase of political commentary. However as I have read
the list this evening in addition to the commentary I have also seen a
number of interesting discussions relating to issues of archival import. I
have seen my colleagues on this list provide useful and interesting
information to others who needed it, something that people complained
about during the SAA conference. I have also seen discussions of the
events of 9/11 and where archives may place a role be it in preserving the
history or in retriving the records lost in the attacks. I know at the
Library of Congress we have been asked to send information about all
websites related to the events of 9/11 to the Minerva project, a project
that is working to preserve websites for future study. (for more
information go to www.loc.gov/minerva).

If you all want discussions with archival content then you have to create
them. If this is to be a list that is here to encourage the scholary
discussion of issues related to archives, archivists and occassionally
records managers, preservation experts and rare books specialists then it
is up to you as members to create a list that allows that to happen. Yes
we can have a list moderator. It could be Peter K. It could be a member of
the SAA Council Archives List committee. Heck it could be anyone. But that
seems to me like the members of this list don't feel that they can control
what is on this list. They need someone to do it for them. I feel
extremely uncomfortable with that. We are professionals and we should be
able to create a list where we can have important and profound discussions
without having someone watch over to make sure that no one says anything
that is off topic.

I think Richard Pierce-Moses said a week or so ago that if a list message
seems problematic ignore it. I will say the same but will also add the
suggestion that if you feel the need to discuss it, discuss with the
poster and not with the entire list.

I hate to sound negative but I am terribly frustrated by the members of
this list. If you want a list that meets your needs it is up to you to
take control and make it a list that you want. I don't believe this list
needs a moderator; it needs members who are willing to share their issues
relating to archives and archivists (and the other topics listed above)and
relegate their feelings about the events outside of those areas to the
thousands upon thousands of lists that serve that function. It needs
people to ask professional and thought provoking questions and people to
provide substantive and thought provoking answers. It needs people who can
get past being stuck by one (or ten) off topic posters. If the membership
of this list can't do this then the Council Archives List Committee needs
to know so we can start soliciting applications for a list moderator.

Have a lovely evening.

Danna Bell-Russel
National Digital Library Learning Center
Library of Congress

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