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Gandalf and Reading Room Snacking



Christopher's point is well taken, although I think our usual patrons are
serious enough to respect the needs of the collection.  It does make me
think that there's a fairly simple way to explain to patrons why we don't
have coffee bars, microwave ovens, or full waiter service with gratuity
automatically added to the bill.

One could put together a small poster or exhibit case with samples of items
damaged by various substances.  Take unnecessary items (flyers or brochures
you have many copies of, for example), spill coffee on one, Coke on another,
water on a third, smear tuna or PBJ on another, chocolate, whatever.  Allow
them to dry, then mount them someplace (away from the actual collections, of
course) and place them next to a pristine original.  Anybody asks why they
can't bring their triple haf caf mocha latte with extra whipped cream in to
see the original Magna Carta, the reference person could simply show the
exhibit and explain politely why it's not allowed.

Another idea would be to include in an introduction to the archives - a
tour, a lecture, whatever - reasons why the food is not allowed in, possibly
using the same pieces as example.  Quite frankly, I'm not terribly concerned
about that level of user-friendliness.  The world occasionally needs rules,
and the preservation of our collections for other users has to take
precedence over increasing our "human interface factors".

Oh, and while I really want to see Lord of the Rings, I can't help thinking
of Sean Astin, who plays Sam Gamgee, as "Rudy".

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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