NYHIST-L Archives

October 2000

NYHIST-L@LISTSERV.NYSED.GOV

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Subject:
From:
"Thomas W. Perrin" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
A LISTSERV list for discussions pertaining to New York State history." <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 10 Oct 2000 12:38:34 -0400
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A couple of general comments in favor of preservation.

One of my first jobs as a student library assistant was to determine if
I could splice back together frames of a microfilm that had been cut
into pieces by issue by someone (expletives deleted) who did not
understand how microfilm was used.

Newspapers have a tendency to disappear under the best of circumstances,
according to their value to collectors, historians, genealogists and any
light fingered Louie who happens to come along.  Sometimes this happens
before the newspapers can be microfilmed, sometimes afterward.  In one
town, the entire US Civil War era newspapers have disappeared, perhaps
forever.  Which brings me to another pet peeve:

Professional library persons, on the whole, have no training and little
knowledge on the necessity of preserving historical and cultural
materials, rare or highly collectible books from either the ravages of
patrons or the hands of thieves.  The decisions on disposal, therefore,
should remain in the hands of archivists, professional historians and
other preservationists.

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