I only wish other public libraries were as on the ball as Bob's.  They
really do have a great collection and knowledge of what needs to be done.
But maybe that really is what it comes down to in reality - the staff?  If
you have a good group of people who really understand the needs of the
material and don't look at their weekly tenure just as a "job," the
situation would be quite different.

In one situation at a local library I am familiar with, there was really no
need to dump the newspapers.  They did not have a large collection and it
wasn't taking up that much room.  They just felt that it was time to get rid
of those dusty old crumbling newspapers that were making some of the staff
sneeze!

I wonder if this is the kind of project that corporate donors could get
involved in?  I can see IBM or GE financing a historic newspaper repository,
no? They could use some good PR :)

On the other hand I am not comfortable with some old wareshouse being the
repository unless it was up to code, had the latest environmental regulation
system, and a great sprinkler system.
dr

> From: Robert Sullivan <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: "A LISTSERV list for discussions pertaining to New York State
> history." <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 19:38:01 -0500
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Cross post from a hard-copy discarder
>
>> Maybe this was discussed already, but has anyone or could a group send out a
>> notice to local libraries and holding institutions as to the importance of
>> holding printed volumes, even if they are microfilmed, and that some other
>> repository would take them?
>
> This is what it all comes down to, isn't it?
>
> I'm happy to say that my library has a good collection of newspaper volumes
> (inherited from another library, I believe) and other historical material.
> When we had a roof leak this past summer, I rescued them from the flood.
> Don's
> seen some of my digitizing projects and we share an interest in saving this
> sort of thing and making it available online.
>
> On the other hand, we're in a space crunch and everything is being examined
> with a critical eye as we prepare for a major reorganization of our building.
> There's no way we could absorb someone else's collection.  The local
> historical
> society has a wonderful library, but they also have space constraints.
>
> It's probably safe to say that this would apply to most public libraries....
> maybe the new Broome County Public Library would be an exception, as they will
> be allied with the local historian and possibly another office.
>
> So - if I know of a large collection of documents which will be discarded
> after
> microfilming and I'd like to preserve them, what are my options?
>
> Bob Sullivan                               [log in to unmask]
> Schenectady County Public Library (NY)     http://www.scpl.org
>