My first thought was is this a Friday question - but then why
shouldn't we go back to first principles and examine our rules?
Surely this is what we should be doing as professionals - if
something that would erase biro effectively was invented next week
would we allow people to use them? Presumably we would as the
original reason for the rule - potential damage to records - would
not be relevant. After we're all long gone and everything is examined
on screens or are all electronic records that have never been
anything else searchroom users will be welcome to bring in their
cappuccinos and mars bars (I'm sure they will still exist!) if they
want to.
In many ways we use the 'no food or drink of any kind' for ease of
administration since a packet of mints clearly does not present the
same risk as a cheeseburger. Similarly we say 'no coats or bags' at
all, even though a large holdall is a far greater risk than a small
handbag. I know of at least one record office that will diligently
separate people from small purses but allow laptop and camera cases
in. In a previous job we used to have long staff meetings about
exactly what constituted a bag or an coat - damn those ambiguous
fleece tops! Staff (including the professional archivists) had
disconnected the risk and rules that meant one did not flow from the
other - they needed a list of what was and what was not "allowed".
I think this is an important question that we should be asking about
all our rules and procedures. Seems to me there's still a clear need
to keep this particular rule but it doesn't hurt to think them
through and make sure we can explain them to others satisfactorily. I
can't see why Janet's question should have 'touched a nerve' - if
it's so simple, simply explain it.
Jenny
Jenny Moran
Keeper (Access and Information)
Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland
and Honorary Secretary, Society of Archivists
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