This is an interesting one, without an easy answer I fear. We have the same
debate with our Museum. The Curator now knows how to define archives and
archival documents, and uses this knowledge to argue that individual
documents that the Museum continues to accumulate have lost any contextual
information and, ipso facto, cannot be considered as having any archival
value. Naturally, such pieces are usually glamorous and attractive looking
documents which we all love to keep to complement what are frequently
visually unattractive collections. A colourful piece of 19 cent telephone
advertising literature connects much more with a visitor than a registered
file on the same telephone's development.
My concern in this situation is not so much the final arrangement and means
of access, and in this instance it is clearly not one of the quality of
care. My issue is more about appraisal, as I cannot be confident that such
documents are not selected solely for their visual impact and value in
complementing a visual display, rather than their relationship to documents
originating from the same organisation (but collected from a different
source), or even for their individual informational content.
I look forward to seeing some practical advice on this.
David Hay
Group Archivist
British Telecommunications plc
* 020 7492 8799
* 020 7242 1973
* [log in to unmask]
http://www.bt.com/archives/
http://corporate.intra.bt.com/sec_area/archives/
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Claire Jackson [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Monday, September 27, 1999 4:40 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Cc: 'archives & archivists'
> Subject: Single item manuscripts
> Importance: High
>
> I am involved in a rather "interesting" discussion with my librarian
> colleagues who feel that single item manuscripts should be part of the
> library collection [and catalogued, managed etc. as the rest of the
> library
> stock].
> I am slightly out numbered here [one archivist - 12 librarians] and wonder
> whether other archivists have views on this topic.
> I should add that the manuscripts are kept in the same environmental
> conditions as the administrative archives and are subject to the archival
> rules on handling, copying, display and consultation.
>
> Claire Jackson
> Archivist
> Royal Society of Medicine.
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