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As a founding member of the BRG (Business Records Group), and as a committee member of the SRG personally responsible for stuffing and mailing some 100 copies of the Newsletter, I have to say that this potential cause for offence passed me by. I think that Sarah Flynn and Carol Morgan are correct in saying that the comments in the editorial were intended to be light hearted. As an SRG Committee member I am well aware that it is extremely difficult to recruit enthusiastic and motivated people to serve in "taken for granted" positions such as a newsletter editor (and envelope stuffer) - I think that this has been a recent topic for debate on this list serv. And as a BRG (Business Records Group) Committee member, I have to acknowledge that it was partly the perceived bias in the profession to the public sector that led to the new Group's formation in the first place. In which case as a business archivist I can hardly complain if someone puts forward a mischievous counter blast, which is surely to the good for a healthy & lively debate, and the point of an editorial anyway. I don't think that anyone has intended to cause offence, either as a BRG member or an SRG newsletter editor, and I hope that we can all be big enough to take a jibe in good spirit. And anyone who says that organisations such as mine are not profit hungry monsters (with all the challenges that ensue for their archivists) are clearly living in a different dimension to mine. Having pacified no-one and antagonised many, I will now retreat. David David Hay Head of Group Archives British Telecommunications plc Phone : +44 20 7492 8799 Fax : +44 20 7242 1973 Mob: +44 7850 444920 e-mail: [log in to unmask] BT Group Archives, 3rd Floor, Holborn Telephone Exchange, 268-278 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EE http://www.bt.com/archives/ **************************************************************************** ***************** This electronic message contains information from British Telecommunications plc, which may be privileged and confidential. The views of the author may not necessarily reflect those of the Company. The information is intended to be for the use of the individual(s) or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify us by telephone or e-mail, then immediately delete the email and destroy any copies of it. **************************************************************************** ***************** -----Original Message----- From: Elaine Brison [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Monday, September 25, 2000 1:09 PM To: [log in to unmask] Cc: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask] Subject: '...profit hungry monsters.' Sensitivity: Confidential An open letter to Mark Pomeroy, editor of the SRG newsletter, from Elaine Brison. I do not know whether it is lack of nerve or incompetance that causes the editor of the SRG newsletter to fail to put his name to offensive remarks in the editorial, but I for one am not afraid to say openly what I think and believe. Business history is as valid a part of our heritage as any other and there are very few repositories that do not hold 'business records' of one form or another whether they be those of a commercial organisation, a local parish or a charitable body. The slur on business archivists that cannot help but be inferred from the above comment is undeserved and plain offensive - is it any wonder that people such as Elizabeth Oxbarrow-Cowan are constantly despairing at the lack of enthusiasm for people to take an active part in the society when all that is on offer is this kind of narrow and petty minded view point. Needless to say the SRG can take my resignation as regional rep to be effective immediately and I will not be renewing my membership of SRG on return of my membership form this month. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%