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I agree with your point about MLAC's emphasis on access.  I think the
Government needs to be made aware that there is a duty to conserve and
interpret as well as to make material accessible.  Some of the statements
that Mr Evans has made do not augur well for the future and I wonder how
much he realises that archives and museums do differ to libraries in many
respects.

As to the other thread and archives being 'an obscure cultural backwater,
populated by eccentric recluses.'  Well, I have to say that I really think
this view is a legacy of the past and could be fair criticism.  I don't wish
to cause offence or stir anything up, but I think the profession in the past
has suffered from too many people who were only too happy to sit quietly in
the corner cataloguing and doing nothing to push or promote their chosen
profession.  Times have changed and are continuing to change, which is only
to the good.  But it will take time to change an image which by and large
archivists themselves have created.

Alan

		-----Original Message-----
		From:	Andrew Milligan
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
		Sent:	03 March 2000 12:33
		To:	[log in to unmask]
		Cc:	Richard Childs
		Subject:	Re: New DCMS website/MLAC consultation
document

		3/3/00

		I could not agree with Richard Childs more, especially about
the link to HMC

		Incidentally, although, after the Thames regional meeting
with Deborah
		Jenkins, there was a flurry of notes about how we should
discuss fundamental
		matters, not much actual discussion has gone on.

		I'm on matenity leave from HMC at the moment and have
subscribed to this
		listserve to keep in touch.  I may be rather behind everyone
else, but am I
		alone in being concerned about the emphasis placed in the
MLAC consultation
		document on access as opposed to preservation and
intellectual control?
		There seems to be so much stress placed on open access here
and now that the
		interests of posterity may be being ignored?  I do not know
exactly what the
		MGC's conservation register consists of, but is it ominous
that MLAC does
		not intend to continue it?

		Rosemary Hayes

		(this message will say it comes from Andrew Milligan - my
husband - if
		anyone knows how to change such headings in emails, I would
be greatly for
		suggestions off-list!)

		----- Original Message -----
		From: Richard Childs <[log in to unmask]>
		To: FRED WHICHELO <[log in to unmask]>
		Cc: Archive <[log in to unmask]>
		Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2000 4:48 PM
		Subject: Re: New DCMS website


		>
		>
		> I have had a cursory look at the new DCMS website and I
must admit some
		> considerable disappointment as may other subscribers to
this listserv at
		the
		> very low, almost non-existent profile of archives on the
pages. You will
		find
		> archives under "heritage,libraries and museums" on the
DCMS homepage but
		then
		> only in the context of the new Museums Libraries and
Archives Council.
		> On the links page, though the Royal Commission on
Historical Manuscripts'
		> address is given under the libraries section, there is no
hotlink to the
		HMC's
		> website. There are however hotlinks to other DCMS funded
organisations
		such as
		> the Archaeological Diving Unit at St Andrews University!!.
		> It's all well and good having a new buddy buddy
relationship between
		archives
		> and the DCMS through MLAC but it would help matters
considerably if DCMS
		didn't
		> keep forgetting that we exist.
		> If having looked at the DCMS pages, you feel the same as I
do, please
		e-mail
		> their address for feedback. If enough people do so,
perhaps they may give
		> archives a better profile on their site.
		> Richard Childs,
		> County Archivist,
		> West Sussex Record Office.
		>
		>
		>


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