 |
 |
Dear All Conceptual problems sometimes need to be solved in pragmatic ways. Anna Greening Archivist The Fawcett Library On Wed, 29 Sep 1999 13:59:34 +0100 "Flynn, Sarah JA" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Dear all > Geoffrey Yeo's contribution to this debate is helpful but I would just like to comment on this bit of his message: > "Automated systems might be expected to provide us with a solution [to the problem of material which could be classed as archive and/or MS], but to date most systems have been developed to meet the perceived needs of a single profession, and the opportunity to address the wider issue has been largely ignored." > Automated description can hardly be expected to solve a conceptual problem, being only a tool and not a mechanism of making our professional decisions. It is unsurprising that most such systems have been developed for use by one custodial profession (excellent phrase) only, since they tend to address issues important to that profession and be largely used by that profession. Although anyone out there who has used systems based on the library/MSS framework of AACR2 and MARC may have points to make about the way those standards (and perhaps we should think about standards rather than computing here) deal with archival and/or museum concepts. > However I do endorse Geoffrey's point about the desirability of professional dialogue on these matters. It may be that the new cultural consortia proposed by the present government will allow archivists to take the lead as he suggests, on these and on other matters of common concern. > Sarah > > ****** > > Sarah J A Flynn > Archivist (Historical Records) > Information Management and Analysis > Glaxo Wellcome plc > 891-995 Greenford Road > Greenford > Middlesex UB6 0HE > UK > > Direct line: 711 2395 / (+44) -181 966 2395 > Fax: 711 2240 / (+44) -181 966 2240 > Email: [log in to unmask] > > ****** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anna Greening Archivist, The Fawcett Library London Guildhall University [log in to unmask] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%