Janice Klein wrote:
>As a registrar who has worked well and closely with a
>number of conservators (some of my best friends...), I
>would like to find a way to lessen some of the apparent
>hostility and defensiveness that shows up in our interactions.

I think our "hostility & defensiveness" is largely a result from utter
frustration. Most conservators are very patient people - you have to be in
our profession - but even we get tired of repeating the same message (ask
BEFORE you act). As many have said in the past couple of months on this
list, we are quite happy to give our advice where possible, but we prefer
to advise on a small problem before it becomes a big one.

In one of Charles Schultz "Peanuts" episodes Lucy, in her role of the $0.05
psychiatrist, advises Charlie Brown that "never has so much damage been
done than by those who THOUGHT they were doing the right thing". Let this
be our motto.


George Bailey                                     I am perfectly normal;
Objects Conservator                               everyone else is a bit
Australian War Memorial                           strange, though.....
Treloar Centre for Conservation
4 Callan St, Mitchell, A.C.T. 2911
Australia
Phone: (0)6 241 6122
fax:   (0)6 241 7998
email: [log in to unmask]