Douglas W. St.Clair writes:

>Does anyone (except me) see it as ironic that organizations, dedicated to
>preservation, would trash something so important to their own history as
>their written records?

I certainly see it as ironic.  In _Facts_and_Artefacts_ a basic guide to
museum documentation published by the MDA in 1991 I wrote:

"It is ironic that information and evidence of ownership has sometimes
been lost through rationalisation of records after a retrospective
documentation project.  Discarding old records is not a good idea.  Some
of the assumptions made during a retrospective documentation project may
be subject to later revision.  Access to the original records may be
required to contradict or verify such revisions.  Some information may
be inaccurately transcribed, however carefully the process was carried
out.  Reconstructed records may be more accurate and consistent than the
originals, but in the event of a dispute they will not carry the same
weight as contemporary records."

I believe that these words still hold true and they will appear in the
2nd edition due for publication later this year.  Even scanned images of
the originals can in my view be no substitute for the originals.  The
type of ink can give invaluable clues but will surely be much harder to
determine from an image.  Modifications to the original will be harder
to spot if you cannot hold the original up to the light and detect
subtle variations in tone or the faint impression of obliterated
characters.

Recent comments from Patrick Boylan and others in another thread about
the importance of old handwriting on labels, etc. are very pertinant
here.

It may not be a very fashionable attitude but in my view you destroy the
subtleties and nuances of paper records at your peril (or more likely
that of your successors).

------
Stuart Holm, Heritage Documentation Projects     Tel: 01603 870772
2 New Road, Reepham, Norwich NR10 4LP         E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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