1, Send them to the college library or the public library, where the
librarians are adept at teaching patrons how to do such research.
2. Send them to the nearest relevant museum or historical society. Many
have a day or two per year where they will look at art, documents, etc.
3. I'd say avoid referring them to appraisers--the museum folks can do
that--and tell them honestly that you can't can't involved in any
financial evaluations. That should get most of them out the door.
4. Write up a tasty handout to give them and you should end up well under
the 15 minute limit.
You may think this sounds a bit harsh, but I have met the most
amazing timewasters--like the couple with the drawing they're convinced is
by Rembrandt: they've been hustling it around for 25 years and refuse to
accept the uniformly negative verdict. The fellow who wanted me to back
him on his interpretation of all Italian Renaissance art as filled with
conversations in American sign language (invented in the 19th century or
so and still not in use in Italy) I had to throw out of my office.
Adrienne DeAngelis, Mean Girl
[log in to unmask]
On Wed, 12 May 2004, Julie Holcomb wrote:
> Please excuse the cross-postings.
>
> We are an art and history museum. How does your staff handle questions
> like, "I have a painting by David Mann and I would like to know
> everything about the artist and how much the painting is worth?" or "I
> have a letter from my great-uncle who fought in the Civil War and I want
> to know everything about him, his regiment, and how much the letter is
> worth?" These are the kinds of general interest questions that are
> generated by the types of the collections we hold.
>
> I've been using a 15 minute rule with most of these requests suggesting
> that the user come in and do their own research, etc. and of course
> always referring them to a reputable appraiser. My dean has asked
> whether 15 minutes is too much given the exponential increase in our
> volume - we're facing a two to three month backlog right now. He wants
> to know if there is a polite way to service these types of users without
> spending 15 minutes with each and every one. How does your staff handle
> these types of questions?
>
> Your input is appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Julie
> --
> Julie Holcomb, MLIS, CA
> College and Special Collections Archivist
> Pearce Collections at Navarro College
> Navarro College Archives
> 3100 W. Collin St.
> Corsicana, Texas 75110
>
> Phone: 903-875-7438 ~ Fax: 903-875-7593
> E-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
> Internet: http://www.pearcecollections.us/ or
> http://www.navarrocollege.edu/library/archives/
>
> "Men make their own history, but they do not make it just as they
> please; they do not make it under
> circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly
> found, given, and transmitted
> from the past. The tradition of all the dead generations weighs like a
> nightmare on the brain of
> the living." Karl Marx, The Eighteenth Brumaire
>
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