Well. This certainly seems to be an area of personal opinion, strongly held. Into that danger zone let me introduce a fact: There is a cluster on this topic in the professional literature. NEDCC "Technical Leaflet" "Storage Methods and Handling Practices," for example. Does anyone except me remember the existence of "professional literature?" Perhaps not. I am a "Grumpy Old Man," who not only learned how to read but often _does_! For entertainment and (Unglaublichkeit) _information_! Of course, such a notion is clearly out of fashion with the video games generation who - as it becomes increasingly obvious in following Listservs - are filling the ranks of those considering themselves "professional." I would consider familiarity with the professional literature to be a major indicium of a "professional," even if it does often mean descent into the realm of _reading_ - _reading_ stuff _on paper_! Those who do not "are not deserving the respect of peers. It ought to be a dismissable offense with no prospects for further employment." Now _there's_ a strongly held personal opinion; which is solely mine, and does not necessarily represent the views of my employer. According to Group Denial: > > In article <[log in to unmask]>, Beatrice Hulsberg > <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > Michael, I did not mean to offend archivists but I DO know of several > > instances where archivists/librarians have dismantled photograph albums > > because they did not believe that they were "artifacts" in their own right. > > Beatrice > > [log in to unmask] > > Beatrice Ann Hulsberg > > In the age of computerized databases and superb photographic reproductions > there is no excuse for physically dispersing the contents of an album. Any > museum or library staff member who disassembles an album for a reason > other than eventually reassembling it in an improved state of preservation > is a vandal not deserving the respect of peers. It ought to be a > dismissible offense with no prospects for further employment. > > -- > Paul Doering in Rochester NY USA > "Tomorrow will never catch up with yesterday > because yesterday started sooner." > - Carl Sandburg, "Rootabaga Stories" >