The 1920s (mass produced) school books in question were inherited by someone
who posted a question -- how best to protect them.  I believe the heir has,
by now, found out as much as he needs to know.  Okiver Hirsch has elevated
their cultural value to a lofty level indeed.  I have followed the frugal
approach to protecting boxes of 100-year-old books at home, (wrapping each
item in kraft paper) and use all the right materials to save those directly
related to family history.  Anyone interested in a 1900 set of Harvard
Classics missing the 18th volume?

Ross Weeks Jr.
----- Original Message -----
From: Janice Klein <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2000 12:43 PM
Subject: Re: school books


> I am reminded of my "Fourth Law of Museum Work":
>
> You can't save everything
>
> Not every piece of material culture can go into a museum or be preserved,
> and certainly not forever.  Choices -- and often difficult ones -- need to
> be made about what is kept.  And even once in museums choices need to be
> made about level of use ("total" preservation, exhibit, research,
> destructive analysis).  And those choices may change over time: what was
> once common may become rare and need more preservation and less use.
>
> Janice Klein
> Director, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, Kendall College
> [log in to unmask]
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Okiver V Hirsch <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Saturday, April 15, 2000 11:33 AM
> Subject: Re: school books
>
>
> >Mr. Weeks comment, while not reflecting a particularly scholarly
> >attitude, reflects an outlook that has certainly given rise to
> >labyrinthine scholarly pursuits over the centuries.  That is, had modern
> >folk stored ephemera, say, in 17th century Florence, rather than carting
> >books and the like off to the land (or water) fill, we would probably
> >know a good bit more of importance than we do now.
> >
> >If one can't store "ephemera" that holds potentially
> >interesting/informative/valuable information, then at least digitalize
> >the material so that generations down the line can evaluate what is
> >landfill-worthy, and what is important.  It is certainly too early for us
> >to make that call.
> >
> >Oliver Hirsch
> >Hirsch & Associates Fine Art Services, Inc.
> >New York
> .
>
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