Chuck did a fantastic job of describing the common problem in preservation
of archives and museums. There is no magic bullet to solve the archives
problems. You have to be flexible and use all the tools at your disposal.
A scanner is nice, but when you are talking text, OCR software does not
work well on third generation carbon copies. No matter what you do you
will need to figure out some kind of a system. With the DL&W, Erie, and
Lehigh Valley records we have at Steamtown, the first thing you have to do
is figure out the filing system of the originating office. I can tell you
that every office seems to have a different file system. The Chief
Engineer of the DL&W had a different system than the General
Superintendent. The Chief Engineer of the Erie had a different file system
than the Chief Engineer of the DL&W. The Presidents files of the Lehigh
Valley used a system similar the Erie Chief engineer and so on.
I have identified the types of files in my collection, developed approaches
to processing them to make them "intellectually accessible". If you ever
get to know me I use the words "intellectually accessible" a lot. What
that means is that you can find what you are looking for. In my
professional opinion, if a collection is not "intellectually accessible"
and there are no plans to make it such, why have it? I have worked with
others who strongly believe if the collection is locked up in a secure
climate controlled room with minimal deterioration, their job is done.
If you ever want to learn about archives first-hand, I am always open to
new volunteers at Steamtown. I have some basic projects to start
"beginners" on. As you become more "developed" I will then allow you to
"play" with or process records you like. For example, I would start you
working on Erie, C&E, WB&E, and NYS&W AFE and PR files. You might be a
die-hard DL&W fan, so after a box or two of the AFE files, I might graduate
you to working on DL&W General Superintendent or Chief Engineer files.
As far as digitization goes, the program I am currently pumping information
into can be put "on-line" at a cost. I am also open to allowing some of my
data to be tied to other people's web sites. For example, Steamtown has
approximately 150 Erie personnel files from the Jefferson and Wyoming
Division. Some of the basic information is available at the following
link:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~sponholz/Steamtown.html
As far as the ultimate resting place of the ELHS archives, I hope all
options are weighed and the best location is found. While I agree with
some of the members of this organization that Steamtown is a good option,
it is not the only option. Again, if any of you folks are ever at
Steamtown, look me up and I will be happy to show you the archives and
systems I have in place (please give me a heads up in advance to make sure
I'll be here).
Patrick McKnight
Historian/Archivist
Steamtown NHS
570-340-5193
We need history, not to tell us what happened or to explain the past, but
to make the past alive so that it can explain us and make a future
possible.-Alan Bloom
"Chuck Yungkurth"
<raildata_@_comcast To: "EL Mail List" <erielack@lists.elhts.org>
.net> cc: (bcc: Pat McKnight/STEA/NPS)
Subject: Re: (erielack) ELHS Archives.
02/28/2007 03:57
PM MST
Please respond to
"EL Mail List"
I work as a volunteer at the Colorado Railroad Museum and can truthfully
say
you guys have no idea of how big a problem digitizing archives can be. You
really ought to visit a large Museum and talk to them. Just setting up the
file system is a large job...mostly because so many people inputting
document don't catalog them with the proper names so them no one can find
them. Cataloging drawings, photos, negatives, etc. is pretty straight
forward but do you really want to catalog every letter in boxes of
correspondence? And I'm just talking about cataloging, let alone scanning
for on line viewing. At the CRRM we get into arguements what should be
saved
and what should be tossed out. Like is a blueprint of a piece of angle iron
with two holes in it worth saving, even if it did come from a narrow gauge
2-8-0? Or how amny drawings of rail sections ar needed. Not to mention a
trailer body full of waybills. Someone has to set down and make intelligent
decisions before cataloging and preseving starts.
Also, if an "amateur" sets up the catalog system it almost always works out
that no one else can figure out how the system works if there are software
problems...this is not just PC experience time! I speak from expereince
after being on the board of two non-railroad museums plus working here at
the very large Colo RR Museum.
We have a seven year old buillding built just for the purpose and a
professional curator, along with about 20 library voluneers. The Museum has
over 200 voulnteers and 10 full time employees, so there is a lot of
expereince here, including battles between "we must save everything" and
"only the good stuff" factions. And this includes preservation and
restoration of equipment.
Be happy to discuss this one on one with anyone off line. Might add that it
costs the Denver Public Library $15 per photo to put them on their web
site.
But this is with paid staff and they do "tweak" the picture for clarity,
brightness, etc.
(BTW, you guys might want to check the 100,000 photos that can be viewed on
line at www.denver.lib.co.us. and go to the phto catalog. Just search by
railroad or city and it is amazing what turns up! There are at least 40
Lackawanna steam locos there from the Otto Perry collection including
camelback 4-4-0s, etc. Not much Erie)
Might add the Museum curators are really skittish about committing to
complete digitizing and scanning materials since they have been badly
burned
by systems changing from Microfiche, to Optical records, and not scanning.
And there is much concern about how digitized records must be recopied at
intervals to assure permanance.....ulike 100 year old negatives, etc.
Chuck Yungkurth\
Boulder CO
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "toddsyr" <toddsyr_@_twcny.rr.com>
To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 3:05 PM
Subject: Re: (erielack) ELHS Archives.
> Paul T wrote:
>
> " It still baffles me - WHY IS THERE NO DISCUSSION OF ARCHIVE
> DIGITIZATION?
> What's the fear of this? That would really solve all the issues of
> "location, location, location." All the largest libraries in the nation
> are
> undertaking complete digitization of their collections to allow anyone,
> anywhere access to this information. As the vast majority of the archives
> is
> made up of "paper," this should be a pretty simple task (lengthy, but
> simple
> in process)."
>
> I agree 100%. Digitization of the archives would offer access to the most
> individuals by far, especially if accessible thru the 'net. It would also
> offer the best long term preservation of the documents. Digital copies
> don't
> mildew and can easily be replaced for whatever reason. If many chipped in
> their resources to lend a hand, it wouldn't be such a monumental task. I
> for
> one have a scanner now that sits largely unused. I'd be more than happy
to
> utilize it for saving important documents for the EL and it's
> predecessors.
> I guess to do that, I'd first have to become an ELHS member. I've been
> considering that for over 6 months now. The only thing stopping me is
what
> seems to be the in-house bickering and negativity that seems to revolve
> around the ELHS. I wish it weren't so. Someone recently stated that alot
> of
> the folks on this list aren't ELHS members. Is that such a bad thing?
> After
> all. I AM a member of the ELHTS and that's how I found out about this
> list.
> Someday I do hope to join the ELHS, I just would like to see more
positive
> things posted about it first. Here and elsewhere. I don't mind throwing a
> few bucks at a good cause here and there, but I HATE throwing money out
> the
> window. I rather just buy more EL N scale stuff than do that! Just some
> tired thoughts from an overworked EL fan.
>
> Todd K. Stearns
>
>
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