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Re: (erielack) ELHS Archives.

Pat,
Are any of these files available online?

Fred Stratton
MP. 7.2 NS Asheville line
Salisbury, NC


>From: Pat_McKnight_@_nps.gov
>Reply-To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
>To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
>Subject: Re: (erielack) ELHS Archives.
>Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 09:09:11 -0500
>
>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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>
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